I would never had been inspired to write this story were it not for the brave and determined service I witnessed in Pakistan and southern Afghanistan by the members of the CIA and Special Forces teams that participated in the campaign to capture Kandahar in 2001. The patriotism and professionalism of Foxtrot and Echo teams, and ODA-583 and ODA-574 were extraordinary, and I will forever cherish the memory of the events of that special time.
I also wish to recognize the critical support provided by the U.S. Air Force’s 20th Special Operations Squadron and other U.S. military air support to the southern Afghanistan campaign without which success would have been doubtful. Additionally, I would be remiss not to acknowledge the men and women at CIA’s Counterterrorist Center/Special Operations Group whose hard work in supporting our efforts from afar played an important role in making the campaign a success.
While the writing of a book is largely a solitary task, the help of others in making it better is indispensable. In this regard I owe my thanks to several people who read the manuscript and provided constructive criticism and encouragement. These include, Chuck Bertsch, Greg Gillam, Meg G., “Tomas,” and Mike H. Additionally, I owe a special thanks to my wife who brought her considerable editorial talents to bear as well.
To my publisher, Theodore P. Savas, and Editorial Director Steven Smith, as well as the rest of the crew at Savas Beatie, I am deeply appreciative for the interest, time, and attention that have been given to the publication of my memoir.
Despite the help of others in producing this book, any errors or inaccuracies are my own.