The Cadet, Book 1 of the Wild Blue U saga, chronicles the founding years of arduous training of America's future leaders as they prepare to serve in such places from the jungles of Vietnam to the deserts of the Middle East. The Cadet is an accurate, historical saga of the Academy based on factual events – but populated with empathetic, larger-than-life characters that will appeal to prospective candidates, military members, and the reading public alike.

Praise for The Cadet

"Doug Beason has distilled the first years of the Air Force Academy into a compelling and fascinating novel. Those present at the Academy in the 1950s will resonate with his photographically accurate scenes and events. The characters, their tricks and trials, are a rich mix of the colorful personalities who made the opening years of the Academy such an enthralling and challenging act to follow. Readers who do not know those times first hand have here the closest and most intimate account that exists in print, with all the turbulence and exuberance captured through the lens of fiction. The drama and growth in the lives of Beason's characters is masterfully woven and propels you through the pages. There has to be more to this story." LtGen Brad Hosmer, USAF (ret) - #1 Graduate of USAFA Class of '59, Rhoades Scholar and USAFA Superintendent

"Timeless and absorbing. Beason's attention-to-detail, woven with high-stakes drama, provides an astonishing and authentic portrayal of the military academy experience. If you really want to know the rigors, the demands, and the joys of what it's like to be a cadet, this book's for you!" Jerry Pournelle – NYT Best-selling author, Nebula and Hugo winner.

"I loved it. It's brilliant. Once started, I was never really able to put it down." Jack McDevitt – NYT Best-selling author, Nebula and Hugo winner.