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Murphy's Law: My Journey from Army Ranger and Green Beret to Investigative Journalist
For fans of the New York Times bestsellers The Last Punisher and Lone Survivor, a heart-pounding military memoir from a former Army Ranger sniper and Special Operations weapon sergeant-turned-journalist about the incredible highs and devastating lows of his career.
Growing up in small New York towns, Jack Murphy knew he wanted to lead a life far from the ordinary—a life of adventure and valor. After the 9/11 attacks, he immediately enlisted in the Army, knowing this was his chance to live the life he desired and fight for a cause he staunchly supported. After making it through the rigorous Ranger Indoctrination Program, he graduated sniper school and was promptly deployed to Afghanistan, where his experiences went from ordinary to extraordinary.
In this gripping military memoir, Murphy recounts the multiple missions he underwent as a Ranger, a Special Forces weapons sergeant, and ultimately, a boots-on-the-ground journalist. From enemy ambushes, dodging explosives, crashing terrorists’ weddings, and landing helicopters in the streets of Mosul, Jack provides a hard-hitting glimpse of what combat is like in some of the world’s most dangerous, war-torn places. With tours of duty in two of the most decorated units of the armed forces, Murphy brings a unique perspective to the military genre as he reflects on his great triumphs and shattering failures both on and off the battlefield.
Later, Murphy turned his attention to breaking news within the military. His stories have taken him from Iraq to Switzerland, from Syria to South Korea. From crossing Middle Eastern borders in the dead of night, to rolling into an IED-laden zone, Murphy’s stories are never boring.
Murphy’s Law tells a story of intense bravery and sacrifice—both on and off the battlefield.
Growing up in small New York towns, Jack Murphy knew he wanted to lead a life far from the ordinary—a life of adventure and valor. After the 9/11 attacks, he immediately enlisted in the Army, knowing this was his chance to live the life he desired and fight for a cause he staunchly supported. After making it through the rigorous Ranger Indoctrination Program, he graduated sniper school and was promptly deployed to Afghanistan, where his experiences went from ordinary to extraordinary.
In this gripping military memoir, Murphy recounts the multiple missions he underwent as a Ranger, a Special Forces weapons sergeant, and ultimately, a boots-on-the-ground journalist. From enemy ambushes, dodging explosives, crashing terrorists’ weddings, and landing helicopters in the streets of Mosul, Jack provides a hard-hitting glimpse of what combat is like in some of the world’s most dangerous, war-torn places. With tours of duty in two of the most decorated units of the armed forces, Murphy brings a unique perspective to the military genre as he reflects on his great triumphs and shattering failures both on and off the battlefield.
Later, Murphy turned his attention to breaking news within the military. His stories have taken him from Iraq to Switzerland, from Syria to South Korea. From crossing Middle Eastern borders in the dead of night, to rolling into an IED-laden zone, Murphy’s stories are never boring.
Murphy’s Law tells a story of intense bravery and sacrifice—both on and off the battlefield.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2019
83 people are currently reading
426 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 11, 2019
Full disclosure: I've known Jack Murphy for a number of years. I've edited his novels, worked for him as a copy-editor on a special operations news site he founded, and enjoyed an enduring friendship with him. He's an especially modest guy, which belies his storied career as an Army Ranger, Green Beret, successful entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and foreign correspondent. And perhaps that's why I never expected him to write an autobiography. It's not that his life doesn't warrant one, it's just that he's not the sort who enjoys talking about himself or reveling in personal achievements, though his would be the envy of even the most worldly and experienced among us.
In "Murphy's Law" (a self-effacing title that speaks to his perspective on his life and career—anything that can go wrong, will), Jack addresses that point upfront. In the prologue, he notes, "I had rejected the notion of writing a book about myself for a long time. It seemed like kind of a douchey thing to do. I mean, who am I, really?" Ultimately, though, he came to realize that, as a journalist, "I've told everyone's story but mine," and he had perhaps been using that as a mechanism for avoiding confronting his personal experiences.
And that's understandable. Although the pages of "Murphy's Law" are packed with many extraordinary scenes that would be right at home in an action film or thriller novel, those experiences would have been distressing by any measure. If this book is the means by which he hopes to explore and evaluate those exploits and ordeals, he does so deftly, putting the reader directly in his combat boots and leaving little out—good or bad.
We follow Jack from his early days, through his enlistment and training, to his military career during the height of the Global War on Terror. Following his time on active duty, Jack went on to embed with the Kurds in Iraq; infiltrate Syria and interview one of the world's most wanted men, dictator Bashar al-Assad; and travel the world to report on numerous special operations units, from the Philippines to Switzerland. Even his most staunch critics must grudgingly admit Jack's lived an extraordinary life—particularly for a guy who's only in his thirties.
"Murphy's Law" isn't merely a memoir, though. It also reveals Jack's perspective on complex and timely topics ranging from the challenges faced by veterans transitioning to civilian life, the sociopolitical ramifications of our nation's longest war, and even the more strategic elements of conducting asymmetrical warfare. Often grimly humorous, the writing reflects Jack's typically sardonic nature and inveterate pragmatism.
Reading these memoirs has revealed a great deal about my friend's history and his outlook on life. It's left me with a renewed admiration for him and his innumerable accomplishments. I can't recommend this book—and his other works—strongly enough.
In "Murphy's Law" (a self-effacing title that speaks to his perspective on his life and career—anything that can go wrong, will), Jack addresses that point upfront. In the prologue, he notes, "I had rejected the notion of writing a book about myself for a long time. It seemed like kind of a douchey thing to do. I mean, who am I, really?" Ultimately, though, he came to realize that, as a journalist, "I've told everyone's story but mine," and he had perhaps been using that as a mechanism for avoiding confronting his personal experiences.
And that's understandable. Although the pages of "Murphy's Law" are packed with many extraordinary scenes that would be right at home in an action film or thriller novel, those experiences would have been distressing by any measure. If this book is the means by which he hopes to explore and evaluate those exploits and ordeals, he does so deftly, putting the reader directly in his combat boots and leaving little out—good or bad.
