Camera Boy: An Army Journalist's War in Iraq [Paperback]

Fred Minnick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2010

Fred Minnick spent more than a year in Iraq as a U.S. Army public affairs photojournalist. With a Nikon in one hand and an M-16 in the other, he accompanied combat troops on missions ranging from raids on suspected terrorist strongholds to public relations events including the opening of a school for girls. Some of the stories made it back home, most did not.

Camera Boy offers an eyewitness account of the Iraq War from a soldier with a different POV--from behind a camera and typewriter. Unfortunately, being assigned to public affairs did not shield Staff Sergeant Minnick from the horrors of war--including the deaths of two close friends--or from the devastating effects of PTSD upon his return home.

It is a story of courage, frustration (with both the military and the mainstream media), dedication and redemption. Includes 32 pages of photos taken by the author

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Minnick's gift of strong voice, authenticity and an innate sense of story makes this a compelling read--and fosters greater appreciation for those risking their lives for our country." --Kentucky Monthly

"In Camera Boy, the Oklahoma native recounts the good, the bad and the ugly of that year, the scars from which will never be far from his mind." --The Daily Oklahoman

"Minnick captures his emotions and experiences in Camera Boy without glorifying combat or painting himself as a hero." --Northwest Guardian

"Camera Boy chronicles {Minnick's} time serving in an Army public affairs unit -- a time he spent with a Nikon camera slung over one arm, an M-16 over the other." --Louisville Courier Journal

Review

“Camera Boy is a gripping and beautifully written narrative that goes to the heart of the Iraq controversy. Fred Minnick’s book should be read by anyone who relishes a compelling story.”  – Lary Bloom, co-author with Tom Ridge of The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege...And How We Can Be Safe Again

“Sometimes deadly serious, at others wholly frivolous, but always genuine. This is what our soldiers experienced in Iraq in 2004 and Fred Minnick has allowed us to share in that experience.” – General Carter F. Ham, U.S. Army Europe Commander

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Hellgate Press; 1st edition (February 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555716687
• ISBN-13: 978-1555716684
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 0.4 x 6.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,013,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Fred Minnick loves writing. His first book, Camera Boy: An Army Journalist's War in Iraq, became a Wall Street Journal Best-Selling eBook. Camera Boy truthfully showed Fred's year in Iraq and honestly discussed his struggles upon returning home. After Fred fought to become a whole person again, he chose a new career path, covering the pleasant things in life, such as food and good drink. His magazine writing and photography credits include Wine Enthusiast, Saveur, Tasting Panel, Sommelier Journal and many other international publications. But, Fred never lost his passion for his fellow veterans and continues to write about veteran healthcare issues for VFW Magazine and The Officer.

Fred contributed to the book The Blog of War: Front Line Dispatches from Iraq & Afghanistan (Simon & Schuster) and wrote The Brand That Changed Beef: The story of the Certified Angus Beef. He is currently penning a unique whisky history that will be published in 2013 and photographed The Muffin Tin Cookbook by Brette Sember.

For a more complete biography, visit http://www.fredwrite.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An honest personal and professional account of an American soldier's life in Iraq and then afterward October 29, 2009

