Darkhorse: Harnessing Hidden Potential in War and Life

The best book by a sniper since American Sniper.

“Darkhorse isn’t just about combat. It’s about leading from the front, learning from failure, and showing up every day to be useful. If you want an example of true strength, read this.” —Arnold Schwarzenegger

A transformative war story that challenges traditional views of toughness and leadership, where masculinity develops from empathy, grit is born from failure, and power comes from placing service above self.

In Darkhorse, Amatangelo “AJ” Pasciuti delivers an entirely new war narrative: an intense exploration of authentic leadership, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spirit. By challenging established notions of masculinity and authority, Pasciuti shows that true strength lies in our hidden potential.

Compelled to serve by the events of 9/11, AJ enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17, embarking on a 21-year odyssey through some of the most harrowing battles of the Global War on Terror. Serving as an Infantry Marine, Scout Sniper, and Force Reconnaissance Marine, while completing seven deployments across the globe and leading elite teams in high-stakes special operations missions, taught him that courage is useless without compassion.

A pivotal moment came during his legendary sniper vs sniper duel with the infamous enemy sniper, Juba–the first sniper battle since the Vietnam War. His actions saved countless lives and recovered a stolen Marine sniper rifle, highlighting how intellect, strategy, and the ability to look at problems differently can transform the nature of warfare.

Driven by a strong commitment to advocate for the voiceless and a desire to push the limits of possibility, AJ set out to reform the Marine Corps Infantry education system and redefine Marine infantry training to make the finest fighting force the world has ever known even better. This challenge proved to be one of AJ’s toughest battles, confronting the very institution that shaped him. But what kind of person would AJ be if he settled for anything less?

Darkhorse serves as both an impactful memoir and a call to action. It’s a must-read for warriors, leaders, and anyone eager to grasp the strength found in serving others and the boundless potential that resides within us all.

Amatangelo “AJ” Pasciuti began his military career as a rifleman and team leader with the renowned 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, deploying three times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During one of these deployments, he played a key role in a historic sniper vs. sniper mission—tracking down and eliminating a notorious enemy sniper known as “Juba” while recovering a stolen Marine sniper rifle. This marked the first mission of its kind by an American service member since the Vietnam War.

AJ continued his service as a Recon Team Leader and Platoon Sergeant with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, deploying to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, from 2009 to 2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From 2010 to 2013, he served with 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, deploying with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as a Force Recon Team Leader.

Committed to mentoring the next generation of Marines, AJ returned to instructor duty with the Reconnaissance Training Company from 2013 to 2017. During this time, he was selected for the highly competitive Infantry Weapons Officer (Marine Gunner) program, marking his transition from enlisted to officer, where he deployed twice to support global response operations in the Indo-Pacific region.

In January 2020, AJ’s career came full circle when he transitioned to the School of Infantry–West. There, he led the development of the Infantry Marine Course, a groundbreaking initiative that modernized the foundational training for enlisted Marines, better preparing them for the complexities of modern warfare.

AJ retired from the Marine Corps in 2023. He holds a Master of Business for Veterans from the University of Southern California and a Master of Public Leadership from the University of San Francisco, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego.

Neil McGinness is a New York Times bestselling content creator and writer. In 2021, McGinness partnered with the world’s #1 bestselling author, James Patterson, to develop the New York Times bestselling series, The Shadow (Little Brown, 2021). McGinness’s most recent nonfiction book, on the origins of superheroes, Pulp Power (Abrams, 2022), was a bestselling new release in graphic novel/comic book criticism and adopted for an American Literature course curriculum by a major university.