Battlefield Fallujah Warriors: Corporal Robert Tanner, USMC

Delta Company Outlaws, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (First Battle of Fallujah)

Episode: 2
Interviewer: Laura Cross, Rebel Seed Studio
Los Angeles, CA (via telephone) - September 2014

Extended Interview

Robert M. Tanner is the author of Memoirs of an Outlaw: Life In The Sandbox. He is a former infantryman in the United States Marine Corps. During his time in the military, Robert was assigned to the Delta Company Outlaws, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. Tanner’s travels have taken him from the Mediterranean and Kosovo to Djibouti, the United Arab Emirates, and Fallujah.

Following an honorable discharge from the Marines, he went on to complete his bachelor’s in business management from Rowan University, his MBA from Georgian Court University, and finally, another bachelor’s in web design and development from Full Sail University.

Robert began his civilian career as a contract specialist for the United States Army and has worked his way through various positions to finally end up as a business systems analyst with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Tanner lives in Toms River, NJ and is happily married to his wife, Melissa. They are the proud parents of two little boys, Joshua and Gavin.

About the book:

In Fallujah, during a particularly difficult time in the Iraq War, a group of Marines are deployed on a tour that will bring them closer together, while threatening to tear them apart. The Delta Company Outlaws are a group of Light Armored Reconnaissance Marines deployed in 2004 to one of the most hostile war zones in the world. Through the memoirs of one Marine, this touching story encapsulates the drama surrounding everyday life during the Iraq War. With a bond formed through blood, sweat, and tears, a group of unfamiliar Marines will come together stronger than family.

Memoirs of an Outlaw: Life in the Sandbox is a dramatic new take on the Iraq War that focuses more on the personal aspects of war rather than exclusively on combat. With a touching approach to the camaraderie, daily life, and devastating losses, this enlightening memoir by Robert M. Tanner delves into the brotherhood that’s formed throughout a deployment while documenting the combat experiences and daily life of a Marine. Using personal experiences, this engaging story hooks readers with drama, action, and honesty while painting an illuminating picture of both the funny and tragic sides of war.

Inspired by a bond that’s stronger than blood, Memoirs of an Outlaw began as a therapeutic way to document wartime experiences and eventually led to a full-fledged memoir. Deciding to focus on the daily life and camaraderie of war, the story captures the tension, drama, and bonding that comes with combat and living in a hostile environment far away from home. By focusing on the humanistic side of the armed forces, Memoirs of an Outlaw perfectly captures a unique moment in time during an extraordinarily challenging part of the war.

GET THE BOOK: Print Book (Bookshop)