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Full Battle Rattle: My Story as the Longest-Serving Special Forces A-Team Soldier in American History
Over 100 combat missions, 24 years as a Green Beret―Full Battle Rattle tells the legend of a soldier who served America in every war since Vietnam.
Master Sergeant Changiz Lahidji served on Special Forces A teams longer than anyone in history, completing over a hundred combat missions in Afghanistan. Changiz is a Special Forces legend. He also happens to be the first Muslim Green Beret.
Changiz served this country starting with Operation Eagle Claw in 1980, when he entered Tehran on a one-man mission to spy on Iranian soldiers guarding the US Embassy where 52 US diplomats were being held hostage. Three years later, he was in Beirut, Lebanon when a suicide car bomb exploded in front of the US Embassy killing 83 people. Weeks after that, he was shot by Hezbollah terrorists on a night mission.
In Operation Iraqi Freedom, he led a convoy that was ambushed on its way to Fallujah. He was clearing houses in Mogadishu, Somalia on October, 1993 when a US Black Hawk helicopter was shot down 50 feet away from him in the incident that inspired Black Hawk Down. In 2002, he dressed as a farmer and snuck into Eastern Afghanistan and located Osama Bin Laden for the CIA.
Along the way, Changiz earned numerous commendations, including the Special Forces Legion of Merit, Purple Hearts, and many others. Last year he was nominated for induction in Military Intelligence Hall of Fame and cited as “the finest noncommissioned officer to ever serve in Special Forces.”
His story is an amazing tale of perseverance and courage, of combat and one man’s love of his adopted country.
Master Sergeant Changiz Lahidji served on Special Forces A teams longer than anyone in history, completing over a hundred combat missions in Afghanistan. Changiz is a Special Forces legend. He also happens to be the first Muslim Green Beret.
Changiz served this country starting with Operation Eagle Claw in 1980, when he entered Tehran on a one-man mission to spy on Iranian soldiers guarding the US Embassy where 52 US diplomats were being held hostage. Three years later, he was in Beirut, Lebanon when a suicide car bomb exploded in front of the US Embassy killing 83 people. Weeks after that, he was shot by Hezbollah terrorists on a night mission.
In Operation Iraqi Freedom, he led a convoy that was ambushed on its way to Fallujah. He was clearing houses in Mogadishu, Somalia on October, 1993 when a US Black Hawk helicopter was shot down 50 feet away from him in the incident that inspired Black Hawk Down. In 2002, he dressed as a farmer and snuck into Eastern Afghanistan and located Osama Bin Laden for the CIA.
Along the way, Changiz earned numerous commendations, including the Special Forces Legion of Merit, Purple Hearts, and many others. Last year he was nominated for induction in Military Intelligence Hall of Fame and cited as “the finest noncommissioned officer to ever serve in Special Forces.”
His story is an amazing tale of perseverance and courage, of combat and one man’s love of his adopted country.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 18, 2019
I would say this is about a 3.75-4. I enjoyed this book. It held my interest from the beginning, and I even told my husband (he's in the Army) about it. If you like reading bios/autobios about military figures, then give this one a go. Yes there are some editing errors, but I don't hold those against my rating.
**Goodreads win**
**Goodreads win**
February 9, 2024
The more I've thought about this book, the more annoyed I get at what it could have been. The story itself has all the makings of a fantastic military biography: Iranian man serves in the Shah's Special Forces, emigrates to America, works his way from pumping gas to becoming the first Muslim Green Beret and (as the book says) "longest serving Special Forces" soldier in US history, with an eye-witness perspective to some of the most crucial military conflicts and crisis of the past fifty years (Desert One, Beirut, Grenada, Desert Storm, Mogadishu, Haiti, Afghanistan, Iraq, Darfur, etc.). But the story is wasted on the poor quality of the writing and editing. It makes me wonder if the publishing execs looked at MSG Lahidji's biography and said, "Yeah, this will do. Get it to print in the next two months so we can keep our sales to the rubes who'll buy anything that looks or sounds patriotic." Seriously, the book reads like an author's notes on the war stories he heard another guy telling in a bar. The printed book should have been the first draft.
