Sunday, September 23, 2007

Military Books from Servicemembers

Military-Writers.com is a website committed to listing military personnel who have authored books. The website added three former servicemembers who have authored books.

At the age of 14,
Jim Wagner began to study his life long pursuit of self-defense by beginning his study of the marital arts. Four years later he joined the United States Army. In 1991 Jim Wagner, sponsored by the Costa Mesa Police Department, entered the police academy (Orange County Sheriff’s Department Training Academy Class 104). Like his military training before, Jim Wagner was deeply influenced by the law enforcement training realistic conflict scenarios.

During his career with the
Costa Mesa Police Department, Jim Wagner earned a place on the SWAT team. It was through this conduit that Jim learned about logistics, command post operations, hostage negotiations, entry team tactics, and sniping. On the job training included courses with LAPD SWAT, the U.S. Army Special Forces, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Tactical Training Center, and from U.S. Marines Division Schools Camp Pendleton (Advanced Sniper Course, Military Operations Urban Terrain, Helicopter Rope Suspension Training, and Range Safety Officer).

While conducting a myriad of courses at Camp Pendleton, both military units and other
law enforcement agencies using the base for their own training discovered Jim Wagner’s unique approach to training and his seamless blending of defensive tactics with edged weapons and firearms skills. Before long he was getting offers from the United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group, Department of Defense Police, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Probation Department, U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration & Naturalization Service, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines Provost Marshal Office, Drug Enforcement Administration. By 1996 Jim found himself being invited by foreign unit to train in their own countries: GermanGSG9, Brazilian G.A.T.E., Argentinean G.O.E., Royal Canadian Mounted Police, London Metropolitan Police, Helsinki Police Department, and various units in Spain, Mexico, and Israel.

The demand on
Jim Wagner’s time was overwhelming and in 1999 he decided to resign from the Costa Mesa Police Department and started teaching full time. Not wanting to fully give up his law enforcement career Jim applied as a Reserve Deputy at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Jim Wagner is the author of Reality Based Personal Protection.

Designed as a companion book to
Jim Wagner’s best-selling instructional DVD series, Reality-Based Personal Protection provides eight detailed chapters. According to the book description, “Reality-Based Personal Protection system covers the complete tactical spectrum of pre-conflict, conflict and post-conflict techniques and training methods for a wide variety of worst-case scenarios. Mastering these tactics will educate you on the dangers of the modern world and how to survive them. This must-have manual covers: knowledge domain and conflict rehearsal; defensive tactics using strikes, threat zones and stopping power; using the ground to your advantage; surviving a knife attack and countering effectively; military techniques and training methods for handgun proficiency; how to protect yourself and others in criminal-assault scenarios; preparing for and surviving terrorist attacks; a special section for women’s self-defense tactics. In this highly-anticipated book, Jim Wagner shares more than three decades of martial arts, police, military and law enforcement training through highly detailed conceptual explanations, charts and captioned photo sequences. Coupled with his personal experience in the field and at some of the world’s most prestigious training facilities, the techniques and tactics of Reality-Based Personal Protection form the basis for the ultimate modern self-defense system.”

Ralph Askew was born in 1937 in Cleveland, Ohio. He spent a total of 10 years in the Ohio National Guard, the California National Guard and the United States Marine Corps where he developed an interest in military history. After graduating from UCLA, he joined the LAPD where he spent most of his patrol time at the Newton Street Patrol Division as a training officer. He retired from the police department after 21 years. He is the author of Battleslave.

According to the book description of Battleslave, “Chrisinda Balderack, a battledroid, was artificially produced in a laboratory solely for the purpose of fighting wars for the Galaxy. The production of battledroids meant that planets associated with the Galaxy did not have to provide the Galaxy with their own men to be killed in a far off war. Very few battleroids ever returned home. Many of the missions the battledroids were sent on were without support. They were trained to kill their wounded to prevent them from falling into enemy hand, and revealing the objective of the mission or slowing down its completion. Battledroids were trained to have no feelings. After meeting a young girl her own age, Chrisinda develops emotions and feeling for her own fellow battledroids and finds that she cannot bring herself to kill her fellow wounded.”

