Firefighting is combat and should be viewed as a warrior's calling. Firefighters put themselves in harm's way to protect others, a selflessness rooted in the same noble drive as the military warriors who defend our nation. This book about combat is meant to be a guide for those who seek to follow a warrior's path, the path of the fire service warrior. Today's firefighter must be a warrior who will unflinchingly put his very life in harm's way to accomplish a mission, but who is also fully informed about the path being chosen. Embracing the philosophy of the fire service warrior, and striving for the ready position--the synthesis of physical and mental readiness that allows for optimum fireground performance--can reduce firefighter injuries and fatalities. The Combat Position: Achieving Firefighter Readiness will be an invaluable tool for firefighters, company officers, chief officers, and instructors.

With an important introduction by C. Everett Koop and passionate endorsements from Senator Edward M. Kennedy and public officials from every major city in the U.S., this authoritative and timely guide calls for the diagnosis and treatment of urban violence as a public health crisis.

A business professional who is a 19-year U.S. Army combat veteran offers this one-of-a-kind book showing fellow veterans how to leverage their military experience and training to produce superior business and career results. Military training and experience provide a superb foundation for excelling in business. The executive search firm Korn Ferry discovered in a 2006 study that CEOs with military experience out-performed their civilian peers. Combat Leader to Corporate Leader: 20 Lessons to Advance Your Civilian Career outlines 20 lessons describing how veterans can apply their universal military training to succeed and excel in the business world. Combat Leader to Corporate Leader teaches Army, Navy, Marine, and Air Force veterans and non-military professionals how to apply successfully the skills that have made the U.S. military successful. The book is divided into four sections and aligned with military combat planning tools: (1) understanding the company and business environment, (2) planning a robust solution, (3) rigorous execution to meet the plan's goals, and (4) improving people and process for better results. Each section offers specific examples, advice, and formats that directly address the challenge of translating military experience into business skill sets. Among other issues, the book will teach vets how to showcase military experience and value to get hired, how to apply combat experience to a career in business, how to avoid the mistakes veterans commonly make in the workplace, and how to customize and translate their own unique military experiences to their business. At the conclusion of the book, veterans and non-veterans alike will have the skills to understand, plan, execute, and improve their careers and business ventures.

A work of historical, comparative sociology examining the evolution of infantry tactics in the American, Australian Canadian, British, French, German, and Italian armies from the First World War to the present. It addresses a key question in the social sciences of how social solidarity (cohesion) is generated and sustained.

This paper focuses on the formulation of doctrine since World War II. In no comparable period in history have the dimensions of the battlefield been so altered by rapid technological changes. The need for the tactical doctrines of the Army to remain correspondingly abreast of these changes is thus more pressing than ever before. Future conflicts are not likely to develop in the leisurely fashions of the past where tactical doctrines could be refined on the battlefield itself. It is, therefore, imperative that we apprehend future problems with as much accuracy as possible. One means of doing so is to pay particular attention to the business of how the Army's doctrine has developed historically, with a view to improving methods of future development.

'I had seen dozens of people die horrible deaths ... This time was different. This time it was a friend of mine dying in the dirt in front of me, and it was my job to save him.' Dr Dan Pronk served on over 100 combat missions in Afghanistan as a frontline special forces combat doctor, where the casualties he treated were his fellow SAS soldiers and commandos, local civilians and even the enemy. The thrill of adventure and the challenges of battlefield medicine brought out the very best in Dan; he discovered a sense of purpose in pushing his medical skills and courage to the limits. But there was a cost. In this frank and vivid memoir, Dan describes the highs and lows of his military-medical career, and the very real toll they took on his mental health and family life. He writes movingly about the burden of saving - and failing to save - friends and comrades, the feelings of helplessness and despair that haunted him, and the journey back to a meaningful and fulfilling civilian life. The Combat Doctor is an extraordinary story of resilience and growth, and a tribute to the doctors and medics working behind the scenes in conflict around the world. Praise for The Combat Doctor 'I love Dan's insight from his beginnings as an everyday guy, who pushes himself into operating in a very, very non-everyday environment. A fascinating account of what it is like to go into battle, and the unseen mental battles that arise from the experience. Honest and inspiring. I loved it.' - Hamish Blake 'Dr Pronk walks us to the very gates of hell and points to the nightmare that is modern warfare. The thrall of combat, the dread of buried mines, and the shattered bodies of his mates all feature in this parallel universe that was Australia's war in Afghanistan. This is not some well-worn trope of heroism in war - it brings to life the ghosts of Australia's best fighters: their grit, their humour, and their final moments. These fallen sons both haunted and inspired Dan to live a complete life. A searing story: unforgettable and important.' - Mark Wales 'Beyond the headlines, popular imagery and mythology of SAS and Commandos, are stories of duty and devotion to one another. The Combat Doctor is both a participant and an observer - of skill, courage, death and growth from the traumatic aftermath of war. Step out of your comfort zone, accept the challenge to a better person.' - Dr Brendan Nelson 'Dr Dan Pronk transports the reader into the boots and under the combat helmet of Special Forces in a way few writers can. The idea of a fully armed doctor engaging with an enemy to potentially take life and then within seconds fighting to save one is an incredibly unique perspective. Dan's memoir of his time as a combat doctor, saving lives and at times losing them in the midst of battle, offers a rare, heartfelt perspective of the best, bravest and worst of humanity - but one we all benefit from hearing. ' - Merrick Watts 'Dan gives us an uncensored look into the darkest sides of combat and a raw, personal account of events that have become legend in the Special Forces world. An open, frank look into the mind of the doctor you want by your side when the unthinkable happens.' - Damien Thomlinson

A guide to the basic skills all soldiers, sailors, and Marines must know to prevail in small-unit dismounted combat operations, including planning, battle drills for offense and defense operations, patrols, construction and emplacement of fighting positions, use of weapons and call for fire, land navigation and map reading, communications, close quarter battle, and tactical combat casualty care.

This book looks at several troop categories based on primary function and analyzes the ratio between these categories to develop a general historical ratio. This ratio is called the Tooth-to-Tail Ratio. McGrath's study finds that this ratio, among types of deployed US forces, has steadily declined since World War II, just as the nature of warfare itself has changed. At the same time, the percentage of deployed forces devoted to logistics functions and to base and life support functions have increased, especially with the advent of the large-scale of use of civilian contractors. This work provides a unique analysis of the size and composition of military forces as found in historical patterns. Extensively illustrated with charts, diagrams, and tables. (Originally published by the Combat Studies Institute Press)