*******Some spoilers below*******
For example, there are numerous scenes where soldiers do things or speak in ways that they never would, such as this nugget of dialogue following the Black Hawk Down incident in Mogadishu:
"Another Ranger chimed in, 'Why didn't the Delta C Squadron assault team simply exfil by helicopter after they had seized the targets?'" Please, show me the Army Ranger who will spend his breath on all the military jargon in that question instead of saying, "Why didn't the Delta guys just exfil by helo?" I understand this is a paraphrase of a conversation about a traumatic event nearly 25 years after the fact, but this is where the co-author, Ralph Pezzullo, and editors needed to make good decisions. Instead, we get word salad because it sounds "military."
Other reviewers have noted some factual inaccuracies (i.e., "sea rations"), and there are plenty more that I could point out, such as misidentifying either the 10th Mountain Division or the 101st Airborne Division as the "101st Mountain Division," or calling the Legion of Merit a Special Forces award (it's a medal, also called a decoration, that's the same across all US military services). As someone who served in the military as well, it's annoying to read something that comes across as a half-assed attempt at giving an accurate depiction of the military culture.
The editorial choices in structuring the chapters and some of the vignettes they included landed somewhere between frustrating and distasteful. For instance, the 20-page Chapter 8, "FBI Special Assignment," devotes about two pages to Lahidji's return to the States after Desert Storm, six pages to his actual time with the FBI in New York, and more than twelve pages to events in Somalia leading up to the Black Hawk Down incident. I didn't count the pages of every chapter, but this isn't the only chapter with a misleading label. As to the vignettes, I could have done without so much attention paid to Lahidji's sexual exploits. That's not why I picked up the book.
I hold MSG Lahidji in high regard, and I wish that his life's story had been better told. This book didn't do him justice.
*******Some spoilers below*******
For example, there are numerous scenes where soldiers do things or speak in ways that they never would, such as this nugget of dialogue following the Black Hawk Down incident in Mogadishu:
"Another Ranger chimed in, 'Why didn't the Delta C Squadron assault team simply exfil by helicopter after they had seized the targets?'" Please, show me the Army Ranger who will spend his breath on all the military jargon in that question instead of saying, "Why didn't the Delta guys just exfil by helo?" I understand this is a paraphrase of a conversation about a traumatic event nearly 25 years after the fact, but this is where the co-author, Ralph Pezzullo, and editors needed to make good decisions. Instead, we get word salad because it sounds "military."
Other reviewers have noted some factual inaccuracies (i.e., "sea rations"), and there are plenty more that I could point out, such as misidentifying either the 10th Mountain Division or the 101st Airborne Division as the "101st Mountain Division," or calling the Legion of Merit a Special Forces award (it's a medal, also called a decoration, that's the same across all US military services). As someone who served in the military as well, it's annoying to read something that comes across as a half-assed attempt at giving an accurate depiction of the military culture.
The editorial choices in structuring the chapters and some of the vignettes they included landed somewhere between frustrating and distasteful. For instance, the 20-page Chapter 8, "FBI Special Assignment," devotes about two pages to Lahidji's return to the States after Desert Storm, six pages to his actual time with the FBI in New York, and more than twelve pages to events in Somalia leading up to the Black Hawk Down incident. I didn't count the pages of every chapter, but this isn't the only chapter with a misleading label. As to the vignettes, I could have done without so much attention paid to Lahidji's sexual exploits. That's not why I picked up the book.
I hold MSG Lahidji in high regard, and I wish that his life's story had been better told. This book didn't do him justice.
June 3, 2018
A good read.. but horrible proofing..
Sea-rations for C-rations?
Guam is 210 sq feet?
Sea-rations for C-rations?
Guam is 210 sq feet?
