Long Rifle: A Sniper's Story in Iraq and Afghanistan - Softcover

Lebleu, Joe

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1599214407 ISBN 13: 9781599214405

Publisher: Lyons Press, 2008

Synopsis

When fires raged in the ruins of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Joe LeBleu, a native of Brooklyn and a retired U.S. Army Ranger veteran, was in lower Manhattan. On that day he decided to return to active duty. By the time he received an honorable discharge as a Staff Sergeant, paratrooper, and sniper team leader in the 82nd Airborne Division in 2005, he’d become known as “Long Rifle”—for shooting an Iraqi insurgent at 1,100 meters in Fallujah in the fall of 2003. That single shot remains the farthest in Iraq by any American or British sniper.

This book tells his story.

Long Rifle is gripping and moving, but most of all, inspiring. As 9/11 altered the terrain of so many lives, it shaped that of Joe LeBleu: “Watching my city burn tore me up inside like nothing else in my life, ever.” Joe takes us with him from that haunting day in New York across the world, to the sweltering heat and ambush-rife conditions of desert and urban combat in Iraq. From here we enter a vastly different world: the remote and rugged mountains of Afghanistan. Joe’s accounts of sniper missions against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in this grueling landscape are engaging and intriguing. Finally, Joe trusts his gut and returns to civilian life, settling near Las Vegas and going on to train Mark Wahlberg for his role as a Force Recon Marine scout/sniper in the film, Shooter. Joe had come full circle from 9/11, “a day that changed my life forever.”

Raw, gritty, passionate, and provocative, Long Rifle is both the first memoir by a U.S. Army sniper from the 9/11 generation and a stirring testament to the core values of American soldiers: integrity, honor, and courage. LeBleu’s journey to war and back also testifies to the enduring power of love: Joe carried his dream to return to Natalie, his wife, for six long years.

About this title

About the Author

Joe LeBleu is a former U.S. Army Ranger and 82nd Airborne sniper team leader. His fathers military service allowed him to grow up all over the world, he holds the record for the longest kill shot, 1,100 meters, in Fallujah, Iraq, in the fall of 2003. Now a civilian, he lives with his wife, Natalie, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

From the Back Cover

A legendary American marksman tells his story He could only watch as fires raged in the ruins of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. But on that day, standing in lower Manhattan, former U.S. Army Ranger Joe LeBleu knew what he had to do--return to active duty. By the time he received another honorable discharge in 2005--as a sergeant, paratrooper, and sniper team leader--he had become known as "Long Rifle" for shooting an Iraqi insurgent at 1,100 meters in Fallujah. That single shot remains the farthest by any American or British sniper in Iraq. As 9/11 altered the terrain of so many lives, it shaped that of Joe LeBleu. Joe takes us with him from that haunting day in New York to the sweltering heat and ambush-rife conditions of desert and urban combat in Iraq. From here we enter a different world: the mountains of Afghanistan. Joe's accounts of sniper missions against the Taliban and Al Qaeda are riveting. Finally, he trusts his gut and returns to civilian life, settling near Las Vegas and going on to serve as a firearms instructor and a technical advisor for a major motion picture. Raw, gritty, passionate, and provocative, Long Rifle is both the first memoir by a U.S. Army sniper from the 9/11 generation and a stirring testament to the core values of American soldiers: integrity, honor, and courage. The author's journey to war and back also testifies to the enduring power of love: For six long years, Joe carried with him his dream to return to Natalie, his wife.

From the Inside Flap

Long Rifle is gripping and moving, but most of all, inspiring. As 9/11 altered the terrain of so many lives, it shaped that of Joe LeBleu:

He could only watch as Innocent people died and fires raged in the ruins of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. As a former U.S. Army Ranger, Joe LeBleu knew what he had to do, return to active duty! By the time he received another honorable discharge in 2005 as a Sergeant, paratrooper, and sniper team leader, he had become known as ?Long Rifle for shooting an Iraqi insurgent at 1,100 meters in Fallujah. That single shot remains the farthest in Iraq by any American or British sniper.

As 9/11 altered the terrain of so many lives, it shaped that of LeBleu. He takes us with him from that haunting day in New York, to the sweltering heat and ambush-rife conditions of desert and urban combat in Iraq. From here we enter a different world: the mountains of Afghanistan. His accounts of sniper missions against the Taliban and Al Qaeda are riveting. Finally, he trusts his gut and returns to civilian life, settling near Las Vegas and going on to serve as a Firearms Instructor while assisting Pat Garret in training Mark Wahlberg for his role as a Force Recon Marine scout/sniper in the Major motion picture, Shooter.

Raw, gritty, passionate, and provocative, Long Rifle is both the first memoir by a U.S. Army sniper from the 9/11 generation and a stirring testament to the core values of American soldiers: integrity, honor, and courage. LeBleu s journey to war and back also testifies to the enduring power of love: He carried his dream to return to Natalie, his wife for six long years...

|

Long Rifle is gripping and moving, but most of all, inspiring. As 9/11 altered the terrain of so many lives, it shaped that of Joe LeBleu:

He could only watch as Innocent people died and fires raged in the ruins of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. As a former U.S. Army Ranger, Joe LeBleu knew what he had to do, return to active duty! By the time he received another honorable discharge in 2005 as a Sergeant, paratrooper, and sniper team leader, he had become known as Long Rifle for shooting an Iraqi insurgent at 1,100 meters in Fallujah. That single shot remains the farthest in Iraq by any American or British sniper.

As 9/11 altered the terrain of so many lives, it shaped that of LeBleu. He takes us with him from that haunting day in New York, to the sweltering heat and ambush-rife conditions of desert and urban combat in Iraq. From here we enter a different world: the mountains of Afghanistan. His accounts of sniper missions against the Taliban and Al Qaeda are riveting. Finally, he trusts his gut and returns to civilian life, settling near Las Vegas and going on to serve as a Firearms Instructor while assisting Pat Garret in training Mark Wahlberg for his role as a Force Recon Marine scout/sniper in the Major motion picture, Shooter.

Raw, gritty, passionate, and provocative,Long Rifle is both the first memoir by a U.S. Army sniper from the 9/11 generation and a stirring testament to the core values of American soldiers: integrity, honor, and courage. LeBleu s journey to war and back also testifies to the enduring power of love: He carried his dream to return to Natalie, his wife for six long years...

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

An excerpt fromLong Rifle

 

“Night and day, throughout September, I was on more missions than any other sniper. 

I was sweat-soaked and tired and hungry all the time. . . . I remember telling my team, ‘Who gives a shit, we’ll get all the sleep we need when we’re dead and I don’t intend on dying just yet.’

 

I remember saying that a lot throughout the tour in Fallujah, ‘I’ll get all the sleep I need when I’m dead,’ and my team would smile and Eggleston would say, ‘Roger that.’ They must have really thought that I’d lost it; no doubt, my pearls of wisdom kept them on their toes. . . .

 

Something that a lot of people don’t understand is that in the middle of hell, the only thing that you’ve got is comedy.”

Edition details

• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1599214407
• ISBN 13: 9781599214405
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240