Writing 1-800-FOR-VETERANS-ONLY just happened while writing 1-800-OH-MY-DONALD. I had to do something for Veterans. I had started a Veterans Visiting Veterans mission in my church and at an assisted living home got some veterans to share. And share they did. Wow… humbling tales of WWII and Korea… all were so anxious to talk. And in a private atmosphere, no beer, the stories poured out. Veterans need veterans. This book is to all who are alone regardless of age. And to those I call again to serve them. We all have our tales. Included are some of mine. Veterans’ tales are gifts to us all, yet unopened. An excellent book for vets and non-vets alike. I especially agreed with the chapter "The Hand' because when this USMC veteran returned home there were no handshakes or high fives but plenty of shaken fists.I'm reminded of a verse from "Where No One Stands Alone""Hold my hand all the way every hour every dayFrom here to the great unknownTake my hand let me standWhere no one stands alone."There are two photos of hands representing two distinct eras:The first is a stained glass window in a Chapel at Paris Island. S.C., with The Hand of God holding 12 Marines from my unit who were killed on Jan. 20, 1968 in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam.The second is a marble work entitled "Hand in Hand" that stands at the entrance of a children's rehabilitation clinic in Dong Ha, Vietnam, just a few miles from the site where the above Marines were killed.Floyd Killough, USMC (Ret.) One need only look into the night sky to recognize that there is brilliance in chaos. One need only read this book to realize the same. Intertwined in stories, random thoughts, and opinions one will find extraordinary pearls of wisdom in here..........and a lot of them. Chris is brilliant.Navy SEAL Commander I will always have a special place in my heart for our veterans. Growing up in a military family, I spent my childhood years living on various Air Force bases, learning the lingo, and exploring the far corners of the world while my father flew various missions in both peacetime and conflict. This upbringing has given me a love and appreciation of anything written about the military, whether it be a Tom Clancy thriller or a World War II biography. Author Chris Bent has written some wonderful books in the past few years and I simply love his latest, "1-800-For-Veterans-Only". Bent definitely has a way with words and his short essays on a variety of topics are conversational, often very witty, and sometimes quite touching. There are so many things that are touched on in this read that it would be impossible not to strike a chord with someone who has had any connection to the military over their lifetime, myself included. From thoughts on enlisting, experiences at boot camp, early days in the service and the uncertainties faced, to the battleground itself. Bent discusses not only what it's like to come home after a deployment, but the experiences of being a veteran and some of the darker aspects of this that we see in our country today. One of the things that I found most inspiring about Bent's latest was his ability to speak directly to those veterans who may be out there and possibly struggling. There is some very sage wisdom in this one and it certainly has the potential to turn some lives around. Very well done.Review By TLF Reader This is meant to be a book for just one person.  If just that one person is touched in some way to make their journey better, then the effort is not in vain. Each one of us can look back to one moment that changed our direction for the better. May this book, a collection of my writs and wit, find that pair of eyes. I am a veteran. I have not had the pain and disappointment somany others have endured. This isintended to serve the veteran who reads this.Perhaps a chapter will be a stepping stone for some. I have had the humble honor to have been amember of the Naval Special Warfare community.I was an officer in UDT-21, Underwater Demolition Team 21. UDT-21 became Seal Team 4 two decades later. From Hell Week to Apollo and Geminirecoveries it was quite a journey. Neverin combat, but life has a way of challenging us all in other ways. I am humbled before my brothers who have beenthe tip of the spear and every veteran who dared to be one. Veterans tend to be silent about theirjourney. Veterans deserve more than they are getting. I hope this book helps. Thank you for your service. God BlessAmerica. Chris Bent graduated from Yale and became a Navy "Frogman" graduating from BUD/S Class 31E, Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL School.  He was an officer in Underwater Demolition Team 21 which eventually became Navy SEAL Team4 in 1984.  He had the honor of recovering several spacecraft, including Gemini 6/7 & AS-201, the very first Apollo Spacecraft to go into space.   After the Navy he worked in retailing in various stores including Lord & Taylor, B. Altman, Brooks Bros, J.CREW, and even the World Wrestling Federation.   He and