The Patriot Pitcher

Ace Preston was a boy who fell in love with baseball at an early age. His favorite position on the field was on the pitcher's mound. Ace was faced with a dilemma of career choices. Due to his inquisitive nature and patriotic upbringing, he followed law enforcement and the military reserves.

Join Ace on this fascinating journey of his life. From early Little League baseball to his career assignments, mystic clues are found along his journey that help Ace put together the puzzle of his life's choices.

If you like quinch-your-thirst page turners, this book is for you. Time is but a dimension that is meant to be traveled. Join Ace Preston on this intriguing adventure of an attempt to reconcile with his lost dream of being a professional baseball player.

Robert P. Chappell Jr. grew up playing t-shirt and Little League baseball in Portsmouth, Virginia. When his family moved to West Virginia at age twelve, Robert's love for baseball continued. He played in the Babe Ruth League and high school baseball before being scouted by the Cincinnati Reds.Robert graduated from Radford University in Virginia with a degree in Criminal Justice. He was a member of the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps while in college and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation from college and military training. While serving in the U.S. Army Reserve, Robert obtained his Master of Science degree in Strategic Studies in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.The Blacksburg Police Department in Virginia hired Robert as a police officer in the mid 1980's. After working two years, Robert was hired by the Virginia State Police where he worked for over thirty-six years, retiring in 2024 as a Captain commanding the Professional Standards Division.Robert retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2005 after serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is the recipient of numerous military awards, to include the Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, and the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment Order of the Combat Spur.In 2012, Robert authored, Child Identity Theft: What Every Parent Needs to Know, (Roman & Littlefield), a non-fiction book found in over 700 libraries across America. He is considered an expert in child identity theft. Robert's subsequent publication, "Rock Painting Therapy: A Soldier's Journey to Improved Mental Health," (Gatekeeper Press) is a self-help resource for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.Robert and his family live in Virginia.