To purchase a copy of the book:
The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education
Event:
Today
3:00 p.m.
Pritzker Military Library
610 N. Fairbanks Court
Chicago
pritzkermilitarylibrary.org www.craigmmullaney.com
About the book-
A West Point grad, Rhodes scholar, and Army Ranger recounts his unparalleled education in the art of war and reckons with the hard wisdom that only battle itself can bestow.
One haunting afternoon on Losano Ridge in Afghanistan, Captain Craig Mullaney and his platoon were caught in a deadly firefight with Al Qaeda fighters when a message came over the radio: one of his soldiers had been killed in action.
Mullaney's education had been relentlessly preparing him for this moment. The four years he spent at West Point and the harrowing test of Ranger School readied him for a career in the Army. His subsequent experience as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford couldn't have been further from the Army and his working class roots, and yet the unorthodox education he received there would be surprisingly relevant as a combat leader. Years later, after that unforgettable experience in Afghanistan, he would return to the United States to teach history to future Navy and Marine Corps officers at the Naval Academy. He had been in their position once, and he had put his education to the test. How would he use his own life-changing experience prepare them?
The Unforgiving Minute is the extraordinary story of one soldier's singular education. From a hilarious plebe's-eye view of the author's West Point experience to the demanding leadership crucible of Ranger School's swamps and mountains, to a two-year whirlwind of scintillating debate, pub crawls, and romance at Oxford, Mullaney's winding path to the battlegrounds of Afghanistan was unique and remarkable. Despite all his preparation, the hardest questions remained. When the call came to lead his platoon into battle and earn his soldiers' salutes, would he be ready? Was his education sufficient for the unforgiving minutes he'd face? A fascinating account of an Army captain's unusual path through some of the most legendary seats of learning straight into a brutal fight with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, The Unforgiving Minute is, above all, an unforgettable portrait of a young soldier grappling with the weight of his hard-earned knowledge while coming to grips with becoming a man.
About Craig-
Craig M. Mullaney was appointed Principal Director of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia Policy at the Department of Defense in May 2009. He was previously the Chief of Staff for the Department of Defense Transition Team. Prior to joining the Department of Defense, Mullaney was President Obama's defense policy advisor during the 2008 presidential campaign.
Mullaney graduated second in his class from the United States Military Academy. After completing Ranger School, he continued to the University of Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship. At Oxford, he completed masters degrees in diplomatic and economic history.
In 2003, Mullaney led an infantry rifle platoon along the hostile border between Afghanistan and Pakistan with the 10th Mountain Division as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. His platoon operated along the entire spectrum of military operations--from humanitarian assistance with the first Provincial Reconstruction Team established in Afghanistan to combat engagements against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Following his return to the United States, Mullaney joined the elite 3rd Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard," in Arlington, Virginia, responsible for Arlington National Cemetery burials, the Tomb of the Unknowns, and defense of the National Capital Region. He served for three years on the history faculty of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Mullaney's military decorations include the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal with "V" device, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Ranger Tab, and Parachutist Badge.
Mullaney is the author of the 2009 New York Times bestseller The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education. He has appeared on The Charlie Rose Show, The CBS Early Show, BBC World News America, National Public Radio, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He has lectured at Harvard Business School, U.S. Southern Command, military service academies, and business forums.
He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Meena.
The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education
Today
3:00 p.m.
Pritzker Military Library
610 N. Fairbanks Court
Chicago
pritzkermilitarylibrary.org www.craigmmullaney.com
About the book-
A West Point grad, Rhodes scholar, and Army Ranger recounts his unparalleled education in the art of war and reckons with the hard wisdom that only battle itself can bestow.
One haunting afternoon on Losano Ridge in Afghanistan, Captain Craig Mullaney and his platoon were caught in a deadly firefight with Al Qaeda fighters when a message came over the radio: one of his soldiers had been killed in action.
Mullaney's education had been relentlessly preparing him for this moment. The four years he spent at West Point and the harrowing test of Ranger School readied him for a career in the Army. His subsequent experience as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford couldn't have been further from the Army and his working class roots, and yet the unorthodox education he received there would be surprisingly relevant as a combat leader. Years later, after that unforgettable experience in Afghanistan, he would return to the United States to teach history to future Navy and Marine Corps officers at the Naval Academy. He had been in their position once, and he had put his education to the test. How would he use his own life-changing experience prepare them?
The Unforgiving Minute is the extraordinary story of one soldier's singular education. From a hilarious plebe's-eye view of the author's West Point experience to the demanding leadership crucible of Ranger School's swamps and mountains, to a two-year whirlwind of scintillating debate, pub crawls, and romance at Oxford, Mullaney's winding path to the battlegrounds of Afghanistan was unique and remarkable. Despite all his preparation, the hardest questions remained. When the call came to lead his platoon into battle and earn his soldiers' salutes, would he be ready? Was his education sufficient for the unforgiving minutes he'd face? A fascinating account of an Army captain's unusual path through some of the most legendary seats of learning straight into a brutal fight with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, The Unforgiving Minute is, above all, an unforgettable portrait of a young soldier grappling with the weight of his hard-earned knowledge while coming to grips with becoming a man.
About Craig-
Craig M. Mullaney was appointed Principal Director of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia Policy at the Department of Defense in May 2009. He was previously the Chief of Staff for the Department of Defense Transition Team. Prior to joining the Department of Defense, Mullaney was President Obama's defense policy advisor during the 2008 presidential campaign.
Mullaney graduated second in his class from the United States Military Academy. After completing Ranger School, he continued to the University of Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship. At Oxford, he completed masters degrees in diplomatic and economic history.
In 2003, Mullaney led an infantry rifle platoon along the hostile border between Afghanistan and Pakistan with the 10th Mountain Division as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. His platoon operated along the entire spectrum of military operations--from humanitarian assistance with the first Provincial Reconstruction Team established in Afghanistan to combat engagements against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Following his return to the United States, Mullaney joined the elite 3rd Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard," in Arlington, Virginia, responsible for Arlington National Cemetery burials, the Tomb of the Unknowns, and defense of the National Capital Region. He served for three years on the history faculty of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Mullaney's military decorations include the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal with "V" device, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Ranger Tab, and Parachutist Badge.
Mullaney is the author of the 2009 New York Times bestseller The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education. He has appeared on The Charlie Rose Show, The CBS Early Show, BBC World News America, National Public Radio, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He has lectured at Harvard Business School, U.S. Southern Command, military service academies, and business forums.
He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Meena.
