by Gennita Low
The Peshmerga is a fierce fighting force. They are Kurds, whose history had always been rooted in warrior lore. The Kurds and their long-fought battle for Kurdistan make interesting historical reading. Divided and living without a country in three main countries—Syrian, Iraq and Turkey—they formed various militant factions, some of which had been condemned as terrorist groups. One of them is the PKK, a group against whom Turkey had fought for decades, jailing their leader and expelling others.
Through the centuries, the Kurds had suffered many trials and tribulations after losing their land. Saddam Hussein had killed thousands, poisoning them with gas. Many still live like nomads in the desert, preferring to be “free” on their own terms.
I have done extensive research on the female fighters and their power within this army. The women leaders lived in Paris and in the last few years, there have been a series of incidences of intrigue and murder.
Here are photos of this group of brave women who had chosen to fight when thousands of men fled.
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/12/01/photos-kurdish-female-peshmerga-fighters-take-on-islamic-state/
Friendly fire
This is when a military force attacks a friendly side by mistake, with tragic results. There was one such incident involving Canadian Special Forces in 2015. One Canadian spec. operative was killed by mistake, and several injured, by Kurdish fighters.
Through the years, many such incidences have been covered up. In the cases involving special operations, most deaths were just reported without details because the missions were secret.
The most famous recent case is the death of Army Ranger Patrick Tillman, a successful NFL football star who gave up his career because of 9/11. He wanted to serve his country and went on several tours before being killed by friendly fire.
Fire team
A team of four SEALs, out on smaller operations. A SEAL team usually has 8 men but they do go out in smaller groups on certain missions.
DAESH
The correct way to call ISIS or ISIL terrorists. The Arabs call them Daesh (pronounced Dash) The word is an Arabic acronym of al-Dawla al-Islamiya fi Iraq wa ash-Sham – meaning the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams – but Daesh when spoken sounds similar in Arabic for "the sowers of discord" (Dahes) or "one who crushes underfoot" (Daes).
Due to Arabic wordplay, it could also be an insult and the terrorist organization had threatened "to cut the tongue of anyone who publicly used the acronym Daesh, instead of referring to the group by its full name", the Associated Press wrote in September 2014.
Fort
The Iraqi/Syrian/Turkey border is very porous. Militants slip in and out of all three countries in-between checkpoints. The US military started to build forts as checkpoints to maintain border security. They look like this: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-building-forts-on-iraq-border/
I modeled the story’s fort after one which is bigger and has better defensive capabilities. The US government has funded most of these forts and sent special ops teams to act as advisors as well as trainers to the Iraqi army. Late in the war against Daesh (ISIS), the Kurds from Iraq, Syria and Turkey had formed into a sizeable army and they are one of the reasons Daesh lost ground.
DEVGRU
Naval Special Warfare Development Group is a Counter Terrorism unit administered by US Naval Special Warfare Command. An elite within an elite, the unit is made up of DELTA operatives as well as SEALs selected from existing SEAL Teams. My Crossfire SEALs team, the Standing and Ready cell, is based on DEVGRU teams.
Stopping a grenade with a Kevlar helmet
While researching grenades, I read the story of Medal of Honor winner, Jason Dunham. He covered a grenade with his helmet and his body. Because the helmet covered the grenade, it collected the full force of ALL of the shrapnel. The explosion shredded that helmet into pieces, but the Kevlar was so strong, you could still see the mesh holding together. God bless the brave men and women who serve in our military.
M-ATV
The Oshkosh Defense® MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). These come in a variety of sizes but they all offer protection from IEDs. Top speed is 65 miles and its engine can withstand a hit and still be able to drive for a bit. They have rear-hinged doors, which was what I was picturing when I mapped out the scene where Ella rescued the SEAL team and the men were scrambling into the vehicle from different doors.
BUD/S
Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs training program. All navy recruits must undergo this program and must pass it before they can become a SEAL. Stuff of legend. The kind of men military romance is all about!
Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed reading Liam’s and Ella’s story and also got to know more about my SEAL team.
To read Jazz’s story: Protector
To read Hawk’s story: Hunter
To read Cucumber’s story: Warrior
Gennita Low writes sexy military and techno spy-fi romance. She also co-owns a roof construction business and knows 600 ways to kill with roofing tools as well as yell at her workers in five languages. A three-time Golden Heart finalist, her first book, Into Danger, about a SEAL out-of-water, won the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best Romantic Intrigue. Besides her love for SEALs, she works with an Airborne Ranger who taught her all about mental toughness and physical endurance. Gennita lives with her mutant poms and one chubby squirrel.
To learn more about Gennita, visit www.Gennita-Low.com, www.rooferauthor.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/gennita
Other Books (BY SERIES) by Gennita Low
BIG BAD WOLF (a COS Commando novel)—PREQUEL
~ ~ Hot Spies Novellas ~ ~
DANGEROUSLY HOT
SIZZLE
~ ~ Crossfire Series ~ ~
PROTECTOR
HUNTER
SLEEPER
HER SECRET PIRATE (short story in SEAL of my Dreams)
WARRIOR
~ ~ Secret Assassins (S.A.S.S.) ~ ~
INTO DANGER
FACING FEAR
TEMPTING TROUBLE
~.~.Super Soldier Spy ~ ~
VIRTUALLY HIS
VIRTUALLY HERS
~ ~Sex Lies & Spies~ ~
*novella series
THE GAME
THE PAWN
THE SEAL
~ ~ Children’s books as “Gennita” ~ ~
A SQUIRREL CAME TO STAY
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