Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons has reviewed, Silah Report’s editor-in-chief and co-founder, Miles Vining’s new book ‘Into Helmand With The Walking Dead‘. The book includes passages from Miles’ friend Kevin Schranz, another former Marine combat veteran who sadly took his own life in 2015. The book brings together their experiences in Helmand and after. Miles was also recently a guest on Ian’s channel and discussed Iraqi Tabuk AK-pattern rifles.
In his review, Ian says “I found it to be really a very intimate, a very personal look at what all of these different experiences were like and I think vining is really honest with himself and with his readers about what he was like, what the experience was like. I think it does a really good job of helping one to understand what this sort of thing [combat/war] is like.”
Of course, Ian’s primary interest lies with weapons and he notes that “you’ll find little tidbits about the weapons and equipment Miles used, about some of the gear that worked or didn’t work – and that’s really interesting.”
Ian concluded his review by saying “I highly recommend it, I think it’s a fantastic bit of insight into the war in Afghanistan.”
Check out the review below:
About the book:
Into Helmand With The Walking Dead is a chronicle of serving in the US Marine Corps as told by Miles Vining and Kevin Schranz. Both authors served in the period of 2010-2014 with First Battalion, Ninth Marines, deploying to Helmand Province, Afghanistan as riflemen and machine gunners.
Kevin didn’t live to see his writings published as he tragically took his own life in September of 2015.
This edition is autographed by the coauthor Miles Vining and Kevin’s widow, Abby Schranz.
Although not directly covering the topic of small small arms in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, there are numerous descriptions of the materiel, tactics, techniques, and procedures in use by the Taliban in Helmand province in the years of 2011 and 2013-14.
Twenty percent of the proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to thenon-profit Warrior Expeditions, an organization that helps American combat veterans work through reintegration to society by “walking off the war”. Warrior Expeditions does this by funding selected combat veterans on long distance ‘Through’ Hikes on National Scenic Trails in the United States, cross-country bicycle trips, and boating down rivers.
The remaining proceeds from these book sales will go directly to funding a rifle project build for Silah Report. In the interests of the reference collection, we wish to reproduce an issued Colt M4/M203 carbine due to its use by Afghan Commandos, Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF), and other forces in the region.
You can pick up a copy of the book from the Silah Report store, here.