The Supe: A Novel of West Point

by John Vermillion

When Army General Harris Green begins to suspect that President Keith Rozan’s halting leadership of the US military will lead to catastrophic results for the country down the line, General Green must ask himself an important Should a military leader forsake his commissioning oath when a president acts outside the bounds of the Constitution?

Tipped off by White House aides that President Rozan has imminent plans to change the character, purpose, and future of the US Military Academy, General Green realizes he must take action. And he knows just the man with the courage and character to fight Washington from behind the Superintendent’s desk at West Marine General Simon Pack.

Hardheaded and unswervingly devoted to his missions, General Pack resigned from the US Marine Corps out of revulsion at the rise of careerism among senior leaders. But with time running out, will General Green persuade him to return to active duty to save the Academy’s future—and the future of the US military?

A thought-provoking and controversial story that asks hard questions about military-civilian relations, The Supe is essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of the military in this country.

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 17, 2015

Reviews

[Robert Enzenauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Vermillion has hit a home run with this first novel about West Point. The author is himself a West Point graduate and decorated Vietnam-combat-veteran. But the story is a very current one that could be taken from the headlines of today's news. The author really seems to describe the terrible cost of Washington, DC. PC political correctness run amok - making West Point a sociology experiment, where enhanced diversity, reducing sexual harassment, and religious and sexual preferences are higher priorities than the United State's Military Academy's true mission - to develop LEADERS OF CHARACTER, and ultimately to lead soldiers and win America's wars. Although one reviewer has chosen to be critical of factual errors surrounding the "founding" day of West Point or describing Thayer as the founder of the Academy, he/she misses the boat. The author I am 100% confident knows that Founder's Day is celebrated in March, because he has himself been celebrating it for over 45 years! This is a book of FICTION, but the author's perspective on the profound effect that one single courageous leader of integrity and character can have on an organization is applicable to ALL large bureaucracies, whether they be big business, or government, or medicine, or the church. I recommend this book very highly. Strong work Colonel Vermillion.

[IMHO · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marine General Simon Pack (Retired) is asked to come
out of retirement to save West Point and return it to
being the premier military academy for Combat Officers.
He has to fight a terrorist, that wants to kill him and
some liberal politicians that want to do away with the
Academy.

[Bill Kirkland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading, for me is a passion!

Few books have made me think as much as this one. I have never dated a book as five star but on the second reading, I wholeheartedly give this one a five.