The Last Punisher: A SEAL Team Three Sniper's True Account of the Battle of Ramadi

by Kevin Lacz, Ethan E. Rocke, Lindsey Lacz

“One of the very best books to come out of the war in Iraq,” (Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, bestselling author of On Killing ), The Last Punisher is a gripping and intimate on-the-ground memoir from a Navy SEAL who was part of SEAL Team THREE with American Sniper Chris Kyle. Experience his deployment, from his first mission to his first kill to his eventual successful return to the United States to play himself in the Oscar-nominated film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper.The Last Punisher is a “thoughtful, funny, and raw…always compelling” (Bing West, New York Times bestselling author of No True Glory ) first-person account of the Iraq War. With wry humor and moving testimony, Kevin Lacz tells the bold story of his tour in Iraq with SEAL Team THREE, the warrior elite of the Navy. This legendary unit, known as “The Punishers,” included Chris Kyle ( American Sniper ), Mike Monsoor, Ryan Job, and Marc Lee. These brave men were instrumental in securing the key locations in the pivotal 2006 Battle of Ramadi.Minute by minute, Lacz relays the edge-of-your-seat details of his team’s missions in Ramadi, offering a firsthand glimpse into the heated combat, extreme conditions, and harrowing experiences they faced every day. Through it all, Lacz and his teammates formed unbreakable bonds and never lost sight of the protecting America with their fight.“A rare glimpse into the mind of a Navy SEAL,” (Clint Emerson, New York Times bestselling author of 100 Deadly Skills ) Kevin Lacz brings you onto the battlefield and relays the tough realities of war. At the same time, Lacz shares how these experiences made him a better man and how proud he is of his contributions to one of this country’s most difficult military campaigns.The Last Punisher is the story of a SEAL and an “honest-to-God American hero” (Mike Huckabee, #1 bestselling author) who was never afraid to answer the call.

Genres: Military Fiction, History, War, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Military History

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 12, 2016

About the author

Kevin was born and raised in central Connecticut before enrolling in James Madison University in 2000. When the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 claimed the life of a good friend's father, he decided to leave school in favor of military service. While visiting a Navy recruiter's office, a SEALs poster caught Kevin's eye and he decided to enlist in the Navy with the intention of going to BUD/S and becoming a SEAL. He started BUD/S in early 2003 with Class 245. A back injury meant he would graduate with Class 246 at the end of the year. Because he was a Hospital Corpsman, Kevin also attended 18D Special Operations Combat Medic School at Fort Bragg before checking into SEAL Team THREE in Coronado, California.

Kevin did two platoons at SEAL Team THREE (Charlie and Delta) as a platoon sniper, breacher, and combat medic, each with a deployment to Iraq (2006 and 2008). He was fortunate enough to work alongside many of the toughest frogmen to ever wear the trident, such as Marc Lee, Ryan Job, Mikey Monsoor, and Chris Kyle. His platoon's 2006 deployment to Ramadi, then the most dangerous city in Iraq, has been discussed in several books, including Chris Kyle's American Sniper. Kevin's presence in Sniper led to his involvement in the production of and eventual casting in the Clint Eastwood directed Chris Kyle biopic by the same name (starring Bradley Cooper).

Upon completing his enlistment, Kevin was honorably discharged from the Navy. He was awarded a number of commendations for his service, including a Bronze Star with a combat 'V'. He returned to Connecticut and enrolled at UConn with the intention of continuing his career in medicine. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Political Science in 2011 and began the application process for Physician Assistant School. While earning his undergraduate degree, he also got married and started a family.

In 2012 Kevin moved his family to Winston-Salem, North Carolina in order to pursue his Masters of Health Sciences at Wake Forest University. He graduated in August 2014.

Currently, Kevin works as a Physician Assistant with Regenesis, LLC in Pensacola. He enjoys using his past experiences to facilitate his work in medicine and charity. His past military service influences him greatly as he seeks to actively support service members and veterans in his community.

Kevin lives in Florida with his wife, Lindsey, and two children.

Reviews

[Eric Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best military book i have ever read!!

