Never Mind, We'll Do It Ourselves: The Inside Story of How a Team of Renegades Broke Rules, Shattered Barriers, and Launched a Drone Warfare Revolution

Call me a flag-waving romantic, but I love old-school military stories like A Band of Brothers -- stories that celebrate the fraternity of military service and the unbreakable American spirit. Stories about people that rise to a great challenge. Stories where the good guys win against all odds.Never Mind, We’ll Do It Ourselves is one of those books -- and its all true, too. As I read it I felt like I was sitting at a bar with authors Bierbauer, Cooter and Marks, listening to the highs and lows, the bloopers and the highlight reel moments alike. I laughed in places (like “We got Earl”) and dabbed at my eyes when reading about Americans tragically lost on the battlefield.This isn’t some dry textbook on how to build a drone. It isn’t the detailed history of unmanned flight or a study on policy and tactics. This book is a ticket to sit in a pilot seat inside a steel box, flying a missile-armed remote controlled plane on the far side of the planet. It is a chance to walk inside the hallways of CIA headquarters as the planes crashed on 9-11, or stand in the rain in the middle of the street when the bodies of those killed on the USS Cole drive by in hearse after hearse. (The protagonist got mad as hell, and you will too.)It is a chance to meet the people on the front line of the creation of Predator as an armed platform and see how people in EVERY role found ways to bring their own special talents to the game in one of those “dream team” stories. After what has been a long drought of negative tone and bad news in the media, this book was uplifting, enlightening and entertaining. I highly recommend it!

I ordered this book because I know some of the folks who were a part of it. I thought I’d just peruse it but I haven’t been able to put it down. It’s fast moving and full of insider info—I can’t believe it got government clearance. Very cool book.

The fact that the CIA fought for four years to stop this book from being published tells you all you need to know -- it's the real deal. Reading like a thriller, but all real-life stories from the men who created the Predator program, it's as close as you're going to get to the inside of a CIA black program.This book focuses on the period right before 9/11 and the years after that as this team figured out how to operate the Predator from across the world and then to arm it with Hellfire missiles. Despite equal parts of technical challenges and political challenges, they used every trick they had to "do it themselves", finally proving that drones could be an effective weapon from afar.If you like true cloak-and-dagger stories, this book is a must. It's also a fascinating inside look at the future of war. Highly recommended

Excellent read! While the pages spill over with technical jargon and concepts, the authors craftily decipher and explain their world in ways an outsider might find familiar.Until now, popular perception of the Predator has been left to Hollywood and the media. If you’re looking for a perspective from the inside of this “unmanned” weapon system, this book shines a light on the small team of men and women who exemplify what makes us great.Technology aside, there is a bigger theme that permeates throughout this fast read—stubborn disregard of the status quo—a lesson to gain and apply in all walks of life.

.......the story behind the development of armed drone warfare (UAV) and the success of real teamwork. I could not put this book down it was so gripping. The story of multiple DoD and National asset agencies working together, at the worker bee level was fantastic. Tons of acronyms exceptionally well explained without detracting from the readability. A must read!!

Amazing and a must read. Everyday Americans who have heard of drone strikes and seen drove footage on the news to Special Operators will all be engaged by this page-turner. I love the parallel chapters by the two main gentlemen who lived through working out the technical, strategic and tactical applications. Awesome job. Reinforces our Patriotic Pride in what our warriors do to make things work.

Loved the real life story of group of multi talented people, working, through technical, bureaucracy,situational nature. Proud of brother Mark and all of the team for their commitment, drive and fortitude to make things happen and develop 21st century air warfare tactics.Definitely a good read and worth the purchase. Congratulations to the authors Mark, Alec and Michael,

They finally arrived!! Thanks to Alec Bierbauer & Mark Cooter for making the journey to tell this drone warfare revolution story. Troy was on this team. I am looking forward to understanding what I was not allowed to know when we were deployed to the DC area after 911. Could not put it down!

Seems this took two guys two years to write. It was then in security review for four years! Breath-taking detail. An amazing look into the personal, political and technical reality - that differs from the Hollywood version! Was well worth waiting the years I had this on pre-order.

An outstanding book about a part of aerial warfare and ground support that is commonplace now. Lots of teething problems however its usefulness is unsurpassed

Formed a contigent and worked as a team.They saw a problem, identified a solution and implemented a solution, even though it was stretching the rules a tad.