Warrior's Creed ― A Life of Preparing for and Facing the Impossible

The riveting story of how a boy raised amidst a biker gang became an elite Marine and pararescue warrior.

“Absence of self is my sword” comprises the final line in “The Warrior’s Creed,” a 14th-century poem written by an unknown Japanese Samurai. This is the code Master Sergeant Roger Sparks embodied as a Marine-turned-Alaskan Pararescueman. A living legend in the military, Sparks first made a name for himself in the elite Marine Force Reconnaissance. He went on to become an instructor, training future reconnaissance marines with unorthodox and ancient indigenous warrior instruction. A decade later, the same methods would earn him a Silver Star, and keep him alive, when he hoisted into a maelstrom of violence to rescue an embattled platoon of Rangers and CIA operatives in the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan.

Born into the tough code of honor, family and brotherhood of a notorious bike gang, Roger Sparks rose from the streets of Dallas to become a distinguished instructor in Marine Force Recon and a Silver Star recipient as a Master Sergeant for the Alaska 212th Pararescue. A raw and exhilarating tale of guts, grit, and heart, Warrior's Creed recounts spine-crushing special operations trainings, heroic and heartbreaking Alaskan wilderness rescues, and the deadly and daring rescue in the rugged Watapur Valley in Afghanistan.

MASTER SERGEANT ROGER D. SPARKS is a recipient of the Silver Star, among other prestigious awards. He is currently an Operations NCO of the 212th Pararescue Squadron, 176th Air wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, and is credited with countless saves in Alaska and abroad. He lives in Eagle River, Alaska, with his wife and two sons and has become a renowned tattoo artist.

DON REARDEN is a professor, producer, screenwriter, and the author of The Washington Post Notable novel, The Raven’s Gift. He lives in Anchorage, Alaska.