Non-Fiction

Title: CIB: Combat Infantryman Badge
Author: Wilbur (Bill) Rambow
Genre: History
Reviewer; Mindy Lawrence

ISBN (links go to the MWSA Amazon store): 0983687889

Specialist Fourth Class Philip Lawson arrives in Vietnam after re-enlisting with the promise of assignment as a helicopter door-gunner. But when he arrives in country he is assigned as a replacement to a mechanized infantry ­company and his dreams of action in the sky over Vietnam evaporate in a haze of red dust and sweltering humidity.

Phil sets out with a youthful desire to prove not only who he is to himself, but also to earn the confidence and respect of the more experienced men around him. It's not long before action finds him and he discovers the immense physical, psychological and mortal toll he must face to gain his comrades' respect and quiet his own lurking fears. The misery and daily quest for survival are leavened by the combat soldiers' unbreakable bond, and a cast of eccentric pets and mascots that ride the M113 "tracks" with the mechanized grunts. But further complicating Phil's life is the unexpected arrival in the combat zone of Captain Paul Lawson, the domineering older brother whose influence he has been trying to escape for years.

During his R&R in Sydney, though worried that the war may have forever hardened and brutalized him, Phil finds love and the promise of a bright new future-if he can survive his tour of duty. Ultimately he must fight alongside the hardened soldiers who will become his brothers, against an unseen and ruthless enemy to earn the coveted Combat Infantryman Badge.

Title: A Tribute to Tankers
Author: Clyde Hoch
Genre: History
Reviewer: Dick Geschke

ISBN (links go to the MWSA Amazon store): 0615784178

Read a short discription of a type of American tank used in combat, followed by stories of soldiers who served in that type of tank in combat. Starting in WWI and continuing to Iraq, along with photos of each tank. These are true combat stories coming directly from the men who manned the tanks and in their own words. Journey back in time and feel the anguish, frustrations and fear these brave men faced day after day. Read of the great sacrifices they made for you the people of the U. S. These stories must be told. These brave men are all worthy of calling real hero's. "A Tribute to Tankers" will educate you about combat tanks, the men who crewed them and what it was really like to go to war.

Title: Forever Growing
Author: Richelle N. Rodgers
Genre: Biography
Reviewer: Ron Camarda

ISBN (links go to the MWSA Amazon store): 1624191312

This book chronicles the life journey of a devout steward of God. It is an intimate and honest self portrait of how God has had a hand in her life decisions; that is, from the tragic death of her father at a very young age to the beautiful birth of her triplet grandchildren. However, even more importantly, it affirms how God has a hand in each of our lives. All we have to do is listen, “be still” and be willing to get off “the roller coaster of self-destruction” with our busy and hectic lives. Have you ever lost trust in God, especially when there is a crisis or major change in your life, such as death, losing your job or divorce? Have you ever questioned if God is real? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this book merits your time and attention. It is a short but powerful book which helps you to identify the enemies of your soul and shows you how to conquer these enemies, such as doubt, fear, or obsessive worrying; that is, with insightful step-by-step instructions. This book was written to be inspirational and if it helps one person, the author maintains that it will have served its purpose.

Title: Zarbul Masalha 151 Afghan Dari Proverbs
Author: Captain Edward Zellem
Genre: Non Fiction, Reference
Reviewer: Bob Doerr

ISBN (links go to the MWSA Amazon store): 1475093926

Captain Edward Zellem has served as a United States Navy officer for 25 years. A trained Dari speaker, he worked side-by-side with Afghans every day for a year and a half in Kabul and Kandahar, including a year inside Afghanistan's Presidential Palace. While in Afghanistan he collected and used Dari Proverbs every day in his professional life, in the streets and back alleys of Kabul, and in other parts of the country.

He became fascinated by the colorfulness and cultural relevancy of Dari Proverbs, and began collecting, translating and transliterating them into English. After art students at a Kabul high school created illustrations, his collection became "Zarbul Masalha: 151 Afghan Dari Proverbs."

Title: Transition to Duty, A Combat Medic's Tour in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles
Author: Leo Flory
Genre: History
Reviewer: Candace Thompson

ISBN (links go to the MWSA Amazon store): 1886167338

The story is about my personal tour in Vietnam and the men I served
with. It begins in high school and notification of the draft, induction,
military training, orders to Vietnam, being assigned to the 101st. Airborne
Div. as a combat medic, the subsequent tour and returning home.