We follow Jack from his early days, through his enlistment and training, to his military career during the height of the Global War on Terror. Following his time on active duty, Jack went on to embed with the Kurds in Iraq; infiltrate Syria and interview one of the world's most wanted men, dictator Bashar al-Assad; and travel the world to report on numerous special operations units, from the Philippines to Switzerland. Even his most staunch critics must grudgingly admit Jack's lived an extraordinary life—particularly for a guy who's only in his thirties.
"Murphy's Law" isn't merely a memoir, though. It also reveals Jack's perspective on complex and timely topics ranging from the challenges faced by veterans transitioning to civilian life, the sociopolitical ramifications of our nation's longest war, and even the more strategic elements of conducting asymmetrical warfare. Often grimly humorous, the writing reflects Jack's typically sardonic nature and inveterate pragmatism.
Reading these memoirs has revealed a great deal about my friend's history and his outlook on life. It's left me with a renewed admiration for him and his innumerable accomplishments. I can't recommend this book—and his other works—strongly enough.
September 26, 2019
This is a very entertaining and well written memoir. I’ve been following Jacks’s writing since early in the SOFREP days. I always enjoyed his investigative work, his articles on Special Operations history, and his very level-headed analysis. It was very interesting to read and learn about his personal history and experience. I highly recommend this book.
May 8, 2019
I would say that I "knew" Jack Murphy way back when, but that wouldn't be wholly accurate. I was aware of his presence as an author, as we were both amateur fiction writers on a Mack Bolan fanboard when we were high school students on opposite sides of the nation (he was in his native New York, and I was in Arizona, where my father was stationed at the time).
I can say I knew his flagship character, Deckard, very well, as the concept had come to him well before his time in the military. Even back then, he was talented beyond his years, well-researched and immersed in special operations.
Murphy dropped off the map for a while as I neared the conclusion of my high school time, and I inquired as to where he'd gone. I learned he had not only enlisted in the Army, he was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. I was extremely impressed by this. He was doing something that was a dream of mine at the time.
Fast forward to 2010. By this point, I had graduated, enlisted in the Army, served a tour in Iraq, and had transitioned to the National Guard. I learned about a site called SOFREP. The editor in chief of that site was a man named Jack Murphy, who had published an action novel about a soldier of fortune named Deckard. When I reached out and inquired if he had been on the Bolan boards, he answered in the affirmative, and we connected.
I learned he'd moved on from the Rangers to Special Forces before separating after eight years. At one point, I worked for him for a time on a couple of SOFREP's affiliate sites. I had always wondered about his time in the military, but as an outsider from the Big Army, I always felt out of place asking him about specifics.
In MURPHY'S LAW, I have now learned more about that time frame, and about the man himself. I'd always looked at Murphy as the man the teenaged me wanted to be. Now, I see that he is someone folks should aspire to be in general, but not because of his military service.
Unlike many other military memoirs, Murphy is humble. The successes he experienced as a Ranger and SF soldier, he accredits to his teammates. His failures in those capacities, he attributes to himself alone. He is open and candid about his shortcomings, which is a welcome departure from the stock-and-trade self-aggrandizing often seen when an alpha-male SOF shooter decides to ply his trade with the written word.
This memoir is different in that his military service is only half of the story. In the other half, we learn about his transition from barrel-chested freedom fighter to civilian, father, husband, and Ivy League student. This gives way to his novelist career and his career at SOFREP, where he has made both fans and enemies along the way. In this endeavor, Murphy maintains the same candor as he does while recollecting his military career. He is not perfect, and he is the first one to admit it.
All in all, Jack Murphy is a man who tries his hardest to do the right thing and pursue the truth. Those efforts and pursuits have led him on adventures and resulted in more stepped-on toes in less than 40 years than some folks experience in a lifetime. Hate him or love him, agree or disagree with him, his consistency and integrity is to be commended and admired.
I highly recommend MURPHY'S LAW not only to fans of military non-fiction, but to all Americans wanting an unfiltered look inside of both the military and journalism. You won't regret it.
I can say I knew his flagship character, Deckard, very well, as the concept had come to him well before his time in the military. Even back then, he was talented beyond his years, well-researched and immersed in special operations.
Murphy dropped off the map for a while as I neared the conclusion of my high school time, and I inquired as to where he'd gone. I learned he had not only enlisted in the Army, he was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. I was extremely impressed by this. He was doing something that was a dream of mine at the time.
Fast forward to 2010. By this point, I had graduated, enlisted in the Army, served a tour in Iraq, and had transitioned to the National Guard. I learned about a site called SOFREP. The editor in chief of that site was a man named Jack Murphy, who had published an action novel about a soldier of fortune named Deckard. When I reached out and inquired if he had been on the Bolan boards, he answered in the affirmative, and we connected.
I learned he'd moved on from the Rangers to Special Forces before separating after eight years. At one point, I worked for him for a time on a couple of SOFREP's affiliate sites. I had always wondered about his time in the military, but as an outsider from the Big Army, I always felt out of place asking him about specifics.
In MURPHY'S LAW, I have now learned more about that time frame, and about the man himself. I'd always looked at Murphy as the man the teenaged me wanted to be. Now, I see that he is someone folks should aspire to be in general, but not because of his military service.
Unlike many other military memoirs, Murphy is humble. The successes he experienced as a Ranger and SF soldier, he accredits to his teammates. His failures in those capacities, he attributes to himself alone. He is open and candid about his shortcomings, which is a welcome departure from the stock-and-trade self-aggrandizing often seen when an alpha-male SOF shooter decides to ply his trade with the written word.
This memoir is different in that his military service is only half of the story. In the other half, we learn about his transition from barrel-chested freedom fighter to civilian, father, husband, and Ivy League student. This gives way to his novelist career and his career at SOFREP, where he has made both fans and enemies along the way. In this endeavor, Murphy maintains the same candor as he does while recollecting his military career. He is not perfect, and he is the first one to admit it.
All in all, Jack Murphy is a man who tries his hardest to do the right thing and pursue the truth. Those efforts and pursuits have led him on adventures and resulted in more stepped-on toes in less than 40 years than some folks experience in a lifetime. Hate him or love him, agree or disagree with him, his consistency and integrity is to be commended and admired.
