"ricks gives us an 'everyman' who takes the reader on an intriguing life's ride full of action and mystery. all the while in the military thanks to a 'join the military or go to jail' choice, on active duty in vietnam, the states, or reserve duty while a successful businessman, life-threatening danger follows just in the shadows." ross a. rainwater, lieutenant colonel, aviation, us army (ret) "mrs. blanchard," he started patiently, "i am an officer in the us army reserves, and it's actually called annual training, not 'summer camp' like the boy scouts." . "you told me that you were in the 'real army', weren't you?" "yes, mrs. blanchard, i was. but that was a long time ago." "and were you in the war, the vietnam war?" "uh huh. i went to vietnam, ... twice." she gestured at her own cheek mildly with the tips of her pale trembling fingers "wasn't that where you got the ... uh, oh my..." her resolve ran out. frank absently touched his face. he was able to put his fingers right on the line without looking. "the scar?" she nodded, apparently embarrassed now. "no, mrs. blanchard, that was after."