July 27, 2018
This was a very fast read for me. I thought it was interesting and engaging and it held my attention; I did not want to put it down. I am not saying it was a "nail-biter" by any means, but it was fascinating to read about different 'events' in American history from his "unique" perspective. Yes, it has its issues with grammar and mistakes which an editor really should have caught , but, for me, the mistakes did not necessarily take away from what he was trying to share - different moments in his life as both a soldier in the United States Army and as a contractor after he retired after twenty-plus years in the Army.
He briefly talks about his life growing up in Iran before he emigrated to the United States. He had served in the Iranian Army for an initial enlistment before moving to the United States, getting his citizenship, and then joining the U.S. Army. While he suffered quite a bit of prejudice after the American embassy in Iran was taken over, he did not dwell on the prejudice excessively. He did not deny there were some problems, but his commanding officer helped alleviate some of the animosity that he was facing from his fellow soldiers. He also discussed three different moments when he was dealing with bigoted behavior in airports. In each case, it was his American military ID and a call to his commanding officer that helped him get out of a bad situation.
He makes a point that I have seen made in other books, especially those about members of various Special Forces units and especially Green Berets. He talks about how imperative it is that the United States do more than just drop bombs and destroy a country before trying to rebuild it [a la Germany and Japan]. The US would probably be better off going in and trying to win the hearts and minds of the citizens instead of engaging in wholesale destruction. There are times when destruction might be required or necessary, but it would still be better if it was used as a last resort instead of the first option utilized. He felt like he was able to accomplish far more when he "made friends" and developed human relationships to acquire intelligence than he ever did going in guns blazing. Granted, killing the bad guy makes sure he never kills anybody else ever again, but the author did favor embracing friendship more than violence as a first resort.
In wrapping up, his book was very easy to read. The author is quite personable, very gregarious, and it is easy to see he loves life. He shares some negative moments in his life as well as times when he struggled after being injured to be able to stay on with his beloved A-Teams, but he never comes across as being bitter or caustic about the times he was poorly treated. Instead, I felt the book was more focused on his love of life; for being in the Army's Green Berets, he does not share many moments where he actually killed somebody [which was fine]. Instead, it was more about his experiences with other people, be they fellow soldiers or civilians, over the course of his career. It was a very interesting book to read, and I fully enjoyed learning about his life experiences.
He briefly talks about his life growing up in Iran before he emigrated to the United States. He had served in the Iranian Army for an initial enlistment before moving to the United States, getting his citizenship, and then joining the U.S. Army. While he suffered quite a bit of prejudice after the American embassy in Iran was taken over, he did not dwell on the prejudice excessively. He did not deny there were some problems, but his commanding officer helped alleviate some of the animosity that he was facing from his fellow soldiers. He also discussed three different moments when he was dealing with bigoted behavior in airports. In each case, it was his American military ID and a call to his commanding officer that helped him get out of a bad situation.
He makes a point that I have seen made in other books, especially those about members of various Special Forces units and especially Green Berets. He talks about how imperative it is that the United States do more than just drop bombs and destroy a country before trying to rebuild it [a la Germany and Japan]. The US would probably be better off going in and trying to win the hearts and minds of the citizens instead of engaging in wholesale destruction. There are times when destruction might be required or necessary, but it would still be better if it was used as a last resort instead of the first option utilized. He felt like he was able to accomplish far more when he "made friends" and developed human relationships to acquire intelligence than he ever did going in guns blazing. Granted, killing the bad guy makes sure he never kills anybody else ever again, but the author did favor embracing friendship more than violence as a first resort.
In wrapping up, his book was very easy to read. The author is quite personable, very gregarious, and it is easy to see he loves life. He shares some negative moments in his life as well as times when he struggled after being injured to be able to stay on with his beloved A-Teams, but he never comes across as being bitter or caustic about the times he was poorly treated. Instead, I felt the book was more focused on his love of life; for being in the Army's Green Berets, he does not share many moments where he actually killed somebody [which was fine]. Instead, it was more about his experiences with other people, be they fellow soldiers or civilians, over the course of his career. It was a very interesting book to read, and I fully enjoyed learning about his life experiences.
