The First Book

“This is a story of a young man joining the Civil Engineer Corps and his journey, first as a junior officer in the field, all the way to the halls of power in the Pentagon. Mike saw the Navy’s inner workings, some of it he liked and others he did not, but he did everything he knew how to do to make it better with courage and commitment. I was able to walk that journey with him as a junior officer and an admiral. Some of Mike’s experiences match almost word for word, thought by thought with mine. Others quite the opposite, but that’s not the story. The story is about his commitment to the Corps and his joy serving the nation, tempered by the opposite: his utter frustration with ‘the system’. My personal involvement and final approval of his consolidation of Seabee commands into the 1st Seabee Division was a benchmark for both of us. This Ensign to Admiral story creates a record of his very unique experiences, spoken from his heart and gut. I’m wishing Mike every success with the book.”

“I have known Mike Shelton in excess of forty years and have always considered him one of my closest friends. If I was still Chief of the CEC and Head of the Seabees, I would make this required reading for all CEC Officers and Senior Enlisted. This is exceptional reading for anyone who might think they understand how things are done in DC but have never served there. Well done, Mike!”

“RADM (Ret) Mike Shelton offers in detail his insights on a myriad of military service and intra-Navy cultures he encountered during his decades-long Seabee and Navy tours of duty. He provides “hard talk” on leadership—good and bad—that he encountered, and how that impacted mission accomplishment and troop welfare as he negotiated a varied set of career challenges. Although his time on watch was a good while ago, many of the lessons are timeless.”

“Mike Shelton’s life took a right turn right out of college. Upon graduation from Army-oriented West Point, he took a Navy commission. From there, Shelton chronicles his ascent to admiral with illuminating nuggets, opinions, and lessons learned in leadership tactics in a changing Navy. Part memoir, part historical guide and part primer on the vast resources and systems required to support the military, Shelton opines on a range of topics from fellow officers to diversity requirements to subjects like military housing requirements. Every reader will not agree on all those broader opinions — I didn’t. But by reading his story, we’re all better informed about how the military is run, who runs it and the massive effort it takes to run it.”

“West Point Admiral is a fitting follow on and expansion of Mike’s contribution to my Profiles in Success book series in 2013 entitled Making The Decision, which dealt with the problem of individuals who treat every decision as having the same importance. The military crucible has shaped some of the most transformative leaders. He is a prime example as illustrated in his handling of amphibious doctrine and creation of the Seabee Division. Lessons in this book go far beyond the military enterprise. Anyone who wants to extend and improve their leadership influence will benefit deeply by reading and applying its nuggets.”