Lieutenant General (Retired) Mark Hertling served thirty-eight years in the US Army as a tanker and cavalryman, serving at every level from tank platoon leader on the East-West German border to commander of the US Army, Europe (USAREUR) and the Seventh Army. During his combat tours, Mark served as a major in a cavalry squadron during Desert Storm; as an assistant division commander in the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad (2003–2004); and later as the commander of the 1st Armored Division, Multinational Division North, and Task Force Iron in Northern Iraq (2007–2008). His final posting was as commander of USAREUR, where he prepared US and allied countries for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan and helped transformed the armies of Ukraine, Georgia, Romania, Poland, and several others.
After retiring from the army, Mark became a senior vice president for a major health care organization. While there, he also designed and executed an award-winning leadership program, training thousands of health care professionals to improve leadership in that industry. He is the author of Growing Physician Leaders, an Amazon bestseller in the health care genre. Mark was appointed to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition and was later appointed by the president to the American Battle Monuments Commission, where he served as chairman. Mark was an adjunct scholar at West Point’s Modern War Institute, was a member of the Dean’s Alliance at Indiana University’s School of Public Health, and now serves as professor of practice in strategic leadership at the Crummer School of Business at Rollins College. He is an active public speaker on leadership, national security issues, and health care.
From 2014 to 2024, Mark appeared as a military and national security analyst for CNN/CNN International. Today, he is a freelance analyst and writes extensively on national security and leadership for a variety of media outlets. His book If I Don’t Return was released in 2026, offering reflections of life, leadership, and military service based on a journal he wrote to his young sons during Desert Storm.
A graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, Mark holds master’s degrees from Indiana University, the School of Advanced Military Studies, and the National War College. In 2019, he earned a doctor of business administration from the Crummer Graduate School of Business, defending a mixed-methods research study on leadership.
Mark is married to his best friend, Sue. They have two sons, five grandsons, and two granddaughters.
Q: What motivated you to tell your story, and why now?
A: The original journal was written in 1990–91 as a message to my young sons in case I didn’t return from war. It was never intended for publication. But over the years, as I continued serving, leading soldiers in combat, teaching students, and mentoring young leaders, I realized that the lessons embedded in those pages—about fear, responsibility, love, doubt, and purpose—were timeless, and I had learned much more about each of them since I retired. This book is still a father’s journal—but now it’s also a grandfather’s, and it’s perhaps a guide for anyone facing uncertainty or reflecting on their own purpose.
Q: What was the most challenging part of writing your book?
A: The emotional honesty. Military culture trains you to be steady, composed, and mission-focused. This book required something different—it required vulnerability. Revisiting a few actions and moments of fear, loneliness, survivor’s guilt, and uncertainty wasn’t easy. But I came to believe that if the book was going to be of any real value, it had to be truthful, not heroic. It was not about me, but about others. The hardest parts to write were often the most important to include.
Q: How did your military training or mindset influence how you approached your writing?
A: The military teaches you to observe carefully, record accurately, and reflect honestly after action. The journal itself was written in that spirit—what happened, what I felt, what I learned, and what I had learned about each of the subjects as I lived longer and experienced more things. Discipline also mattered. I didn’t wait for inspiration when I was writing the journal; I just wrote about whatever came to mind that I hoped would teach our sons something about me. Later, when I reflected further, I treated writing with a greater focus. And perhaps most importantly, the army taught me that “words matter” and to attempt to always use precise language. Precision saves lives in combat—and it matters in storytelling too.
Q: Who do you hope finds strength or comfort in this book, and what do you want them to take away from it?
A: I hope young people—especially those considering service—find reassurance that courage doesn’t mean the absence of fear. I hope families of those who serve see the depth of love and worry that travels with every deployment. I hope those who don’t know much about the military learn about the challenges, the adventures, the new things we experience, and the emotions associated with being with our military family. And I hope leaders, in uniform and out, are reminded that responsibility and service are both honors and burdens.
Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking about writing a book based on their real-life experiences?
A: Write what you feel and what you know. Write about the memories you’ve had and the people you’ve met. It’s important to address structure or audience, but it’s more important to consider who might be reading your work and how you might help them be more informed or better people. Write for one honest reader first. And be patient. Real stories take time because real reflection takes time.
Q: What’s one thing readers might be surprised to learn about your journey, whether in life or in writing?
A: Many people assume those in the military are always confident and certain. They may be surprised by how often training, concern for others, doubt, fear, and quiet reflection shape decisions. This book shows that leadership is not about having all the answers—it’s about carrying the responsibility to achieve the mission, caring for people, and doing your very best, even in situations that are complex and where perfection is impossible.
Q: Do you have a writing routine or ritual that helps keep you focused?
A: I tend to write early in the morning, when the house is quiet and distractions are few. I reread a small portion of what I wrote the day before, first to edit but then to keep the flow and to reconnect emotionally with the thread of the story. Coffee helps too. But mostly, having fun when you write is the most important thing. Some days, you’re into it and write a lot; other days, you may get just a few sentences that are just right. I’d recommend never having a goal for word or page count. Rather, take writing as a journey, flowing at some points and taking time to stop and get something just right at others. There were days when I wrote pages and didn’t go to bed till the wee hours. There were other times when I just wrote a sentence or two because I wanted to get an idea down on paper. Consistency matters more than ritual.
Q: Is there a particular quote, motto, or piece of wisdom that guided you through the writing process?
A: “There is no such thing as a typical day for those who choose to lead.” That idea runs through the entire book.
Another guiding principle comes from my years studying leadership: “Trust is built in drops but lost in buckets.” That phrase addresses each individual’s character and how they want to build relationships in person and in writing.
Q: Are you working on another book or project you’d like to share?
A: Yes. I’ve wanted to write a book about the elements of leadership and how they are applied. I’m percolating on how to frame the ideas surrounding that work. I want to combine experiences with theory, research, and the work of others. I want to tell it in a way that helps readers understand that leadership is complex, but it can also be very simple if you understand how it combines caring for people and focusing on accomplishing things. The book will also connect what I’ve learned on the battlefield, in professions, in the private sector, in the classroom, and in communities.
Q: What are five books, authors, or personal heroes who have shaped your outlook on life, service, or storytelling?
A:
Learn more about Mark Hertling and his new book, If I Don't Return, here. Coming soon spring 2026!