TO HONOR THE MEN AND WOMEN who have inconspicuously served their countries… their missions… their higher callings from the shadows, a portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to select US and UK military veteran charities. Though many veterans’ stories may never (officially) be told, organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project, Help for Heroes, K9s For Warriors, Walking with the Wounded, and Combat Stress (.org), provide our collective communities of veterans with the support and encouragement to soldier on to civvy street and share their experiences for the benefit of others.
Among these humble heroes, I am especially thankful for the service of my stepfather Jerry (Vietnam War), sister Lisa (Gulf War), brother-in-law Chris (Iraq War), cousin Dennis (Vietnam War), father-in law Paul (Korean War), Grandfather Kenny (World-War II), and great-grandfathers Merle and Aaron (World War I). The UK branches of my ancestral tree have no doubt served in conflicts like the Falklands or Sierra Leone as well, but it is the deep roots of my Irish ancestors that have engaged (ironically, if not lamentably) on both sides of the multi-century conflicts in Ireland—from the more contemporary Troubles, back to the Easter Rising and earlier. And, like key characters in this tale of Intersections, a few kin even attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.