Books: "9 Rules Of Engagement" From Harris Faulkner

9 Rules of Engagement: A Military Brat's Guide to Life and Success
By Harris Faulkner
Harper, $27.99

A daughter of a decorated career Army officer who drew on his experience in the military to teach her many invaluable rules for living, Harris Faulkner went on to become a respected journalist and FOX News anchor.

In her new book, 9 Rules of Engagement: A Military Brat's Guide to Life and Success, Faulkner shares the lessons about courage, perseverance, values, patriotism, and compassion, learned from both her father and her late mother, a lifelong military wife who taught her children about honor, responsibility, and dignity through both words and example.



Part memoir and prescriptive advice guide, Faulker, a six-time Emmy Award winner, writes a candid and engaging homage to military family life and imparts the ideals that shaped her. 

As Faulkner recounts her parents' story, all all that she observed living the peripatetic life of an Army Brat as a child, she created her 9 Rules: Recruit Your Special Forces; Deal With Your Demons; Stay Ready; Devise Your Mission; Wear Camo; Unleash the Power of Integrity; Think Like a General; Own Your Moment; When Things Fall Apart, Believe You Have the Answer.

With these 9 Rules, she hopes to inspire others to be the best they can be, especially in the complicated and divisive times we live in.

"From where I sit now, I see people strained by the rapid rate of social change," Faulkner writes. "Technology has made our lives both more efficient and more demanding. I see people squeezed by the shifting economies, not only by disappearing jobs, but by disappearing industries. I see people's morals and values being tested too. I also see that many have fallen out of meaningful dialogue with people of differing viewpoints. In this climate, I find myself returning to the touchstones of my youth, realizing more clearly just how lucky I was to grow up as the daughter of a lieutenant colonel. Because the military exists to deal with challenging situations, so much of what they teach our troops about achieving success in trying times applies to us as civilians trying to succeed in these times."

Along with her family stories, she shares tales garnered from other current and former military families, as well as from interviews with public officials who have served in the military.

"Greatness is taught, and as such, we can all learn to be as accomplished in our own lives and fields of pursuit as our country's troops are," writes Faulkner.

The lessons the military teaches, she says, are as important in everyday life as on the battlefield.

"From the moment the armed services set out to recruit young men and women, they not only project confidence in your potential to be this brave and mighty, they also project confidence in their ability to draw that potential out of you," writes Faulkner. "Just think about the countless ad campaigns they've run over the years.. If the slogan 'We Want You' doesn't exude faith in your potential, then certainly 'Be All That You Can Be,' 'Army of One,' 'Army Strong,' or 'Accelerate Your Life' do. These words are far more than marketing.

"Anyone who has served will tell you that they can't imagine what would happen if the military didn't drive its troops, from the moment they enlisted, to believe in their own potential - or if the powers that be didn't throw every available resource behind these troops to validate and make that belief a reality.

"Without this belief in your own abilities, both the number of lives and the number of battles lost would be staggering. To get you to trust in yourself is the very reason they put you through the rigors of boot camp. They teach you every conceivable survival skill and drill you until you can practically respond to the threat in your sleep the way my father did in the previous story. They test you to prove to yourself and to them that you are ready to face the challenges ahead. They choose specialties that match your skills, and they give you further education and training to enhance those skills. Then they send you to the parts of the service that need your skills the most. If you don't emerge with a stronger sense of your own abilities then, I'm not sure what could possibly instill greater confidence in yourself."

With 9 Rules of Engagement, Faulkner has taken her enlightening life story and created a work that is sure to inspire you to be your best.