Command Sgt. Maj. U.S. Army (retired) Bart E. Womack shares the gripping true story of the March 23, 2003, unprecedented deadly terrorist attack against the men and women of the 101st Airborne Division in his book, Embedded Enemy: The Insider Threat.
Told second by second in his firsthand account as a survivor, Embedded Enemy is a potent reminder of the need for situational awareness, no matter the circumstances.
“This event shocked the armed forces, America and people around the world,” Womack said. “It forced everyone to consider more carefully whom we really trust and to begin to digest the idea that threats to our personal safety might now come from the inside. Twenty years later, the entire country has no idea how this event actually took place.”
As the book details, shortly after deploying for the war in Iraq, the Bastogne Brigade was staged at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait where they prepared for combat against Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime.During the eerie, pitch-black, early morning hours of March 23, 2003, a fellow American soldier, Sergeant Hasan Akbar, executed the unthinkable and unlikeliest of scenarios by launching a terrorist attack against his chain of command as they slept in preparation for war.
The wicked aftermath killed two officers and wounded 13 others. Despite the tragic deaths in the most unfathomable way, the Bastogne Brigade received movement orders to cross the border into Iraq just 48 hours after the attack.
“This story is about how the soldiers bonded together to rescue, treat and evacuate their brothers in arms in the midst of darkness, massive explosions, gun fire, suffocating smoke, body ripping shrapnel, and complete and total chaos and confusion, while simultaneously searching for a ruthless killer that had taken the same oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against foreign enemies,” Womack said. “Little did they realize they would meet the most improbable of adversaries — one of their very own — an ‘Embedded Enemy.’”
The soldiers and airmen killed and wounded in this attack never received the Purple Heart as casualties from an enemy of the United States. On January 9, 2023, the award was denied by the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Air Force.
“I remain steadfast in pursuit and will continue to fight until they are recognized by the award of the Purple Heart that they so truly deserve!” Womack said. “These medals won’t bring back those killed or heal the bodies of those wounded. It will, however, serve as a testament that the United States of America recognizes their sacrifice and officially calls the attack a ‘terrorist attack.’”
Akbar was sentenced to death and currently awaits execution at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.“No profession, level of education, ideology or religion is above reproach,” Womack added. “There is no profile. The Insider Threat is closer than you think.”
About the Author
Command Sgt. Maj. retired Bart E. Womack served the United States Army with distinction for over 29 years and contributed immeasurably to the readiness of the armed forces and the security of our great nation. Highlights of his distinguished military career include Sergeant of the Guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, his career culminating in dual roles as Commandant and the 101st Airborne Division Command Sergeant Major. An Army Ranger combat veteran with two Bronze Stars, one for valor, he is also a Distinguished Member of the Regiment for the 3rd and 327th Infantry Regiments.
Post military, Womack helps veterans enhance their careers and excel. He sits on the Board of Directors for Veterans Media Corporation, is an Executive Producer for The Veterans Channel, and an actor and military technical adviser. In recognition of his selfless service and initiatives, Womack was invested as a Knight into The Order of St. George, Grand Priory of Canada & the Americas in October 2020.
Embedded Enemy: The Insider Threat Publisher: Inspired Forever Books ISBN-10: 1948903393 ISBN-13: 978-1948903394 Available from Amazon.com
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Reviews, photos, links to previous interviews and Q&As are available upon request.
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Retired Army Captain Calls Out Those Who Profit From War
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Severely disabled war veteran and retired Army Captain Allen B. Clark knows all too well the consequences of being a war casualty. An enemy attack on his Green Beret camp in Vietnam in 1967 resulted in the amputation of both of his legs below his knees. After 15 months of rehabilitation, 20 surgeries and eight years of psychotherapy, he went on to live a rewarding and fulfilling life. But questions haunted him. Why and how are wars really initiated? Are there underlying motivations unknown to the general population and especially to the warriors?
“Members of the military fight to take care of each other, not for glory, and little do we know the behind-the-scenes characters who profit from our dedication to our nation,” Clark said.
In his book Soldiers’ Blood and Bloodied Money: Wars and the Ruling Elites, Clark shares the results of his extensive and concentrated research. His findings, drawn from sources published as far back as 150 years ago, point to individuals and institutions throughout history who have fostered and fomented horrendous wars, including arms merchants; religious entities and their leaders; politicians; international bankers; media titans; and lawyers.
