This is the fourth in my series The Path Less Travelled and deals with the time I spent working on the Iraqi Advisor Task Force contract in Southern Iraq. This was a classic and effective non lethal information collection program that really highlights the value of non lethal methodology.

Chris Masters, the country's foremost investigative journalist, turns his penetrating gaze on the modern Australian soldier. Moving away from our ongoing fascination with Anzac story, he looks at the rich and illuminating present to write a character study of the modern Australian soldier - war fighter, peacekeeper, street-level diplomat and aid worker.Having been taken into their ranks in a way rarely before afforded an outsider, Masters gives heart and shape to the contemporary d...

In America’s battle against global terrorism, the goal of the Navy SEALs is to be the best guns in the fight—stealthy, effective, professional, and lethal. Here for the first time is a SEAL insider’s battle history of these Special Operations warriors in the war on terrorism.“Down range” is what SEALs in Afghanistan and Iraq call their area of operations. In this new mode of warfare, “down range” can refer to anything from tracking roving bands of al-Qaeda on a rem...

From Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author Rick Atkinson (The Liberation Trilogy) comes an eyewitness account of the war against Iraq and a vivid portrait of a remarkable group of soldiers."A beautifully written and memorable account of combat from the top down and bottom up as the 101st Airborne commanders and front-line grunts battle their way to Baghdad.... A must-read."—Tom BrokawFor soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division, the r...

An unprecedented portrait of the United States Special Forces from the perspective of the fighters who served in its ranks.**“An intimate, valuable history of the Special Forces.” —**The New York TimesThe U.S. Army Special Forces, commonly known as the Green Berets, were at the forefront of America’s war in Afghanistan and counterterrorist campaigns. But little is known about the grave, seasoned individuals who belong to this secre...

'Corporal Baird was a modern-day warrior who set a standard that every soldier aspires to achieve.' - GENERAL DAVID HURLEYOn 22 June 2013, Corporal Cameron Baird was a 2nd Commando Regiment Special Forces soldier when he led his platoon into a known Taliban stronghold to back-up another Australian unit under heavy fire. In the pronged firefight, Cameron was mortally wounded.In 2014, Cameron's bravery and courage under fire saw him posthumou...

Established in 1986, the U.S. Special Operations Command was set up to bring the special operational disciplines of all branches of the military under a single, unified command to act on missions involving unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, and direct action…The Marine Special Operations Command (“MARSOC”) is the newest component of the military’s shift toward a fully integrated Special Operations Command structure. At first, ...

In recent years, the world has learned just what is required to bravely serve America through the navy’s most elite SEAL Team. Now, for the first time, we hear from their commander.For more than half a decade, Ryan Zinke was a commander at the most elite SEAL unit. A 23-year veteran of the US Navy SEALs, Zinke is a decorated officer and earned two Bronze Stars as the acting commander of Joint Special Forces in Iraq. Zinke trained and commanded many of the men who w...

As the U.S. Army shrinks, a private army steps into the breach. A Bloody Business offers an unprecedented look behind the scenes and into the ranks of this mercenary force (numbering as many as 15,000 today) who guard supply convoys, train foreign soldiers, provide security for foreign leaders and dignitaries and whose workplaces are the most dangerous hot spots on the planet. With its insights into who these men are, what drives them, where they come from, how they prepare, and what they ...

The soldiers of the SAS, the Commandos and Special Operations Engineer Regiment are Australia's most highly trained soldiers. Their work is often secret, their bravery undeniable and for thirteen years they were at the forefront of Australia's longest war. Shunning acclaim, they are the Australian Defence Forces' brightest and best skilled.In an extraordinary investigation undertaken over ten years, Chris Masters opens up the heart of Australia's Special Forces and their war in Afg...

The Sheriff of Ramadi is the first book written about the courage and success of the Navy SEALs in Ramadi. The Battle of Ramadi was the most sustained and vicious engagement fought by Navy SEALs since their inception in 1962. Never has a conventional commander fought a battle using Special Operations Forces as an intricate part of his battle plan. The operational and intelligence-gathering capabilities of a SEAL Task Unit produced startling and unprecedented success on the battlef...

Carson had the targets painted, whilst I scanned the horizon with NVGs, spotting a couple of Iraqi soldiers standing close to the Scud. Activity around the Scuds suddenly intensified as Iraqi vehicles begin to scatter in all directions. A single dual 30mm anti-aircraft gun, elevated its guns and began to pump 30mm green tracer shells into the sky. More anti-aircraft guns begin to spew out shells into the air at an alarming rate with deadly green tracer rounds crisscrossing the sky. This me...