Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Cast pt. 3

Colin Taylor is the sole Australian on Task Force Intrepid. An extreme adrenaline junkie and extrovert, very little can rattle him. In his early 30's, he has the opposing qualities of the serious, attention to detail Special Air Service Regiment Operator and the footloose laid back 20 something surfer boy. Coming from Perth, Western Australia, there wasn't much to do besides surf, explore the outback and surf. He spent his summers with his mates travelling up and down the coast in 4x4 vehicles looking for the ultimate wave churning beach. Sometimes gone for weeks at a stretch, he developed a love for the outdoors and survival.

After completing his schooling, he decided to join the Army and become a Digger. He chose the infantry over the high tech jobs he was offered due to his aptitude tests. After much protest by the recruiters, he won and began learning the skills of the infantryman. Australia offered some of the finest training ground in the world for desert and jungle warfare. After his initial tour, he decided that he wanted to take things to the extreme. Just like his search for perfection of the waves and living with nature, the SASR provided him all the adrenaline he could handle. His ability to do an activity over and over till it was impossible to make a mistake served him well.

Though Australia is not known fo sticking its nose in the worlds business, his unit was deployed to Afghanistan shortly after the Americans first arrived. Specialists in Reconnaissance, the provided detailed information on suspected Al Qaeda and Taliban strongholds and passageways. Australians had proved their patience and ability in counter insurgency warfare from the Malayan Emergency to Vietnam. Though small in numbers in the Vietnam war, they had done more damage than American units the same size with fewer casualties. Rather than sending a battalion hacking through the jungle and walking into an ambush, they patiently patrolled and stalked their enemy. Gathering intel on their habits and supply, they were able to add precision blows to the enemy. A small sized unit could make contact with the enemy and then bring in reinforcements rather than the other way around.

He spent up to 10 days at a time without resupply in hides watching the enemy and providing intel to the Americans. Due to their small numbers and a desire for American glory, they were treated as lowly partners and their work was put in the slush pile. The Americans paid dearly for their lack of attention to detail in Operation Anaconda. Colin and the other Australians were surprised when working with legendary American Special Forces whose idea of a good recon was a 48 hour hide and then calling for an evac.

Near the end of their rotation, the SASR went aggro during Operation Anaconda and Colin's expertise in the Long Rifle was let loose and he began racking up kill after kill due to his patience and knowledge of the trails and habits of the Taliban.

Once again in 2003 the Aussies sidled up with the Americans in the Invasion of Iraq. They were tasked with securing vital objectives in Western Iraq. In the tradition of the Long Range Desert Group, they marauded the barren land of Western Iraq in their souped up LRPV's. Once again, Colin was constantly on overwatch, dropping hostiles like indignant flies. The SASR packed it in after President Bush declared an end to hostilities  and went back home.

Colin's enlistment was up in 2005 and he desired to regain some of the freedom of his youth. Offers galore came in to do work in the world of PMC's. He could pick when and where he wanted to work. With the money being offered, he could work half of the year and surf the other half and start a path to retirement by the age of 45.

Having never worked in Africa, he took on a contract in Liberia where he met Willem Kruger. Kruger noticed  his keen sense of adventure tempered with extreme professionalism and invited him to work for SLE, Worldwide. His SASR training was second to no one and under the tutelage of men like Kruger and Salvo, he has become a key operator on Task Force Intrepid.

The Cast pt. 2

Juan 'Salvo' Salvador is the enigmatic 2IC of Task Force Intrepid. Brought to America from Southern Mexico by his parents in the 1970's, he crossed the Rio Grande, holding his father's hand, who hoped for a better life in America. Living a life of secrets began early on. They made it to Houston to live with Family members while Mom and Dad worked low wage jobs and hoping to one day become Americans. He spoke no English and learned English the hard way. He had a cover story that went with him everywhere. The family got by living lies and buying false documents. Though the hardships were numerous, he fought on.

Then in his senior year of high school, 1986, the inspiring President Ronald Reagan declared amnesty for illegal aliens. The family waited in lines for days to get their documents from INS. They no longer lived the lie. The first thing that Salvo did after becoming a Legal Permanent Resident was walk into a US Army recruiting office. He wanted to show his appreciation and dedication to his country. It was all he knew. He was determined to become an Airborne Ranger. With his superior athletic ability and raw determination to prove that he loved his country he dedicated himself to the Army on duty and off.

He saw action in Panama, Desert Storm, and Somalia. Moving up the chain he volunteered to for the Special Forces. With his language abilities and aptitude for all things military, he found his calling in life. He was heavily utilized as an advisor to the growing war against Narco Terrorism in Colombia and other South American countries. He was encouraged to try out for the elite of the elite. Delta Force.

He became part of a compartmentalized section of Delta whose sole purpose was to hunt down and kill Drug Lords and their associates all over the world. The mountains and jungles of South America became his home for 10 years. Often times working out of uniform, he risked it all to take down enemies of the United States.

