Rating: 
Summary: a huge disappointment
Review: I couldn't believe this came from the author of "About Face." I've read many books on the current state of our military, but this was by far the worst. He tells of his boring personal adeventures in all but the very last chapter. And in the last chapter he makes some of the craziest and dumbest suggestions for military reform yet suggested. Don't waste your time on this one. It was bad.
Rating: 
Summary: Not nearly as good as About Face
Review: I really wanted to like Hazardous Duty, because I thought About Face was great. Hazardous Duty suffers from inaccuracies (especially about Hack's claims of numerous amputations due to infections in Somalia, it just did not happen), relying on far too many unnamed and anonymous sources, which strains credibility, and his constant, every other page raging against the Perfumed Princes, grows tiresome and boring quickly. It's only really worth reading if you're a big fan of Hack or want to know how some things work about our military, but take it with a grain of salt. Oh, to the guy on here who thinks Schwarzkopf is the greatest general in the modern era, read "The Generals' War." It backs up Hack's every criticism of that buffoon. P.S. my uncle was a war-planner LTC in Desert Storm, he said the same things about Schwarzkopf.
Rating:
Summary: Not nearly as good as About Face
Review: I really, really enjoyed this book! As a former enlisted US Army soldier myself, this book added extraordinary insight to the confounding, herky-jerky decision making that came from every headquarters higher than Battalion level, regardless of unit. Col. Hackworth's brilliant revelations on the self-serving motivations of O-5 and higher officers were invaluable and revealing of the top-heavy, job-preserving nature of not only the military, but of the federal government itself. I must say that a few of Hackworth's "Perfumed Princes" seem to have read the book and given it a sour-grapes 1 star rating. Mainly because of the blunt writing style. God forbid that we should read the truth about self-serving flag officers in plain language! Hackworth cuts through today's political doublespeak with a chainsaw. Part of what's wrong with America today is an unwillingness of high-level decision makers to speak plainly, in layman's terms. Dissertation-dry military books are as full of misdirection and obfuscation as a US congressman. Truth and plain speaking are as rare as hen's teeth in the litigation-cowed tortocracy that is America today. If you want hoity-toity, quasi-intellectual pabulum, read someone else. If you want the truth, from a warrior who's been there and is willing to stand up the slings and arrows of the entrenched status quo elite, then Col. Hackworth delivers in spades.
Rating: 
Summary: A must-read for soldiers and taxpaying civilians alike!
Review: I really, really enjoyed this book! As a former enlisted US Army soldier myself, this book added extraordinary insight to the confounding, herky-jerky decision making that came from every headquarters higher than Battalion level, regardless of unit. Col. Hackworth's brilliant revelations on the self-serving motivations of O-5 and higher officers were invaluable and revealing of the top-heavy, job-preserving nature of not only the military, but of the federal government itself. I must say that a few of Hackworth's "Perfumed Princes" seem to have read the book and given it a sour-grapes 1 star rating. Mainly because of the blunt writing style. God forbid that we should read the truth about self-serving flag officers in plain language! Hackworth cuts through today's political doublespeak with a chainsaw. Part of what's wrong with America today is an unwillingness of high-level decision makers to speak plainly, in layman's terms. Dissertation-dry military books are as full of misdirection and obfuscation as a US congressman. Truth and plain speaking are as rare as hen's teeth in the litigation-cowed tortocracy that is America today. If you want hoity-toity, quasi-intellectual pabulum, read someone else. If you want the truth, from a warrior who's been there and is willing to stand up the slings and arrows of the entrenched status quo elite, then Col. Hackworth delivers in spades.
Rating: 
Summary: Some good points, but Hackworth's pen outpaces his brain
Review: In his favor, I'll say Hackworth has done right by the 10th Mountain Division officer who was shafted by the army for his efforts to relieve the inhuman conditions in a Haitian prison. On the other hand, Hack should henceforward have his knuckles rapped every time he writes "perfumed prince." And by the by, where does he get off showing up on Fox News (the New York Post of the airwaves) spreading the ugly rumors about Senator McCain that are generated by the wacko fringe of the POW/MIA movement? And he has a lot of nerve passing himself off as an expert on the Balkans on the grounds of having done a tour in Trieste half a century ago. He was on the tube every ten seconds during the Kosovo campaign, all dressed in black like some Prophet of Doom, telling us the Serbs are bred in the bone implacable warriors who couldn't be defeated, when in fact the worst atrocities in the former Yugoslavia were committed by former small-time criminals, weekend warriors, and disgruntled draftees who could have been sent running back to Serbia had the West displayed any will or moral courage. Hackworth learned the lessons of Vietnam, all right. But he never learned that not every country is Vietnam.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ for All! Find out how our government works!
Review: Insightful, and hard hitting. Provides a picture of reality inthe life of servicemen and women in harms way. A 'Must Read' for ourcountries leaders, military and students! On a scale of 1 to 10, it receives an 11! Colonel Hackworth hit's the nail on the head! If you really want to know what 'soldiering' is all about, read Hazardous Duty, a truly brilliant and thought provoking book!
Rating:
Summary: A tell-it-like-it-is military history for our times
Review: Since reading Col. David Hackworth's "About Face" while toasting on the beach one summer, I have followed his work on television and in print. Consistently, Col. Hackworth gives his civilian audience a glimpse of what war is really like. Through it all, he clearly shows his concern for the safety of the volunteers that make up today's military and calls loudly for the reform that would protect our service men and women as well as make their jobs easier to do.
"Hazardous Duty" is no exception. Col. Hackworth brings out the truth, even when it's ugly or terrifying or just a little crumpled. In any event, he wants nothing less than that those at the top of the hierarchy be accountable to the people serving below them, and to all citizens.
This latest book is an attempt to bring the truth about service in Bosnia and other recent military operations into America's homes. As such, I found it one of the most gripping, and frightening, books I have read in a long time.
I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in military history and real life drama.
Rating:
Summary: Average - no where near as good as About Face
Review: The book is ok, but not great. About Face was excellent and I was expecting something more. While I did learn from this book, and it was a worthwhile read, there wasn't enough substance. There was a bit too much about Hackworths exploits in getting the interviews, and not enough analysis.
The contents of the book could have been summarized in 25 pages. It wouldn't have been as entertaining but it would have been a much faster read. The book was an enjoyable read, but I wanted more analysis, and less story telling.
Rating: 
Summary: The Next Chapter in About Face
Review: This is the post script to David Hackworth's "About Face" and falls short only becaue "About Face" was a landmark piece of work. Brings "About Face" up to date and is disturbing because practically none of Hack's criticisms have been acted upon by our military.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Very interesting book. I couldn't put it down after the first page or two. I've been inspired to read his other books -- esp. About Face, and support his organization Soldiers for the Truth.
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