I highly recommend MURPHY'S LAW not only to fans of military non-fiction, but to all Americans wanting an unfiltered look inside of both the military and journalism. You won't regret it.
April 20, 2019
Many of my followers may wonder why I’m reviewing this book. It’s not a political or military thriller, it’s not a work of fiction it’s a memoir of some guy that served in the military. As a veteran myself, there is nothing more gratifying than seeing successful veterans leading good lives post service and doing good things. I’m sure there are many out there, but in this world, the ones that come to mind; Brad Taylor, Matthew Betley, Jack Carr, and soon to be published Marine Corps Officer, LtCol Rawlings in Red Metal to name a few. As Jack talks about in Murphy’s Law, many veterans get out and are lost and just can’t adapt to civilian life and succumb to alcohol, drugs, and suicide. Like him, I’ve served with people that choose to take their life and even took others with them. Mental health isn’t a great topic to discus, but it’s a major problem among veterans and if I can use this platform to give it a little more attention, even reach one person out there, than I consider myself successful.
Jack Murphy’s memoir Murphy’s Law is a brutally honest report on his young life so far. I joke saying young, because as he says a memoir is supposed to be for those retired aged folks who have several decades past adulthood. While Jack is in his 30’s, he has lived a type of life to where his soul, his heart, or whatever the fuck you want to call it is a few decades ahead of him. I say brutally honest because there were many instances of failure, misjudgment, and incidents where I questioned his sanity in putting them in this book. I do however respect him for doing so, it takes a lot for a man to tell the world all his accomplishments as well as failures.
Murphy’s Law starts with a young Jack in high school with a dream of becoming a Special Forces Soldier, he makes this known and isn’t shy about his intentions, so much that the faculty at his school doesn’t even bother with college application for him. Instead, he goes to the recruiting office and tries to join the Marine Corps. The dumbass Marine at that recruiting station could not get over the fact that Jack was ready to go and started to sell the Marine Corps to him, I can imagine with those dumb blocks. I literally had the same exact experience, my recruiter could not fathom me walking into his office and saying, “Okay, I’m ready to go, sign me up.” At one point they asked if I was running away from the law. Well, Jack didn’t have the patience for these games, said “fuck this” and went next door to the Army recruiter. Marine Corps loss, the Army’s gain, in my opinion. From there, Jack goes to describe in great details his entrance into the Special Forces Community, first as a young Ranger then a Special Forces Green Beret. During his time in the Army, both as a Ranger and then part of the Special Forces Community, Jack details many of his deployments and missions he was a part of on those deployments. Once again, I found his take on his surrounding environment to be honest and clear, since I was deployed in the same campaign. Please, don’t assume by me saying that I was some kind of a bad-ass, just part of the same war. His accounts of the war and the way leadership was handling things, such as not being able to leave the wire without local assistance is spot on towards the end of the war. The one thing that I picked up on was his disdain for anyone that isn’t infantry. His wording, describing them as conventional army units was used more than a few times. Here’s a quick story one of my Sergeant’s told me who I believe had a similar disdain for non-combatants. He was in Fallujah during the second push and said on the base there were roughly ten-thousand troops, only about two-thousand of those left the wire. So, by this logic, it takes eight-thousand troops to support those two-thousand that do “the real work.” By support, I mean logistics, communications, food, transport, administration, etc. Jack’s accounts of his deployments were detailed and definitely not meant to boost his persona, he gives credit where credit is due and does not make himself seem like some type of super hero warrior. In fact, he credits some good decision making and skills, but also luck as to how he survived some of the shit he found himself in. With that, I can also relate.
Then came a time for Jack to separate from the Military, his decision for this mirrors my own. Being a senior Staff NCO in the Military pretty much means you’ve become an admin bitch. Riding a desk and ensuring your NCO’s and everyone below them does what they’re suppose to. I wanted no part of that and neither did Jack. Utilizing his GI bill, he put himself through college. This part of his memoir he somehow made readable and not very boring, the transition to civilian life isn’t easy. He utilized the same determination he did through grueling training sessions, marches, and hazing incidents disguised as training and made it through college successfully. He had a few bumps in the road, taking on more than any average person could handle and picked himself up and kept on pushing.
The next chapter of his life covers his journalism career. With fake news main stream media reporting basically shit, he took it upon himself to get first-hand knowledge on whatever he is reporting at the time. From sexual scandals in the military, to groundbreaking firsthand exposure on the civil war in Syria, to successful missions conducted by US and Philippines special forces in Asia. All these and many more, he reported from seeing it in person, traveling through Syria and Iraq, having to be smuggled into the country and out. Being interrogated and detained at times and not knowing if he will be home next week or in a terrorist prison. Taking great risk to ensure authenticity in his reporting. For those interested in reading the stories he has written and will continue to write, check out his organization, formerly known as SOFREP and currently known as NEWSREP, they market themselves as fact based and no sides in regard to politics. Besides journalism, Jack Murphy is a very successful writer. He is a New York Times Bestselling author of Reflexive Fire – An assassin who is in over his head. A cabal that wants him to lead a secret army. A conspiracy decades in the making. Target Deck – The war against Mexico’s drug cartels just got outsourced. Direct Action – A military thriller about what happens when America’s best go bad. Jack also Co-wrote Benghazi, The Definitive Report – An account of what happened before, during, and after the deadly Benghazi attack.
My reviews usually receive a Blast Radius rating based on how good they are, how much action, developed plot, developed characters, etc. If that were the case here, Murphy’s Law would be a NUKE! This however is real life, real pain, real shit one man has gone through. Whether you want to know what the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were really like from the perspective of someone that left the wire every day, (meaning he left the base, he exited friendly lines, he was among the local populous in country) however the fuck you want to word it, he was in the shit. As well as his experience transitioning to civilian life, getting married, becoming a father, his experiences as an investigative journalist with no shit boots on the ground first-hand experience. If any of that interests you, then I highly recommend this book. Don’t forget, RLTW!