April 22, 2018
A well-told account of Master Sergeant Lahidji's colorful life. Can't even imagine the level of racism he must have experienced from both sides of the table.
My personal opinion is that the book unfortunately doesn't deeply capitalize on the differentiating factor it could have had against other "veteran biographies" out there (of which there is an abundance these days) - the unthinkable fact that an Iranian-born Muslim (that served in the Iranian military, no less) could have joined and risen through the ranks in the U.S. Army's premier Unconventional Warfare unit.
I don't mean it in terms of 'how' it happened - that part is well-documented. What would have been interesting is to hear in more depth the treatments MSG Lahidji received in day-to-day life (present, but more sprinkled throughout the book as opposed to being a main theme) as well as the conflicts he felt between his beliefs as a Muslim and his membership of a hard-charging combat unit in the Western world. I understand, though, why the book is presented the way it is - I imagine it would not be very pleasant to relive in great details of the different treatment he must have felt in the Army; and it has been rather clear in the book that MSG Lahidji isn't exactly the strongly-religious Muslim archetype with the accounts on his drinking and interactions with women (also understandable, given the level of hypocrisy he witnessed in his youth in Iranian 'holy clerics').
All in all, a fun read, though might sound a bit similar with other combat accounts from the recent wars once you've read a few (despite the fact that MSG Lahidji's bulk of the post-9/11 combat experience is via private contracting, as he had already retired from the Army). Great message in the end, emphasizing that (except for a few rotten souls) all of us share way more similarities than we do differences - most notably in the way we all long for peace and happiness - despite our race, religion, economic background, etc. And if only we can focus on those similarities as opposed to the differences, the world would be a considerably better place.
My personal opinion is that the book unfortunately doesn't deeply capitalize on the differentiating factor it could have had against other "veteran biographies" out there (of which there is an abundance these days) - the unthinkable fact that an Iranian-born Muslim (that served in the Iranian military, no less) could have joined and risen through the ranks in the U.S. Army's premier Unconventional Warfare unit.
I don't mean it in terms of 'how' it happened - that part is well-documented. What would have been interesting is to hear in more depth the treatments MSG Lahidji received in day-to-day life (present, but more sprinkled throughout the book as opposed to being a main theme) as well as the conflicts he felt between his beliefs as a Muslim and his membership of a hard-charging combat unit in the Western world. I understand, though, why the book is presented the way it is - I imagine it would not be very pleasant to relive in great details of the different treatment he must have felt in the Army; and it has been rather clear in the book that MSG Lahidji isn't exactly the strongly-religious Muslim archetype with the accounts on his drinking and interactions with women (also understandable, given the level of hypocrisy he witnessed in his youth in Iranian 'holy clerics').
All in all, a fun read, though might sound a bit similar with other combat accounts from the recent wars once you've read a few (despite the fact that MSG Lahidji's bulk of the post-9/11 combat experience is via private contracting, as he had already retired from the Army). Great message in the end, emphasizing that (except for a few rotten souls) all of us share way more similarities than we do differences - most notably in the way we all long for peace and happiness - despite our race, religion, economic background, etc. And if only we can focus on those similarities as opposed to the differences, the world would be a considerably better place.
June 24, 2019
An Iranian national who becomes a US special forces soldier. The first Muslim in Special Forces. The longest serving member of special forces. Fascinating story. He was in the Iranian Army for a while and came to the US before the Shah fell. He tried working different jobs with family members but decided to join the US armed forces.
The story is fascinating because he was involved in almost every major incident the US has been involved with in the last 40 years. He was involved in the hostage crisis in Iran, Black Hawk Down, Grenada, Iraq, Afghanistan, and on and on. It was also amazing how many serious injuries he sustained over time.
