Citizen Soldier

From the Land of Lincoln to Iraq and Back

By: Robert Elliott

Narrated by: Michael J. Downey

In Dr. Robert Elliott’s Citizen Soldier: From the Land of Lincoln to Iraq and Back, listeners learn what it is like to say goodbye to a wife and three children and then travel across Iraq by convoy and helicopters. You’ll learn about the stressors, the dangers, and the risks taken and retaken.

The author gives vivid accounts of:

• Walking the ancient ruins of Babylon
• Transporting detainees to Abu Ghraib Prison
• Meeting with Ukrainian soldiers near the Iranian border
• Calling in a medevac after a roadside bomb attack
• Sustaining a mortar attack

Citizen Soldier: From the Land of Lincoln to Iraq and Back is written from a soldier's perspective, inviting you to experience the emotional roller coaster that service members and their families voluntarily endure to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

©2023 Robert L. Elliott (P)2023 Robert L. Elliott

A Better Understanding

The narrator of Citizen Soldier, Michael Downey, does an outstanding job throughout this audio book! The manner in which Dr. Robert Elliott shares his experiences certainly helped me to better understand the complexity of conflicts and wars.

Citizen Soldier- Amazing Book and Narration

Just finished listening to Citizen soldier, Michael Downey’s voice and Dr Elliott’s words transported me right into Robert Elliott’s experiences as a reservist soldier in Iraq. The impact on his personal family and all of his wartime experiences with his military family are very personalized. Michael Downey was great with the various voices required to embrace the story. Citizen Soldier is an amazing book and narration, I am looking forward to listening to your future collaborative projects! Bravo

Compelling story and excellent narration

I’ve tried audio books in the past but never made it through an entire one. Citizen Soldier was different. For me, the subject matter, our soldiers going to war in Iraq and the long-term effects on them and their families, is something I’m passionate about. What made this book one I couldn’t put down, though, was the narration. Michael Downey’s high energy and enthusiasm for the words he was reading engaged me in Dr. Robert Elliott’s story. Mr. Downey’s voice conveyed not just the text but also the mood of the author. Each time I listened, it was easy to join Mr. Downey and become part of the book, not just be an observer.

Great story!!

This is my first time to have listened to a book and I had an amazing experience!!!

The narrator - Michael Downey did a marvelous job. His voice gave life to this great story of a soldier's life and family.

I would love to listen again to Michael's amazing narration!!

Enjoyed Narrator very Much

I have listened to a few audio stories during my travels with work. Some were over the top and some made me sleeply and lose the story. Michael, the narrator of this story did and excellent job. Very easy to understand, clear diction. The thing I enjoyed the most was the simple yet complex feelings and emotions Michael was able to make me feel while listening. I will look for more stories narrated by Mr Downey.

A terrific listen!

I loved this book. It's a Great story that keeps you engaged. I highly recommend this one.

Great story with Excellent Voice Acting

My son is a Marine from Illinois. I picked up this book because I was hoping to understand the situations he has lived through on his deployments. I found the story to be compelling and the voice acting a perfect for the subject matter. Sometimes the 'voice' of the story doesn't really fit, but this was not the case for Citizen Soldier!

Fantastic story and narration

Well told story about service, duty and family and the balance between the three. Thank you for your service

Hard to stop listening

I listened to this to and from work. I was almost late a couple of times because I was so

An Impressive Debut

Citizen Soldier is an affecting Iraq War memoir that sheds light on the sacrifices most of us non-soldier citizens too often take for granted. Elliott’s story of his one-year in-country hitch via the Illinois National Guard is at once unique and everyday, evoking sincere admiration in the reader/listener.

What really brings Elliott’s book to life is the pitch-perfect narration by Michael J. Downey. Downey sensitively and engagingly evokes all the elements of Elliott’s time overseas, from tense moments navigating backstreets of hostile towns to poignant phone conversations with family back home. What’s most impressive is Downey’s ability to deftly handle mind-numbing military acronyms, hard-to-pronounce Iraqi town names, and consonant-rich surnames of Polish allies—sometimes all in the same sentence! Yet, Downey never breaks stride. Downey’s bass/baritone voice brings us along for the ride with Elliott and his comrades, with nuance and thoughtfulness. A perfect match for the material.