Rent From Both Sides Now: Paratrooper, Green Beret, Fighter Pilot

Synopsis

From hot, sweaty, often bloody infantry battles in Vietnam to high-altitude supersonic fighter engagements in the Middle East lasting only seconds, Steve Stevenson mixed two disparate careers into one. Not appreciated at home, Steve and the Vietnam era troops performed every challenging task assigned. The junior officers who fought in Vietnam ensured the Vietnam problems were corrected in Middle East conflicts twenty years later . Known by his Air Force call sign "Grunt" in F-4s, he pushed the importance of and need for Close Air Support for the ground troops, to an extent that occasionally got him in trouble. Steve takes you into the life of young paratroopers in combat, into the mostly untold lives and actions of US Special Forces, into the rowdy squadrons and cramped cockpits of fighter pilots. Along the way, he preaches Jointness and inter-service cooperation, accepted by the "boots on the ground", but often opposed by the parochialism of senior leaders in all services. From the Vietnam War, Yom Kippur War, Turkish Invasion of Cyprus, Desert Storm to "black" special ops, Steve volunteered for or was at the right place at the right time. He captures the comradeship, dedication, and patriotism of these warriors and their families, raucous parties and the heartbreak of friends lost. Steve believed people were his greatest assets and rewarded his troops, even when it may have been unauthorized. But, higher headquarters will never know. Ms. Joni Mitchell's 1967 song "Both Sides Now" seems a perfect summary of Steve's unique career. Patriot, Soldier, Fighter Pilot, Leader, Husband and Father through twenty-six intense years of, military service; this story captures the attention of students and the admiration of military historians.

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