I
FIRST CAME TO
know of Kevin “Dauber” Lacz when I was working on writing
American Sniper
in 2009 with Chris Kyle. Chris let me know that Kevin was someone who knew the details of what Chris had done in Iraq and could be trusted. More importantly, Chris told me that he was a close friend. In turn, Kevin became one of the very few men who were interviewed while writing Chris’s book. Many, like myself, knew some of Chris’s story; few, like Kevin, knew virtually all of it.

A few years later,
American Sniper
was brought to the screen, and Kevin lent his expertise to the filmmakers. Not only was Kevin the only SEAL on the set advising the film’s star, Bradley Cooper, and director, Clint Eastwood, he was the only person on the set who had known Chris in any capacity. Without Kevin Lacz,
American Sniper
could never have been as authentic or successful as it ultimately became. Through war, fame, fortune, and death, Kevin has remained true to his friend and brother Chris Kyle.

My initial approach to
The Last Punisher
was that I might read it
and learn some new information about Chris. After all, Kevin served two combat deployments with him and certainly has his share of stories about the man we call “The Legend.” As I read it, however, I became engrossed in how complex this book is, and how much more to it there is than a collection of war stories, some of which feature Chris Kyle. But this is not simply a book about Chris. This is an important memoir by a man with a capacity for violence.

Devoid of politics, and with unsparing honesty,
The Last Punisher
delves deeply into the psyche of an operator with an unrelenting desire to eliminate his country’s enemies. From the very first chapter, when we learn of Kevin’s motivation behind joining the military, to the last, we witness the maturity of a SEAL who cut his teeth in one of the Iraq War’s bloodiest summers. It is raw, unforgivingly honest, and unique to contemporary war literature. It is historically important not only for its subject matter, but also for taking a new approach to delivering a military memoir in an engaging and unforgettable way.

Knowing Kevin in the capacity that I do now, and knowing he devotes a substantial amount of his time helping others in his chosen medical profession, I believe this book illustrates a particularly important lesson: one can participate fully in combat and still participate fully in society. Kevin gives a new voice to a substantial group of veterans being largely ignored—those who have served, who survived, and who now thrive. His experiences overseas, while gruesome and shocking to some, have not impeded him from reintegrating seamlessly into the civilian world and experiencing success. I applaud him for bringing attention to these men and women who have served with honor, even witnessing and committing acts of violence in combat, and come home to do great things.

This book is about the amazing true grit of SEAL Team THREE Charlie Platoon, in some of the worst days of battle in the history of the U.S. SEAL Teams (and the United States). I was obviously already well-versed in Chris Kyle’s story and knew a little of Kevin’s. As I read
more, I saw that each of these men is incredibly special, and that each has his own unique story of sacrifice and courage. I appreciated Kevin’s willingness to share the pages with his brothers and tell their stories as well, because these men are truly the best of what America has to offer. This is not one man’s tribute to himself; it is one man’s tribute to his TEAM. The epitome of the SEAL attitude of “never quit” runs through Kevin’s veins and this book’s pages.

Many people change their view of the world once they are thrust into the limelight of Hollywood and acting, but Kevin did not. He remained true to his friends, his family, the TEAMs and the code by which he lives his life. For that I respect him greatly, and am proud to call him my friend.

—Scott McEwen

#1
New York Times
bestselling coauthor of
American Sniper
and the nationally bestselling Sniper Elite series of novels

May 9, 2016

PREFACE

T
HIS MEMOIR CONTAINS
my true account of the Battle of Ramadi as I experienced it as a newguy with Task Unit Bruiser-Charlie platoon, SEAL Team THREE. In 2006, western Iraq was embroiled in sectarian violence, morale was low, and a deadly insurgency threatened the coalition mission. As a result, SEAL Team THREE was deployed to fight in the pivotal Battle of Ramadi in an effort to aid in securing Anbar Province’s capital city. While much has been discussed and written about our work over that summer, Ramadi was not won by SEALs and special operators alone. There was no single commander who brought the enemy to its knees. Rather, it was the combined effort of the Army, Marines, Navy, and Air Force that turned the tide of the battle against the insurgency. This story is reflective of that cooperation.