Jerry C. Scott is a 29-year-veteran law enforcement officer. After four years in the U.S. Air Force as an air traffic controller during the beginning years of the Vietnam conflict, stationed in Okinawa, he began his work as a city police officer in the state of Washington, in 1966. He spent a year as a motorcycle cop, walked the beat in the downtown tavern district, worked radar, and performed patrol duties.

After five years he moved to Provo, Utah, in 1977 and took up his profession with the
Utah County Sheriff's Office. He moved through the ranks as a patrol deputy, patrol sergeant, lieutenant division commander, and finally operations bureau chief, holding the rank of captain before his retirement in 1995. His many police experiences include being a co-captain and assisting in the organization of the first department SWAT team in 1974. The team members joined the 19th Airborne Special Forces Group with the Utah State National Guard, and they held the distinction of being the only jump-qualified SWAT team in the United States. Jerry Scott’s assignment was sniper and bomb technician. He was a graduate of the Redstone Bomb School in Alabama, and was a member of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigations. He was also an explosive instructor for a number of years at the Utah State Police Academy and Weber State College. As a jail commander during the 80's, he rewrote the Utah State Jail Standards and served on the Utah State Jail Inspection Team.

During all the years of his
law enforcement career, nothing was more rewarding and enjoyable than his patrol duty assignments. The excitement of conduction arrests of drug suspects and burglars, and the general assistance to the public in general, are experiences he holds sacred. Jerry C. Scott is the author of Glass Mountain.

According to the book description of Glass Mountain, “true police experiences topple over each other as this fictional narrative unfolds starting with the watts riots, engaging the Mexican mafia, and creating an unforgettable love story. This story involves the real guts of police work.”

Military-Writers.com currently lists 47 current or former
military servicemembers and their 95 books.

Two Cops and a Civilian

Editor's Note: One of the authors, Jerry C. Scott, is a former servicemember and Vietnam Veteran.

September 23, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists nearly 750 state and local police officers who have written books. The website added two police officers and one civilian police consultant.

Sergeant
Timothy Staab began his career with the Glendora Police Department (California) in June 1983 as a Police Cadet. In February 1985, Sergeant Timothy Staab was hired as a Glendora Police Officer. He has served as a Patrol Officer and motor cycle officer. As a motorcycle traffic officer he spent nearly six years enforcing traffic laws and investigating traffic accidents.

Throughout his career, Sergeant
Timothy Staab has taken a special interest in investigating traffic collisions. In 1993, he became an” Accredited Traffic Accident Reconstructionist,” joining an elite group of approximately 800 such accredited individuals worldwide. Timothy Stabb is the author of The Pocket traffic Accident Reconstruction Guide.

According to the book description of The Pocket traffic Accident Reconstruction Guide “Traffic accident investigators and reconstructionist probably have the common speed and sliding formulas memorized. However, there likely are formulas out there that you haven’t committed to memory. While it’s not practical to carry around a large textbook to every accident scene, having some type of reference would make your job easier. That is why the Pocket Traffic Accident Reconstruction Guide was created.

Laurence Miller, PhD is a clinical, forensic, and police psychologist in Boca Raton Florida. He is the consulting psychologist for the West Palm Beach Police Department, a forensic psychological examiner for the Palm Beach County Court, and a police trainer and instructor at the Police Academy-Criminal Justice Institute of Palm Beach Community College. Dr. Laurence Miller is the author of numerous publications in law enforcement journals, as well as nine books, including Practical Police Psychology: Stress Management and Crisis Intervention for Law Enforcement and the upcoming book METTLE: Mental Toughness Training for Law Enforcement.

According to the book description of Practical Police Psychology:
Stress Management and Crisis Intervention for Law Enforcement, it “addresses the psychologically complex world of modern policing. It analyzes the unusual crises and everyday challenges faced by all law enforcement personnel, from the street cop to the departmental brass. But Practical Police Psychology goes beyond mere academic analysis, to offer usable, down-to-earth, and immediately applicable - that is, practical -guidelines and recommendations for improving the quality of policing on a daily basis.”

Jerry C. Scott is a 29-year-veteran law enforcement officer. After four years in the U.S. Air Force as an air traffic controller during the beginning years of the Vietnam conflict, stationed in Okinawa, he began his work as a city police officer in the state of Washington, in 1966. He spent a year as a motorcycle cop, walked the beat in the downtown tavern district, worked radar, and performed patrol duties.

