4313 and Beyond
As boys Azerier and his pals grew up in Washington Heights New York studying the uniforms of soldiers navy officers and marines that happened through their neighborhood. When Gary improperly identifies a marine in casual khaki dress his friend is quick to scold him for his lack of knowledge about the United States Marine Corps. It is at this instant that Azerier realizes his destiny and sets about chasing his dream of one day wearing the same Globe and Anchor decal that the marine so proudly sports.
After earning a degree in journalism from Hunter College in the Bronx Azerier feels compelled to chase his dream. He attends a marine recruiting seminar and instantly finds himself being whisked away to the training facility in Quantico Virginia. However when he arrives things don’t go quite as smoothly as he had hoped. Azerier is falling behind and racking up a flurry of pink notice chits one for every tiny infraction such as not removing stray hairs from his pillow. In the face of adversity Azerier presses on and passes the course fighting against every obstacle thrown his way.
When Azerier is interviewed by members of the Marine Corps Informational Services Office he recalls his passion for journalism and is compelled to follow a new career path. He transfers to the position of 4313: radio correspondent. The rest is history for Azerier who eventually goes well beyond this position to work as a host for a number of large radio stations and eventually for NBC.
A first-time author Azerier comes across as a seasoned professional. His prose is vivid romantic and well-defined having captured his story perfectly. A likeable everyday guy who finds himself doing fantastic things in an increasingly troubled world Azerier introduces his reader to a world that has been well-documented in the past through both book and film but brings an air of realism to the tale that firmly plants the audience in his shoes. Both aspects of the book his career in the Marine Corps and military and his radio/voice-over experience are equally appealing. Without editorializing Azerier presents his story with a matter-of-fact approach that will appeal to several generations of readers. One downside to the book is the lack of photographs to accompany the absorbing account. Azerier’s amazing life is appropriately realized in this remarkable memoir. His readers will surely feel compelled to chase their own dreams.
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
