Service Before Self recounts the troubled relationship of a father and his son. Told in alternating points-of-view, the novel allows the reader to get into the minds of the two proud individuals as they struggle to cope with their disappointments and demons. For the first time in his life, Air Force Lieutenant General Ron Cody has nothing to do. His retirement ceremony two days before had been wonderful. The event had, however, been marred by the absence of Ron’s 19-year-old son, Josh. Among the sacrifices Ron made in his pursuit of career success was time with his family. His strained relationship with Josh is testament to that sacrifice. Attempts to motivate his son led to resentment and distrust. If only Josh could look up to Ron as Ron looked up to his own father, a man he had never known. George Cody had died during the D-Day invasion when Ron was only five years old. The bitterness Josh feels is due to his father having been largely absent for most of his childhood. The General’s Air Force service just seemed more important. Josh also resented his father’s expectation of perfection. Nothing Josh did was good enough for his old man. Josh had learned a painful lesson when Ron withheld college funds after Josh didn’t earn the B average his father deemed the minimum acceptable grades. In anger, Josh had moved out of the house and was working two menial jobs just to pay his expenses. Ron must deal with his feelings of confusion and worthlessness due to the abrupt end of his career and the sorry state of his family. He is further rocked by increasing doubts that his own father was the war hero Ron had been led to believe. For Josh, things look up when he meets a young woman and eventually becomes close to her nine-year-old son. When the woman returns to the abusive man who had fathered her son, Josh’s world threatens to collapse. As events unfold, both men discover that there is more than one way to serve. Even more consequentially, they are forced to confront the tremendous power and importance of the father-son bond. Service Before Self is Steve Simon’s second novel, following 2000’s On the Dead Run (Xlibris Corporation).

Command is the ultimate service. It is a time when we have the singular responsibility to create and lead strong Air Force units. A time when our passion for our Air Force and our vision for its future must be overwhelmingly clear. Early in the "Developing Aerospace Leaders" initiative, we began to focus on the way in which the institution teaches leadership and prepares airmen for command. What we found was a wide range of practices and a wide range of expectations - a complicating factor in today's Expeditionary Aerospace Force. We realize that preparing our officers to command effective, mission-oriented units must be a deliberate process. It must develop our unique airman perspective, creating commanders who are able to communicate the vision, have credibility in the mission area, and can lead our people with inspiration and heart. The foundation of our institution's effectiveness has always been its leaders. Colonel Goldfein's work provides valuable lessons learned and serves as a worthwhile tool to optimize your effectiveness as a squadron commander. This book is a must-read, not only for those selected to command a squadron but for all our young officers, helping them understand what the requirements of squadron command will be. Remember, command is a unique privilege - a demanding and crucial position in our Air Force. "Sharing Success - Owning Failure" takes you a step closer to successfully meeting that challenge.

In 1950, when he commissioned the first edition of The Armed Forces Officer, Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall told its author, S.L.A. Marshall, that "American military officers, of whatever service, should share common ground ethically and morally." In this new edition, the authors methodically explore that common ground, reflecting on the basics of the Profession of Arms, and the officer's special place and distinctive obligations within that profession and especially to the Constitution.

"So you're 22 years old, you've just gotten your commission, you've arrived at your first duty station, you've met with your commander, and you're now 'in charge' of a group of enlisted men and women, all of whom have been in service longer than you, know a whole lot more about military life than you, and are expecting more than you know. To top it all off, your first 'subordinate' happens to be a 30-year veteran of every war you ever read about, and his rank is, yes, E-9. He's not an E-10 only because that rank doesn't exist. Now what do you do? Let me tell you. . . ." In Heirpower! Eight Basic Habits of Exceptionally Powerful Lieutenants, CMSgt Bob Vásquez, an Air Force veteran of more than 30 years, now serving as director of a freshman seminar at the US Air Force Academy's Center for Character Development, shares the views of the enlisted force in a powerful, humorous, anecdotal way that will educate and entertain you. Bob's eight habits will empower you to become an Exceptionally Powerful Lieutenant!

Service before Self: The autobiography of Master Sergeant Don J. Fessenden (U.S. Air Force Retired) (Orphan, High School Dropout, College Scholar, Firefighter, Nurse, EMT, Lawyer, Educator, Patriot, Dreamer, Father, and Husband.) "A patriotic life dedicated to service and defined by how he successfully overcame the challenges of childhood poverty, never having a father, being an orphan, and being labeled a high school dropout, as well as living through extraordinary hazing while in the USAF Pararescue pipeline, and much more."

The Noncommissioned Officer and Petty Officer BACKBONE of the Armed Forces. Introduction The Backbone of the Armed Forces To be a member of the United States Armed Forces--to wear the uniform of the Nation and the stripes, chevrons, or anchors of the military Services--is to continue a legacy of service, honor, and patriotism that transcends generations. Answering the call to serve is to join the long line of selfless patriots who make up the Profession of Arms. This profession does not belong solely to the United States. It stretches across borders and time to encompass a culture of service, expertise, and, in most cases, patriotism. Today, the Nation's young men and women voluntarily take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and fall into formation with other proud and determined individuals who have answered the call to defend freedom. This splendid legacy, forged in crisis and enriched during times of peace, is deeply rooted in a time-tested warrior ethos. It is inspired by the notion of contributing to something larger, deeper, and more profound than one's own self. Notice: This is a printed Paperback version of the "The Noncommissioned Officer and Petty Officer BACKBONE of the Armed Forces". Full version, All Chapters included. This publication is available (Electronic version) in the official website of the National Defense University (NDU). This document is properly formatted and printed as a perfect sized copy 6x9".

A study of how Air Force enlisted personnel helped shape the fi%ture Air Force and foster professionalism among noncommissioned officers in the 195Os.

In January 1943, and as World War II entered its second year it was evident that U.S. tanks were outgunned, under-armoured, and under-powered. In short, they weren't cutting the mustard, but there was no time for a long development project. At Fort Knox, Kentucky, the newly-formed 781st Tank Battalion was detailed to run an around-the-clock marathon comparison test on forty Sherman tanks to find the best available configuration and fastest solution. When the results of the "Million Dollar Tank Test" were collected, what resulted was the Sherman "Easy Eight", an easier to manufacture tank that was also such an effective fighting vehicle that it would serve for another thirty years. The 781st Tank Battalion shipped out to Europe, where, equipped with the "Easy Eight", it thwarted Hitler's last major offensive in the West -- Operation Nordwind -- and swept southern Germany as the tip of the U.S. Seventh Army's sword.