Military Officer - January 2006 - (Page 22)

rapidfire In Review Lightning Strike: The Secret Mission to Kill Admiral Yamamoto and Avenge Pearl Harbor By Donald A. Davis. St. Martin’s Press, 2005. $25.95. ISBN 0312-30906-6. During World War II, Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto (1884-1943) was considered “the one man in Japan who was capable of bringing the United States to its knees,” despite arguing vehemently against Japan going to war with America. Donald Davis’ Lightning Strike is both a fascinating biography and thrilling wartime drama about a brilliant and dynamic naval ofﬁcer who had more enemies than friends, who created a powerful aircraft carrierbased imperial navy, and who was the most feared and most hated enemy commander in the Paciﬁc. Davis describes the attack on Pearl Harbor and other stunning Japanese naval victories, as well as how U.S. Navy intelligence and Army Air Corps pilots collaborated to pull off the war’s most amazing, lucky, and controversial aerial assassination in the skies over Bougainville in April 1943. The Gift of Valor By Michael M. Phillips. Broadway Books, 2005. $19.95. ISBN 0-7679-2037-6. Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Phillips’ debut book, The Gift of Valor, is probably the most dramatic and emotional book yet written about the war in Iraq. Phillips served four tours in Iraq with the Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment. The Gift of Valor tells the stunning story of one Marine infantry squad leader’s heroism and tragic death and the impact both events had on his family and his men. Cpl. Jason Dunham of Scio, N.Y., led a foot patrol in the western Iraq city of Husaybah in April 2004. During an ambush and furious ﬁreﬁght, he smothered an enemy grenade and was grievously wounded, saving two Marine lives. Phillips’ narrative is graphic and gruesome, sensitive and powerful, telling of combat leadership and courage and the desperate eight-day ﬁght by Army and Navy medical personnel vainly trying to save Dunham’s life. Both sad and inspiring, this is a superb tribute to America’s armed forces. — William D. Bushnell TRICAREUPDATE AN EXTENSION: The TRICARE Reserve Family Demonstration Benefit that was due to end Oct. 31, 2005, has been extended through Oct. 31, 2007. DoD wants to ensure continuity of care for family members of approximately 170,000 Guard and Reserve members called to active duty for more than 30 days in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The benefit waives the TRICARE annual deductible for family members who use TRICARE Extra or Standard, waives the preauthorization requirement for nonemergency inpatient civilian care at civilian hospitals, and authorizes TRICARE to pay nonparticipating providers up to 115 percent of the TRICARE maximum allowable charge. For more information, visit the TRICARE Web site at www.tricare.osd.mil/reserve. 22 MILITARY OFFICER JANUARY 2006 Don’t Fall for It! he VA is warning veterans not to give credit card numbers over the phone to callers claiming to update VA prescription information. The latest scam, currently centered in the Midwest, comes from callers who identify themselves as working for the “Patient Care Group.” They say the VA recently changed procedures for dispensing prescriptions and ask for the veteran’s credit card number. For more information, contact the nearest VA medical center or call toll-free (877) 222-8387. PHOTOS: TOP, STEVE BARRETT; ABOVE: HYWEL JONES/GETTY IMAGES T http://www.tricare.osd.mil/reserve

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - January 2006

Contents Features Departments From the Editor Chairman's Page Board of Directors Nominations Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Member Books Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: On the Edge Storm Stories Our Brilliant, Bloody Future eXtreme Seniors Pages of History Information Exchange MOAA Scholarship Donors Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps MOAA Member Services Encore

Military Officer - January 2006

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.