For the second year in a row, the biography of a military Christian has made the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s official “Reading List.”  Last year, it was Unbroken, the story of Louis Zamperini, the Olympic athlete turned bombardier turned POW — a man who eventually became a Christian and returned to meet his former torturers.

This year, General Mark Welsh’s first list contains Lee Ellis’ Leading with Honor, previously reviewed here.  The Air Force write up says

How did American military leaders in the brutal POW camps of North Vietnam inspire their followers for six, seven, and even eight years to remain committed to the mission, resist a cruel enemy, and return home with honor? What leadership principles engendered such extreme devotion, perseverance, and teamwork?

In this powerful and practical book, Lee Ellis, a former Air Force pilot, candidly talks about his five and a half years of captivity and the 14 key leadership principles behind this amazing story.

Leading with Honor is, indeed, an outstanding book.  As noted at the time,

Lee Ellis is also a man of faith, and he writes that faith was integral to the lives of the captives:

We had faith in each other, in our leaders, in our country, in our families, and especially in God. The old saying that “there are no atheists in foxholes” was certainly true in the POW camps…I knew God loved me unconditionally, and that He had a plan for my life…I could recall many of my favorite scripture verses. Romans 8:28–”In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” — and other passages, like Psalms 1, 23, and 100 gave me an inner strength and a sense of peace that kept me going.

Leading with Honor is highly recommended — something with which the Chief of Staff seems to have agreed.

Read more book reviews here.

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