There hadn't been a full-scale recall of the Individual Ready Reserves since the Korean War. In January of 1991, with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, many people believed it would take World War III to trigger a recall of the IRR. Many people were wrong.
They came from cities and farms and towns in every corner of the country. With only a few days' notice, they quit their jobs, dropped out of college, kissed ...
There hadn't been a full-scale recall of the Individual Ready Reserves since the Korean War. In January of 1991, with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, many people believed it would take World War III to trigger a recall of the IRR. Many people were wrong.
They came from cities and farms and towns in every corner of the country. With only a few days' notice, they quit their jobs, dropped out of college, kissed their girlfriends or wives, and got on planes to Atlanta, Georgia with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They had long hair, beards, and bad attitudes. They descended by the thousands on Fort Benning, Georgia, and they were not happy about it at all.
In this entertaining, true story, the author relates his own experiences as one of the twenty-thousand IRR recalls who were ordered back to active duty in support of Operation Desert Storm. In a story reminiscent of "The Dirty Dozen" times ten thousand, the author takes you through the entire experience from beginning to end. He carries you along for the ride and explains exactly what it was like to be a recall. With the many IRR recalls over the last ten years of warfare, this first hand account could shed some light on how the current era of recalls began. (29,000 words +/-)
This book is a fascinating journey from the high jinks of life in a Florida music studio college to reunion with the reality and rigors of life on Army Time, with an assortment of not so happy recalled veterans and the adjustment and metamorphosis back into the physical, mental and emotional state and unit cohesion of a fighting unit ready for combat. Often funny, sometimes profane, but thoroughly captivating. I enjoyed the ride.
Jim Greenwald
DePew relates his own story and experience as one of the thousands called up to serve on active duty. Depew relates his experience in a lighthearted way; this is a great book for those who have no close family in the military while proving of interest to those that have served.
Java Davis
This book is today's non-fiction equivalent of Joseph Heller's Catch-22.
Despite leaving a new future with good prospects; a 3-ring circus at Ft. Benning, GA; and walking pneumonia, the author made me believe in the truth of the patriotism of almost everyone he served with.
This book was definitely written from a guy's perspective, but I think it crosses the gender divide.
The author spent four years, one month, and seventeen days as an active duty US Army Infantryman including the recall to active duty in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1991. After the Army, he spent an additional five years in the USNR as a Storekeeper and Master at Arms. He earned a BSEd in history from Southwest Missouri State University, taught public school, was a corrections officer, taught juvenile delinquents for the state, and now teaches in a prison for the federal government. He lives in the country in southwest Missouri with his wonderful wife on a beautiful piece of the world.
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Overview
They came from cities and farms and towns in every corner of the country. With only a few days' notice, they quit their jobs, dropped out of college, kissed ...