Barry Sadler’s “The Ballad of the Green Berets” was one of the top hits of 1966. The U.S. Army Green Berets became legendary because of that song. The lyrics “Silver wings upon their chest, these are men, America's best” exemplifies Robert Howard.

Audie Murphy is the most decorated soldier in American history. Robert Howard is not far behind. As a leader, Howard selflessly served his men. He was wounded 14 times, often while carrying one of them to an evacuation helicopter. Men felt safer in combat when he was there. He brought out the best in them.

He volunteered for dangerous missions. At one time in Vietnam Howard was the supply room orderly. He kept his loaded backpack and rifle in the supply room so that if needed, he could leave immediately on a mission. He was fearless, as witnessed by the men around him in the heaviest fighting.

Robert Howard reminds me of my own father, Winston Howard (no relation to Robert Howard), because like my father, Robert Howard didn’t care about recognition and awards. Robert Howard “was the most humble of any of us senior officers that I had ever come across,” said Army Captain Paul Wiseman.

In addition to medals, Robert Howard received the highest award--the respect and love of the men in his outfit. The book is inspiring me to follow Robert Howard’s example and to strive for excellence.

I must admit my knowledge of the Vietnamese war is sadly lacking. Beyond The Call Of Duty helped rectify that lacking. Mr. Moore painted a very clear picture of Colonel Robert Howard, both as a man and as a soldier. We see the dedication of Colonel Howard to his duty and to the men with whom he serves. Medal of Honor recipients are a rare and honorable breed, and Mr. Moore makes clear why the honor was awarded to Col. Howard. This is a book of war in human suffering, so it is not an easy read. But it will help anyone wanting to know more about this soldier, this war, and human nature.

What an outstanding story of a truly great American hero! This book should be read by all. It is a story of an individual who refused to run and cared for the well-being of his fellow comrades in arms. The hardships and wounds he endured for our country was heartbreaking and inspirational at the same time. This is a great read about a truly great person!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A true story about a man who goes on to become the most decorated special forces soldier in Vietnam. Takes you from his early years with his grandmother to enlisting in the Army to finally getting into the Green Berets. Then goes into the different people he met and fought with along with the different missions that they all went on. Most were with SOG but the author gives everyone from pilots to medical, just everyone. Some stories are funny and some are serious. Overall a very good book and worth the read.

A glimpse into the heroic life of Bob Howard - the most decorated Special Forces soldier of the Vietnam War. He was a man dedicated to doing his job and serving his country and fellow soldiers. It’s important to learn about these heroes given they were not given their due upon their return. It’s the story of service and sacrifice. Thanks to NetGalley for this story.

Beyond the Call of Duty by Stephen L. Moore was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. Being prior military I often read books about military personnel or missions. This non fiction book seemed well researched and COL Howard seemed to be a "mans man" in the military realm, how low we have fallen though. If you, or someone you buy gifts for enjoys Vietnam era books, books about real American heroes or simply action books that don't get boring with inane dialogue, certainly give this book a read.

Beyond the Call of Duty: The Life of Colonel Robert Howard, America’s Most Decorated Green Beret by Stephen L. Moore

This narrative nonfiction read celebrated Colonel Robert Howard and all his accomplishments. It was evident Moore did his research and left no stone unturned in this account.

As someone who only periodically reads these, I wished for something that could explain the rankings of the military as well as an explanation for the awards. While I was more than impressed, as a more casual reader, I would have understood more if it had been listed out. Also, while I found Howard’s military career focus to be well done, I was searching for some more personal connections. I wanted to know Howard as a person and not just a hero.

All in all, this nonfiction read was well done and I’m in awe of the soldier Howard was. Regular readers of military nonfiction will find this one very successful.

An excellent read about an incredible man! We're so lucky to have warriors like Colonel Howard in our country. Excellent story, easy to read, hard to put down, full of wild action. I've worked with a former member of SOG. The intensity in his eyes, the awareness of his surroundings at all times, and just the general aura he projected were amazing. They were a special breed. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for a fair review. In this case, I can't recommend the book highly enough!

This was an absolutely fantastic book! I loved it from cover to cover. I thought Stephen Moore's story of his military career was fascinating and I learned so much about the war in Vietnam. I highly recommend this book and I will be sharing it with my audience. Thank you for the opportunity to read it early.

Sometimes I regret getting books like this because I know the subject will keep me reading all night. That is the case for this book. Col. Howard is a true hero in every sense of the word. What to know what real heroism looks like? Read this book.