Writing a memoir is not so much about the craft of writing as it is about the people who shared your life with you. For over forty-one years, my wife, Georgeann, has been at my side loving, encouraging, and inspiring me. Whether mentioned or not, she was part of every story in this book. My three children, Bill, John, and Kelly, are the ones who motivated me to write the book in the first place. They are the ones who had to bear the brunt of all my deployments and they did so with remarkable strength and resilience. I hope by reading this book they will understand why I was gone so often and why I loved what I did. To my sisters, Marianna and Nan, I am your biggest fan. Your own remarkable lives always made me proud to be your little brother.
I would also like to thank my editor, Sean Desmond, who not only provided exceptional technical and thematic advice, but was also a constant source of encouragement throughout the process.
Thanks as well to my lawyer and friend Bob Barnett, without whom this book would never have happened. Your advice and counsel was always exactly what I needed, when I needed it.
Finally, thanks to Michael Russo of the Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review (DOPSR) for all your hard work in getting the manuscript through the government review process. It is a better story because of your efforts.