Author: Gibson, Heath

A junior ROTC cadet at North Covington High, J.T. is at war—with himself, his enemies, and his past. But no matter how hard he throws himself into the intense demands of the military program, J. T. is unable to escape the traumas of his life. His father died in Desert Storm. His mother was killed in a car accident that J.T. may have caused. After she died, J.T. was placed in an abusive foster home. Haunted by self-doubt, J.T. focuses on his latest assignment at school: whip a new group of raw recruits into shape so his commanding officer, Sergeant Maddox, will be proud. The rigors of training, combined with his unresolved issues from the past, wreak havoc on J.T.'s mind. He has to be the best cadet in Covington County so he can win a scholarship to the Citadel. His grip on reality slipping, J.T.'s last hope may be his new foster dad, who has his own violent past to contend with.