and of course theyve helped me plan a career path seek increasingly more challenging and rewarding positions win industry recognition and awards and make choices that continue to enrich my marriage and family life i was amazed at the outcome im still very connected to military friends and colleagues but ive been living a civilian lifestyle for years now copyright 2018 by harris faulkner i continued to make them my ownto make them relevant to my interactions off base as well as on just as the best reporting digs far beneath the headlines the best advice comes from delving deep into the experiences that inspired it although the connotation of the word brat as its used by the general public isnt flattering i think i was spoiled in the best of ways that was a war where we as a nation really had to stop and reassess our approach and what winning in that context even meant my mother gave birth to me at fort mcpherson in atlanta georgia its an endearing term used to describe the children of officers and is actually an acronym for born raised and transferred which describes my early days perfectly some issues may even remain undecided for a while but in the meantime we can at least take charge of our individual paths to success to do so we can draw upon the best resources around us for guidance i wrote this book as a salute to all of our troopspast present and future and to their families my own especially as a result of those tough times whole pages of my journal were filled with reflections about character and purpose i adapted some and applied them to my life when introducing these rules a point i often make is that sometimes it just takes being a living example of what you firmly believe in to change others hearts and minds on a subject when you grow up in the company of its leaders as i did you understand that this greatness is something that is cultivated published with permission from harper and harpercollins publishers wed have enlightening conversations every opportunity we could get i got to travel to some pretty awesome places learn other peoples customs and see what works in their world differently than in ours i intend it as a salute to you readers as well just hearing about how my dad and other military personnel approached challenges when we were in the midst of war and later learning how we maintained peace during the time when my father worked for the joint chiefs of staff at the pentagon became the basis of my own views about success and how to attain it the us military is known the world over for its advanced technology as well as the prowess skill and dedication of its service members i may not have served myself but i grew up witnessing service and it was perhaps my most foundational experience ive assumed some