Hard Corps

the long version

At the age of 17, Marco Martinez was a thug--a gun-toting, car-stealing gang member. At the age of 22, he was a hero--the recipient of the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism under fire in the Iraq War. This is the story of his incredible transformation and of his experiences on the front lines of the War on Terror. Writing with passion and candor, Martinez brings us back to his gang days, then takes us through the grueling ordeal of Marine boot camp and the even-more-punishing training at the School of Infantry to show just how warriors are made. Then he unfolds a warrior's tale: we join his Marine squad as they patrol the most dangerous war zone imaginable, the narrow, treacherous streets of Baghdad, and into a brutal terrorist ambush that calls upon reserves of ferocity and courage none of the Marines could ever be certain they possessed.--From publisher description.