Military Officer - July 2006 - (Page 22) rapidfire Data Stolen In Review The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the Third World By Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin. Basic Books, 2005. $29.95. ISBN 0-46500311-7. S ome 26.5 million veterans were placed in jeopardy when a thief stole electronic data, including names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth, from the home of a VA employee. VA Secretary R. James Nicholson said the employee was not authorized to take home the information, and he has been placed on leave pending the outcome of an investigation. Authorities say it’s unlikely the burglars had knowledge of the data contents, but the VA is urging veterans to protect themseves. ■ Monitor bank statements, credit card statements, and any statement relating to recent financial transactions. ■ If you find suspicious activity, contact one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, (888) 525-6285; Experian, (888) 397-3742; and TransUnion, (800) 680-7289. ■ The VA has set up a Web site and phone number. Visit www.va.gov/opa or call (800) FED-INFO (333-4636). To find out more about the situation and read tips about what steps you can take, visit www.moaa.org/security. and economic sabotage, informers, spies, and proxies to foment communistinspired wars of national liberation. This volume is a companion to the authors’ The Sword and the Shield, about KGB operations in America and Europe. One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer By Nathaniel Fick. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2005. $25. ISBN 0-618-55613-3. Way to Go MOAA’s sixth annual career fair, held May 2 in Washington, D.C., was a great success, with 195 employers and more than 1,100 job seekers attending. For more information on the career fair, visit MOAA’s Web Base at www.moaa.org/tops. 22 MILITARY OFFICER J U LY 2 0 0 6 Based on classified KGB archives provided by defector Vasili Mitrokhin, Christopher Andrew describes 40 years of KGB operations in the Third World. Detailed KGB activities in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East are showcased, highlighting KGB operations that at times were clever and effective, and at other times were laughable and naive. This is a scholarly, academic work, a bit wordy and dry but revealing of Soviet and KGB paranoia regarding Western intentions and capabilities during the Cold War. Andrew tells how the KGB enjoyed numerous tactical successes but ultimately suffered strategic defeat in the Third World. Andrew sharply highlights the KGB’s ruthless and opportunistic use of propaganda, assassination, subversion, political In harsh deserts, rugged mountains, and teeming cities, Marine Lt. Nathaniel Fick discovered that “combat command is the loneliest job in the world.” This is Fick’s vividly visceral memoir of his years as a young infantry officer leading Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq. With refreshing candor, Fick describes his experiences fighting a merciless enemy in a brutal war. Fick leads his men in successful attacks and out of some nearly disastrous foul-ups. He also describes combat’s adrenaline rush; the effects of fatigue, stress, and task saturation; and the heady responsibility of combat leadership. — William D. Bushnell IMAGES: CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT, STEVE BARRETT; KITTY EVARTS; STEVE BARRETT http://www.va.gov/opa http://www.moaa.org/security http://www.moaa.org/tops
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.