This book came into the world much as its author did—unexpectedly but not at all unwanted.

In May 2010, I took my new Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide, black and chrome with orange flames on the fuel tank, over eight thousand miles around the continental United States from and back to the Washington, DC, area to mark the end of three decades of civil– military service inside (and sometimes outside) the US Army as a Civil Affairs officer. On my last day in the military I wanted to be whe. . .