Jack Murphy’s memoir Murphy’s Law is a brutally honest report on his young life so far. I joke saying young, because as he says a memoir is supposed to be for those retired aged folks who have several decades past adulthood. While Jack is in his 30’s, he has lived a type of life to where his soul, his heart, or whatever the fuck you want to call it is a few decades ahead of him. I say brutally honest because there were many instances of failure, misjudgment, and incidents where I questioned his sanity in putting them in this book. I do however respect him for doing so, it takes a lot for a man to tell the world all his accomplishments as well as failures.
Murphy’s Law starts with a young Jack in high school with a dream of becoming a Special Forces Soldier, he makes this known and isn’t shy about his intentions, so much that the faculty at his school doesn’t even bother with college application for him. Instead, he goes to the recruiting office and tries to join the Marine Corps. The dumbass Marine at that recruiting station could not get over the fact that Jack was ready to go and started to sell the Marine Corps to him, I can imagine with those dumb blocks. I literally had the same exact experience, my recruiter could not fathom me walking into his office and saying, “Okay, I’m ready to go, sign me up.” At one point they asked if I was running away from the law. Well, Jack didn’t have the patience for these games, said “fuck this” and went next door to the Army recruiter. Marine Corps loss, the Army’s gain, in my opinion. From there, Jack goes to describe in great details his entrance into the Special Forces Community, first as a young Ranger then a Special Forces Green Beret. During his time in the Army, both as a Ranger and then part of the Special Forces Community, Jack details many of his deployments and missions he was a part of on those deployments. Once again, I found his take on his surrounding environment to be honest and clear, since I was deployed in the same campaign. Please, don’t assume by me saying that I was some kind of a bad-ass, just part of the same war. His accounts of the war and the way leadership was handling things, such as not being able to leave the wire without local assistance is spot on towards the end of the war. The one thing that I picked up on was his disdain for anyone that isn’t infantry. His wording, describing them as conventional army units was used more than a few times. Here’s a quick story one of my Sergeant’s told me who I believe had a similar disdain for non-combatants. He was in Fallujah during the second push and said on the base there were roughly ten-thousand troops, only about two-thousand of those left the wire. So, by this logic, it takes eight-thousand troops to support those two-thousand that do “the real work.” By support, I mean logistics, communications, food, transport, administration, etc. Jack’s accounts of his deployments were detailed and definitely not meant to boost his persona, he gives credit where credit is due and does not make himself seem like some type of super hero warrior. In fact, he credits some good decision making and skills, but also luck as to how he survived some of the shit he found himself in. With that, I can also relate.
Then came a time for Jack to separate from the Military, his decision for this mirrors my own. Being a senior Staff NCO in the Military pretty much means you’ve become an admin bitch. Riding a desk and ensuring your NCO’s and everyone below them does what they’re suppose to. I wanted no part of that and neither did Jack. Utilizing his GI bill, he put himself through college. This part of his memoir he somehow made readable and not very boring, the transition to civilian life isn’t easy. He utilized the same determination he did through grueling training sessions, marches, and hazing incidents disguised as training and made it through college successfully. He had a few bumps in the road, taking on more than any average person could handle and picked himself up and kept on pushing.
The next chapter of his life covers his journalism career. With fake news main stream media reporting basically shit, he took it upon himself to get first-hand knowledge on whatever he is reporting at the time. From sexual scandals in the military, to groundbreaking firsthand exposure on the civil war in Syria, to successful missions conducted by US and Philippines special forces in Asia. All these and many more, he reported from seeing it in person, traveling through Syria and Iraq, having to be smuggled into the country and out. Being interrogated and detained at times and not knowing if he will be home next week or in a terrorist prison. Taking great risk to ensure authenticity in his reporting. For those interested in reading the stories he has written and will continue to write, check out his organization, formerly known as SOFREP and currently known as NEWSREP, they market themselves as fact based and no sides in regard to politics. Besides journalism, Jack Murphy is a very successful writer. He is a New York Times Bestselling author of Reflexive Fire – An assassin who is in over his head. A cabal that wants him to lead a secret army. A conspiracy decades in the making. Target Deck – The war against Mexico’s drug cartels just got outsourced. Direct Action – A military thriller about what happens when America’s best go bad. Jack also Co-wrote Benghazi, The Definitive Report – An account of what happened before, during, and after the deadly Benghazi attack.
My reviews usually receive a Blast Radius rating based on how good they are, how much action, developed plot, developed characters, etc. If that were the case here, Murphy’s Law would be a NUKE! This however is real life, real pain, real shit one man has gone through. Whether you want to know what the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were really like from the perspective of someone that left the wire every day, (meaning he left the base, he exited friendly lines, he was among the local populous in country) however the fuck you want to word it, he was in the shit. As well as his experience transitioning to civilian life, getting married, becoming a father, his experiences as an investigative journalist with no shit boots on the ground first-hand experience. If any of that interests you, then I highly recommend this book. Don’t forget, RLTW!
June 7, 2019
I have always liked Jack Murphy's no-nonsense approach as a journalist and writer. He does what a journalist should do. Gather intel, piece together the story and present the facts. His military background, his social and professional network, his education and his sharp wit and tenacity make him an interesting kind of investigative journalist.
This book gives an insight in what shaped him and his work and it explaains why he sees the things the way he does. Murphy doesn't mind revealing the gritty parts of geopolitics, marketing, the military or life in general, without being apologetic or biased and that's what makes this book interesting. He adresses some controversial topics without trying to shame individuals or attack them outright. He plays by the facts. Add a laid back and clear writing style and you'll get and entertaining read. I really liked this book.
This book gives an insight in what shaped him and his work and it explaains why he sees the things the way he does. Murphy doesn't mind revealing the gritty parts of geopolitics, marketing, the military or life in general, without being apologetic or biased and that's what makes this book interesting. He adresses some controversial topics without trying to shame individuals or attack them outright. He plays by the facts. Add a laid back and clear writing style and you'll get and entertaining read. I really liked this book.
February 17, 2020
A military memoir for people that don't like military memoirs. Follow Jack Murphy on his journey from all-American kid to Airborne infantryman, Ranger, Special Forces operator, and finally journalist and social influencer. Walk with him as he lives the life of a modern soldier, and later, as a writer, exposes some of its inherent dysfunctions. See how one of America's elite warriors, is (as any one of them will admit) just another guy. Honest, modest, and matter-of-fact, it is a hard book to put down. Check out Jack's SOFRep website and podcast to see what he and his friends are up to.