After his retirement in 2006 he was offered a position as an officer in the CIA's Special Activites Division. Still mindful of his family, he decided that it was more lucrative to join the world of Private Military Companies. A company called Security and Logistics Enterprises recruited him to continue his services to the Government of Colombia for training and hunting Narco Terrorists and Left Wing guerrillas like FARC. This job allowed him more freedom and alot more money than being on the US governments payroll.

Although in his 40's, Salvo, is married to his work half of the year and the other half is spent breaking the hearts of Latino women worldwide. He is as comfortable in a club as he is chasing armed men through the jungle.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

The Cast

Willem Kruger is the consummate Professional Soldier. Of Boer stock, he comes from a long line of military tradition. When his father returned to South Africa after World War Two, he married and moved his young family to Rhodesia and began farming. Willem grew up on the farm and spent most of his free time in the bush tracking animals and hunting. He learned the Art of Tracking from one of his father's Shona employees.

Rhodesia began to enter a time of travails after declaring independence from Britain. Communist insurgents backed by China and Russia started to invade the country in a Chimurenga, a Shona word for Revolutionary Struggle. At the helm of this struggle were the tyrant's Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo. They believed that they were to reclaim the land and its wealth from the white colonists. Rhodesia's wealth resided in its agricultural wealth. They were the breadbasket of Africa. First priority for the Terrorists was the Farmer. Attacks on quiet, productive Farmers spread through the country. Soon, the Kruger's became victims. The Terr's attacked and murdered Willem's family. It was only happenstance that Willem escaped. He had went to visit relatives in Salisbury. At sixteen years of age, his life was forever altered.

With revenge in his heart he joined the Rhodesian Army with his uncles permission. At seventeen, he graduated the School of Infantry and was posted to a Commando unit, participating in Fire Force operations in the last two years of the war. Still just a boy, he earned the respect of the men around him. Once the United States and Great Britain had handed the reins of power to Robert Mugabe, he left for South Africa like many other Rhodesians.

The South African Army accepted him with open arms and he became earned a commission and a place in the 44th Parachute Brigade, fighting the war against the communists in Angola. His combat record and aggressiveness in the field caught many peoples attention. He refused to be promoted to a staff position in order to be in the field with his men. He was recruited to try out for another unit. The Recces were the eyes and ears of the Army. They penetrated deep into enemy held territory and often times took Direct Action. They could never rely on air power because of the distance away from the front lines. He resigned his commission when the New South Africa began slashing personnel from special forces units.

Disgusted with politicians he resigned his commission and tried policing for a short while. Finding that policing was not for him, he resigned. Shortly thereafter the constant changing tides of Africa presented him with an opportunity to Soldier again. He entered the world of Private Military Companies. Working in Angola and Sierra Leone, he was able to put his years of training into a righteous cause and earn a substantial amount of money.

After the dissolution of the outfit he worked for he remained in Sierra Leone doing more work for the government. Here he met his future wife in a refugee camp for the UN. She was revolted by the idea that he might be a mercenary as much as he was revolted by the United Nations. Both coming from Farming families, they found some common ground and a romance evolved into marraige.

Fed up with War and endless corruption and conflict in Africa, he immigrated to the United States with his wife and new son. They bought her fathers farm in Kansas. He had no fear of his land being overrun with Terrorists and took on a new phase of his life.

9/11 changed the world forever. Struggling to pay the bills on a small family farm, men like him were more in demand than ever. A company called Security and Logistics Enterprises contacted him with work that he was more than qualified for. A month's work would secure the farm for a year. He struggled with returning to his profession, as he had found peace and contentment.

Yet, with the tools of his trade, he can make the world a better place and earn money doing what few men could. Willem Kruger is the ultimate Professional Soldier.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

The Gold of Katanga

The Gold of Katanga is the first in a series of Military/Men's Adventure novels that deal with the shadowy world of Private Militaries. Deep in the Heart of Africa lies the darkness and war torn nation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The epicenter of the of untold mineral wealth and war on a scale not seen since World War Two, anything goes. From the Billionaire investors who mine its riches to the small warlords hell bent on killing, raping and savaging anything in their way.

It is here that Katanga Resources finds new deposits of Gold. With the world currency devaluing by the day, Gold is perhaps the most coveted mineral that Warlords can easily trade for weapons and more power. An unknown Rebel Group has seized two new mines owned by KR, Inc. They show no mercy and kill to the last man. Along with the seizures of the mines, this group has kidnapped a group of missionaries and doctors hoping for a large ransom.

The Congolese Army, corrupt and ineffectual with a President not interested in the fates of two small mines and a few westerners will not commit to putting down the Rebels. The UN is drawing down and has no interest in going on the offensive.

With no other alternative, KR, Inc. turn to Security and Logistics Enterprises, Worldwide. A Private Military Company that works in Hot Spots that angels fear to tread. A contract is set to recover the mines and a bonus will be paid for the rescue of the missionaries. SLE's compartmentalized High Risk Unit is called for the job. A unique group of warriors who specialize in Africa and South America take the fight to the Rebels with the skill and professionalism that only comes with a lifetime of experience.

Going to war against an unknown entity, they are pushed to their limit as soldiers and as men. Not for the faint of heart, join Task Force Intrepid in their inaugural mission to deliver justice with Speed, Aggression and Violence of Action.