By Forris Day Jr.
The United States military is still one of the mightiest fighting forces the world has seen. It is designed around the principles of safeguarding our country, and in many cases, other countries from its enemies. Military men and women take an oath to protect the country and each other from harm. But what if the enemy was hidden, not outside the concrete barriers of your fortified camp, but rather within the ranks of the very people who are on our side? The people who have vowed to stand by your side and protect you and everything you represent. Your fellow soldiers.
This is not a fictitious situation. It is real and it did happen in the early morning hours of March 29, 2003 in a remote U.S military outpost in Kuwait. It cost two soldiers their lives and numerous others their health and ability to continue on with their military careers. Bart E. Womak is one of the soldiers who survived the terrorist attack by, Army Sergeant Hasan Akbar, a fellow soldier. Bart was awake at the time a grenade was tossed into his tent and was able to somewhat protect himself and survive. Had he been sleeping he probably would not have survived.
“Embedded Enemy: The Insider Threat” is his firsthand account of the 15 minutes of hell as an unknown enemy lobbed grenades into what turned out as fellow soldiers tents as they slept. Womak was there. His story is gripping as soldiers race to save each other and discover who is attacking them. The book covers from the moments before the attack and moves on to several years later as we discover whether or not justice is served. Frightening to read because it really happened and touching too because through the evil we also see the good in people. People who risk their lives to save others.
I enjoyed “Embedded Enemy: The Insider Threat” by Bart E. Womak and recommend it to readers who enjoy history and thrilling non-fiction reads. It is not a heavy read because Womak describes things in everyday language. Any military terms he uses are explained clearly for us laymen. A quick read too. Each chapter moves cleanly into the next in a very linear order as the events play out. Also included is a chapter with illustrations and maps of the camp so that you can really grasp where in Kuwait the camp is and follow the events of that horrific night step by step. I read the Kindle version and the maps are a pretty tough to clearly see only because of the nature of my Kindle so I recommend the actual paperback version if you would like to truly analyze the maps and understand where every moment of that night is taking pace.
Bart E. Womak brought me into the action and made me feel like I was there watching the horror happen in real time. A book from a true American hero, “Embedded Enemy: The Insider Threat” is a look into the lives of our fighting soldiers as many have never seen.
Rating: 8.5/10 – “Sometimes the enemy is hidden in plain view”
Purchase “Embedded Enemy: The Insider Threat” by Bart E. Womak