AUDIOBOOK
About
Retired after 12 years in the military, Robert Kurtz had never deployed to war, so when he got the opportunity to deploy to Iraq as a private security contractor, he did not hesitate. The two and a half years he spent in Iraq and the people he met would change his life profoundly.
Recounts 2½ years of a security contractor's profound experiences in Iraq, blending gripping vignettes of firefights, cultural encounters, and the human cost of conflict.
A candid and multifaceted look at life as a security contractor in Iraq in the early years after the American invasion. It's not just a story of surviving IEDs and firefights while protecting American contractors-though those moments are vividly recounted-it's also an exploration of the broader, often unexpected, experiences that defined the author's two and a half years in Iraq.
Structured as a series of concise, self-contained chapters, the book captures a wide range of events and encounters: high-speed crashes, tense standoffs with Iraqi security forces, the ever-present uncertainty of knowing who to trust, and the toll of living in a warzone-but outside the protection of the military-on contractors, clients, and locals alike. The focus isn't just on action but also on the everyday challenges and the strategies necessary to stay safe in such a dangerous and unpredictable environment.
The book introduces the diverse people the author met through his work, from former Green Berets, British Royal Marines and South African commandos, through to Gurkhas, a former member of the French Foreign Legion, and even a Buddhist monk. There are stories of heroic, larger-than-life figures and of outlaws who came to Iraq because they didn't fit in anywhere else and ended up not fitting in there either. It also delves into the lives of Iraqi civilians, who offered glimpses of kindness and humanity amid the chaos. These stories provide listeners with a nuanced and personal perspective on a challenging and complex chapter of modern conflict. Prologue
1 - Arriving in Iraq
What is a Private Security Contractor?
2 - Private Security Details
3 - Convoy Security
4 - Security Management and Site Security
We're Not in Kansas Anymore
5 - The Souk
6 - Baghdad's Best Filipino-Run Chinese Restaurant
7 - Welcome to Iraq!
8 - Recon by Goat Truck
Colorful Characters
9 - An Irishman in Baghdad
10 - Dandre and the Terrorists
11 - The Legionnaire
12 - The Car Theft Ring
13 - Travels with Casper
14 - A Buddhist in Iraq
15 - Pieter, the Beehives, and the Reporter
The Land of Not Quite Right
16 - OSHA and Extension Cords
17 - How to Change a Tire, Iraqi Style
18 - Iraqi Plumbing
19 - Keeping the Power Flowing
20 - "But you said you wanted the left rear window to work"
21 - Do Not Embarrass Me!
22 - Let's Pretend for a Minute That I Know What I'm Talking About
23 - There is No EPA in Iraq
Just Like the Wild Geese
24 - Abandoned
Life on the Road
25 - On Our Own
26 - A Deadly Environment
27 - Not Your Average Road Trip
28 - A Law unto Ourselves
29 - Crash!
30 - Traffic Control Convoy Style
31 - Escalation of Force
32 - Big Bada' Boom!
33 - Bullets Hitting a Car Really Do Make Sparks
34 - Convoy Escort from Abu Ghraib
35 - The Nisour Square Massacre
Gurkhas
36 - Conflict Resolution-Gurkha Style
37 - "Oh, no, Sir. I'm fine"
38 - Literal Is as Literal Does
Firepower
39 - Arming on the Cheap
40 - AKs for Days
41 - Submachine Guns
42 - America's Rifle
43 - Sidearms
44 - When You Want Something More
45 - Oddball Stuff
Working with Russians
46 - Don't Travel Through Kuwait
47 - Vodka and a Pet Turkey
Downtime
48 - Training
49 - Killing Time
50 - Christmas in Iraq
Sex in the City
51 - The Boy and the Filipino
52 - A Little Business on the Side
Peshmerga
53 - "Captain, captain!"
54 - Ali Baba!
