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gregoryscottdilcox's review against another edition
4.0
I really wish we could do half stars instead of just full stars because this book was really a three and a half star, not a four but I liked it more than I disliked it so I decided to round up. I really hand little to no information on the PJs of the Airforce which is a shame and I'm glad my friend gave me this book so I could learn a little more. Hirsh was very detailed with the missions of the PJs in Operation Enduring Freedom, really laying out how amazing it is that there is a division in the military that has a single goal of saving people instead of destroying people. Their motto is "so others may live" and it get a sense through this book that from the top to the bottom every single one of the guys believe that with every fiber of their being. I read a couple reviews here on Goodreads that didn't like when Hirsh complained about the military higher ups and the calls they made, I don't agree with that. I like that Hirsh who lived on base in Pakistan was opinionated, and passionate about the job the Pararescuemen do. And honestly I agree with his assessments in the book. Where he loses me is that I feel that we didn't learn enough about the individuals themselves. Through details of the mission and lifestyle you get a real sense about the PJs as a whole, the type of person that would willingly jump into a landing zone next to a minefield to save attempt to save a life. But we only really get to know a couple of the guys, but that is understandable considering names were changed and there is a limit to what Hirsh could share due to the protection of these men and their mission. As much as I enjoyed the book I'd love to sit down with Hirsh and hear more of his first hand stories of the guys.
wallymountz's review against another edition
3.0
This was good book that gives an insight to the Air Force Pararescuemen. A couple times the author goes off-track and examines particular incidents to assign blame to the loss of men. However, generally this book is very detailed in discussing medical aspects and the military aspects of their job.
ld2's review
3.0
It was a great read and one I enjoyed very much. The only complaint I had was that the author spent too much time complaining about the higher ups and commanders. These sections were littered with rhetorical questions and scathing opinions on the failures of the command. Whether or not the command is in the wrong or not, it was not appropriate to spend so much time on examining it. The book's subject is about the bravery of the Pararescuemen and the risk and sacrifices that they do for our country. The scolding took the spot light off of them at times and distracted from the main subject at hand. Other than that, I loved this book.
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