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Richard Allan Jones (pen name Rich Allan) is a former communications executive who worked in radio, television, film, and public relations/marketing for nearly thirty years. He is a published author, television, stage and film director, actor, musician, singer, and songwriter. Jones is listed in Who’s Who in Entertainment and accredited by the Public Relations Society of America. He holds an M.A. in Journalism and a B.A. in Radio/TV/Film and Theater from the Ohio State University. Jones has been married to his lovely wife Diane for 46 years and has two children. An Army veteran, he proudly served his country as a 1st Lieutenant during the Vietnam War era and as a lobbyist during the Bush Administration. Jones resides in Los Angeles, California, with his wife, a beagle named Lily, and Sunset the Conure.
Reviewed by Paul Johnson for Readers' Favorite
Nineteen-year-old Eli J. Jones is attending college and has two jobs that he loves; he's a lifeguard and a disc jockey. Suddenly his world changes in a flash, as he is illegally drafted into the U.S. Army by an old Vet named Weird Willie and local draft board number thirteen. Eli makes several attempts to avoid conscription but to no avail. In mere days he is pulled out of his carefree, small-town life and is plunged into a strange new world, the U.S. Army during the life-threatening era of Vietnam.
Eli's misadventures start with Basic Combat Training, then Advanced Individual Training through Officer Candidate School, then to Communications School. All the time he continues to tell anyone who will listen that he should not be there. Finally he’s off to Vietnam where he’s assigned as an infantry Platoon Leader, and the adventures become downright deadly. Can this draftee make it out unscathed? Or will his fate be the same as so many others who were drafted?
Once I got past every old cliché I’d ever heard or seen on TV about the Army, I realized this was a well-written story. It has great characterization, a little over the top sometimes, but great nevertheless. The reader can’t help but laugh at the exploits of Eli and his friends, cronies, and yes, enemies. The plot was pretty simple; we've seen and heard it many times, but that didn’t detract from the quality of the writing. Veterans of that era will enjoy this tale as they relive some of their own memories of a different time in a very dangerous world. Very well done.