55 - Pesh Just Like to Shoot Guns
Improvised Explosive Devices
56 - The Road to Haditha Dam
57 - The Wreck, the Wedding, and the Marine
58 - The Convoy
59 - Death from Above
60 - Ar
Recounts 2½ years of a security contractor's profound experiences in Iraq, blending gripping vignettes of firefights, cultural encounters, and the human cost of conflict.
A candid and multifaceted look at life as a security contractor in Iraq in the early years after the American invasion. It's not just a story of surviving IEDs and firefights while protecting American contractors-though those moments are vividly recounted-it's also an exploration of the broader, often unexpected, experiences that defined the author's two and a half years in Iraq.
Structured as a series of concise, self-contained chapters, the book captures a wide range of events and encounters: high-speed crashes, tense standoffs with Iraqi security forces, the ever-present uncertainty of knowing who to trust, and the toll of living in a warzone-but outside the protection of the military-on contractors, clients, and locals alike. The focus isn't just on action but also on the everyday challenges and the strategies necessary to stay safe in such a dangerous and unpredictable environment.
The book introduces the diverse people the author met through his work, from former Green Berets, British Royal Marines and South African commandos, through to Gurkhas, a former member of the French Foreign Legion, and even a Buddhist monk. There are stories of heroic, larger-than-life figures and of outlaws who came to Iraq because they didn't fit in anywhere else and ended up not fitting in there either. It also delves into the lives of Iraqi civilians, who offered glimpses of kindness and humanity amid the chaos. These stories provide listeners with a nuanced and personal perspective on a challenging and complex chapter of modern conflict. Prologue
1 - Arriving in Iraq
What is a Private Security Contractor?
2 - Private Security Details
3 - Convoy Security
4 - Security Management and Site Security
We're Not in Kansas Anymore
5 - The Souk
6 - Baghdad's Best Filipino-Run Chinese Restaurant
7 - Welcome to Iraq!
8 - Recon by Goat Truck
Colorful Characters
9 - An Irishman in Baghdad
10 - Dandre and the Terrorists
11 - The Legionnaire
12 - The Car Theft Ring
13 - Travels with Casper
14 - A Buddhist in Iraq
15 - Pieter, the Beehives, and the Reporter
The Land of Not Quite Right
16 - OSHA and Extension Cords
17 - How to Change a Tire, Iraqi Style
18 - Iraqi Plumbing
19 - Keeping the Power Flowing
20 - "But you said you wanted the left rear window to work"
21 - Do Not Embarrass Me!
22 - Let's Pretend for a Minute That I Know What I'm Talking About
23 - There is No EPA in Iraq
Just Like the Wild Geese
24 - Abandoned
Life on the Road
25 - On Our Own
26 - A Deadly Environment
27 - Not Your Average Road Trip
28 - A Law unto Ourselves
29 - Crash!
30 - Traffic Control Convoy Style
31 - Escalation of Force
32 - Big Bada' Boom!
33 - Bullets Hitting a Car Really Do Make Sparks
34 - Convoy Escort from Abu Ghraib
35 - The Nisour Square Massacre
Gurkhas
36 - Conflict Resolution-Gurkha Style
37 - "Oh, no, Sir. I'm fine"
38 - Literal Is as Literal Does
Firepower
39 - Arming on the Cheap
40 - AKs for Days
41 - Submachine Guns
42 - America's Rifle
43 - Sidearms
44 - When You Want Something More
45 - Oddball Stuff
Working with Russians
46 - Don't Travel Through Kuwait
47 - Vodka and a Pet Turkey
Downtime
48 - Training
49 - Killing Time
50 - Christmas in Iraq
Sex in the City
51 - The Boy and the Filipino
52 - A Little Business on the Side
Peshmerga
53 - "Captain, captain!"
54 - Ali Baba!
55 - Pesh Just Like to Shoot Guns
Improvised Explosive Devices
56 - The Road to Haditha Dam
57 - The Wreck, the Wedding, and the Marine
58 - The Convoy
59 - Death from Above
60 - Ar