May 6, 2019
There are a lot of memoirs from special forces personnel, but not many from Rangers/Green Berets who end up being journalists. By the author’s own admission, he had originally not intended to write a memoir, and was reluctantly goaded into it. I am glad he did and I strongly recommend this book. The author was employed as a sniper and team leaders in the Rangers, and was deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Following this, he went into the Special Forces and did another tour in Iraq as advisors for an Iraqi platoon.
The book is outstanding in its matter of fact storytelling about unusual and memorable incidents during the author’s military career. As a spoiler alert, early in his first deployment in Afghanistan Murphy was the key actor in a friendly fire incident. He deals with this openly and honestly, and this is not common. Few friendly fire stories end up in military memoirs, and fewer still involve the author taking responsibility. Lest anyone get too judgemental, you would be amazed how much responsibility can be put on the shoulders of a 20 something year old and how easy it is for something to go south.
The tours in Iraq and Afghanistan deal largely with seeking to kill or capture various human targets, and is similar to other books like Task Force Black. The pace of these operations seems relentless, and it is a tribute to the soldiers that they could keep doing it non stop. The book also provides a picture of life inside the ranger regiment and a Green Beret team. One minor complaint would be that for understandable reasons of security, Murphy does not go into much detail into the “how” of task completion. One larger complaint is that the author mentions things in one sentence that really could have deserved a lot of detail. For example, he mentions how Ranger units tend to fire people regularly, and I would have loved to hear more about that. Another interesting thing he mentioned was how the Ranger regiment is cult like, and rangers who try out for the Special Forces often get ostracized. More elaboration on comments like this would do more to explain a culture that is pretty foreign to most readers.
Murphy spends considerable time complaining about the military’s adoption of a corporate model. The human factor seems to be getting forgotten and there is a a growing emphasis on computer training and the creation of large amounts of data and metrics that seem to be used for nothing. He also discusses why retention in special forces can be an issue, particularly for senior NCOs, and he is probably a good case study in this respect. One area which really could have merited a larger discussion was how challenging life is for a lot of veterans after leaving the military, and how so many struggle with illness, injury and mental trauma. The armed forces in general could do a lot more in terms of after care for soldiers when they leave the service
The second part of the book discusses Murphy leaving the military and going to school, and ending up as a journalist focused on special forces and their operations. For me, the author’s journalism career ending up being the really engrossing part of the book. He covers a lot of things, like male sexual assault in the military, sexual misconduct in the special forces community, the special forces deaths in Niger, and a trip into Syria where he ends up interviewing Bashar Al Assad. The author is a good writer, and I could not put the book down when he was recounting all this. I have since started following his articles on Newsrep.
Murphy’s stance is grunt level and pretty apolitical. He discusses the benefit of being a former special forces soldier in that he can write knowledgeably about military affairs when a lot of reporters cannot. He also mentions the flak he catches from the special forces community when he reports on the less than flattering stories in that community. Frankly, there are a lot of these stories now, and it is really hard to fix problems you won’t acknowledge.
The one downside to the author not really grinding a political axe is that the author hints at his opinions, but it is pretty much a black box. He was not interested in writing an anti-war book and he did not set US policy, but a lot of big issues are not explored. This would probably merit a separate book, and I suspect I would disagree with a lot, but I think his ideas would have at least as much merit as a lot of the people writing opinion columns on US defence and foreign policy these days.
The book is outstanding in its matter of fact storytelling about unusual and memorable incidents during the author’s military career. As a spoiler alert, early in his first deployment in Afghanistan Murphy was the key actor in a friendly fire incident. He deals with this openly and honestly, and this is not common. Few friendly fire stories end up in military memoirs, and fewer still involve the author taking responsibility. Lest anyone get too judgemental, you would be amazed how much responsibility can be put on the shoulders of a 20 something year old and how easy it is for something to go south.
The tours in Iraq and Afghanistan deal largely with seeking to kill or capture various human targets, and is similar to other books like Task Force Black. The pace of these operations seems relentless, and it is a tribute to the soldiers that they could keep doing it non stop. The book also provides a picture of life inside the ranger regiment and a Green Beret team. One minor complaint would be that for understandable reasons of security, Murphy does not go into much detail into the “how” of task completion. One larger complaint is that the author mentions things in one sentence that really could have deserved a lot of detail. For example, he mentions how Ranger units tend to fire people regularly, and I would have loved to hear more about that. Another interesting thing he mentioned was how the Ranger regiment is cult like, and rangers who try out for the Special Forces often get ostracized. More elaboration on comments like this would do more to explain a culture that is pretty foreign to most readers.
Murphy spends considerable time complaining about the military’s adoption of a corporate model. The human factor seems to be getting forgotten and there is a a growing emphasis on computer training and the creation of large amounts of data and metrics that seem to be used for nothing. He also discusses why retention in special forces can be an issue, particularly for senior NCOs, and he is probably a good case study in this respect. One area which really could have merited a larger discussion was how challenging life is for a lot of veterans after leaving the military, and how so many struggle with illness, injury and mental trauma. The armed forces in general could do a lot more in terms of after care for soldiers when they leave the service
The second part of the book discusses Murphy leaving the military and going to school, and ending up as a journalist focused on special forces and their operations. For me, the author’s journalism career ending up being the really engrossing part of the book. He covers a lot of things, like male sexual assault in the military, sexual misconduct in the special forces community, the special forces deaths in Niger, and a trip into Syria where he ends up interviewing Bashar Al Assad. The author is a good writer, and I could not put the book down when he was recounting all this. I have since started following his articles on Newsrep.
Murphy’s stance is grunt level and pretty apolitical. He discusses the benefit of being a former special forces soldier in that he can write knowledgeably about military affairs when a lot of reporters cannot. He also mentions the flak he catches from the special forces community when he reports on the less than flattering stories in that community. Frankly, there are a lot of these stories now, and it is really hard to fix problems you won’t acknowledge.
