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Rating: 
Summary: As a veteran of the Gulf War, Somalia and Bosnia.....
Review: After the fall of the Berlin Wall, my service has been as fast, furious and jumpy as Hackworth's book Hazardous Duty. Bottom line: I never sensed that he stayed around any one of these three conflicts I served in long enough to get a true appreciation of place (especially Bosnia). A interesting book, but I found the quality of writing was lacking. I felt his observations were many times not grounded in fact, in my humble opinion. I was particularly disappointed with his chapters on the Balkans. I felt like I was watching a cheap horror movie aimed to get the easy scare, then move on to the next one. But heh, who can claim to be an expert, apologies to Rebecca West. Kudos to him on his chapters on Somalia. Not being based in Mogudishu, I found them insightful.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: As a correspondant for Newsweek, Hackworth has the savy to keep the reader interested, even at times when he is mundane. A great first person take on military events of the past three decades. Hackworth definitely captures the mediocraty involved with politicos in "greatest military on the face of the earth". Hackworth can be compared to Richard Marcinko, who yearns for the truth be told with today's military. A definite read for both military and non-military folk.
Rating: 
Summary: a huge disappointment
Review: Hackworth's first book, "About Face" was absolutely brilliant. I believe the Marine Corps once used it as an unofficial guide for officer leadership. It's that good. However, I am reviewing the book "Hazardous Duty" and I must say, this book was a letdown. I don't know what happened in the five years between the two books, but Hack sounds like he lost the ability to communicate on higher than a fourth grade level. I think Hack has been reading way too many Marcinko books and now believes he has to write in the same childish vein to sell as many books as the Pogue Warrior. The language is so immature and superflous, I found myself becoming embarrassed for him. I couldn't believe this was the same author that penned the classic, About Face. I was a grunt in Somalia and Haiti and so I fully understand where Hack is coming from, I just don't share his conclusions. Combining the Armed Forces into one homogeneous force is the most dangerous thing we could do as a nation. The Roman Empire purposely kept its Legions in a weakened state for fear of them acquiring the power to make or break governments as the Praetorian Guard eventually did. We have to keep the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines at each other's throats, so they don't come after ours. The latest word that is being overused by the military is "Joint Operations." This means the four branches working closer with each other and with one overall commander who will then have more power at his fingertips than previously. In the past few years, the military has become more estranged then ever from the public it supposedly serves. From when I was in, we had an "Us versus Them" attitude when it came to the American people. I can only assume it has gotten worse over the past five years. Also, Hack doesn't take the time to delve too deeply into what really happened in the countries he writes about. It sounds like he is just talking off the top of his head, without the proper perspective or use of primary sources. It's only because I liked About Face so much that I'm so disappointed in this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Not nearly as good as About Face
Review: I really, really enjoyed this book! As a former enlisted US Army soldier myself, this book added extraordinary insight to the confounding, herky-jerky decision making that came from every headquarters higher than Battalion level, regardless of unit. Col. Hackworth's brilliant revelations on the self-serving motivations of O-5 and higher officers were invaluable and revealing of the top-heavy, job-preserving nature of not only the military, but of the federal government itself. I must say that a few of Hackworth's "Perfumed Princes" seem to have read the book and given it a sour-grapes 1 star rating. Mainly because of the blunt writing style. God forbid that we should read the truth about self-serving flag officers in plain language! Hackworth cuts through today's political doublespeak with a chainsaw. Part of what's wrong with America today is an unwillingness of high-level decision makers to speak plainly, in layman's terms. Dissertation-dry military books are as full of misdirection and obfuscation as a US congressman. Truth and plain speaking are as rare as hen's teeth in the litigation-cowed tortocracy that is America today. If you want hoity-toity, quasi-intellectual pabulum, read someone else. If you want the truth, from a warrior who's been there and is willing to stand up the slings and arrows of the entrenched status quo elite, then Col. Hackworth delivers in spades.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for soldiers and taxpaying civilians alike!
Review: I really, really enjoyed this book! As a former enlisted US Army soldier myself, this book added extraordinary insight to the confounding, herky-jerky decision making that came from every headquarters higher than Battalion level, regardless of unit. Col. Hackworth's brilliant revelations on the self-serving motivations of O-5 and higher officers were invaluable and revealing of the top-heavy, job-preserving nature of not only the military, but of the federal government itself. I must say that a few of Hackworth's "Perfumed Princes" seem to have read the book and given it a sour-grapes 1 star rating. Mainly because of the blunt writing style. God forbid that we should read the truth about self-serving flag officers in plain language! Hackworth cuts through today's political doublespeak with a chainsaw. Part of what's wrong with America today is an unwillingness of high-level decision makers to speak plainly, in layman's terms. Dissertation-dry military books are as full of misdirection and obfuscation as a US congressman. Truth and plain speaking are as rare as hen's teeth in the litigation-cowed tortocracy that is America today. If you want hoity-toity, quasi-intellectual pabulum, read someone else. If you want the truth, from a warrior who's been there and is willing to stand up the slings and arrows of the entrenched status quo elite, then Col. Hackworth delivers in spades.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: Very interesting book. I couldn't put it down after the first page or two. I've been inspired to read his other books -- esp. About Face, and support his organization Soldiers for the Truth.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Very interesting book. I couldn't put it down after the first page or two. I've been inspired to read his other books -- esp. About Face, and support his organization Soldiers for the Truth.
Rating:
Summary: Documenting Results of the Military Industrial Complex
Review: When Ike left office, he warned of the emmergence of a military industrial complex. A union forged between high ranking officers in the military, defense contractors, and legislators. Each member of this triangle has a different goal, but a common road that leads to that goal. In this book, Hack documents the toll that the "triangle" is taking, on the soldiers of this country and on its' economy. Hack presents disturbing example after another of how neglected our troops are, from that "gem" of a weapon called the m-16 that cursed our boys in Vietnam, to the cavalier attitude u.n. commanders displayed in mis-using OUR troops in Somalia. When someone tells you that the sky is purple, you don't need to read the detailed report they put together explaining their conclusion, just look out the window and see for yourself. Hack has reported from the front by giving us a first hand look at what no "triangle" spin-doctor can justify, willfull neglect and mis-use of our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters. This behaviour does not border on criminal, it goes way beyond that.
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