This book describes Mike Reynoldss military career from private soldier to major general, a career that took him to the Far and Middle East, all over Europe and to North America. It was a life dominated initially by the Cold War and later by terrorist campaigns. It was a life full of fascinating and extraordinary experiences such as commanding a company of eight platoons of infantry recruits at the age of twenty-four, jumping the rank of colonel to become a brigadier and, as a major general, commanding contingents from seven nations in what was nick-named the NATO Fire Brigade.