Gentlemen Bastards: On the Ground in Afghanistan with America's Elite Special Forces

by Kevin Maurer

Overview

From the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of No Easy Day comes an insightful, inside look at the Green Berets—a legendary corps of soldiers whose exploits made military history. But now, its very identity and role as a fighting force may be forever changed. 

Until the war in Iraq, Special Forces were the military’s counterinsurgency experts. Their specialty was going behind enemy lines and training insurgent forces. In Afghanistan, they toppled the Taliban by transforming Northern Alliance fighters into cohesive units. But since that time, Special Forces units have focused on offensive raids.

With time running short, the Green Berets have now gone back to their roots.

Award-winning journalist Kevin Maurer traveled with a Special Forces team in Afghanistan, finding out firsthand the inside story of the lives of this elite group of highly trained soldiers. He witnessed the intense brotherhood, the rigorous selection process, and the arduous training that makes them the best on the battlefield. Here, Maurer delivers a compelling account of modern warfare and of a fighting force that is doing everything in its power to achieve victory.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101611371
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/04/2012
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Kevin Maurer is an award-winning reporter who has covered special operations forces for seven years. He has been embedded with the U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan six times in the last five years and spent a month with special operations units in Africa in 2006. Maurer covered the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan’s first parliamentary election. Most recently, he covered the Bush Administration’s surge into Baghdad, and wrote the definitive piece about the transformation of Khost from a terrorist haven to a working province in Afghanistan.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This story brings to life the unique men who form the ranks of the Green Berets and the Herculean tasks they must accomplish day in and day out, month after month, year after year.” —Rusty Bradley, author of Lions of Kandahar

“[A] powerful look at Special Forces and the daily grind of tracking down the Taliban, terrorists, and other bad guys in Afghanistan. Maurer . . . skillfully weaves it all into a compelling narrative.” —Mitch Weiss, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and critically acclaimed author of Tiger Force and No Way Out

“A true and refreshing narrative . . . Humorous, stark, and honest, Gentlemen Bastards shows the reality of the War in Afghanistan and proves that true, unbiased journalism is still alive.”—Nathan Edmondson, author of The Activity

“An authentic insider’s account . . . This is a compelling book.”—David Zucchino, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Thunder Run

“Maurer captures the humor of the Green Berets even while keeping his own self-deprecating, smart-ass-reporter, along-for-the-ride sensibility.”—Kelly Kennedy, author of They Fought for Each Other

Editorial Reviews

This story brings to life the unique men who form the ranks of the Green Berets and the Herculean tasks they must accomplish.”—Rusty Bradley, author of Lions of Kandahar

“[A] powerful look at Special Forces and the daily grind of tracking down the Taliban, terrorists, and other bad guys in Afghanistan.” —Mitch Weiss, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and critically acclaimed author of Tiger Force and No Way Out

“Humorous, stark, and honest, Gentlemen Bastards shows the reality of the war in Afghanistan.” —Nathan Edmondson, author of The Activity

From the Publisher