With a special focus on the American Revolution, Civil War, Spanish-American War and the “Banana, Banker and Oil” wars in the Americas, Soldiers’ Blood and Bloodied Money aims to reveal the political, financial, business, religious, social and propaganda truths behind the initiation of wars.
“These truths illustrate that we young patriots, who have gone off to fight in wars, are merely pawns in a much larger chess game of life — a game where the captains and kings and knights and bishops are the ones who often profit immeasurably in terms of financial gain or increases in power,” Clark wrote in his book. “Meanwhile, we perish or suffer immense physical and emotional wounds from which many of us never heal.”
About the Author The Honorable Allen B. Clark is a 1963 West Point graduate and PTSD survivor who lost both legs below the knees in 1967 following an enemy mortar barrage while serving in Vietnam. He is a recipient of a Silver Star, America’s third-highest decoration for Gallantry in Action, a Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
He has served as a special assistant to the governor of Texas and as the Assistant Secretary for Veterans Liaison and Program Coordination, and Director of the National Cemetery System in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In 1993, he was recognized by the Military Chaplains Association with its National Citizenship Award. He is a frequent motivational speaker. In early 2018, Allen received the Patriot Award from the Greater Dallas Military Foundation, and later that year, he received the Sons of the Flag Legacy Award.
Camaraderie on the World Stage: Dear Barack Traces Extraordinary Political Alliance
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United by a belief that democracy could uplift the world, former U.S. President Barack Obama and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel formed a friendship that transcended their disparate political views, connecting in a way that enabled them to navigate their countries through some of the most challenging events of the 21st century. While most political pundits knew about the partnership these two created, few knew the full story — until now.
“Their relationship was by no means linear,” said author and activist Claudia Clark. “They had their differences. The important thing is that despite their differences, they came out on top. They came out stronger because they had enough respect for one another.”
In Clark’s new book, Dear Barack: The Extraordinary Partnership of Barack Obama and Angela Merkel, she gives readers an inside look at one of the great political friendships of the modern world, as told through key moments that shaped the 21st century.
Obama was a left-leaning Democrat, Merkel a member of Germany’s far-right Christian Democratic Union, yet together, they found a way to help heal the fractures that existed between the U.S. and Europe at that time.
Dear Barack is a thoroughly researched exploration of the parallel trajectories that led to Obama and Merkel meeting on the world stage, and the trials — both personal and political — that they confronted in office. In the leaders’ own words, the book details such events as Merkel’s historic acceptance of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and the 2013 NSA spying scandal, demonstrating the highs and lows of this extraordinary alliance.
A story of camaraderie at a global scale, Dear Barack is a “fit-all” in terms of politics and shows that it is possible for political adversaries to establish bonds of respect — and even friendship — in the service of the free world.
Claudia Clark is an author, speaker and activist focused on social justice and democracy. In 2017, Clark and her husband moved from California to Germany, where she served as the national Get Out the Vote (GOTV) coordinator for the Democrats Abroad Germany chapter from January 2019 to May 2020. Clark has several advanced degrees, with a focus on social work, women’s history and labor relations. She lives in Berlin, where she is conducting research for her next book.
For more information, please visit https://www.claudiaclarkauthor.com.
Dear Barack: The Extraordinary Partnership of Barack Obama and Angela Merkel Publisher: Disruption Books ISBN-10: 1633310574 ISBN-13: 978-1633310575 Available from Amazon.com, Disruption Books and Claudiaclarkauthor.com
Trish Stevens Monica Daniels Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
Challenging the Status Quo: Gubernatorial Candidate Aspires to Return Power to the People
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Protecting the environment, governing with the goal of happiness, an opposition to lockdowns and his innovative proposal called Jury Democracy form the four pillars of Hugh McTavish’s campaign for Minnesota governor.
The biochemist and patent attorney (with 21 inventions under his belt) admits that he doesn’t fit neatly within the democratic or republican party.
“My views aren’t a good fit anymore for either party, really,” McTavish said in a recent interview. “I disagree with both of the two parties on a lot of issues, and I want to be above the fray.”