I hated for this book go end! I couldn't put this book down, Amazing detail, I felt as if I was right there with Dauber & the boys, Great writing! He tells it like it is,

[Stan Stinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Slow is smooth; smooth is fast. This the the mantra when clearing rooms in urban combat." That is one of my favorite quotes and has many non-urban-combat applications. I think the reason this one jumped out at me is, on occasion, some have called me slow. Now, I have a new response.

If you watched or read American Sniper you need to get The Last Punisher and read the perspective from Kevin and Lindsey Lacz on the Battle of Ramadi, as well as how he got there and his life after his service ended. This book tells the story as Kevin Lacz experienced it and pays tribute to those patriots he served with and paid the ultimate sacrifice. This book will grab you in the prologue and will not let you go until you have finished the epilogue.

"I think a man is the sum of his experiences and we are constantly changed by what we see and do." That is another quote from the book that can be applied to life as well as reading this book. The experience of reading this book will change your perspective on what war is really like. If you did not already have a healthy respect for what those who serve to protect our freedoms actually do in combat, you will after reading this book. You will learn about the successes but also the mistakes made which add to its credibility for me and I suspect will for you as well. We often learn more from our mistakes than our successes.

This quote describes the patriot's heart of the author, "I carried Old Glory with me at all times, a reminder of the liberty for which we fought."

One final quote/highlight from the book, "You will carry pieces of your war with you forever, because it makes you who you are. A true war story never ends."

Get this book today and when this book does end you will be wishing it hadn't and might just want to read it again. You will carry pieces of Kevin's story and the Battle of Ramadi with you forever.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a book for everyone, but I loved it wholeheartedly.

[Kelli Spear · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Another compelling look into the reality of Navy SEALS. After the death of Chris Kyle, I think attention to this group became even more prevalent. And I was interested in their stories and missions.

The truth of the story in Ramadi kept me reading into the late night hours. It's a bit terrifying to think of what could have gone wrong - and what does. Seeing things through the eyes of these men really helps in putting us in their shoes. While we will never fully understand without being present ourselves, I think Lacz does a good job in putting us there in some way.

And above all else, it really enforces the danger these people face when heading into war. And gives us more reason to truly appreciate what they do as they serve our country, protect us, and allow us our (often taken for granted) freedoms.

[Chris Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is simply the best Iraq war book I've read. It is genuine and authentic, written in a warriors voice - full of the dark humor, slang and vulgarity of the SEAL brotherhood. Kevin and his co-authors give us a peek into the mind of an elite warfighter during a six month deployment to Ramadi early in the war. An excellent read!

Kevin makes no apologies for his willingness to kill the enemy - we learn a bit about who he is, what he does, and why he does it. We also get a realistic look at the SEAL culture, perhaps less sanitized than other authors (editors, Navy) have previously portrayed.

We feel Kevin's emotions, from being unchallenged in youth, to being out of place in college, his success in BUDS/SQT, his quiet envy and obvious admiration for Chris Kyle, the pride of his personal battle triumphs, and the anguish and anger of the loss of brother SEALs.

Kevin writes, "In real life, even when your war is over your story isn't. You have to fill the vacant spaces left by the brothers you've lost."

Well done filling that space here Kevin! I can't wait to see what's next.

("Teams and shit"). Priceless dude.

[Rex Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Kyle was the Navy SEAL nicknamed “The Legend” for having the largest number of confirmed kills (the Pentagon credits him with 150). He wrote American Sniper, was played by Bradley Cooper in the movie based on the book, and was this author’s mentor. Kyle even gave the author his nickname “Dauber,” from the big, goofy blonde guy on the TV show “Coach.” They served together in Iraq during the battle of Ramadi, where this book focuses. Of the recent memoirs by SEAL operators – including the aforementioned American Sniper and Marcus Luttrell’s Lone Survivor – this gives perhaps the best treatment of the interpersonal feelings among SEALs and certainly the sharpest description of what the war smelled like.