He snuck in and was standing within 40 yards of Bin Laden. If I remember that part of the book right, no one took action. (Its been a few weeks since I finished reading it.) He and others got the impression that no one wanted to capture or kill him yet.
What really makes the book interesting is the fact that he was Iranian and a naturalized US citizen. The prejudice he encountered was unfortunately not surprising. Besides getting hassled by cops and airport security people he dealt with it in many other ways as well. He liked the Special Forces method of trying to win hearts and minds. When he went into an area he always tried to make friends with the locals. But his comments about how you can't win just fighting a war and you need diplomatic solutions and that the State department and the NGOs trying to help local communities are critical was very interesting and unfortunately not enough politicians are aware. They should read this book.
The story is fascinating because he was involved in almost every major incident the US has been involved with in the last 40 years. He was involved in the hostage crisis in Iran, Black Hawk Down, Grenada, Iraq, Afghanistan, and on and on. It was also amazing how many serious injuries he sustained over time.
He snuck in and was standing within 40 yards of Bin Laden. If I remember that part of the book right, no one took action. (Its been a few weeks since I finished reading it.) He and others got the impression that no one wanted to capture or kill him yet.
What really makes the book interesting is the fact that he was Iranian and a naturalized US citizen. The prejudice he encountered was unfortunately not surprising. Besides getting hassled by cops and airport security people he dealt with it in many other ways as well. He liked the Special Forces method of trying to win hearts and minds. When he went into an area he always tried to make friends with the locals. But his comments about how you can't win just fighting a war and you need diplomatic solutions and that the State department and the NGOs trying to help local communities are critical was very interesting and unfortunately not enough politicians are aware. They should read this book.
July 29, 2020
A Green Beret's memoirs of his 30+ years in the US Army special forces. He was the first Moslem to be in the US special forces, and as at publication [2018], still the longest serving.
Most memoirs that I have read focus on either the training or one or two intense missions or operations.
This memoir is very different in that he recounts each significant episode in his career starting with joining the Iranian special forces during the Shah’s reign before migrating to the west coast of the USA. His first mission is back to Iran in the abortive mission to free the US Embassy hostages.
Then, Changiz is literally all over the world for the next 30+ years; mostly as US army special forces then as a private contractor in various roles incl training the new Afghan special forces.
His visage as well as Middle Eastern language skills made him a highly desired member of the teams.
Consequently, he recounts only his personal experience of each major event rather than discuss the big picture details. If the reader is aware of the bigger picture, then this personal point of view is very interesting indeed.
Australia even cracks a mention when he goes to Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan in 2009 as a private contractor in counter IED work working with Australians.
A shortish book at 290 pages; it is worth reading for the viewpoint of a SF soldier’s experience of the major events of the last 30+ years.
Most memoirs that I have read focus on either the training or one or two intense missions or operations.
This memoir is very different in that he recounts each significant episode in his career starting with joining the Iranian special forces during the Shah’s reign before migrating to the west coast of the USA. His first mission is back to Iran in the abortive mission to free the US Embassy hostages.
Then, Changiz is literally all over the world for the next 30+ years; mostly as US army special forces then as a private contractor in various roles incl training the new Afghan special forces.
His visage as well as Middle Eastern language skills made him a highly desired member of the teams.
Consequently, he recounts only his personal experience of each major event rather than discuss the big picture details. If the reader is aware of the bigger picture, then this personal point of view is very interesting indeed.
Australia even cracks a mention when he goes to Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan in 2009 as a private contractor in counter IED work working with Australians.
A shortish book at 290 pages; it is worth reading for the viewpoint of a SF soldier’s experience of the major events of the last 30+ years.
May 15, 2023
Changiz, an Iranian born, immigrated to the US in his early twenties, and served on Special Forces A-Team for decades. Subsequent to those assignments, he took on contract work in similar endeavors in various countries. He experienced racial discrimination a couple of times while going through security at airports, and occasional taunting from his colleagues. In some of his come-backs, I did not get it why he declared he was not Iranian, but Persian. It would have been enlightening to know why he left Iran, and was willing to bear arms for the US against Iran? As a US citizen, he certainly contributed much to the cause of the US wars going back to the Vietnam War.