He is running for governor of Minnesota with the Independence-Alliance, the successor to the Independence Party that elected Jesse Ventura in 1998.
In his bid to return power to the people, he is emphasizing his Jury Democracy proposal, which involves having large, statistically valid juries of 500 to 2,000 randomly selected voters come to the capitol, hear arguments for and against a particular bill or proposal, deliberate on it, and then vote on that one bill or proposal.
According to McTavish, Jury Democracy would impact public debate and transform political power and how the government makes decisions.
“As governor, before I sign any important or controversial bill into law, I will submit it to a citizen jury of at least 500 people,” he added. “If the jury approves the bill, I will sign it into law; if it rejects the bill, I will veto it. Effectively, I will not be governor—WE ALL WILL BE! I will give the power to you!”
A Ph.D. biochemist and immunologist, patent attorney, entrepreneur and author, McTavish has authored 18 refereed scientific journal articles and is the inventor of 21 U.S. patents. He has also written three books: Ending War in Our Lifetime, COVID Lockdown Insanity and Wild Plants of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area. He has started two pharmaceutical companies off his own inventions. He lives near St. Paul, Minnesota. Now he is running for governor of Minnesota, primarily to bring the innovation of Jury Democracy to Minnesota and the world.
Besides hoping to positively impact government, McTavish entered the governor’s race because, in his words, “Everyone’s life matters.” McTavish has been outspoken about the harms of the lockdown response to COVID and how those harms vastly exceeded the benefits, sharing the science behind his claims in his thought-provoking book, COVID Lockdown Insanity (West Fork Press; ISBN-13: 978-1737327110).
For more information about his candidacy, please visit https://www.mctavish4mn.org/, and follow him on Twitter at @McTavish4MN.
Trish Stevens Nancy Reed Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
Could ‘Unknown Factors’ in Schools Stop Active Shooters in Their Tracks?
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While politicians wring their hands and debate complex gun control legislation, military expert and historian Dr. William R. Forstchen offers a strategy that could be implemented in time for the upcoming school year.
“We arm some teachers,” Forstchen said in a recent interview. “We should select people who are ex-military, ex-law enforcement. Train them, train them, train them. Compensate them. Put them in the schools, armed. They become the ‘unknown factor.’ I think this could make a major difference.”
Besides exhaustively vetting and evaluating these chosen members of the school faculty, anonymity is paramount. In fact, Forstchen added, “If they ever tell anyone or boast, ‘oh gee I’m armed now,’ fire them. You want these people to be anonymous.”
Forstchen’s perspective is informed by his 45 years of teaching and by the Beslan school siege in 2004 — an Islamic terror attack against a Russian school that left 333 people dead, including 186 children.
He believes that arming teachers could serve as a deterrent, or at the very least, a way to stop school shooters in their tracks.
“They would be the ‘unknown factor’ in every single school,” Forstchen wrote in a recent opinion editorial in The Washington Times. “They would be the men and women who, in those first precious seconds, would react rather than hide, be it against a lone killer or even a trained team of killers. They could buy time for other responders to rush in, rather than wait outside while mayhem runs rampant within.
“They would be the ones who would willingly put their lives on the line … but would be the surprise factor in a school that would fight back when seconds counted. They might not stop, but they would at least slow down an aggressor and buy time for a swift response … In so doing, they just might prevent a Beslan massacre from happening here.”
The Beslan incident also prompted Forstchen to write the book, Day of Wrath, which presents the unsettling scenario of ISIS-inspired teams launching a coordinated attack on schools — a threat he views as all-too realistic.
William R. Forstchen is a New York Times bestselling author and holds a doctoral degree from Purdue University with a specialization in military history and technology. He is a noted expert historian and public speaker and has been interviewed on FOX News, C-SPAN, and Coast to Coast on topics ranging from history to technology and cultural issues, to space technology development, to security threats.
Cliven Bundy Shares His Account of Armed Standoff on Nevada Cattle Ranch
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Whatever happened to Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy?
“It’s not what you think,” said prolific Christian author and Leadership Books co-founder Michael Stickler, who spent more than 60 days documenting Bundy’s side of the conflict while Bundy was incarcerated in federal prison.
