Book excerpt: There are many books about the U.S. military that'll help you understand our culture, history, and traditions. This book isn't one of them. If you're enlisted, a lot of this book will sound familiar. Use it as motivation - a precious and scarce resource. If you're an officer, use this book to try to relate to your troops because they don't think you care about them. If you're thinking about enlisting or commissioning as an officer, this book will help you prepare, since the recruiters probably lied to you. If you're the loved one of a service member, this book will help you understand your well-dressed, military-trash loved one. We are so sorry. If you're looking to steal valor, this book will help you get any woman you want (below a 6), get free drinks at dive bars, and, of course, a free meal on Veteran's Day. You're welcome for our book and for our service.