Two at once!

Since I don't sleep a whole lot anymore, I thought I would try something different.  I wrote two stories at the same time!  One from an outline I did several years ago and a new one.  The first was released this week and the second will be available next week.

A SIXTH SENSE

Humans are said to have five senses. Sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch are the five traditionally recognized.
The ability to detect other stimuli beyond those governed by the traditional senses exists, a sixth sense, a kinesthetic sense…The ability to sense an unknown presence. To know when you are not alone or you’re being watched.
This story takes place in Vietnam during the height of the war. Rick Milton has that powerful sixth sense. He can’t explain it but when he is walking point for his platoon, he can sense the enemy. He can sense a booby trap or an ambush ahead. When the enemy is within a couple of miles he can even smell them.
The story follows Rick’s combat tour from his arrival in Vietnam as a PFC ‘new guy’ through several field combat missions. His ability to outthink and outfight the enemy earns him rapid promotions and the respect of his fellow soldiers. He advances to squad leader, then platoon sergeant, leading combat operations, mentoring a green and sometimes balky lieutenant, and striving to keep his men alive.


COMING OF AGE

It’s an unfortunate fact that wars are not fought by old men. There are fought by children. They are fought by young people that have barely experienced life. The average age of the solders during the Vietnam War was nineteen. They were barely out of high school. Many were high school and college dropouts. Those that were fortunate enough to have graduated college were made officers that would lead these children into battle.
They were kids from all walks of life. Kids recruited and drafted from the big cities, small towns. They represented every nationality and ethnic group in the United States. Caucasians, Asians, African American, Hispanic, Native American were thrown together, for many it was the first time interacting with people outside of their own ethnic group.
For many of these kids going to Basic Training was their first time away from home. They went from the senior prom to graduation to Basic Training to the jungles and fighting to stay alive in a matter of months.
War is a hell of a place to grow up and reach maturity. Approximately 58,200 American military personnel never got the chance to grow old.

www.djstephens.org

Don,  My appetite for reading these books have me watering at the mouth.  You referenced this ability to sense the enemy in some of your other books. 

I found the following on facebook and thought it was interesting.

The answer to controlling terrorists.

I am over 60 and the Armed Forces thinks I'm too old to track down terrorists. You can't be older than 42 to join the military. They've got the whole thing backwards.

Instead of sending 18-year olds off to fight, they ought to take us old guys. You shouldn't be able to join a military unit until you're at least 35.

For starters, researchers say 18-year-olds think about sex every ten seconds. Old guys only think about sex a couple of times a month, leaving us more than 280,000 additional seconds per day to concentrate on the enemy.

Young guys haven't lived long enough to be cranky, and a cranky soldier is a dangerous soldier. 'My back hurts! I can't sleep, I'm tired and hungry.' Were bad-tempered and impatient, and maybe letting us kill some ***hole that desperately deserves it will make us feel better and shut us up for a while.....

An 18-year-old doesn't even like to get up before 10am. Old guys always get up early to pee, so what the hell. Besides, like I said, I'm tired and can't sleep and since I'm already up, I may as well be up killing some fanatical son-of-a-bitch.

If captured we couldn't spill the beans because we'd forget where we put them. In fact, name, rank, and serial number would be a real brainteaser.

Boot camp would be easier for old guys.... We're used to getting screamed and yelled at and we're used to soft food. We've also developed an appreciation for guns. We've been using them for years as an excuse to get out of the house, away from the screaming and yelling.

They could lighten up on the obstacle course however..... I've been in combat and never saw a single 20-foot wall with rope hanging over the side, nor did I ever do any push-ups after completing basic training.

Actually, the running part is kind of a waste of energy, too..... I've never seen anyone outrun a bullet.

An 18-year-old has the whole world ahead of him. He's still learning to shave or to start a conversation with a pretty girl. He still hasn't figured out that a baseball cap has a brim to shade his eyes, not the back of his head.

These are all great reasons to keep our kids at home to learn a little more about life before sending them off into harm's way.

Let us old guys track down those terrorists..... The last thing an enemy would want to see is a couple million hacked off old farts with bad attitudes and automatic weapons, who know that their best years are already behind them.

HEY!! How about recruiting Women over 50.... in menopause! You think MEN have attitudes? Ohhhhhhhh my goodness!!! If nothing else, put them on border patrol. They'll have it secured the first night!

Abe,

I can relate!

Love it, Abe!

Received both your books today, Don.   Ready to dig in.

Hope you enjoy them

What a powerhouse you are, Don. 
My David told me about having that 6th sense in Vietnam.  He is still alive because of it, and I think several others are, as well. 
Keep on writing.  Never let your heart stop.
Love,
Betty