Notwithstanding his swift progression through the ranks, the author's contempt for those he considers unworthy of positions of authority remains undiminished. An inability to bear fools gladly, his outspoken manner and a reputation as a fighter of lost causes does little to endear him to his commanders. His primary concerns are to enjoy life to the full and the well-being of the men in his charge. He claims a modicum of success on both fronts. To the bewilderment of many and the utter disgust of others, the Army sees fit to commission the man so adept at swimming against the tide. It's said that, on moonless nights at the Royal Military Police Training Centre in Chichester, the ghostly sound of resentful retching into galvanized buckets may be heard to this day.