Very moving and well worth reading.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good! One of the best I've read on the war in Iraq. I actually liked it better than Chris Kyle's book. I think you get a better picture of just how great he was by seeing him how his teammates saw him. But this book isn't all about Chris. People will love Dauber himself and all the 'Teamguys.' It's funny, sad, and exciting all at the same time! Oh and I'm so glad someone loves Imperial Beach as much as I do! :)

[Thomas Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book put me in his shoes

Great book. Could not put it down. Kevin helps us relive his experiences in way that is gripping. Really well done

[HippieWitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had heard of Kevin Lacz after hearing he was an advisor on American Sniper and I was really excited to read his book. It was definitely a captivating book and he does a great job of bringing his missions to life for the reader. I liked his really honest approach and not holding back with the realities of war. For example, he talks about the somewhat dark sense of humor that the SEALS develop to help them cope with the extreme situations they face. You can really feel the admiration, friendship and love him and his teammates felt for each other in the way that Kevin Lacz writes about them, which makes it even more heart-wrenching when he talks about the ones who he lost.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is nonfiction about military snipers. That job sounds grueling in so many ways. Military life isn't easy. I liked the unity that was shown and the brotherhood that they shared. But overall, this was just okay for me. I think I would have liked this more if I had read the paper version because the audio was a little painful to get through. The narrator wasn't my favorite and he had me rolling my eyes a lot. So 2 stars.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book will stay with for a long time after you have finished it. Written after the death of Chris Kyle. Kevin Lacz takes you back to 2006 and the battle for Ramadi. He is with Seal Team three and he gives you a look into the struggles, successes, the men from his team, and the Marines and others he came in contact with. What you get out of this story is how it was a battle for all of our troops over there and how each team member looks at each other. You get the feel of battle though these pages, but you also get the understanding of why they are there and why they joined and believe in what they are doing. This was more than some of the other books that I have read that talks about training or even some that show you what I did. This author is showing you what they did as a team and how each of them looked up to Chris and what he brought out of them maybe without even knowing. That is a sign of a good leader. That is why when the book opens with him hearing about the news of his death he remembers the different times funny, and how in the middle of a fire fight he could keep them all clam. This is good book and offers you another look into the battle. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Eric Molicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm familiar with the story. Many are. But the perspective, the details, the color and grit, these are communicated here with humor, insight, and good prose. Greatly enjoyed, but even more, fed my patriotism.

[Arthur · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 9 hour unabridged audiobook.

There are a lot of books about Navy Seals out there, so it can be a bit tough to determine whether to judge a book by its own merits or whether to judge it with other similarly themed books.

The first half was a bit of a drag for me, there's the usual amount of gallows humor and politically incorrect smack-talking that you expect from alpha males in elite units. The second half is where the book hit its stride. It's almost as if each half had a different editor.

On balance I "liked" the book but at times it teetered on the brink of being "okay" (I admit to being a tough grader).

[Alvaro Francisco Hidalgo Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always pleasantly impressed at how dedicated our men and women in combat are. This book highlights the strong bond these guys develop and how bad ass they really are.

[Shannon Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin Lacz "Dauber", to his SEAL buddies, writes about the battle for Ramadi in Iraq. It was the height of the insurgency. He joined the Navy after 9/11. He had decided he wanted to be a SEAL and was assigned to Team Three with Chris Kyle, who by then was already known as The Legend. The Last Punisher is one of the best war books I have ever read. Mostly because it is different from most war books I have ever read.

Kevin Lacz came back from war and went to college. He is a physician's assistant after being a medic with Seal Team Three. He is married and has kids and has moved forward with his life after war. The reason I think this book is different is because there is a focus on vets, who, for whatever reason, cannot move on from the war. He honestly writes that the war is with him. He mourns the lives lost, including that of Kyle, who was shot by a veteran Kyle was trying to work with. Lacz appeared in and helped advise on the movie "American Sniper".

The book is a quick and engrossing read. Kevin Lacz shows what war is, the bond that is made between brother soldiers, and the difference between the soldier bond and any other human bond that forms. Lacz makes the statement in his book that some men are born to be soldiers. After reading this book, I agree with him. Some people have the ability to turn that aggression on and off as needed. Some don't. The ones who do come home and lead successful lives. Those who don't, have emotional problems and trouble adjusting to civilian life. This is why there are so few SEALs. It takes a special person to do that job.