By Charles Ashbacher HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Given that he was an army journalist, Minnick had a duty to put the best possible slant on his reporting; he was forced to always strive to present the American military in the best possible light. Yet, he was also a soldier, carrying a weapon along with his camera and regularly being shot at. One of his responsibilities while in Iraq was to go to the sites of bombings and document the results, which included cooked body parts and pools of blood. This book is a journal of his experiences in Iraq as well as his life after returning.
Minnick is justifiably proud of his service, yet in his account you can see many of the signs of futility about the endeavor. He describes the position of many of the Iraqis, for no matter how noble the goals of a military occupation, it is still an occupation and many Iraqis hated the American presence. One of the most telling points of the book is when he witnesses an Iraqi man firing a pistol in the air as a celebration of a victory by the Iraqi national soccer team. At this point, Minnick was beginning to consider all Iraqis a threat and he had to suppress a powerful urge to shoot the man. Fortunately, he did not commit the act, his reason won out over the relentless battlefield conditioning he was exposed to.
Minnick has many memories of Iraq, some fond ones of his comrades, both American and Iraqi. One of the best aspects of this book that aids in understanding the problems being faced there is when he describes the strong role that tribal rivalries play in Iraqi society. That is one of the greatest problems that must be overcome if there is to ever be any form of Iraqi unity and although he does not spend a great deal of time on it, that fact is a critical one.
Like a large percentage of soldiers returning from Iraq, Minnick had a difficult time integrating back into society, eventually being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In many ways his story is typical, great anger, terrifying nightmares, heavy drinking and a feeling of listlessness towards life. Fortunately, Minnick was able to find sufficient support mechanisms so that he is gradually overcoming the residue of his service.
The American military excursion into Iraq is a horrendously complex condition; unfortunately both sides of the good idea/bad idea debate significantly oversimplify the situation. This is an account written by someone that has been there and witnessed combatants on both sides bleed their last. As an army journalist, Minnick was required to both learn about the issues and live in the danger zone, which makes his account an honest and accurate one, both personally and professionally. Regular news reporters may witness the action, but they are not part of it in the sense that Minnick could shoot back. This is a great book.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Honesty November 2, 2009

By Radio Writer

Format:Paperback

I've known Fred since his student days in Ag Communications, when he interned for a daily television program we produced.

I re-connected with him, via the internet about a year ago, so when he returned to campus for a book signing in October `09, I got in line to get a copy.

I read it in two sittings and what struck me most was his complete honesty in describing his experiences in a war zone ... from being under fire by insurgents to the inane measures he and his comrades resorted to in an attempt to relieve the stress and strain of being under constant danger in a combat zone.

Even more remarkable was his candor in describing the effects of post-traumatic stress syndrome once he returned from the war: how it affected him, his family and his friendships. I cannot applaud enough his courage in describing the horrible consequences of PTSD, as well as his courage in getting help. I believe Veterans as well as their friends and families would benefit greatly just by reading this section of the book! As a mental health consumer, activist and advocate for many years I know the anguish and sheer guts it took for Fred to write so candidly about these experiences.

I am proud to call Fred Minnick a friend and colleague, but I am prouder still of his service for our country and his ability to share the good, bad and ugly of his experiences during that service.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Camera Boy June 8, 2011

By Joe Epley

Format:Paperback

Fred Minnick's "Camera Boy" provides a realistic glimpse of life of a soldier during a one-year tour in Iraq and details in a masterful way a gamut of emotions running from self doubt to the inane antics of young men coping with boredom. The latter were so funny I laughed aloud as I read, disturbing the hospital waiting room while waiting on my wife's eye surgery to be complete. But there were also sadness and poignancy brought about by the closeness of losing friends and the ineptitude of some fellow soldiers.
Fresh out of university, Minnick went to Iraq as a young sergeant working as a photographer with a National Guard public affairs unit. With clarity and feeling, he describes his maturing into a greater leadership position, working in a unit with a majority of females, coping with despair over the murder of an Iraqi friend, quelling his own desires to kill, rushing into firefights with a camera rather than his rifle pointed at the enemy, and confronting posttraumatic stress disorder after returning home. Yet "Camera Boy" does not mire into self-pity or the macabre as some war memoirs do.
Minnick doesn't paint himself a hero, yet reports on the heroic actions of others. With a reporter's prose, he describes working with civilian journalists assigned to cover the war, the attacks on insurgents shooting from mosques, the impact on insurgent death threats on Iraqi civilians who worked for the Americans, the suicide bomber at Marez who infiltrated a U.S. military mess hall, killing 22 and wounded more than 70 others.
He works at being leader, but admits to his failings. His examples provide good lessons in leadership for young NCOs and officers.
Anyone wanting a good understanding of what our soldiers' experiences in Iraq, particularly in the earlier years of the war, should read "Camera Boy." A strong sense of patriotism comes through in the book without flag waving and self-aggrandizing.