The true-life story of a young man who served in combat during America's most controversal war - Vietnam. You will meet the men with whom he served and laugh at the fun times they had while you will later cry when you read how 14 of those men died. This is not just another war story, it is a testament to the trimph of the human spirit.

The title, The 3rd Herd, may sound strange even to military types but it was an affectionate term for what might be called a bunch of misfits. Not misfits in what one would term as social outsiders but rather a group of ten men with definite personalities. Men who thought for themselves, were openly opinionated, often out of step with military protocol much to the chagrin of our superiors. We often wore the wrong head gear or foot wear, had too long of mustaches or carried non-issue weapons, were found to be carrying too much money or the wrong type of currency. Those infractions of military rule and many more were part of our everyday existence. Members of the 3rd Herd were stubborn and hard headed, men who disliked taking orders from anyone other than E.O.D personnel and sometimes not even from them. We were willing to roam around a war zone in two-man teams with little regard for our next meal or where we were going to sleep that night but those things were more important than personal safety. Our goal was to work with explosives and trying to outsmart the Viet Cong's booby traps. It was and is an exciting and rewarding field that we all miss once we are deprived of it.

The main topics covered at this conference include evolutionary programming, evolution strategies and genetic algorithms. Specific research articles investigate applications in control, image processing, neural networks, artificial life and theoretical properties of optimization algorithms based on inspirations from biology. This volume provides researchers and graduate students with an update of developments in the field.

Why did the founder of a glamorous coworking space for women disappear? Her best friends will risk everything to uncover the truth in this “propulsive thriller” (Marie Claire) from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese’s Book Club pick We Were Never Here. “Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies.”—The Washington Post NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Real Simple • Marie Claire • Good Housekeeping • CrimeReads As CEO of the Herd, an elite women-only coworking space, Eleanor Walsh seems to have it all: close friends, a sweet husband, and the most glamorous and successful female-empowerment-based company in New York City. Then she vanishes on the night of a glitzy press conference—and the police suspect foul play. For Hana, the head of PR for the Herd and Eleanor’s best friend, this is a nightmare. For Hana’s sister, Katie, a journalist, this is the story that will make her career. But when the sisters launch their own investigation and begin to learn what Eleanor was hiding, they must also face the secrets they’ve been keeping from each other—and confront just how dangerous it can be when women’s perfect veneers start to crack.

This fascinating look at the life of a modern-day professional soldier gives the reader an inside view of the deadly global war on terror. Herd argues that conflicting political objectives have muddied the way forward for the on-the-ground commanders and thus threaten the prospect of any real victory in Afghanistan. He uses everyday stories to make his points: "One of the local leaders pointed to his wrist and said to my interpreter, 'the Americans have all the watches but we have all the time.' That made a lasting impression on me." Colonel Herd was one of the highest ranking officers on the ground with a command of some 4,000 elite soldiers from all branches of the U.S. military and five other coalition nations. It was a mission he had trained for all of his life. A sixth-generation soldier, Herd became a master parachutist, a combat scuba diver, a Green Beret and an Army Ranger. He conducted combat missions against the Taliban by using the Special Forces mandate to work by, with and through the local population.

The gripping third book in the Guardian Herd series, perfect for fans of the Warriors, Survivors, and Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. It has been many moons since Star received his starfire power, and now he will face his toughest challenge yet. Star is gravely injured, and Nightwing the Destroyer vows to make a pact with whoever brings him the black yearling—dead or alive. As Nightwing amasses an army to destroy him and all of Anok, Star must act fast. But as the threat of war looms, Star wonders if the current peace among the united pegasi is strong enough to survive.