A Warrior's Odyssey: A Life Transformed is a memoir of a life altered by military service. It's how the U.S. Army changed from a confused and frightened 19-year old Mexican American to a commissioned officer and a confident citizen. The military cared little about his impoverished youth background, or the second-class status he'd been made to feel. It allowed him to compete in a large sample of American males, in which he not only came out near the top, but also earned the rewards of self-respect and dignity. Winning the gold bars of a 2nd Lieutenant added to the change, a profoundly makeover of a self-image and a new confidence. Despite the prospect of going to Korea, for once his own efforts generated a weighty change in his life. And on sober reflection, it was a good experience of self-discovery, self-respect and setting the stage for a necessary prelude all that followed.