Robert M. Tanner III
Teoksen Memoirs of an Outlaw: Life in the Sandbox tekijä
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Merkitty avainsanalla
Yleistieto
- Virallinen nimi
- Tanner III, Robert Milton
- Sukupuoli
- male
- Kansalaisuus
- USA
- Maa (karttaa varten)
- USA
- Lyhyt elämäkerta
- Robert M. Tanner is a former infantryman in the United States Marine Corps. During his time in the military, he was assigned to the Delta Company Outlaws, Second Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Second Marine Division. Tanner’s travels have taken him from the Mediterranean and Kosovo to Djibouti, the United Arab Emirates, and Fallujah.
Following an honorable discharge from the Marines, he went on to complete his bachelor’s in business management from Rowan University, his MBA from Georgian Court University, and finally, another bachelor’s in web design and development from Full Sail University. He began his civilian career as a contract specialist for the United States Army and has worked his way through various positions to finally end up as a business systems analyst with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Tanner lives in Toms River, NJ and is happily married to his wife, Melissa. They are the proud parents of two little boys, Joshua and Gavin.
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- Teokset
- 1
- Jäseniä
- 15
- Suosituimmuussija
- #708,120
- Arvio (tähdet)
- 5.0
- Kirja-arvosteluja
- 1
- ISBN:t
- 1
Memoirs of an Outlaw: Life in the Sandbox by Robert M. Tanner III is a collection of stories about Tanner's time as a Marine in Delta Company, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. The Marine Corps took Tanner to Europe and the Middle East before honorably discharging him. He has since earned his MBA and is now a business systems analyst for the Veteran's Administration.
The thing about Marines is we are great story tellers and we have some of the most amazing real life characters to draw upon. Recently, after almost twenty years, I caught up with a buddy from the Marines I served with. We met up in a local bar and closed the place down still reminiscing about people, places, and events from almost two decades ago. When I was offered a copy of Outlaw, it took me a few minutes to determine that it wasn't a biker book (outlaw), it was a story about Iraq (Sandbox). I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was written by a fellow Marine, and the book did not disappoint.
Tanner volunteered for the Marines and found himself in processing at Parris Island on September 11th, 2001. That event set the tone for his enlistment. He joined under an “open contract”, a euphemism for being assigned as infantry, truck driver, or cook. Tanner got infantry, and his adventure began. As a Marine I will give Tanner credit, no matter what happens, he does not complain, and somehow he seems to have the smoothest deployment in Marine Corps history.
Delta Company used LAV-25 (Light Armored Vehicle) armed with 25mm chain gun on a rotating turret, which sit on top of an 8 wheeled platform. It makes a impressive vehicle ; the locals called it the eight wheeled destroyer. It is a crew operated vehicle which carries four infantry scouts, of which Tanner was one. These vehicles are also amphibious which is probably how they ended up in the middle of the desert – there is quite a bit of this type of logic in the Marine Corps.
Tanner does something most writers do not do in writing about combat. He concentrates on the Marines and the human equation in the war. What happens outside of the missions is developed more than the missions themselves. The friendship and team building play an important role as well as off-duty activities; simple things, that civilians take for granted, become important to the Marines. Things like the traditional letters, smokes, and any food that does not come out of a pouch or chow hall; to the more modern, like calling home on a satellite phone, the internet, or hooking music up to the LAVs all become important. Fallujah, however, is a very dangerous place and that danger has its cost. The Marines that lost their lives in Iraq are a very important part of the book.
Tanner writes an excellent account of his time in Iraq. He does not present the rough, tough, gung ho Marine that is associated with war, nor does he condemn or question the war like Born on the Fourth of July. He delivers a very human and very professional account of his time in the Marines. His writing is clear, familiar and almost seems as if he is sitting across from you telling his stories over a beer. The writing is smooth, flowing, and keeps the readers’ interest. When military terms are used in the book, they are well explained so that someone unfamiliar with the military can easily follow along. Outlaw is highly recommended for anyone interested in Iraq, and more importantly, it is an informal look at today's Marines doing what they do best. Outstanding book Marine, Semper Fi. Five Stars.… (lisätietoja)