Upward Bound: (Despite Thistles and Thorns)

Upward Bound is a journal that provides glimpses of the author's academic prowess, from elementary school through college and then graduate school, as well as a prolific 26-year career in the United States Army. It chronicles the 'ups and downs’ he experienced in academics, and his 'successes and challenges' in leading soldiers in the field, in the classroom, and in weapons systems development. It spans military assignments in the "States" and overseas. It dwells into his relationships with Army operations, joint service programs, and international cooperative agreements. Through these recollections, the author provides personal perspectives on the people with whom he has served, the places he has been assigned to, and the jobs he has held. Behind the scenes of the 65+ years covered in the journal is the author’s formative years in small farming communities in central Texas in which segregation and racism were rampart. As a result of these adventures (or misadventures), the author has garnered some valuable lessons, which he shares in the form of maxims. The journal ends with select speeches the author has presented to various audiences over the years.