What happens when a military family's most embarrassing moments become their greatest lessons?

One moment the military is pinning a medal on your chest. The next, you're the punchline of a story told in every barracks from Fort Riley to Baghdad. That's the rhythm of military life—and nobody knows it better than the Riley family.

From Hero to Zero is a raw, hilarious, and deeply moving memoir that spans three generations of military service—from the jungles of Vietnam to the deserts of Iraq. Lieutenant Colonel Paul Riley (Retired) pulls back the curtain on what military life is really like: the spectacular failures, the unexpected triumphs, and the absurd situations that can only happen when you put ordinary humans under extraordinary pressure.

This isn't your typical military memoir. There are no sanitized after-action reports or puffed-up speeches about duty and honor. Instead, Riley delivers something far more valuable: the unvarnished truth about service. The moments when officers get lost in the desert they're supposed to be navigating. When heroes emerge from the most unlikely places. When a handshake with Senator Bob Dole becomes an unforgettable lesson in humility.

Whether you're a veteran who will nod knowingly at every mistake, a military family member who needs to know someone else gets it, or a civilian curious about what really happens when ordinary people serve their country, this book offers something rare: honest stories about transformation earned through equal parts courage and comedy.