A Soldier Against All Odds: A Memoir by LT. COL. Jason G Pike

This book is a compelling account of persistence, tenacity, and resolve in the face of adversity. It weaves Jason's earliest moments with fast-paced tales of survival, secrets, and hard-fought successes. Collectively, the book paints the picture of a man who is both proactive and reflective: one who pushes through tough times, yet looks back so that others might learn from his most vulnerable moments. In these moments, failure is never a consideration. Instead, Jason derives meaning from every situation, whether he's recounting a minor decision or a near-death experience. Led by Jason's humorous, action-packed narration, readers will race through thirty-one years in a matter of hours. When they close the book, they'll have a lasting understanding of what it means to become our best selves - and to do so against all odds.
— DOCTOR EDWARD EVANS

As both a friend and supervisor, I've walked alongside Jason through some of his greatest challenges. I'm consistently in awe of his willingness to share his story - failures and fiascos included - for the benefit of others. In each place and season of his life, Jason approaches his work, family, and personal projects with the utmost care and focus. His memoir is an amusing, fast-paced testament to his integrity as a human, his talent as a storyteller, and his commitment as a father, husband, and friend.
— COLONEL MITCHELL MEYERS, U.S Army

From humble beginninsg to an esteemed military career, the story of Lieutenant Colonel Jason Pike is as awe-inspiring as the man himself. In his powerful memoir, the decorated combat veteran shares tales of adventure, success, and failure - the totality of which could fill several lifetimes. It is rare to meet an officer as candid as Lt. Col. Pike, who fearlessly reflects on his life and career in uniform. Pike's journey is equally defined by success and struggle. Amid army investigations, arrests, infighting, and near-death experiences, Pike pushes onward with a stunning refusal to quit. His grit, resilience, and remarkable vulnerability shine through every sentence, providing light and hope to readers in any season of life.
— Col. JACK WEDAM, USA, Retired

I am fortunate to know two sides of the Pike family: Lieutenant Colonel Jason Pike and his father, Dennis Pike. In many ways, Jason's memoir is a conversation with his father. Throughout Jason's recollections of success, failure, and adventure, Dennis' influence is pervasive: in both words and actions, Jason pays tribute to his father's diligent, unflappable spirit. As someone who knew both men, I know that Jason has accomplished an extraordinary task by condensing the lessons of father and son in one, powerful book. This book is not merely a compilation of extraordinary events, but a reflection on the people that make us, shape us, and move us to share the story of our lives.
— MAJOR GENERAL RETIRED DARWIN SIMPSON, USA, Retired

As a section leader in the Army National Guard, I led Private Pike in the early days of his military career. At times, he was difficult to reach, but I believed in his potential and worked him hard. Pike accepted challenges quietly, never disclosing any personal struggles or a hint of Resistance. Years later, in the process of reconnecting with Pike and learning more about his book, I've discovered two things: first that he's faced enough adversity to fill two memoirs, and second that he's a soldier in all areas of his life, despite living with a learning disability and facing the setbacks that now fill his memoir. With this book in my hands, I have a much clearer vision of Jason Pike: a remarkable man who worked his way through college, earned two master's degrees, and retired from the Army with illustrious honors. Through unfailing belief in himself, Pike has acquired the belief and esteem of others. It's an adventure and an honor to read his story.
— SGT. FIRST CLASS MARK STEVENSON, Army National Guard, Retired

A brutally honest tale of a soldier's unorthodox life, a rogue career, and an often-maverick character not easily aligned with the military credo.

I Am a Soldier Against All Odds, and what follows is a genuine and frank account—the good, the very bad, and the very ugly—of my thirty-one years in uniform. Diagnosed at age seven with an acute learning disability and failing first grade that year, I was sent back to repeat it. At age nine, I was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, a crippling bone disease dissolving the bone of my knee that added to my academic challenges and a significant physical disadvantage.

With more than three decades of national guard and active service, after starting my military career at seventeen and retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel, I was told that none of it would be possible. For that advice, there were undoubtedly excellent grounds. My story, therefore, is one of survival, perseverance, and a refusal to quit, no matter what, a characteristic gifted to me by my father. Once I did it, everyone asked, "how the hell did you do it?" And many times, I asked myself the same question…

In A Soldier Against All Odds, I show that It is possible, through determination, careful application, and bold strategy, to overcome or compensate for personal humiliation brought about primarily by my own mistakes, being haunted by investigations, academic difficulty, arrests, many ass-chewings, and physical frailty. I did pay the price for being me. This is how I did it, but most importantly, how I survived it.

The chronicle of life will inspire you to wince, cry, and laugh. I hope that the lessons I learned through the course of my life and my military career will be an inspiration to anyone confronting the future from a place of disadvantage.