We were very proud when Potomac Books,Inc. the nation’s largest publisher of books pertaining to the military and on topics of National Security, approached the Center.
They were looking, they explained, for a “cogent analysis of the failings and the potential for private military contractors.”

The Publisher desired a realistic overview of the industry as a whole, one that lacked bias but provided thoughtful insight, based upon years of personal experience in the field.
After examining a multitude of both operational and training organizations, they requested an interview with Shawn, who is one of the senior instructors here.

The publisher had overheard Shawn speaking on the BBC World service on the topic of private security in Iraq and had tracked him down to us.

They wished for the book to become the “bible” of Private Security Operations, touching upon all pertinent topics. But it had to written, they told us repeatedly, by someone who had years of experience in the field. And it had to contain stories from real people in the industry.

Our senior instructor was the obvious choice, having served in every role imaginable, from recruiter to project manager to top turret gunner. He was in Iraq in 2003, and deployed there nearly every year since, to include having been on the receiving end of IED’s etc, so he had the necessary personal experience for the job.

Having contributed to a number of publications previously, he accepted. The result is already available to the public.
To preview/order the book directly at the Publishing House, visit http://www.potomacbooksinc.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=184935.

To the surprise of none, many of his recommendations have already been adopted by the Pentagon and in a near unprecedented maneuver, his second book contract has been signed prior to the release of “America’s Covert Warriors.”

Later in a summer of 2009, he returned to the killing fields of Afghanistan, this time as a guest of the United States Army. His second volume will focus on how innovation developed at the front line level, by Sergeants and Captains, has rejuvenated the military and is now contributing directly to the pending victory in Afghanistan. Tactics developed over coffee and honed to perfection during the bloody insurgency have laid the groundwork for future victory on all fronts.