Castles In The Sand

About the Book

Castles In The Sand is a ‘boots on the ground’ perspective of a young soldier, new father, and career long veteran’s tale lasting fifteen years; including three combat tours. Through a series of short stories and an in depth journal spanning a year long tour of duty in Iraq, Breland leads us on a journey across the globe and through life. These poignant and sometimes heartwarming stories share the multi-faceted and sometimes complicated life of devotion to God, family, and country through the eyes of a patriot.

About the Author

Ron Breland has lived as a family man, a fireman, a poet, and a warrior. He enlisted in the U.S. Army as a firefighter on the eve of Desert Storm in late 1990 and was anxious to serve his country. As a third generation firefighter, Breland followed in the footsteps of his father, and grandfather who retired as the Fire Chief of his home town of Monroe, Louisiana. Determined to follow those who had gone before him, he found out quickly that life in the firehouse was not easily balanced with family, the military, or life in a combat zone. After his third tour of combat in the deserts of Iraq, Breland’s military career dissipated with a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, where he had undergone an Honorable discharge with medical disability. With the support of his wife and children he faced his new life as a civilian. Ron Breland, his wife Helen, and their children reside in southern Arkansas where he is now an instructor for Domestic Preparedness for the nationwide first responder community.