The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have impacted America in profound ways, yet only a small percentage of Americans know what it’s like to be there, fight there, come home from there, and then live the rest of their lives wondering if their service made a difference. This Troubled Ground goes there - to the cold, dark and heartbreaking tarmac at Dover Air Force Base, to the Kabul newsrooms, to briefing rooms, and to the deadly battlefields in their many forms across Afghanistan. Based on a true story, this book follows a haunting, sometimes uplifting but ultimately tragic journey into war through the eyes of an Air Force officer searching for meaning as his path intersects with a mother’s desperate quest to find hope after her son is killed serving with the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan.

Retired Brig. Gen. Marie Goff, the South Carolina National Guard's first female general officer, provided the first advance review for the novel: "This Troubled Ground is an emotionally powerful book that offers insight into the courageous sacrifices made by men and women at war and their unwavering commitment to bringing hope to those in need. It sheds light on the little-known but highly respected task of the Dignified Transfer Team, part of the U.S. Armed Forces, who honor fallen heroes and their families with the utmost reverence. Les Carroll is a craftsman who skillfully weaves narratives from his duties as part of the Dignified Transfer Team and his two deployments in Afghanistan. This results in a poignant exploration of the most pressing question families grapple with when they lose a loved one in war: "Was the war worth the devastating cost?" This thought-provoking question encourages readers to ponder and draw their own conclusions."

The book is available at the website below.