Iron Cross Under Crescent Moon: A National Guard Chaplain’s Experience of the War in Iraq, Shared in 96 Personal Emails Home

This book is a compilation of the author's weekly emails sent home during a twenty-two month deployment to the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. It tells the story of an Iowa National Guard chaplain, attached to the historic 34th BCT (Brigade Combat Team) out of Minnesota. This book reveals a unique perspective on the war, seen through the eyes of an infantry battalion chaplain as his unit carries out the difficult mission of convoy security over the roads of the most dangerous, enemy-contested region of Iraq at that time. Without glossing over or embellishing on the very real horrors of war, this book describes the other side of the story, the day-to-day grind and hidden joys of military life in the combat zone. Every U.S. American deserves a chance to hear the positive experiences that balance the current emphasis on the negative side of the war in Iraq.