“Life is a package deal.” These words were spoken by my dear friend, Ed Allen, in a speech delivered at his fortieth high school reunion. In this moving and compelling memoir, we learn that behind all the success, achievements, and accolades earned along the way as a very accomplished naval aviator, his is a story of a kind, courageous man who has endured loss and grief and personal and professional challenges to reach a place of grace and joy. Success and achievement are found not only on the medals displayed on one’s chest but also in the hard work involved in overcoming life’s struggles and challenges. In this memoir, we are privileged to share in the remarkable journey of a truly successful man.
—Vice Admiral John Craine, USN (Ret.)

I am delighted for all of us that Ed Allen has written his story. His wisdom, related in these pages and as a business advisor, helped to guide our company through rough waters to smooth sailing a decade ago. He mixes common sense, with lessons from extensive leadership experience and a deep sense of responsibility to help everyone he meets to be their best, and the results are a legacy of people who are very glad they know Ed. Stephanie and I have been blessed not only to know this man of faith but also to call him friend. I hope you will also get to know him as he tells his unlikely story that takes us from hard scrabble South Texas to the highest halls of power in our country. Only in America can “Oh Yeah… Watch This!” happen.
—Bill Boisture
Former CEO, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, and Partner, AE Industrial Partners

Join me now as I briefly—all too briefly—paint the portrait of a oneirocritic man who has a reserved place in the pantheon for American heroes. Eddie Allen’s genius in turning abstract theories into practical realities, his audacity in attempting what appears impossible and then succeeding, his perseverance in the face of adversities, his lofty family values, his indomitable faith and belief in God and country, his intense dedication, his infectious inspiration, and his demonstrated faith in blazing a path into the unknown are widely known and admired. Success is self-perpetuating—and you wrote the book on how to succeed and have many years of tremendous success behind you.
—Vice Admiral Jerry O. Tuttle, USN (Ret.)
(Note: Provided by his daughter, Vicky Tuttle, Admiral Tuttle has passed away. This excerpt is from his speech upon my Navy retirement.)

Knowing Ed Allen has been a life-changing experience for me. I’ve had the distinct privilege of working together with Ed on executive coaching and leadership development projects. Those projects were among the most gratifying of my career. We saw teams transform, and we marveled at how rewarding it was to be a part of that experience. And the best part was getting to do that work with Ed. I could not have found a more competent, caring, completely authentic, humble, and absolutely hilarious compadre to work alongside. To this day, I continue to be inspired by Ed. I’m certain you will, too.
—Jane Creswell
Executive Coach and Mentor

This book chronicles the remarkable life journey of a gifted leader who generously shares his own story of adversity, failures, and successes—and in so doing provides a glimpse into what it means to be human. This is the story of one individual’s drive to overcome the odds and be his best as he serves the nation, his family, and all those who had the benefit of his accumulated wisdom in his professional career. I am grateful to call Ed my friend and mentor.
—Shawn Vick
Chairman, Global Jet Partners

I have known Eddie Allen for over fifty-four years. We first met when I checked into my first U.S. Navy Fighter Squadron, VF 1. The squadron was blessed with a cadre of talented radar intercept officers (RIOs), some of the best I was ever privileged to fly with in my twenty years of Navy flying. Ed stood out in that group as an intelligent, savvy, and expert air warrior. I was not surprised to see Ed ascend to the highest leadership positions in the Navy. While Ed and I did not meet again until we were both captains in the late ’80s, I followed his career with great interest. Ed had become the commanding officer of USS Coral Sea, and the ship had done exceedingly well in its operational evaluation. I was working on the staff of his boss who wanted to fly out to the ship as she returned to congratulate the crew. I went along and was able to see for myself how focused Ed was on completing the mission of his ship. After retirement from active duty, his intelligence, ability to understand the crux of a situation, devise, and execute the desired result ensured his continued success. At Oracle, he fell in love with coaching and became a truly great business coach, relying on his experiences and successes. Upon leaving Oracle, he started his own coaching company which has been sought after by many corporations, large and small. I have tremendous esteem for Ed and all he has accomplished. This book, while perhaps not a guidebook to success, describes how intelligence, drive, and focus will often yield great achievement.
—Vice Admiral John Totushek, USN (Ret.)