The one downside to the author not really grinding a political axe is that the author hints at his opinions, but it is pretty much a black box. He was not interested in writing an anti-war book and he did not set US policy, but a lot of big issues are not explored. This would probably merit a separate book, and I suspect I would disagree with a lot, but I think his ideas would have at least as much merit as a lot of the people writing opinion columns on US defence and foreign policy these days.
May 20, 2019
Jack tells stories how your other veteran buddies would. That's good. What's not great are there are times he will use a phrase and then he'll use it again 2 or 3 times in the next few pages. "Timeline horizon" "deep in their cups" "blood is thicker than water" all come to mind. I may have missed a few, but it was a bit cringy to hear the same phrase so close together several times.
Granted, if that's the biggest issue I have with the book, it's a pretty small one.
It was good to hear his perspective on things, and while I don't think I see eye to eye with him on some things, his views and opinions aren't ones that are completely foreign to me either.
I'd be curious to hear the stories he left out of this book. As another former infantryman, it was an interesting read, but I'm not sure he would make the same connection with non-veterans.
Granted, if that's the biggest issue I have with the book, it's a pretty small one.
It was good to hear his perspective on things, and while I don't think I see eye to eye with him on some things, his views and opinions aren't ones that are completely foreign to me either.
I'd be curious to hear the stories he left out of this book. As another former infantryman, it was an interesting read, but I'm not sure he would make the same connection with non-veterans.
May 21, 2019
Don’t get me wrong with the Stars I gave the book. I enjoyed reading and agreeing with most of what Jack Murphy said. Some of it is controversial but as a investigative journalist you have to good after the story and show the wrong. The book was good but I thought that he could of put more into it. After reading some of his other books or articles I was disappointed.
January 8, 2020
Juvenile, conceded, boastful, arrogant and annoying.
June 29, 2019
Jack Murphy has penned a memoir, and we have the pleasure of reading the story of a life well lived, well told.
Growing up in small New York towns, Murphy decided he wanted to lead a life far from the ordinary—a life of adventure, and that's exactly what he did. He describes in great detail the psychological and physical challenges that he had to endure and overcome to qualify as a Ranger and then a Green Beret. He writes about the cool, fun training too. He also tells thrilling war stories and more importantly explains some of the lessons he learned during missions he was part of during his deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
For instance, while serving as a sniper in Afghanistan he learned how easily a man can go from hero to zero in the space of a few minutes after he initiated an ambush on an "enemy" unit that turned out to be fellow rangers. Luckily no one was killed or seriously wounded. There were a number of factors that culminated in this mistake (e.g. poor coordination, malfunctioning communications equipment, people not taking the routes they were supposed to) but the Army always wants to put a head on a pole, so he ended up as the unofficial scapegoat and had to fight through some unjust judgments and ostracism.
Later, as a team leader in Iraq, he came to the realization that lies are quickly assimilated by the human mind, and, within moments, become indistinguishable from the truth for most people. He learned this after participating in a capture/kill mission where the Rangers shot and killed a terrorist who refused to surrender, but just attempted to flee without fighting. The entire incident was captured on video feed by a predator drone and viewed by the people staffing the Operations Center miles away.
When Murphy returned to the FOB he talked to troops who claimed that the terrorist had been shooting at Murphy with a Glock - they had seen it all on the video.
"What the hell are you talking about?? He wasn't shooting at us."
"Yeah, yeah, he was."
It made him wonder how we can believe anything we are told about war when people miles away from the action try to convince the participants what they've just seen with their own eyes hasn't really happened. Murphy has a lot to say about truth and reality throughout the book.
Eventually, Murphy decided to leave the army. He was pretty much at the point where all he had to look forward to were promotions that took him farther away from the troops and the action. Instead of "closings with and destroying the enemy" he'd be stuck riding a desk and ensuring that his junior NCO’s and everyone below them brushed their teeth and wore the right uniform. He didn't want any part of that.
So he utilized his GI bill, and he put himself through college. The transition to civilian life isn’t easy for most veterans, especially combat infantrymen, but Murphy demonstrated the same grit and determination that got him through Ranger School to make it through college successfully. He had a few bumps in the road, taking on more than any average person could handle and picked himself up and kept on pushing.
The next chapter of his life covers his current journalism career. With main stream media reporting basically fake news, he takes it upon himself to get first-hand knowledge on whatever subject he is writing about. This ranges from sexual scandals in the military, to groundbreaking firsthand exposure on the civil war in Syria, to successful missions conducted by US and Philippines special forces in Asia. All he reports upon he has seen in person which means he takes risks,
Murphy has snuck into Syria and been smuggled out again. He has been interrogated and detained - often not knowing whether he will be home next week or in a terrorist prison. Yes, he takes great risks to ensure authenticity.
If this book has accomplished nothing else it has gained at least one new reader for NEWSREP
But Murphy's Law: My Journey from Army Ranger and Green Beret to Investigative Journalist does more than that. If you want the Ranger's eye view of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is the book for you. If you're interested in a primer on a soldier's transition to civilian life, getting married, becoming a father, this story will inspire. If you're looking for the adventures of a straight shooting journalist - look no farther.
Growing up in small New York towns, Murphy decided he wanted to lead a life far from the ordinary—a life of adventure, and that's exactly what he did. He describes in great detail the psychological and physical challenges that he had to endure and overcome to qualify as a Ranger and then a Green Beret. He writes about the cool, fun training too. He also tells thrilling war stories and more importantly explains some of the lessons he learned during missions he was part of during his deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
For instance, while serving as a sniper in Afghanistan he learned how easily a man can go from hero to zero in the space of a few minutes after he initiated an ambush on an "enemy" unit that turned out to be fellow rangers. Luckily no one was killed or seriously wounded. There were a number of factors that culminated in this mistake (e.g. poor coordination, malfunctioning communications equipment, people not taking the routes they were supposed to) but the Army always wants to put a head on a pole, so he ended up as the unofficial scapegoat and had to fight through some unjust judgments and ostracism.
