About Me

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I'm the author of four books: Warrior SOS, The Work of Death, Together Forever, and Leaders Wanted. I'm in the doc film Please Remove Your Shoes. I've blogged for The Washington Times, and I write for Guns.com. I've worked for the high-profile U.S.-led Roadmap to Mideast Peace in Israel and Palestine. I've also worked as a SWAT team leader, a Federal Air Marshal and a sole-source training instructor on a classified contract with a U.S. government customer. My master's degree is in Military Studies and terrorism. I'm a former noncommissioned and commissioned Army officer, with service in Iraq. I've been Scuba diving and skydiving; I have trained with members of the U.S. Olympic Ski Team, and I'm an FBI-trained crisis negotiator. My interests lie in helping others and in strengthening America through inspiring moral courage, government fiscal responsibility and accountability, and maintaining principles that have made--and will continue to make--the United States of America a blessed and prosperous country. I'm a father of six, a husband, and a police officer. I reside in Utah, and I'm a Mormon. See also https://jeffreydenning.wordpress.com.

January 29, 2015

There Stands A Man - by Austin Cloninger


Yesterday, on January 28th, I learned that the book publisher I submitted the Warrior SOS manuscript to made me a conditional offer.  I was thrilled to learn that Warrior SOS will be published! What makes it even more exciting is that Jan 28th is the birthday of John Cloninger.  I dedicated the book to him.  He would have been 45-years-old.

John is the reason I created and wrote Warrior SOS.

His son Austin, now 17-years-old -- the oldest of six children -- wrote a tribute to his dad.  The words of the song are below and a video of Austin singing the song are below.  What a great song!  I know his dad, who's watching over him from heaven, couldn't be more proud of his oldest son.  What a great kid!

Here are the words to the song, There Stands a Man:

There stands a man my dad

I remember the deployment to Iraq
Momma cried as you packed up your rucksack
I could only imagine the hell to come
Those months were pretty tough

I remember those BDUs and combat boots
Medals, awards, and those war stories too
A soldiers service inspired a boy like me
To stand up for freedom and the weak.

A soldier willing to fight for what's right
A captain who was used to sacrifice
Where ever you are where ever you've been
I know there's one thing to be said
Forever and always there stands a man

Mmmm ya a fightin' man

I remember the car ride home
Mom told me the news and it wasn't so good
Before I knew it the chemo set in
Stage 4 cancer left me on the rim

I remember you fighting strong no givin up
I remember you pushing through like it wasn't much
A husband's love for his family
Taught me to never mix my priorities

A fighter of a husband who loves his wife
A father striving to raise his kids right
Wherever you are, wherever you've been
I know there's one thing to be said
Forever and always there stands a man

Mmmm ya a family man

I remember the day you passed
My heart skipped a beat and things stopped moving so fast
I'm gonna miss you everyday
But I'll carry on watching for our family

A soldier a father a man of God
Taught me so much to forgive learn and love
Wherever you are wherever you've been
I know there's one thing to be said
Forever and always there stands a man

Mmmm ya that's my Dad

Can't wait to see you again.