If you are interested in a really good war story and a really good humanization of our soldiers who served in a war we pretended didn't exist, read this book. It was really, really good.

I won this book from Goodreads and did not receive any other compensation for my review. The opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.

[Jibralta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read numerous bios & autobios on the Iraq & Afghanistan war, most were written by the men who fought or by journalists that were embedded with them.

This author served with Chris Kyle (American Sniper- movie & autobiography), so it's interesting to read his view of what it's like to be a sniper, since much of what Kyle wrote in American Sniper has been discredited by facts.

This bio is a fast read, an insider's view of guerrilla warfare, it's also an indictment of the absurd conditions that the US military is forced to fight under (rules of engagement AKA ROE) that lead to more deaths of US soldiers.

This story also details how Geo. W. Bush made the war in Afghanistan a losing battle by redirecting the equipment & resources to Iraq (which was of no threat to the US), taking a decade to find & kill Osama bin Laden & in 2021 Trump gave the Taliban total control of Afghanistan, not even allowing the Afghan government to participate in the negotiations... And typical misogynist racism of Trump makes NO provision for the equal rights for the women of Afghanistan..

While I appreciate the author's heroism & bravery, it also saddens me that so much life has been lost in these wars & that the Wohabbist Sunni (created by the Saudis) terrorism continues to destroy both Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and much of the middle east, Africa & even the Philippines.

DA'ESH (aka ISEL aka ISIS) is an off shoot of W. Bush's failed policy. Today, as an American who loves Democracy I can celebrate our brave U.S. Special Forces and our President Biden for the destruction of the leader of DA'ESH, his family and the 2nd in command of DA'ESH and his family; 13 terrorists in Syria. Rest in Hell!

Long live the Kurdish fighters, especially the Kurdish women's sniper team, in their fight for a free KURDISTAN!

[Jaegar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book. I decided to read it because I really enjoyed multiple SEAL books (American Sniper, Lone Survivor, Fearless, Seal Team Six), but especially because I absolutely loved American Sniper and saw that Kevin Lacz worked with Chris Kyle. You do get to see how much the boys admired THE LEGEND, but Kevin's story is amazing all by itself. Kevin (known as Dauber by his fellow SEALs) takes you through his first deployment in Iraq and all the brutal struggles him and his team went through in Ramadi. He shows the inner workings of his team and the complete trust and dedication they all had for each other. Dauber's view of the deployment offers a different perspective of the action from THE LEGEND's. By the time of Dauber's first deployment, THE LEGEND is already precisely that. He is a season veteran and knows the drill by this point. Dauber is an untried rookie (granted a very deadly rookie), so he has to deal with the new guy hazing and earn his place on the team. His first house clearing is truly special. Several times I was cracking up at the SEAL's dark sense of humor and their constant wisecracking. And several times I was close to tears at the price that they were paying. Some paid the ultimate price. Each of them risked it all for their country. We owe them an unpayable debt. Awesome book. Cover to cover action

[Glenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

So... I wanted to like this more than I did, particularly after so many good reviews, but it didn't have anywhere close to the same emotive effect as "Fearless" by Eric Blehm or "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell or the inspiration/courage of the books by Jason Redman or Howard Wasdin.

This was very much a "me me" book about the author, almost to an exasperating level of detail that it's unbelieveable to think someone can recall their actions in the past with that much specificity. e.g., I got up, I brushed my teeth, I had a thought, I looked over my shoulder, I blinked... That obviously worked for many readers, but not for me.

It does a great job at bringing home the risks that the guys who are sent into these situations face, and its a testament to their courage that they are able to do so even when the situation seems dire, as it did in Ramadi when they had to go back in after losing friends/fellow soldiers.

I may not have thought this book was 4 stars, but that doesn't take anything away from the author; his bravery, his perseverance, and his service are to be commended and should be an inspiration to others.

[Erika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't. I'm tapping out. Jesus this was painful.
First, the narration was the fucking worst! Mispronunciations, weird rhythms, merging sentences. Goddamn it was terrible. I hoped the story would help me get over it but that didn't happen.

