In the desperate early hours of the Iraqi invasion in 1990, a small group of Kuwaiti pilots flew their planes to safety as their country was being overwhelmed by superior Iraqi forces. Defeated and demoralized, they would be reorganized and trained by an American Naval Aviator into a viable fighting force during the decisive air missions of Operation Desert Storm. This is the inspiring story of Commander Robert E. Noziglia, Jr., whose dogged devotion...

This memoir captures the military experience of a young soldier entering the Army at the end of the Cold War in Europe and a hasty deployment to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm. While the story chronicles actual historical events from 1989 to 1991, it shamelessly depicts the immaturity of young soldiers in peacetime and on the battlefield.

This book is a true account of my experience as a Marine in the Gulf War. I decided to tell my story in hopes of developing, in the reader, a deeper respect for America's veterans by revealing the extreme mental and physical sacrifices a soldier must make during war. I want to show how our own government, while fulfilling our duty, treated us, how people get through such experiences and what those people do to keep their sanity. For me it was music...

Approximately one-fifth of the earth's surface consists of desert, and throughout history these arid regions have witnessed some of the world's most decisive battles. Here, Bryan Perrett gives an absorbing account of desert conflicts from the first century BC to more contemporary conflicts such as those in Iran and Iraq. As he demonstrates, acclimatization and familiarization with the day-to-day problems of desert life are vital not only to teach...

Now a Major Motion Picture from Universal Pictures New York Times bestselling author Anthony Swofford weaves his experiences in war with vivid accounts of boot camp, reflections on the mythos of the marines, and remembrances of battles with lovers and family. When the U. S. Marines -- or "jarheads" -- were sent to Saudi Arabia in 1990 for the first Gulf War, Anthony Swofford was there. He lived in sand for six months, he was punished by boredom and...

With the development of the "long war," the U.S. military's focus has shifted dramatically from its traditional emphasis on conventional operations to irregular and indirect approaches to safeguard America's vital interests. One of the least understood aspects of Irregular Warfare is Unconventional Warfare (UW), which includes operations conducted through, with or by indigenous forces and provides the U.S. with an indirect means of accomplishing its...

The urgent requirement for US Army preparedness in conducting urban operations (UO) is very real. As global urbanization continues to increase, the contemporary threat environment makes operations in cities impossible to avoid. The past decade has demonstrated through the American experiences in Mogadishu and Russian experiences in Grozny, less capable forces will attempt to use urban terrain asymmetrically to even the balance of power against technologically...

This monograph examines the concept "center of gravity" as applied by coalition forces during Operation Desert Storm. Center of gravity is an integral part of operational art and figures prominently in current U.S. doctrine. It begins by tracing the concept's inception in Clausewitz's On War, finding several competing definitions in various sections of that landmark work. Current U.S. doctrine reveals that time has done little to alleviate the confusion....

Operations in Afghanistan frequently require United States ground forces to engage and destroy the enemy at ranges beyond 300 meters. These operations occur in rugged terrain and in situations where traditional supporting fires are limited due to range or risk of collateral damage. With these limitations, the infantry in Afghanistan require a precise, lethal fire capability that exists only in a properly trained and equipped infantryman. While the...