The book can be political at times, as Changiz gives his opinions on issues such as why the US did not follow -up to take out bin Laden sooner, when they had intelligent information on where he had been hiding out. On this issue, Changiz indicated that he was forty feet from bin Laden, knew it was him, yet I do not understand how Changiz could have gotten that close, even though he was dressed like a local farmer, and he was not captured by bin Laden's men?
The book is not an easy read, unless one is willing to skip the army abbreviations, because there are many. Unfortunately, there are many errors in the book, and those could be blamed on the editor. Also, for me, there were too many f-words, and gory details on soldier's bodies that were killed.
The book can be political at times, as Changiz gives his opinions on issues such as why the US did not follow -up to take out bin Laden sooner, when they had intelligent information on where he had been hiding out. On this issue, Changiz indicated that he was forty feet from bin Laden, knew it was him, yet I do not understand how Changiz could have gotten that close, even though he was dressed like a local farmer, and he was not captured by bin Laden's men?
The book is not an easy read, unless one is willing to skip the army abbreviations, because there are many. Unfortunately, there are many errors in the book, and those could be blamed on the editor. Also, for me, there were too many f-words, and gory details on soldier's bodies that were killed.
April 6, 2019
I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was interesting to read about the experiences of a man who served in every hot spot in the word since I graduated from high school. I found that he had some very interesting insights as to why these events rolled out the way they did. While he mentioned the racism that he experienced, the did not dwell on it. What came through to me, was that despite the treatment, he was not embittered, but proud to be an American citizen. I see Lahidji as a true American hero. The best parts of the book were those describing his activities in Iran during the hostage crisis and his time in Afghanistan.
As a warning to those who would read this book, there are some problems with the book. 1) the proofing of the book was terrible. 2) the book has an almost breezy air to it. I think this is due in part to the fact that the author was so self-effacing that he did not dwell on the details of some of the various actions in a lot of detail.
Despite the cautions described above, I think this is a good book for anyone interested in the deployment of the Special Forces since the late 1970s. I recommend it.
As a warning to those who would read this book, there are some problems with the book. 1) the proofing of the book was terrible. 2) the book has an almost breezy air to it. I think this is due in part to the fact that the author was so self-effacing that he did not dwell on the details of some of the various actions in a lot of detail.
Despite the cautions described above, I think this is a good book for anyone interested in the deployment of the Special Forces since the late 1970s. I recommend it.
July 15, 2018
It was a great skim read. I didn't read every word due to the fact that 1)its military jargon 2) I don't need to know the technical name of a certain weapon. It was written like it was day by day however when you start putting the dates together you realize how long he was actually in the military. One part/ idea that I hated and truly despise about the book was how people treated him! Just because he is muslim and is from the middle east does not mean he is a terrorist! He wrote of two times in the book that he was stopped in the airport for no reason- the stop was not a "random" check. Also a few time in the actual army a few comments were made to him. Even after his many many years in the military, people still made that comment. HOW CAN YOU DO THAT? I also appreciate the military more bc of what they do physically, mentally and emotionally. Being a SF for two decades is no small feat.
April 16, 2018
Lahidji came to America as a young man and join the US Army. His courage and language skills made him a valuable asset in the following years. Speaking of language, if you aren't used to being around soldiers, the f-bombs, etc that he drops may offend you.
As a naturalized citizen, not only did he fight the enemy, but he had to overcome the prejudice towards him for not being "like us!" Following his career from his perspective is very interesting over his prolonged 24 year career as a Green Beret.
Personally, I would have left out the episode of the ménage à quatre since it didn't add anything to the story. Perhaps he was bragging.
If you are the age of Changiz Lahidji, you will probably recall the historic events he mentions from the Vietnam War through the present. Despite all the F-bombs, there is something to learn from his experience.
