Long Road to Libya: Danger, excitement, tenacity, resilience, opportunity and success

From boy soldier to paratrooper, private security operator to successful business entrepreneur. This is the story of a natural-born warrior.

Despite a fear of heights, Jason Woods passed into the Paras and patrolled the streets of West Belfast. Despite a lack of sea legs, he protected shipping lanes from Somali pirates. He faced the Mujahideen in Afghanistan, outwitted the insurgents in Iraq and worked alongside revolutionaries in Libya as they fought to oust Gaddafi.

Jason Woods lived and worked with diverse people from all walks of life, from local tribesmen in Sudan, to the Nigerian mobile police units in the Niger Delta. He worked the bars and night club doors of London and protected the ultra-rich and famous in their castles and mansions around the world. His career tracked many of the world's most recent conflicts and wars, and he witnessed first-hand the toppling of recent history's most notorious dictators.

With stoicism, a large helping of military humour and a down-to-earth commitment to getting the job done, Jason Woods survived bombings, shootings and rocket bombardments, the constant threat of IEDs and capture by insurgents. This is the story of no ordinary man, and it is a must-read for anyone interested in military life and operations.

'Extraordinary and gripping account of Jason's time operating in war zones, for a part of which I worked alongside him. Highly recommended if you want a riveting and honest read' - Ollie Ollerton, SAS WHO DARES WINS and author of Break Point & Battle Ready

'Jason tells the story of his life as a soldier, a paratrooper, and a security operator at the extremes of the circuit - one minute he's working in luxurious surroundings protecting high-net-worth families, in the next he's operating in austere and hostile environments around the world. Ultimately, after lots of hard work, and trial and error, Jason overcomes adversity and reaches his goal as a successful executive and entrepreneur. Jason's story is an honest and at times thrilling account of a life lived at the sharp end' - Goodreads review

Jason Woods was born in Basingstoke in 1972 and began his military career with the Light Infantry in 1988, transferring to the Paras two years later. Upon leaving the Paras he worked in private security as a bodyguard, and then set up his own company. He ran a successful security risk management business in Libya, which he sold in 2018, and is now a writer.