Now the work we conducted in Ramadi during the spring, summer, and fall of 2006 is merely a piece of history. The peace we secured block by block, alley by alley, and room by room does not exist today. Those of us who fought there, who bled there, and who lost brothers
there can only hope that the many lessons learned in Ramadi may one day serve as guidelines for how conventional units and special operations can work together and win on future battlefields. To that end, I offer this piece of history as a sort of primary source for those who would look into the recent past and wonder what combat looked like at the height of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Peace in Ramadi no longer exists. Our story, however, does.

My decision to join the SEAL Teams was swift and final. The road to earning my trident was long and arduous. During my preparation, I consumed as many firsthand accounts of BUD/S, the SEAL Teams, and combat operations as I could. It was my hope when I took on this endeavor that my story might help inspire the next generation of warriors. I know that somewhere there are special young men reading everything they can about Special Forces, and some of them will wear the trident with pride and continue to serve the Teams, the brotherhood, and our country. In a small way, this story is for them.

One of the basic principles of the SEAL Teams is “Earn Your Trident Every Day.” As SEALs, we strive to continually earn our reputation as dependable operators who get the job done. We pride ourselves on our violence of action and our ability to neutralize an aggressive enemy. We are not robotic, nor are we lemmings. Each operator is an individual fighting machine, capable of leading at any level, striving for nothing less than mission success. We are relentless. I tried to convey the dynamic nature of the men I knew in these pages. Together, we formed one lethal task unit, and still as individuals they were brothers, husbands, fathers, and sons.

I have an enormous amount of respect for human life. At a very young age I decided to pursue a career in medicine, and today I serve as a physician assistant. When I joined the Navy in response to terrorism, I knew that eventually I would meet the enemy on the battlefield. As a SEAL, it was my job to engage the enemy and deliver the proper amount of force to disable them. Most people will never understand
the simplicity of that concept and violence of action. Most people are not SEALs. I believe that SEALs are born, not made, and that I was fortunate enough to be born with the ability to go downrange and do the job. Many of my fellow warriors who have carried the battle flag understand. For these reasons, no matter how long I live, I will never match the vitality I shared within the brotherhood, among family.

During my career in the Teams, I witnessed feats of heroism and bravery from my Teammates, many of whom are no longer living. This is a written contribution to their legacy, as it is to the entire SEAL Teams. My only hope is that it meets the expectations of the brothers who helped make me the Teamguy I am, and whom I admire and respect.

The decision to write this book was a weighty one, and several other SEALs have asked why I chose to. Some would not. I respect other operators’ codes of silence. However, I believe I have a different perspective than a career SEAL with twenty years in the Teams. My eight years in the Navy were relatively brief, compared to many others. I joined in response to 9/11, gave my time and expertise, and then moved on. This is one thing I have done in my life, not the only thing. Many guys I was in the Teams with joined the Teams before the war. I joined the Teams
for
the war. This is my story.

During my time in Ramadi, I kept a journal of my experiences. I hoped primarily to keep a record so I would have something tangible to reflect upon when my memory began to fade in old age. I never anticipated its value when I wrote in it, over poor lighting, as a young Frogman in 2006. It proved to be tremendously useful in writing this memoir. In regard to spoken dialogue, I made my best attempt to capture the spirit of words that passed between men when my memory failed. Unfortunately, nearly ten years later, it’s simply not possible for me to remember many of the words that were spoken between us. The actual events that are described, in particular the events described on target, are written as I remember them, and according to the recollection of others who were there and whom I consulted with while writing.

It is important to mention that no classified information was used in the preparation of this memoir. I enlisted some of my closest friends at various stages for clarification and detail. I thank them for their assistance. The manuscript was submitted to and approved by the Pentagon’s Security Review process in accordance with the Department of Defense and Naval Special Warfare. In addition, the members of the platoon, as well as other Navy personnel who appear in the memoir, were contacted during its preparation. An overwhelming majority were supportive and willing to be represented. They are described by either first name or nickname. I thank them for their unwavering support. Occasionally, I assigned aliases to protect the identity of certain service members.

My time in the Teams shaped who I am today. I would not change either my positive or my negative experiences. In life, I believe you never move on from a life-changing experience, but you can move forward. The SEAL Teams helped me discover my own potential, especially when I least expected it. When I completed my enlistment, I took my lessons learned and deployed them toward my bachelor of arts at the University of Connecticut in political science and then earned a master’s of medical science at Wake Forest University, where I graduated as a physician assistant. I am currently a partner at Lifestyle & Performance Medicine powered by Regenesis, where I help people achieve their potential in a medical setting.

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