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And now, thanks to his new book, as well as his involvement with the Brookfield Democratic Town Committee (BDTC), folks will get to hear some uncomfortable truths.
Deployed to Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Zacchea's mission was to build and lead in combat the first Iraqi Army battalion trained by the U.S. military.
"The Ragged Edge" chronicles how he overcame language and cultural barriers to unify and lead his troops to fight bravely at the Battle of Fallujah against the forces that would eventually form ISIS.
This includes the hardships and challenges of helping to build an Iraqi Army as well as the physical and psychological cost of war.
Zacchea, in fact, was the subject of an assassination plot in Iraq that could have cost him his life. For his service, he was awarded two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, and Iraq’s Order of the Lion of Babylon.
A combat-wounded, medically retired Marine lieutenant colonel, he came to Brookfield upon his medical retirement from the Marine Corps and now serves as the director of the UConn Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Veterans.
In addition, he founded the CT Veterans Chamber of Commerce and has served on several state task forces regarding veterans’ issues.
A nationally recognized veterans advocate, he's also the new chair of the BDTC.
His book signing will take place Thursday, May 4, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Panchos and Gringos, 779 Federal Rd. Go to www.brookfielddemocrats.org for more information.
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