Later, as a team leader in Iraq, he came to the realization that lies are quickly assimilated by the human mind, and, within moments, become indistinguishable from the truth for most people. He learned this after participating in a capture/kill mission where the Rangers shot and killed a terrorist who refused to surrender, but just attempted to flee without fighting. The entire incident was captured on video feed by a predator drone and viewed by the people staffing the Operations Center miles away.
When Murphy returned to the FOB he talked to troops who claimed that the terrorist had been shooting at Murphy with a Glock - they had seen it all on the video.
"What the hell are you talking about?? He wasn't shooting at us."
"Yeah, yeah, he was."
It made him wonder how we can believe anything we are told about war when people miles away from the action try to convince the participants what they've just seen with their own eyes hasn't really happened. Murphy has a lot to say about truth and reality throughout the book.
Eventually, Murphy decided to leave the army. He was pretty much at the point where all he had to look forward to were promotions that took him farther away from the troops and the action. Instead of "closings with and destroying the enemy" he'd be stuck riding a desk and ensuring that his junior NCO’s and everyone below them brushed their teeth and wore the right uniform. He didn't want any part of that.
So he utilized his GI bill, and he put himself through college. The transition to civilian life isn’t easy for most veterans, especially combat infantrymen, but Murphy demonstrated the same grit and determination that got him through Ranger School to make it through college successfully. He had a few bumps in the road, taking on more than any average person could handle and picked himself up and kept on pushing.
The next chapter of his life covers his current journalism career. With main stream media reporting basically fake news, he takes it upon himself to get first-hand knowledge on whatever subject he is writing about. This ranges from sexual scandals in the military, to groundbreaking firsthand exposure on the civil war in Syria, to successful missions conducted by US and Philippines special forces in Asia. All he reports upon he has seen in person which means he takes risks,
Murphy has snuck into Syria and been smuggled out again. He has been interrogated and detained - often not knowing whether he will be home next week or in a terrorist prison. Yes, he takes great risks to ensure authenticity.
If this book has accomplished nothing else it has gained at least one new reader for NEWSREP
But Murphy's Law: My Journey from Army Ranger and Green Beret to Investigative Journalist does more than that. If you want the Ranger's eye view of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is the book for you. If you're interested in a primer on a soldier's transition to civilian life, getting married, becoming a father, this story will inspire. If you're looking for the adventures of a straight shooting journalist - look no farther.
September 7, 2020
I received this book for an honest review.
I have heard about Mr. Murphy from some of his reporting, so being able to read his story was a privilege. Here you have an honest look into his career and his goal from Ranger to Green Beret. You really don’t get books about these men very often so being able to read one was good. He describes some of his training not all, but he does go into the process of being chosen and the ones who either drop out or are dropped. He talks of getting to a point where he did not think he would make it to the next round only to be surprised when he did.
When he finally believes he will be assigned to a squad he is instead sent for more training and misses a rotation of being deployed. He goes into his frustration as a person trained and not going. Then when he finally goes on his first deployment, he is involved in a friendly fire incident and he takes you through not only the process he went through militarily but also personally. Once you read this part of the book you know the rest of his story is going to be an honest look at all he has done and what he has accomplished since leaving. I found this book to be an excellent book and very much worth the read. I received this book from Macmillan Publishers for an honest review. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
I have heard about Mr. Murphy from some of his reporting, so being able to read his story was a privilege. Here you have an honest look into his career and his goal from Ranger to Green Beret. You really don’t get books about these men very often so being able to read one was good. He describes some of his training not all, but he does go into the process of being chosen and the ones who either drop out or are dropped. He talks of getting to a point where he did not think he would make it to the next round only to be surprised when he did.
When he finally believes he will be assigned to a squad he is instead sent for more training and misses a rotation of being deployed. He goes into his frustration as a person trained and not going. Then when he finally goes on his first deployment, he is involved in a friendly fire incident and he takes you through not only the process he went through militarily but also personally. Once you read this part of the book you know the rest of his story is going to be an honest look at all he has done and what he has accomplished since leaving. I found this book to be an excellent book and very much worth the read. I received this book from Macmillan Publishers for an honest review. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
June 1, 2024
There was a lot of uncomfortable truth in this book and I’m sure people aren’t happy that he wrote about some of the things he did. Personally, I’m glad this is out there for people to learn.
Serving in the Air Force I know a few things about military life. But I got to serve in relative peace time and only deployed once to the Middle East. I did not have anywhere near the experience that he did. But even I saw enough to believe he’s telling the truth.
The most prevalent thought I have finishing this though is that this is the second book I’ve read recounting a soldiers life and time in the military. What they have in common is that they genuinely seemed to want to serve their country and they were very skilled in doing so; and then they both left the military before retirement. It’s a shame because those are the guys I want training the next generation of special forces. I’m not interested in a military force that needs safe spaces. We need men like Murphy to keep America safe and we need them to get to the top positions to change what they saw going wrong.
Serving in the Air Force I know a few things about military life. But I got to serve in relative peace time and only deployed once to the Middle East. I did not have anywhere near the experience that he did. But even I saw enough to believe he’s telling the truth.
The most prevalent thought I have finishing this though is that this is the second book I’ve read recounting a soldiers life and time in the military. What they have in common is that they genuinely seemed to want to serve their country and they were very skilled in doing so; and then they both left the military before retirement. It’s a shame because those are the guys I want training the next generation of special forces. I’m not interested in a military force that needs safe spaces. We need men like Murphy to keep America safe and we need them to get to the top positions to change what they saw going wrong.
August 25, 2020
A surprising find.
I enjoyed the second half more than the first.
The first part is his time in the military and it begins with him being gung-ho, training and kicking ass. However, he starts to become disillusioned with the bureaucracy, bullshit and lies.
The second part is about him becoming a Military Reporter and going on more adventures than he ever did as a soldier.
He exposes male on male rape and what is actually going on in the fight against ISIS. Living with Kurds and sneaking into Syria seems more dangerous than being a Soldier ever was.
The crazy shit I didn't see coming, but should have, was the amount of blow back he gets from soldiers.
I enjoyed the second half more than the first.
The first part is his time in the military and it begins with him being gung-ho, training and kicking ass. However, he starts to become disillusioned with the bureaucracy, bullshit and lies.
The second part is about him becoming a Military Reporter and going on more adventures than he ever did as a soldier.
