Hello! Thanks for visiting my Web site.
As soon as I have more information about my book about C 1/26 Inf. Reg., I'll get it posted. It's due out March 2 from St. Martin's Press, and it's called, "They Fought for Each Other." I embedded with Charlie in Adhamiya, Iraq, in June 2007, and was with them for one of their worst days -- but they had a lot of them.
In December 2006, 19-year-old Ross McGinnis threw himself on a grenade to save four friends. He received the Medal of Honor.A Humvee rolled over a roadside bomb, killing two soldiers and severely burning the others. In June, a Bradley hit another bomb, and it killed five soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter.Soon after, a well-loved first sergeant in the battalion, 1SG Jeff McKinney, killed himself in front of his men after not sleeping, eating or drinking for several days. Then, a second Bradley hit a bomb, instantly killing four soldiers. The platoon I embedded with was accused of mutiny after they refused to go out after the second Bradley was hit. They said they feared they would kill everyone they saw if they went out because they were so full of rage. Charlie Company lost 14 men, and Second Platoon came home without nine of their friends.
But the book also details their good days, as well as some of the silly things they did, like setting up rat traps in the middle of the night to scare other soldiers or wearing purple wigs out on patrol. I wrote about the guys for a series in Army Times called Blood Brothers.
I joined the staff of the Army Times in November 2005 as a reporter. I cover medical/health issues for all the military papers -- Army Times, Air Force Times, Navy Times and Marine Times. These papers are owned by Gannett -- the same company that owns USAToday -- not the Army.
I've written for The Chicago Tribune, The Associated Press, NASA, The (Boulder) Daily Camera, The Denver Post, The (Portland) Oregonian, The Salt Lake Tribune and The (Ogden) Standard-Examiner.
I've also freelanced for several on-line sites, including Chickclick.com and myfootpath.com, as well as writing and editing copy for Denver Public Schools, Payroll Ink and Columbia Weathersystems. I also worked as publications manager for the Colorado Press Association.
My book projects include editing Jayson Ohler's "Then What?"
I finished my graduate degree in journalism in the the advanced professional program at the University of Colorado in 2007. I also taught editing and page design, and newswriting at the University of Northern Colorado, as well as critical thinking and writing at CU.
Thanks for visiting,
Kelly |
