Send Me - by Marty Skovlund & Joe Kent

About the Book

"The extraordinary story of American special operator and trailblazer Shannon Kent, who was killed at the age of 35 by a suicide bomber while hunting high value targets on a classified mission in Syria in 2019. Of the 1.3 million active-duty service members in the U.S. military, only a tiny fraction are selected as 'operators' in elite special mission units. Shannon Kent was one of the first women to serve at this level and was widely recognized as one of the best. Shannon served as a Cryptologic Warfare Technician, responsible for signals intelligence and electronic warfare, but her proficiency with language set her apart. She was assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command, where she worked clandestinely to hunt the most wanted terrorists in the world. Send Me is Shannon's heroic life story, revealing the truth of both her work and her death. Shannon's team wasn't on a routine patrol the day she died, nor out for lunch as many news outlets reported. She was hunting ISIS cells. Joe, a retired Special Forces soldier, recalls how he and Shannon met in a war zone, their love forged during an elite special operations training course, their dedication spanning multiple combat deployments and the birth of their two boys. It is the legacy of an extraordinary woman who rose to the apex of the military, working with the most elite forces in the world, lifting the veil from the life of a Special Forces family to share their duty, sacrifice, and humanity"--

Book Synopsis

The extraordinary story of American special operator and trailblazer Shannon Kent, who hunted high value targets on classified missions in the most dangerous locales on earth while trying to balance her life as a wife and mother.

Of the 1.3 million active-duty service members in the US military, only a tiny fraction are selected as "operators." Shannon Kent was one of the first women to serve at this level and was widely recognized as one of the best.

Shannon served as a Navy cryptologic technician, responsible for signals intelligence and electronic warfare, but her proficiency with language set her apart. She was assigned to a unit so secretive that its name can't even be printed here, where she worked clandestinely to hunt the most wanted terrorists in the world.

Send Me is Shannon's heroic life story, revealing the truth of both her work and the challenges she faced while trying to raise a family with her husband Joe, himself a Special Forces soldier. He and Shannon met in a war zone, their love forged during a special operations training course, their dedication spanning multiple combat deployments and the birth of their two boys.

It is the legacy of an extraordinary woman who rose to the apex of the military, working with the most elite forces in the world, lifting the veil from the life of a Special Forces family to share their duty, sacrifice, and humanity.

Review Quotes

"A portrait of a brilliant warrior and her unlikely path to the front line. . . . Patriotism without jingoism, and a sensitive look at an exceptional life of service." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Send Me is a gripping story that transcends the battlefield, illuminating the intricate balance between love, duty, family, and sacrifice within the secretive realm of special operations. Joe Kent and Marty Skovlund share the legacy of Shannon Kent's remarkable life and the impact she made, not just at the tip of the spear in our nation's most elite units, but on all those who knew her in this emotional journey that will remain with you long after you turn the final page." -- Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Terminal List series and Navy SEAL Sniper

"Send Me is a riveting story of service, sacrifice, and unyielding commitment by a true American hero. From her role as an elite operator and highly respected combat veteran to her journey as a wife and mother, Shannon Kent's story highlights a remarkable commitment to service and a drive for excellence. Shannon leaves behind a powerful legacy of courage, resilience, and selflessness that serves as an enduring example for all." -- Col. Kim "KC" Campbell, author of Flying in the Face of Fear: A Fighter Pilot's Lessons on Leading with Courage and USAF (ret) A-10 pilot

"Shannon Kent was an incredible human being--a genius with languages, a highly gifted signal intelligence operator, a sailor, a mother, an artist, a wife. Send Me is a touching and honest legacy of her work in this world, not just as a member of the armed forces hunting the world's deadliest terrorists, but as an advocate off of the battlefield for those suffering from PTSD." -- Jason Kander, New York Times bestselling author of Invisible Storm

"Shannon Kent's contributions and sacrifice not only transcend the elite special ops teams she served with, but the cancer she beat and the gender barriers that she effortlessly crushed wherever she stepped. In the end, this legendary operator sacrificed her life to liberate a people who could not attain freedom for themselves. There is no greater purpose in life or legacy in death." -- Lt. Col. Dan Schilling, USAF (ret), New York Times bestselling author of Alone at Dawn and thirty-year special operations veteran

"The first and the best, Shannon Kent blazed trails that others may now follow. I came to admire her enormously--especially her extraordinary gift for languages and her capacity to build trust in the most seemingly impossible of situations--through the words of her still-grieving husband. How did she come by the courage to complete the missions she was assigned? Now we can know, and honor her, thanks to this stunning book." -- Helen Thorpe, author of Soldier Girls: The Battles of Three Women at Home and at War

"Send Me is many things: a husband's love letter to his wife; a veteran's homage to a fellow warfighter; and a journalist's deep dive into the life of a mother who fought for her country while raising a family and conquering cancer." -- Soldier of Fortune