Review
“A vivid, fast-paced, first-person account of the actions by US Army Rangers on the ground in one of the episodes in Afghanistan that best illustrated the commitment in the Ranger creed: ‘I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy.’ An extraordinary―and truly inspirational―story of sheer determination, physical toughness, and mental fortitude, as well as a fierce desire to never let one’s comrades down on the battlefield.”
―General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, US and International Forces in Afghanistan, and former Director of the CIA
“You need to read this book! Dr. Tony Brooks gives a first-hand account of the extraordinary lengths America will go to rescue one Lone Survivor. The sacrifices that Tony and his buddies made to rescue Marcus Luttrell and recover his fallen comrades will inspire anyone who reads Leave No Man Behind.”
―Jeff Struecker, best-selling author, pastor, and decorated US Army Ranger veteran of “Black Hawk Down” during the Battle of Mogadishu
“A heart-wrenching story of one of the most important military missions of our generation. In his compelling story, Leave No Man Behind, Tony Brooks shows us that war stripped to its core is a human endeavor where young men and women are willing to fight and die for each other under a solemn code of cohesion and brotherhood that binds them.”
―John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute, United States Military Academy, author of Connected Brothers
“A gritty narrative that combines a new perspective on one of the most disastrous special ops missions of recent years with a first-hand account of life in America’s most elite light infantry unit.”
―Sean Naylor, author of Relentless Strike: The Secret History of Joint Special Operations Command and Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda
“Leave No Man Behind is an exceptional read that combines thrilling, you-are-there narrative with the introspection of a modern warfighter during one of recent military history’s most renowned moments. It is an excellent and very important addition to the genre.”
―Ed Darack, author of Victory Point: Operation Red Wings and Whalers―The Marine Corps’ Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan
“An engagingly honest view of a young, middle-class American’s journey from the golf course to the mountains of Afghanistan―and the realities of combat. As instructive as it is entertaining, Tony Brooks has captured both the pain and camaraderie of combat in an unforgettable way.”
―General Stanley McChrystal, US Army (Ret.), former Commander of US and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan
“Leave No Man Behind is a crossover war story that will resonate across a broad spectrum of readers, from the combat hardened vet to the suburban soccer mom. Tony Brooks is the personification of the citizen soldier, your next-door neighbor who served his country with honor as an elite U.S. Army Airborne Ranger in the 75th Ranger Regiment. In his first combat operation, a search and rescue mission in the mountains of Afghanistan, Brooks and his fellow Rangers were thrust into a whirlwind of menace and dread that few warriors ever experience. Leave No Man Behind is a firsthand accounting of the untold story of the Rangers’ search for survivors from a U.S. Navy SEAL reconnaissance operation that went tragically wrong on the treacherous slopes of Afghanistan’s Sawtalo Sar. In the spirit of Stephen E. Ambrose’s Band of Brothers, Tony Brooks writes with a humble, authentic voice that speaks to all Americans.”
―Jeffrey Layton, author of the The Vigilant Spy, The Faithful Spy, The Forever Spy, and The Good Spy
"Leave No Man Behind is not your normal chest-pounding war story. This is an expertly depicted account of normal human beings thrust into one of the most horrific recovery missions of the Afghan War. The authors' descriptions had me feeling like I was on the mountain side with his platoon. The raw emotion and physical exertion detailed will give any reader not only an idea on how far the human body will go after all senses say quit, but the fighting American spirit and the ethos we soldiers live by, 'No Man Gets Left Behind.'"
―Ryan Hendrickson, Bestselling Author of Tip of the Spear
"Brooks offers a fascinating, nuanced, and deeply personal window into Operation Red Wings, one of the most tragic―and misunderstood―missions in America's war in Afghanistan."
―R. M. Schneiderman, former deputy editor of Newsweek
About the Author
After enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2003 at the age of 21, Dr. Tony Brooks attended and graduated Infantry and Airborne school followed by the four-week Ranger Indoctrination program, officially checking in to the 2nd Ranger Battalion in Fort Lewis, Washington, in September 2004. He deployed to eastern Afghanistan in April 2005, based at Bagram Airfield. His first mission was Operation Red Wings II. Tony subsequently deployed to the Ramadi region of Iraq in 2006-07.
He is now owner/operator of a chiropractic clinic and creator of Objective Healthy, a healthy lifestyle social venture to improve the health of veterans. He was featured on a Discovery Science channel episode of Black Files: Declassified and a Smithsonian Air and Space article as a subject matter expert on Operation Red Wings and is also featured in the Backbone docuseries.
Tony and his wife Heidi have two children and live in Everett, Washington.
