Readers will white-knuckle their armchairs in the first ten seconds as they meet a man who took a direct hit to his head from an enemy rocket and walked away.

Through a rare dual lens—the ground-level perspective of a muddy-boots field soldier and an enlisted Marine, and the insider view of a Pentagon Army officer—Decisions illuminates how leadership, perception, and decision-making shape both war and careers. It's Once an Eagle meets Educated — proof that the fiercest battles aren't fought overseas, often they're fought within.

Smith's authenticity provides a soldier-scholar's unfiltered account of hardship and honor with a Redemption Arc from violence at the hands of adoptive parents to combat wounds to an educator and mentor.combat veterans are portrayed as addicts, alcoholics, and dysfunctional in personal and professional relationships. Russell Smith was determined to be precisely the opposite. The combat-wounded Purple Heart recipient shares a gripping account of resilience and courage.

A middle-class kid from the suburbs, he overcame bullying, abuse, and adversity. Russell offers heartfelt anecdotes, irreverent humor, and insightful observations. He found resilience through year-round competitive swimming and Marine Corps values.

Witness his transformation as he embraces military life as an enlisted Marine and later, as an Army officer. Russell was present for major Pentagon policy decisions early in his career. He was seriously wounded in combat in Iraq in a rocket attack in 2005. He offers a candid look at his battles with PTSD and the personal and familial impacts.

A profoundly motivational memoir that joins the genre's classics, Decisions is a portrait of a middle-class boy's life, characterized by his service to his community, state, and nation, while experiencing timeless emotions of love, joy, grief, loss, and moving on.