What do you think?
Rate this book
Proud To Serve: Leadership, Responsibility, and Command from 9/11 to Iraq
Proud to Serve: Leadership, Responsibility, and Command from 9/11 to Iraq is a firsthand account of leadership, logistics, and command responsibility at defining moments in American history.
It opens in the chaos of the Pentagon after September 11, 2001, where a U.S. Army officer helps drive response and recovery operations that alter the course of his life and career, leading to battalion command during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Told with professionalism and restraint, Proud to Serve reveals the unseen work that sustains combat operations. From building and protecting fuel networks in hostile terrain to managing risk under constant pressure, it shows how discipline, trust, and accountability determine success when failure is not an option. This is war behind the headlines, where leadership extends beyond the battlefield.
Proud to Serve also explores the human dimension of command. It examines the burden of decision-making, the resilience of soldiers and families, and the effects service carries long after missions conclude.
When clarity is absent and time runs out, leaders still act. Proud to Serve enters the decision space where mission comes first, resources are scarce, and judgment replaces certainty. Every choice carries permanent consequences, and every decision must answer one question:
How do you accomplish a near-impossible mission and bring every soldier home?
It opens in the chaos of the Pentagon after September 11, 2001, where a U.S. Army officer helps drive response and recovery operations that alter the course of his life and career, leading to battalion command during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Told with professionalism and restraint, Proud to Serve reveals the unseen work that sustains combat operations. From building and protecting fuel networks in hostile terrain to managing risk under constant pressure, it shows how discipline, trust, and accountability determine success when failure is not an option. This is war behind the headlines, where leadership extends beyond the battlefield.
Proud to Serve also explores the human dimension of command. It examines the burden of decision-making, the resilience of soldiers and families, and the effects service carries long after missions conclude.
When clarity is absent and time runs out, leaders still act. Proud to Serve enters the decision space where mission comes first, resources are scarce, and judgment replaces certainty. Every choice carries permanent consequences, and every decision must answer one question:
How do you accomplish a near-impossible mission and bring every soldier home?
210 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Proud to Serve offers readers a powerful, compelling firsthand account of military leadership. It covers two important time periods: the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, which started in 2003.
The author, Colonel Shawn P. Walsh, writes with authority. His account of escaping the Pentagon, assisting outside the building, and later helping coordinate the respectful recovery and identification of victims is especially powerful.
Colonel Walsh is able convey both the confusion of that day and the emotional burden carried by those entrusted with responsibilities they could never have prepared for.
The Iraq chapters illuminate a side of warfare that deserves more attention. Colonel Walsh commanded the soldiers responsible for building and operating a massive fuel-distribution system across Kuwait and Iraq. His descriptions of pipelines, fuel terminals, isolated pump stations, sandstorms, extreme heat, equipment shortages, and security threats demonstrate how much dangerous and difficult work occurs beyond the battlefields.
What makes the book most interesting is its focus on people:
the soldiers who solved seemingly impossible problems,
the families who carried the burden at home, and
the leaders who earned trust by sharing hardships with those they commanded.
The book includes journal entries that reveal the personal side of the conflict—the uncertainty, exhaustion, humor, and personal sacrifices.
Proud to Serve is a compelling military memoir. It is also a useful examination of leadership under pressure.
This book will be valuable and worthwhile for the following groups:
veterans,
military families,
students of recent history, and
civilian leaders seeking practical lessons about responsibility and service.
The author, Colonel Shawn P. Walsh, writes with authority. His account of escaping the Pentagon, assisting outside the building, and later helping coordinate the respectful recovery and identification of victims is especially powerful.
Colonel Walsh is able convey both the confusion of that day and the emotional burden carried by those entrusted with responsibilities they could never have prepared for.
The Iraq chapters illuminate a side of warfare that deserves more attention. Colonel Walsh commanded the soldiers responsible for building and operating a massive fuel-distribution system across Kuwait and Iraq. His descriptions of pipelines, fuel terminals, isolated pump stations, sandstorms, extreme heat, equipment shortages, and security threats demonstrate how much dangerous and difficult work occurs beyond the battlefields.