After five years he moved to Provo,
Utah, in 1977 and took up his profession with the Utah County Sheriff's Office. He moved through the ranks as a patrol deputy, patrol sergeant, lieutenant division commander, and finally operations bureau chief, holding the rank of captain before his retirement in 1995. His many police experiences include being a co-captain and assisting in the organization of the first department SWAT team in 1974. The team members joined the 19th Airborne Special Forces Group with the Utah State National Guard, and they held the distinction of being the only jump-qualified SWAT team in the United States. Jerry Scott’s assignment was sniper and bomb technician. He was a graduate of the Redstone Bomb School in Alabama, and was a member of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigations. He was also an explosive instructor for a number of years at the Utah State Police Academy and Weber State College. As a jail commander during the 80's, he rewrote the Utah State Jail Standards and served on the Utah State Jail Inspection Team.

During all the years of his
law enforcement career, nothing was more rewarding and enjoyable than his patrol duty assignments. The excitement of conduction arrests of drug suspects and burglars, and the general assistance to the public in general, are experiences he holds sacred. Jerry C. Scott is the author of Glass Mountain.

According to the book description of Glass Mountain, “true police experiences topple over each other as this fictional narrative unfolds starting with the watts riots, engaging the Mexican mafia, and creating an unforgettable love story. This story involves the real guts of police work.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 743 police officers (representing 346 police departments) and their 1583
police books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Commander Reaffirms U.S. Commitment to Pacific Region

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 22, 2007 - Six months into the job as commander of the largest U.S. combatant command,
Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating still pinches himself each morning when he arrives to work and takes in the views of Pearl Harbor from his mountaintop headquarters. Twenty-two years ago, when he "carried bags" as the aide to Adm. William J. Crowe, Keating never imagined that he might follow in Crowe's footsteps to take the helm of U.S. Pacific Command.

"Not in a million years did I dream I would get this job," Keating said. "It's a dream job. I've got the best job in the Department of Defense."

Although serving as Crowe's flag lieutenant gave him wide exposure to the Asia-Pacific region, Keating said much has changed since 1985 -- mostly for the better. More people are living free in democratic countries. U.S. trade with the region is up six fold. Economies in the region are improving, some dramatically. Education opportunities have improved. Health care and dental care are more available, and the standard of living "tends to be on a positive slope," Keating said.

After visiting nearly half of the 43 countries in his area of responsibility since taking command in March, Keating said he's "heartened by what I have seen."

"I'm trying not to be a cheerleader, but we are on solid ground," he said. "More people want to be with us than wanted to be with us when I was here in the mid-80s." He cited examples almost inconceivable two decades ago, including Cambodia's and Mongolia's desire to partner with the United States while improving their citizens' quality of life and protecting them from
terrorists.

While encouraged by these successes, Keating said he never loses sight of concerns that threaten stability in the region. Terrorist activity in the Philippines and Indonesia, North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and China's
military buildup and lack of transparency all loom large. Threats range from terrorist groups to piracy to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction technology.

"So while I am encouraged and remain optimistic, I am also aware that there is important and good work to be done," Keating said.

He called partners and allies critical in standing up to these threats and maintaining regional stability. So since arriving at PACOM, Keating has visited much of the region -- which covers 51 percent of the earth's surface -- to cement existing relationships and build new ones.

"It's a big theater, not just geographically, but in terms of ideas, in terms of challenges, in terms of opportunity," he said in July during an address to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "And you've got to get out there, and you've got to get amongst them."

Just returned yesterday after a five-day swing to Tonga, Timor-Leste and Australia, Keating got a renewed sense of the striking differences among Pacific nations and the different challenges they face.

But despite all that sets the countries he visited apart, Keating said he was encouraged by their common goals of peace and stability for their people and ways they're actively working to secure or maintain these ideals.

Tonga, a 171-island archipelago south of Western Samoa, is better known for its prowess on the rugby field than on the world stage, yet it deployed 55 of its 450-member Tonga Defense Service to Iraq last week to support Multinational Fore Iraq. The deployment is Tonga's second to Iraq, and the country has committed to sending a third contingent.

Keating said he was struck by Tonga's immense pride in its contribution, which he called significant in light of the country's total
military size and population. "Size is not as important as commitment," he said during a Sept. 17 retreat ceremony at Tonga's Togalevu Naval Base. "And the commitment seen in this country is huge."

Brig. Gen. Tau'aika "Dave" Uta'atu, Tonga's chief of defense, told Keating his country wants to make a difference in fighting
terrorism. "It is not just a coalition of the willing, it is a coalition of the committed," Keating reflected. "And by God, they are committed."

Stopping next in Timor-Leste, a restive island nation at the southernmost tip of the Indonesian archipelago, Keating saw a far different situation.

Since breaking free of a brutal 24-year Indonesian rule in 1999 and declaring statehood three years later, Timor-Leste's leaders have struggled to build a new democratic government. It's been a big challenge in the face of weak institutions, political infighting, poor education, extreme poverty and violence.

As Keating praised strides the country's
leaders have made and promised U.S. support to help them, he said he was awed by their commitment to a free, democratic country and willingness to do what's necessary to secure its future.

"We met guys who fought for their nation's independence," he said. "They have a president who's a Nobel laureate. They have a prime minister who was imprisoned for seven years. Their chief of staff has been fighting in the hills for over a decade. And they're still fighting."

Keating conceded that the Timorese have giant challenges to overcome. He termed the country's challenges: "much on their plate over which to say grace."

"You look them in the eyes and say, 'You understand the price to be paid for freedom and democracy," Keating said. "And as you do that, you are talking to guys who are dedicating their lives to making a difference in a new nation."

Traveling south from Timor-Leste to Australia, Keating met with Australian government and
military leaders to explore ways to enhance their already-rock-solid military partnership.

As they talked about ways to collaborate more closely, particularly in fighting terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Keating said even he was surprised by the strength of the U.S.-Australia relationship.

"It's hard for me to overstate the depth and breadth of the relationship we enjoy together," Keating said he told Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, Australia's defense chief. "It was a spectacular visit."

This week's visits reinforced Keating's belief in what he calls "the power of the Pacific."

Using the metaphor of a tapestry, he said every Asia-Pacific nation, regardless of its size or impact beyond its own borders, is an important part of the region's overall fabric. "I am continually impressed by the fabric and how much it is all interlocking, interwoven and linked," he said.

This bond, along with positive trends taking place in the region, has created more opportunities for
military-to-military cooperation and collaboration, Keating said. "They're significant," he said. "And they simply didn't exist 20 years ago."

He pointed to exercise Malabar, which wrapped up Sept. 9, as an example of that enhanced cooperation. More than 20,000 servicemembers from the United States, India, Japan, Singapore and Australia exercised their ability to respond together to provide anti-submarine warfare, anti-piracy, humanitarian and combat support.

"We had two U.S. carriers, an Indian carrier, and Japanese, Singaporean and Australian forces in the Bay of Bengal, all talking together, all working together," Keating said.

Just as significant, he said, are humanitarian efforts conducted by PACOM. USS Peleliu, for example, completed its four-month Pacific Partnership 2007 earlier this month after providing medical, dental and engineering support to the Philippines, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Marshall Islands.

Keating called these exercises, whether carried out by full carrier strike groups or small
military training teams, a big part of PACOM's effort to build relationships, strengthen partnerships and express support to the region.

"We have so many capabilities in the Department of Defense and Pacific Command, and we have to pull out the stops to ensure our friends in the area know they can count on us anytime," he said. "That's our main message: 'We understand your challenges. We want you to believe and feel viscerally our commitment to support you.'"

Delivering that message throughout the region requires "constant, unrelenting work," not just by the 300,000 PACOM servicemembers and civilian employees supporting the command's mission throughout the theater, Keating said.

Just as important, he said, is the support of other U.S. agencies and regional governments, all working together toward a common goal. "It takes the entire spectrum," Keating said. "This is the furthest thing in the world from a one-man show."

As he travels through the region, Keating delivers personally the message that this full spectrum of support stands solidly alongside the United States' friends in Asia and the Pacific. "I am going around and looking them in the eye and saying, 'We are here. We are not going away,'" he said.

"We have been here since World War II and before, and we are resolutely, irrevocably committed to freedom, stability and prosperity in the Pacific Command area of responsibility."