He exposes male on male rape and what is actually going on in the fight against ISIS. Living with Kurds and sneaking into Syria seems more dangerous than being a Soldier ever was.
The crazy shit I didn't see coming, but should have, was the amount of blow back he gets from soldiers.
May 18, 2019
Enjoyed this immensely
Crisp and lean is how I would describe Murphy’s writing style and it works in his autobiography. Great stories about his time serving our country and doing his job as a journalist. It’s important that NCO’s write books telling us civilians what’s really going on (they do all the work don’t they).
If you want to know what it’s really like going into combat from the perspective of a person who is not trying to “punch his ticket” just to advance, this book is for you.
Crisp and lean is how I would describe Murphy’s writing style and it works in his autobiography. Great stories about his time serving our country and doing his job as a journalist. It’s important that NCO’s write books telling us civilians what’s really going on (they do all the work don’t they).
If you want to know what it’s really like going into combat from the perspective of a person who is not trying to “punch his ticket” just to advance, this book is for you.
June 27, 2019
Uniquely authentic
Although I've never been in the military, Jack Murphy brought me inside with his memoir. He served our country while in uniform and continues to do so in his search for the truth. I'm happy he has been able to make the transition back to civilian life unlike so many of our warriors who lose the war after coming home. Thanks for this candid glimpse of your experiences so far, Jack.
Although I've never been in the military, Jack Murphy brought me inside with his memoir. He served our country while in uniform and continues to do so in his search for the truth. I'm happy he has been able to make the transition back to civilian life unlike so many of our warriors who lose the war after coming home. Thanks for this candid glimpse of your experiences so far, Jack.
April 20, 2023
Not for the faint of heart. Murphy is candid and thoughtful on a lot of issues I didn’t expect to come up. Huge props to him for being so honest. Love the perspective of someone who has been in it, beside it, and outside of it all. He notes feeling like he’s lived multiple lives, and I think that sums it up perfectly as he let readers in to his formative years in the military to the moment he hung up his rifle.
January 4, 2025
Needing a detour from what I normally read, I picked this up. The first half documented time spent in the Army and Special Forces, no surprises there. The "after Army" time as a student and journalist was interesting. It definitely gives insight into the Army and war in general that the public should know. I'll be looking for his articles to read a perspective that can't be found in main street media.
April 26, 2019
This is one of the most interesting books I've picked up in a long time. It gives you insight to Jack's time in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Ranger and later 5th Group. Jack is proud of what he did but he's also a no bullshitter as far as government and Army brass micromanaging. I highly recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2019
Great read
Loved the book. It’s an interesting look at both the changing of the times as far as technology and journalism and how the effect each other. Also show how being in the right place at the right time. I did notice there a few smaller books missing from the authors list of published works.
Loved the book. It’s an interesting look at both the changing of the times as far as technology and journalism and how the effect each other. Also show how being in the right place at the right time. I did notice there a few smaller books missing from the authors list of published works.
September 19, 2019
This is a well written story of an American hero, even though I am sure he would never agree. He would say that he was just doing his job as a Ranger and Green Beret. In later years, he became a foreign correspondent. The book is written in a manner inwhich the reader will feel as if he is having a personal conversation with Jack Murphy. I had a difficult time putting the book down.
March 12, 2020
This is more than just an introspective journey through life as a soldier. There is enough critical thinking on how the US conducts warfare and the Army brass in particular to place Murphy in a category with Dave Hackworth. Murphy does not pull any punches about either his service or what he witnessed as a journalist. As an aside his SOFREP webpage is excellent.
June 30, 2020
Average. So much amazing content for what I thought would have been an amazing book and it was totally mediocre. And an unnecessarily heavy-handed with obscenities & profanities. My teenage boys might have learned something from this Hero, to whom we are indebted, but I can't let them read this, for the language.
This book had real potential to be AMAZING.
This book had real potential to be AMAZING.
October 16, 2020
This book is hard to review, I found the stories very interesting but I often got annoyed with Jack's casual writing style and ended up stoping halfway through it. Happy I gave it another go as the last 1/3 of the book really shines and has some insightful stuff in it. While not perfect, this a refreshing read for anyone after a memoir on the gwot from a soldiers perspective.
April 16, 2023
An okay book which pulls too many punches. I don't know if it's because the author still has too many friends in the military, or, if there were something the author thought best left out.
There were also a few out of context anecdotes with were in desperate need of some fleshing out.
The book is not quite at the level of "War is a Racket" but there are portions which come close.
There were also a few out of context anecdotes with were in desperate need of some fleshing out.
The book is not quite at the level of "War is a Racket" but there are portions which come close.
June 15, 2019
Very entertaining memoir
Superb. Jack Murphy is the real thing. The book is funny, revealing, and definitely captures the mood. He's a great combination patriot/skeptic, which separates him from the competition. Can't wait to read his other books
Superb. Jack Murphy is the real thing. The book is funny, revealing, and definitely captures the mood. He's a great combination patriot/skeptic, which separates him from the competition. Can't wait to read his other books
April 20, 2021
This is the personal account of Jack Murphy, who tells how he decided to become a special forces operator. His experiences during training and during deployments was very inspiring, sometimes scary, and sometimes funny. I really enjoyed this story. I also enjoyed the author reading the book on Audible.
July 10, 2022
I liked that the book was broken into two separate parts. I enjoyed the two perspectives from the same writer. What I thought particularly interesting and very much in need of a attention was the section in a chapter were he mentioned the unjust treatment of some soldiers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2022
Fantastic book
Jack Murphy's autobiography is a fascinating read. I enjoyed reading about his time as a Ranger and Green Beret as well as a journalist. His book is very insightful and eye opening. I like how he brings attention to things people normally don't think about.
Jack Murphy's autobiography is a fascinating read. I enjoyed reading about his time as a Ranger and Green Beret as well as a journalist. His book is very insightful and eye opening. I like how he brings attention to things people normally don't think about.
November 29, 2023
On of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. Jack made you really think outside of the box and about problems in the world which are often overlooked, especially within the military. He is loyal to his cause and stands for things when many others wouldn’t.
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