As a naturalized citizen, not only did he fight the enemy, but he had to overcome the prejudice towards him for not being "like us!" Following his career from his perspective is very interesting over his prolonged 24 year career as a Green Beret.
Personally, I would have left out the episode of the ménage à quatre since it didn't add anything to the story. Perhaps he was bragging.
If you are the age of Changiz Lahidji, you will probably recall the historic events he mentions from the Vietnam War through the present. Despite all the F-bombs, there is something to learn from his experience.
July 30, 2025
I've read some of the other reviews on this book, especially the ones that rated it low or picked apart the editing. Some comments are valid, and some are just looking be cranky SOBs.
Let me add some context here.
I know Changiz. We met in 2008 while both working as Contractors for Special Operations in Kabul. This is a man of honor. A man who has been at the tip of the spear for decades, serving his chosen adopted country. His English isn't perfect, but his heart and his service are.
To be honest, he was taken advantage of on the book publishing, and aside from telling his story, didn't have a lot of input on the rest of it from what I understand.
The man is an American hero, and his story should be told countless times over.
Let me add some context here.
I know Changiz. We met in 2008 while both working as Contractors for Special Operations in Kabul. This is a man of honor. A man who has been at the tip of the spear for decades, serving his chosen adopted country. His English isn't perfect, but his heart and his service are.
To be honest, he was taken advantage of on the book publishing, and aside from telling his story, didn't have a lot of input on the rest of it from what I understand.
The man is an American hero, and his story should be told countless times over.
March 11, 2018
I received this book through the Goodread's Giveaways Program. I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love this book either. I am sure there were a lot of stories to recount over a 35 year period of service, but I felt that the book lacked depth. For example, I would have loved to learn more about his role in prepping for Desert One. He highlights some of the bias he received from being Iranian descent, but I would have liked to have seen more of that. He highlights some of his sexual prowess, but I didn't think that these recounts added much to his story. I am thankful for his service, his sacrifices, and all that he endured; perhaps I had higher expectations about the book.
January 22, 2019
proofread
I'm guessing he left the actual writing to the author who apparently was in a hurry to get to publication. I dont know, but an SF NCO wouldn't address a 1st Sgt as sir, himself as 11 Bravo (18 Bravo; Weapons Specialist maybe?), or call an M203 a .203 Machine Gun as in one of the photo depictions. Youre not a Ranger upon passing 3 week jump school. I admit I skimmed a good portion. writer wasn't clear on basic military forms DD214, 201 file etc. But still interesting accomplishments and career. glad he added photos.
I'm guessing he left the actual writing to the author who apparently was in a hurry to get to publication. I dont know, but an SF NCO wouldn't address a 1st Sgt as sir, himself as 11 Bravo (18 Bravo; Weapons Specialist maybe?), or call an M203 a .203 Machine Gun as in one of the photo depictions. Youre not a Ranger upon passing 3 week jump school. I admit I skimmed a good portion. writer wasn't clear on basic military forms DD214, 201 file etc. But still interesting accomplishments and career. glad he added photos.
November 3, 2018
Changiz tells his story his story of being in the Special Forces serving his adopted country. Going up in Iran then imagrating to the US, he joins the army and becomes a Green Beret. He seen John Wayne's movie "The Green Berets" and that became his dream.
He did not let his minimal english skills, or the prejudice against him stop him. He became a legend and the longest serving US special forces soldier. One of those books you just do not want to stop reading.
He did not let his minimal english skills, or the prejudice against him stop him. He became a legend and the longest serving US special forces soldier. One of those books you just do not want to stop reading.
November 6, 2019
An immigrant from Iran who served both in uniform and out for more than three decades shares vignettes from his service. His fundamental conclusion? That all of us are more alike than we are different. He’s a big advocate for investing rather than killing as a form of national power.
The writing and narration are decent but not excellent. And there were a few mistakes that an editor should have uncovered: “sea” rations....