What makes the book most interesting is its focus on people:
the soldiers who solved seemingly impossible problems,
the families who carried the burden at home, and
the leaders who earned trust by sharing hardships with those they commanded.
The book includes journal entries that reveal the personal side of the conflict—the uncertainty, exhaustion, humor, and personal sacrifices.
Proud to Serve is a compelling military memoir. It is also a useful examination of leadership under pressure.
This book will be valuable and worthwhile for the following groups:
veterans,
military families,
students of recent history, and
civilian leaders seeking practical lessons about responsibility and service.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"This book exists because of the soldiers, and their families, who served under my command. Their sacrifices, resilience, and quiet strength are the stories behind this story. I am deeply grateful for the trust they placed in me and for the lessons they taught me about leadership, responsibility, and humanity." Shawn P. Walsh
This book is a detailed account of the day to day, nitty gritty, of the deployment, and operations, of a combat support unit. Mr. Walsh gives us his personal perspective of his experiences from September 11, 2001 until he returned to the US after his deployment during the war in Irac.
I can't possibly imagine being in the shoes of the young men and women who are deployed to foreign soils. Nor can I imagine being responsible for making sure the infrastructure, and communications, are in place and performing properly, to support combat operations. It's a monumental responsibility that the average person couldn't possibly understand. But, this novel will give you a glimpse into that world. It will help you understand what these men and women sacrifice, and endure.
The included journal entries give the reader an intimate look into Walsh's personal thoughts. They are a nice touch. I would have liked to hear more anecdotal stories from Mr. Walsh's time overseas.
If you are interested in military operations, the events following the September 11th terror attacks, or the day to day lives of the men and women in the armed forces, this will be an interesting read for you. It's powerful, insightful, and personal. Read it. Learn from it.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the author.
3 ☆☆☆
This book is a detailed account of the day to day, nitty gritty, of the deployment, and operations, of a combat support unit. Mr. Walsh gives us his personal perspective of his experiences from September 11, 2001 until he returned to the US after his deployment during the war in Irac.
I can't possibly imagine being in the shoes of the young men and women who are deployed to foreign soils. Nor can I imagine being responsible for making sure the infrastructure, and communications, are in place and performing properly, to support combat operations. It's a monumental responsibility that the average person couldn't possibly understand. But, this novel will give you a glimpse into that world. It will help you understand what these men and women sacrifice, and endure.
The included journal entries give the reader an intimate look into Walsh's personal thoughts. They are a nice touch. I would have liked to hear more anecdotal stories from Mr. Walsh's time overseas.
If you are interested in military operations, the events following the September 11th terror attacks, or the day to day lives of the men and women in the armed forces, this will be an interesting read for you. It's powerful, insightful, and personal. Read it. Learn from it.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the author.
3 ☆☆☆
September 10, 2026
Great insights into two aspects of warfare that are often overlooked. Shawn provides a glimpse into life on 9/12 and the work that continued at the Pentagon after the horrific events of 9/11. His account shows not only the processes but the people involved in that recovery effort. Then as Operation Iraqi Freedom began he again provided critical lessons from sustaining large scale combat operations that are just as relevant today as they were 25 years ago.
Having served in this unit under his command getting Shawn’s personal reflections on leadership and the challenges he faced under extremely difficult conditions is incredibly impactful. I have carried elements of his philosophy with me throughout my career and am so glad he has taken the time to share this book and his experience with a larger audience!
Having served in this unit under his command getting Shawn’s personal reflections on leadership and the challenges he faced under extremely difficult conditions is incredibly impactful. I have carried elements of his philosophy with me throughout my career and am so glad he has taken the time to share this book and his experience with a larger audience!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Fantastic book - shows us what the war effort requires behind the scenes, and the resources and commitment required for a fighting force to perform at it's best. It also teaches the importance and opportunity of rising to a challenge (either professional or personal) - especially those that arise unexpectedly without the opportunity to prepare.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews