My View From the Bridge Wing: A Reflection on life, perspective, and leadership Paperback – May 15, 2015

Disclosure: I knew Captain Eschbach as a lieutenant, when we were staff members at Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. It was obvious then that he was an exceptional officer. It was clear that he was pretty exceptional as a human being, too. He was confident in his abilities yet humble, smart without a need to flaunt it, and driven but compassionate in a way that many driven people are not. As a company officer, he interacted comfortably and sometimes casually with the officer candidates without compromising his position. In addition to respecting him, they liked him, which would be a continuing theme in his navy career. If I sound predisposed to think well of Alan's book, I am. Being very aware of this tendency, I tried to evaluate it objectively. You'll know if I hit the mark only after you read the book.This book is not a treatise on management, nor does it provide a detailed blueprint for leadership, which would be an oxymoron, anyway. It's the story of how one person developed and then applied his personal values within an organization that, on the surface, has little tolerance for independent thought. Its message should provide inspiration to anyone who has ever had to wonder if it is possible to achieve success without breaking faith with one's self or sacrificing employees/subordinates.The first part of the book sketches Alan's youth in Pennsylvania's Amish region, and the people and events that influenced the guiding principles he would adopt. The section is interesting in its own right, but it also informs everything that follows.The next three parts primarily detail some of the experiences Alan had in his navy career, from his first ship assignment and BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training, through the pinnacle of that career: command of the USS Arleigh Burke. In many of the situations he had to make a choice between being true to his personal values and observing the letter of the law. Contrary to popular belief, the military has only a limited place for the blindly obedient, particularly in the more senior ranks, both officer and enlisted. If you're going to break the rules, though, you had better be able to explain how the decision supported a larger goal, and also be prepared for any personal consequences. (See John Wayne's Captain Torrey in "In Harm's Way" for a fictionalized treatment).The final chapters are a sort of "lessons learned" section, in which Alan details his position on various issues and, in some cases, how his position evolved. You can agree or disagree with some of his conclusions, but anyone should be able to appreciate his point of view on what effective leadership, as opposed to management, requires.The writing itself is clear and direct. The tone is conversational. The perspective is always the author's own, but there is never the sense that he is unfairly critical of others, or that he is trying to justify himself after-the-fact. It is well written for a general audience. Where terminology or events peculiar to the navy are discussed, explanations are given.The book isn't perfect. It needs a careful editing before reaching a wider audience, but the problems are minor, and I didn't find that they detracted from the story or the message.I think many of us, myself included, spend most of our lives rushing and/or bumbling through it. As we get older, we might pause to take stock and try to connect the dots between our principles and how we've actually lived. Some few others are more like Alan, who know early on, not what they will do specifically, but instead in what manner they will do it. Military or civilian, anyone looking for insight into humane leadership or into living a more thoughtful and ethical life will benefit from reading the book.Linda Harber

Love the book.There were 2 reasons I enjoyed this book.One, it gave me an intimate look into Captain Eschbach's background, some of which I knew already, and helped me to see where some of his ideas came from. Alan Eschbach was a great person to serve with. He always put the crew first on the Burke.Two, it brought back some great memories of my time on the Arleigh Burke. One memory I shared with Alan was, they passed the word for me to come to the bridge while underway. When I get to the bridge the boatswainmate told me the CO would like to see me on the bridge wing. When I got out on the bridge wing Captain Eschbach said, "Master chief, check this out". All around the ship were water spouts. One would form on the starboard side and slowly reach down and touch the water and be gone, then one behind us, then in front. At one point I counted 9 water spouts at once all around us. It was an incredible sight. I was so thankful that the CO would think of me when something so incredible was happening. Very cool.Thanks for writing the book Alan.

I thoroughly enjoyed My View From the Bridge Wing. Captain Eschbach writes in a very conversational tone of his experiences growing up in rural Pennsylvania and leading Sailors during his time as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. You really get a good sense of how his focus on taking care of his people made all the difference in building trust, camaraderie, and high performance among his teams.I was fortunate to have served with Captain Eschbach during one of his sea tours and I learned how he had become successful putting his people first. I have taken that lesson and applied it both during my remaining time in the Navy and also found his leadership principles to be equally effective in the corporate environment. As a marketing leader at two major consumer product companies, I have found what I learned from Captain Eschbach to both drive my decision making and as a result has enabled me to build great teams delivering strong results.In the book, you will gain insights and perspective that will help form your own leadership style. You will also enjoy the charm of Captain Eschbach's humor along the way.

I was born and my formative growing years where in Cumberland County <Carlisle>, PA. I enlisted in the Navy in 1976 & retired in 1998. I served on 6 different sea/river/inter-coastal going commands. USS Arleigh Burke <DDG 51) was my last and most unfavorable shipboard command. <Not because of the three different Commanding Officer I served for> I'm thinking if the author was the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Commanding Officer of DDG 51, I may have departed with a more favorable command experience. This book and narrative is, IMHO, where the men and women of the U.S, Navy should be, as he lived and executed his life long values ti the betterment if his shipmates who served him.... and ultimately his shipmates he served under his command, Salute to your book, you, your service and your convictions Captain Alan E. Eschbach. You're my kinda of shipmate & American.

Worth every penny to buy and every minute to read!Like all my favorite books, non-fiction but amazing stories, and I learned a great deal about many things I thought I already knew, and some new things I knew I knew nothing about:Pennsylvania, the Amish, the Navy, running, hunting, fishing, trapping, Navy SEALS, family, leadership, overcoming challenges, mental toughness and mental challenges, the limits of human endurance, life and death, danger, parents, brothers & sisters, friends, roommates, college, and more.Want to know why America still has a bright future? Men like Al Eschbach who continue to leave the comforts of home and the familiarity of hometown to work hard, lead, serve others, go in harm's way, endure the inevitable highs and lows of life...and then have the talent and courage to write about it.