Second, while I normally love first person accounts, this one was awful. There are flashbacks with NO clear delineation--the chapter will start with him surfing in Cali and then the next line he's back in Ramadi.

Also, all the books I've read that are similar had a completely different tone. Mission and men... this one was just him. All about him. "I couldn't wait to get in there and kill terrorists." I this, I that. I got it dude, BTF, you're a Big Tough Frogman... get on with it already. You're a badass. Sweet. Good for you, are you going to tell us anything other than how many dudes you killed and exactly how? No? Then I'm out. I made it 40%. Usually I can tough it out. Not this time. Shit.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book and finished it while mowing my grass on the Sunday before Memorial Day 2020. It was a great book to read/listen to just before Memorial Day because it also brought to my attention the loss of Mark Lee and Michael Monsoor and Lacz pays his tribute to both and others in the book.

Lacz was in Iraq on at least one deployment with Chris Kyle and consulted on the movie American Sniper and I did not know this until I listened to this book.

If you like to read books about combat or military history you will like this book and I highly recommend it.

I give it 4-stars because the book is sometimes a little disjointed and the transitions between Lacz's time in Iraq, BUDS training, time in San Diego, and then back to Iraq are abrupt and sudden and could have used some better editing in my opinion.

[Edwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Als je de film 'American Sniper' hebt gezien, dan MOET je dit boek lezen, temeer daar de auteur Lacz een rol in heeft.

Na de gebeurtenissen van 9/11, waarin de vader van een vriend sterft, neemt Lacz zich voor om voor zijn vaderland te gaan strijden.

Tijdens een bezoek aan het kantoor van een marine-recruiter viel Kevins oog op een SEALs-poster en hij besloot dienst te nemen bij de marine met de bedoeling om naar BUD/S te gaan en een SEAL te worden. Hij begon zijn BUD/S-training begin 2003. Omdat hij een medische opleiding heeft, wordt hij tevens naar het '18D Special Operations Combat Medic School' gestuurd om daar verder medisch geschoold te worden.  Hij was de sluipschutter voor twee peletons, namelijk Charlie en Delta,

[Bill Loftus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal story, Kevin really pulls you into the action as he takes you through the intense summer of 06 during the battle for Ramadi. Focusing on every character, creating a realistic perspective of the firefights, and expanding upon the camaraderie between the brothers themselves, this truly was a terrific read.

[Susan D. Barbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Account

I chose to read this book I discovered that Kevin was with Chris and Ryan in Remadi. He also played himself in the film. I loved this book. Some of the action is gut wrenching, the reaction to the deaths of team mates made me cry. I just don't know how these guys live like this and come home and build normal lives

[Barbara White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in awe, and so very grateful for the service to our country of this SEAL, and all members of our armed services. The account of this battle is amazing. Unless we've gone through this type of service ourselves, it's difficult to comprehend, so this is a real eye-opener. I hope the book was a cathartic project. Thanks to Goodreads First Reads for a copy of The Last Punisher.

[Victoria Kator · Rating 4 out of 5]

A special read,I enjoyed that Kevin wrote about just one deployment/mission, it was well thought out. It was interesting to read about similar people and parts that were in Chris Kyle's book,too. Kevin is a true seal and btf!

[Breanne DeLosSantos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book and hated for it to end. Appreciate Dauber sharing his story as well as the story of his team members. I laughed, I cried... Teams and shit. Highly recommend this book! It will not disappoint.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I won this book from Goodreads that the author and Chris Kyle were in the same unit,The Punishers, in the Iraq war. This is a well written book about men in war, like All's Quiet on the Western Front. If you read American Sniper or will read it ,I suggest you read this also.

[Lilkidneys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw and real. One of the best first person war memoirs. The writing style is excellent. Fast read, very informative of what life was like in Ramadi during 2006 ( I was there too) and very entertaining.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely riveting book from start to finish. You feel like you are right there along with the Seals. You feel the exhilaration, the anger and most of all the pain of loss. Absolutely one of the best books I have ever read.