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reviews_and_ramblings
Dog Tagged
"At first, I thought this would be a short piece of army erotica. I was wrong. This is a love story that endures through time and hardships; both main characters just happen to be soldiers. The author clearly knows his military, as the details are vivid and tough. The plot is simple: boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy faces danger, boy reunites with boy. The main character comes through loud and clear, the other main character less so. His good looks and positive traits are focused on, but we never get to see inside his head. A part of the story tension comes from that lack of knowledge but towards the end the story could have used a second perspective. Beyond that, for such a short tale, this packs a punch. I teared up toward the end, and that is how I judge a good book, by how much it makes me feel."
Incidents in Dog Tagged are based on true events.
Drill Instructor Clay Norris has his hands full. Between new recruits and a Senior Drill Sergeant with an attitude, the last thing the young soldier needs is to develop a crush on one of his trainees.
But Private Chevy Banks is an Adonis and sweet as southern bee honey. Young Banks is a natural leader and draws Clay in with his easy manner and warm as the sun smile. A combination that melts the trying-to-be-tough as nails Drill Sergeant.Clay thinks he has kept his feelings toward the young troop reigned in but finds he has not when the Senior Drill tears the men apart before the desire in their longing glances can be fulfilled. Clay tries to move on, hoping to forget Chevrolet Banks by throwing himself into his career.
Fate (and the U.S. Army) bring the two together for a brief, joyous reunion and the same forces cruelly rip them apart again, each now facing a trauma alone.
Dog Tagged is set post DADT and pre the policy end.
This story offers a glimpse of the life of gay men serving their country who were not afforded the same rights as their heterosexual brothers in arms, with whom they fought side by side.
