Did I Ever Tell You? (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781971663036)

Readers drawn to tales of adventure, personal growth, and real-world heroism will discover in McMikle's experiences a treasury of lessons, humor, and hope. His journey is a testament to the power of service, lifelong learning, and the value of well-told stories.

Did I Ever Tell You? is a wise, funny, and unflinchingly honest legacy from Cdr. Steve McMikle (Ret.), U.S. Navy-a combat-tested leader whose life has ranged from a Missouri farm and Vietnam firefights to classrooms, courtrooms, and conversations with kids on the margins. Drawing on true stories that are by turns poignant, outrageous, and laugh-out-loud surprising, he invites you to wrestle with big questions about courage, faith, responsibility, temptation, love, and what it means to grow up without ever growing numb. You will meet saints and scoundrels, learn from hard-earned mistakes, and discover an "Advanced Life Skills" treasury of practical wisdom distilled from decades of service, study, and spiritual searching-gems meant to help the next generations think more deeply, listen more carefully, and live more fully.

Why these stories matter

• Firsthand accounts from combat zones and cross-cultural assignments offer vivid insights into history, diplomacy, and the human cost of conflict.
• Roles spanning war, education, and law enforcement deliver tales that cross disciplines and defy expectations.
• A post-military mission to mentor at-risk youth and teach self-defense yields inspiring stories of perseverance, second chances, and everyday courage.
• Through decades of service, McMikle encounters the extremes of human experience-compassion, conflict, courage, and connection-and shares them with disarming honesty and hard-won hope.