At eighty years old, Nick Palarino looks back on a remarkable life spent in service to his country and asks a deeply personal question: If he had the chance to go back in time, would he do it all over again?
From Vietnam to the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, Geneva, and Georgetown University, Nick has not only witnessed history up close-he has helped shape it. Drafted into the US Army in 1966 at just nineteen, he flew helicopters into some of the most dangerous corners of Vietnam, supporting the soldiers who depended on him to get them there and bring them home. Over the next five decades, he went on to command artillery units, negotiate arms control agreements with Soviet officials, work as a defense contractor protecting America's most sensitive national security assets, investigate terrorism-related issues for Congress, advise democratic leaders in Pakistan during one of the country's most volatile periods, and educate future leaders at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.
Yet behind the professional accomplishments was another story-the story of a husband, father, and family navigating the demands of a lifetime devoted to service. Long separations, dangerous assignments, difficult decisions, and the weight of responsibility carried a personal cost. Throughout his journey, Nick reflects not only on the history he witnessed and the missions he undertook but also on the sacrifices shared by Pat, his wife of nearly six decades, his son, Nicky, and his daughter, Stephanie, whose unwavering love and support made that journey possible.
While teaching courses on terrorism, international relations, and national security at Georgetown, Nick often shared stories from his extraordinary career with his students. Those conversations inevitably returned to one question: Were the sacrifices, dangers, disappointments, and adventures worth it? His answer, time and again, was yes.
In Would I Do It All Over Again? A Journey Through War, Diplomacy, and Global Affairs, Nick offers far more than the story of an extraordinary career. Honest, thoughtful, and deeply personal, this memoir explores duty, leadership, courage, family, sacrifice, resilience, and purpose. Looking back over eight decades of life, he concludes that despite the hardships, dangers, and personal sacrifices, he would gladly run back to the starting line and live it all over again.
