The National Press Club (NPC), founded in 1908, now sits within sight of the White House in Washington DC.

The book party for "Boy on the Bridge" was held in the NPC's Cosgrove Lounge on 1/22/20, 6 to 8 p.m.

Author with Col. (RET) Joe Collins, PhD, CJCS Gen. Shali's former speechwriter, who offered up remarks.

Ms. Jamie Stiehm (center) of Creators Syndicate and a member of NPC kindly
hosted the event.

Audience members included diplomats, servicemembers, journalists, academics, think tank representatives, biographers, fraternity representatives, lawyers, and others.

Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Rudy de Leon, a senior official at DoD when Shali was nominated.

Our happiness surely stemmed from admiration for our nation's only foreign-born chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Rear Adm. (RET) Richard Jaskot worked for Shali in ’96-’97 in the J-34 Anti-Terrorism Directorate.

I opened my talk with a recitation of the dramatic night in April 1945 when stateless, penniless refugee boy Shalikashvili first lays eyes on American soldiers.

Kudos to the University Press of Kentucky (UPK) for designing such an eye-catching cover.

Mr. Rudy de Leon asked me how I came to create the surprising cinematic-like storytelling of Boy on the Bridge, which relies heavily on character development and flashbacks and jump-forwards.

Ms. Sofia Gegechkori, Public Affairs Officer at the Georgian Embassy, explains why Georgian aristocrats like the Shalikashvilis served as military officers.

Col. Zaza Japaridze, the Georgian Embassy's Assistant of Defense, Military, and Air Attaché.

I've learned I'm incapable of talking to readers and signing books at the same time.

Mr. Ben Hill, representing Theta Chi, Shali's fraternity at Bradley University, Peoria Illinois, in the late 50s.

CENTER: Col. (RET) Bill Brooks, X.O. to battalion commander Shali. RIGHT: Col. (RET) John O'Shea of Chap. One, USAOCSAA.

Dr. Steve Livingston of George Washington University was the driver for battalion commander Shali in the mid-1970s at rainy Fort Lewis, Washington.

Dr. Rachel Marcus and WWII vet Mr. George Idelson, one of the GIs who descended into Bavaria when Shali was on that bridge April 1945.

Joe Craig, editor at the Association of the U.S. Army, including of the American Warrior Series, which Boy on the Bridge falls under, AUSA publishes with UPK.

Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Kurdistan Regional Government Representative to the US.

Lt. Col. Brian Koechel, a former Air Force officer, came to learn about Gen. Shali's incredible American success story.

Boy on the Bridge would also have not been possible without the support provided by (right to left) Dr. Ellen Frost, Sharyn M. Marble, and Bill Pedersen.

Thanks as well to Mr. Mike Cognato of the US Foreign Service and
Miss Liz Beardsley of the US Green Building Council.

Appreciation also to (left to right) Dr. Michael Lynch of the Army War College, Dr. Josh Ziemkowski, and Ms. Andrea Pedolsky.

Following the talk came questions from the crowd. Here is Dr. Bill Eliason, Director of NDU Press and Editor of Joint Force Quarterly.