The writing and narration are decent but not excellent. And there were a few mistakes that an editor should have uncovered: “sea” rations....
December 23, 2022
This was an interesting book on the inside of the Green Berets. I sometimes thought that like some other military bios I had read thr authors always showed himself in the best possible light as the hero of his own story. And it had a little bit of a been there, done that better than you feel at times, though it sounded like he had to deal with and overcome a lot of racial stereotypes and prejudices along the way.
August 14, 2021
Interesting book about an Iranian national who became a US citizen and served US Special Forces for a quarter century (seeing action in US interventions all over the world from the late 70s to the aughties) and as a contractor afterwards. How can you not want to hear his story and what he has to say ? The book needed a better editor but I’m still glad I read it.
April 23, 2026
This tale is so epic it’s hard to believe it’s true at times. The author’s memoir takes you through some of the most significant US military actions of the last quarter century and he tells the stories vividly and personably. Strongly recommend for the personal side that comes through in these pages.
December 13, 2019
A different perspective
Excellent read offering a different point of view on a typically black and white topic. Amazing what humanity can offer the world when violence is just another potential solution.
Excellent read offering a different point of view on a typically black and white topic. Amazing what humanity can offer the world when violence is just another potential solution.
January 18, 2021
If you want detailed information about Changiz's day to day exploits, this isn't the book for you. Instead, this is a rough overview, sprinkled with very brief highlights. All in all, this guy reports to have seen much of what we only dimly read about.
February 23, 2018
Good story, poorly edited
HSLD soldier, no doubt, but the errors in terminology were glaring. Kind of a fluff piece, and MSG Lahidji deserves better.
HSLD soldier, no doubt, but the errors in terminology were glaring. Kind of a fluff piece, and MSG Lahidji deserves better.
July 3, 2018
I'm not really into war type books but when i started to read it I felt i couldn't put it down. An honest and compelling read! Loved it!
July 14, 2019
The book is great, but the editor should be slapped. So many errors in the editing but thank God for men like Changiz!
June 25, 2020
Great book. Good message, especially the final one.
July 4, 2024
It is fitting that I finished this book on the Fourth of July. The author is an Iranian immigrant who gained his citizenship through his service in the US Army and bravely and loyalty fought and served the US for many years. The stories and events that he was in and described were thrilling And extremely insightful.
Even though this book was well written and a thrilling story of a true soldier account I did not give it a high score because of the amount of cussing and his extracurricular activities were something I could not endorse. Because of those things I could not recommend this book.
Even though this book was well written and a thrilling story of a true soldier account I did not give it a high score because of the amount of cussing and his extracurricular activities were something I could not endorse. Because of those things I could not recommend this book.
March 30, 2018
Not a real great book. It's full of so many mis-spellings and poorly worded descriptions to be almost unreadable. Lots of inaccuracies for a longtime SF trooper. Editing seems non-existent.
For example, simple references like "C-rations" come out "sea rations".
5th SF Group comes out as "5th Group Special Forces". Jump (Airborne) School graduation turns into him becoming a "ranger" with his "bronze" blood wings. His description of the SF Phase IIA 300F1 course at Fort Sam Houston is littered with inaccuracies. The Goat in his "Goat Lab" description was typically shot with a 7.62mm round and not a "22". The "taking care of the goat" portion of the SF Aidman course was actually part of Phase III back at Fort Bragg.
His 11B (eleven bravo) MOS is randomly described as 11 Bravo or sometimes "Bravo 11". No one in SF (or the US Army even) would ever use "Bravo 11".
He's obviously had a long career in SF and the story could have been better written and edited. It's too bad that it came out as such a hodge podge of disjointed experiences. The poor writing really detracts.
July 8, 2018
An incredible account of Changiz’s dedicated service to the United States, Full Battle Rattle is often tinged with Changiz’s plea for an America that is both tolerant of others and a global hegemon. He recounts his countless missions and operations with great skill and his narrative style is both humorous and engaging. I enjoyed this read.
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