This anthology of poetry is rich with emotion, vibrant with diversity and strong with sentiment. The poems tell stories everyone should read, to gain insights into the minds, hearts and souls of our warriors who have defended our great country, Australia.

The editors, Warrant Officer Paul Barrett and Kerry B Collison have been most successful in setting out these captivating tales in a well blended mix of irony, humour and the horror of war, allowing the reader to empathise and identify with the authors.

This collection is an important anthology. It captures the essence of the human spirit and the warriors behind the poems themselves.

I commend this book for you to read.

Lieutenant General P.J. Cosgrove, AC, MC, Chief of Army