Stickler details the events (as told to him by Cliven Bundy) preceding, during and following the 2014 standoff between Bundy’s armed supporters and federal agents. The standoff made national news and resulted in Bundy and 18 others being charged with federal crimes. “January 6 protesters are facing the full weight of the government, but Cliven Bundy went through it first,” Stickler added.
In Cliven Bundy: American Patriot, Stickler shares Bundy’s side of the standoff, which was the result of a 21-year legal dispute between Bundy and the Bureau of Land Management involving the grazing of Bundy’s cattle on federal land.
With plenty of intrigue, twists and turns, Cliven Bundy: American Patriot also includes Bundy’s personal account of “life lost” and the continued costs that the “Bundy 19” endure in prison.
“From here, Cliven shares his personal inner fears and hopes for the future,” Stickler said. “It’s a burden that weighs heavily upon Cliven’s heart.”
About the Author Prolific Christian author Michael Stickler (who has written over 19 books) and his publishing mentor, Arthur Ritter, founded Leadership Books to provide turnkey publishing services for those with ideas they want to bring to the world as well as Book and Author Representation services for already published authors in need of more effective marketing strategies. Leadership Books focusses on thought leaders and nonfiction authors in the worlds of business, finance and faith.
Stickler is an ex-felon, philanthropist, horseman and internationally sought-after conference speaker. His all-time bestselling book, A Journey to Generosity, is widely acclaimed throughout the Christian community. He is also the author of Ghost Patriot and Life Without Reservation.
To learn more, please visit: https://LeadershipBooks.com, or connect with the publisher on Facebook (LeadershipBooksOnline); Twitter (@BooksLeadership); Instagram (leadership.books); or LinkedIn (Mike Stickler).
Cliven Bundy: American Patriot Publisher: Vision Group, Ltd. ISBN-10: 0990744140 ISBN-13: 978-0990744146 Available from Amazon.com and https://leadershipbooks.com/products/cliven-bundy-american-patriot?variant=41472051085492
Trish Stevens Helen Cook Senior Publicist Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 903.654.0938 Direct 281.333.3507 Office [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
Dr. Hugh McTavish Enters Minnesota Governor Race With Innovative ‘Jury Democracy’ Proposal
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing.)
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In his public declaration of his candidacy, Hugh McTavish, Ph.D., said, “I am running because I want to really create a government that is, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, ‘of the people, by the people’ and ‘for the people.’” He went on to add, “Instead, we have government that is of the elites and the corporations, by the elites and the corporations, and for the elites and the corporations.”
McTavish is a scientist, entrepreneur and author of COVID Lockdown Insanity. He is running for governor of Minnesota with the Independence-Alliance, the successor to the Independence Party that elected Jesse Ventura.
His innovative proposal, Jury Democracy, involves having large, statistically valid juries of 500 to 2,000 randomly selected voters come to the capitol, hear arguments for and against a particular bill or proposal, deliberate on it, and then vote on that one bill or proposal.
According to McTavish, Jury Democracy would impact public debate and transform political power and how the government makes decisions.
“As governor, before I sign any important or controversial bill into law, I will submit it to a citizen jury of at least 500 people,” he added. “If the jury approves the bill, I will sign it into law; if it rejects the bill, I will veto it. Effectively, I will not be governor—WE ALL WILL BE! I will give the power to you!”
A Ph.D. biochemist and immunologist, patent attorney, entrepreneur and author, McTavish has authored 18 refereed scientific journal articles and is the inventor of 21 U.S. patents. He has also written three books: Ending War in Our Lifetime, COVID Lockdown Insanity and Wild Plants of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area. He has started two pharmaceutical companies off his own inventions. He lives near St. Paul, Minnesota. Now he is running for governor of Minnesota, primarily to bring the innovation of Jury Democracy to Minnesota and the world.
Besides hoping to positively impact government, McTavish entered the governor’s race because, in his words, “Everyone’s life matters.” McTavish has been outspoken about the harms of the lockdown response to COVID and how those harms vastly exceeded the benefits, sharing the science behind his claims in his thought-provoking book, COVID Lockdown Insanity (West Fork Press;ISBN-13: 978-1737327110).
For more information about his candidacy, please visit https://www.mctavish4mn.org/, and follow him on Twitter at @McTavish4MN.
Trish Stevens Alex Spencer Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