I have had the distinct privilege to have had Admiral Ed Allen in my life, first as a corporate coach, then as a mentor, and finally as a dear friend. Ed shared with me his experiences and wisdom, which have helped guide me through many challenging times in my life and quite frankly helped mold me into the person I am today. As reflected in this book, overcoming emotional hurdles, having a positive outlook on life, and living a life of commitment, duty, and honor while never taking yourself too seriously are the hallmarks of Ed Allen’s journey.
—Richard Emery
Dallas Business Executive

The immediacy and joy of my first meeting with Admiral Ed Allen has never left me. His gravitas, his humor, his “blink,” the enormous capacity to assess every detail in the moment— it was clear why he won the Tailhook Award and had more success in more Commands than anyone I knew. Our first meeting took me back to “Friday Night Lights” in our shared home state, and Ed was the one you wanted in the fourth quarter when it looked really, really bad. He just had “It.” He was a warrior, an aviator, a loving family man, a Christian, and the first choice for a comrade in arms and life (and the fourth quarter down 6 points to Midland). There was no “quit” in the man. His difficult, in many ways tragic, early years honed his soul and created the capacity of excellence and duty, and he gave it his all. He declined the opportunity to be a victim of any adversity and grew clearer and stronger than anyone I knew. The twinkle in his eye revealed the humor, irony, and joy, which is perhaps the highest form of wisdom. He never complained. He loved his God who gave him the precious gift of life and lived with gratitude in his heart for life and love and the opportunity to leave the campground a little better. He did. And he had more than a little help from Saint Donna, his loving wife and peer!
—Captain Ronald Earl Smith, MD PhD (Ret.) MC, USN

Oh Yeah…Watch This! is a stunningly revealing self-description of the life of a former boss, distinguished colleague, compassionate mentor, and dearest friend of, now, more than forty-five years. It is said that each of us is really two people, the person we portray outwardly, sometimes with artifice and bombast, and the person we really are, human beings shaped by all the foibles, failings, hurts, and insecurities that coexist even within a life ultimately marked by obstacles overcome, career pinnacles reached, and love, both given and received, finally achieved. An old Irish proverb says, “It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.” Countless associates, colleagues, and friends have taken shelter in Ed’s deep wisdom, piercing insights, patient leadership, and unfailing encouragement, unaware that they welled from lifelong challenges and his deeply impactful and very personal experiences. He instinctively senses the feelings and emotions of others, we now see in hindsight, because he has walked an even more challenging and cyclic path through the valleys of both deep darkness and warming light. He has given selflessly of himself and, in so doing, enhanced the lives of thousands. This work only adds to that aura. Admiral Ed Allen has penned a courageous narrative that, while acknowledging the person that we all know, strips away the curtain to reveal the person starkly and emotionally I only caught glimpses of in our decades-long shared journey in the rough-and-tumble world of Navy fighter aviation and beyond. Ed has taken to heart Socrates’ belief that the unexamined life is not worth living and reinforced the belief of the Stoic Epictetus that “it is the difficulties that show what men are.” But his style is not that of two dead Greeks. The story of his incredible journey is laid out in the unflinching manner of a fighter squadron post-flight debrief replete with the mandatory categories of “Good” and “Other” and is told with the wry humor that marks every successful fighter aviator. In the end, it is a story of both tragedy and triumph, told with both humility and quiet confidence, reminding all of us that, no matter how difficult the circumstances, we have the power within us to, simultaneously, both confront the sometimes-brutal reality of who or where we are and embrace the opportunity to shape a different future.
—Admiral Jim Ellis, USN (Ret.)

Eddie Allen is our hometown hero. He has earned a place among the most significant changemakers of our time. Beginning and ending in our hometown of Harlingen, Texas, his story grows from the depths of raw emotion surfacing from immeasurable tragedy and loss and takes us to heights of heart-stoppin adventure in wild seas and dangerous skies. In between, we meet the man. All else becomes background. Eddie’s is a tale of inner courage, emotional and physical survival, and, ultimately, peace, even in the midst of ever new challenges. This is the fascinating and important story of what makes Rear Admiral Ed Allen that hero, with lessons for us all. I couldn’t put it down! Muchisimas gracias, mi amigo. Vaya con Dios!
—Gerry MacPherson Fleuriet
President Harlingen High School Class of ’61

Ed Allen’s journey from a childhood of trauma and adversity to commanding officer of one of our nation’s attack carriers is both inspirational and instructive, demonstrating to all of us that perseverance and right thinking can and will prevail, a critical message in our present national moment where dys - function threatens. All should hear and absorb Ed’s message: stay the course, seek to achieve, embody the right values. A story worth telling. More importantly, a story worth hearing. Thanks, high school buddy, for opening up and sharing.
—Randy Fleuriet
a childhood and high school close friend

It is with great pleasure that I write this testimonial for Ed Allen’s memoirs, Oh Yeah…Watch This. I’ve had a close relationship with Ed, for eighteen years in uniform and the past twenty-three years in industry. So I am delighted to tell my story about how he has influenced me and others personally and professionally. Ed came to Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey for an abbreviated syllabus as a Bombardier/Navigator in the A-6 Training Squadron, VA-128. After initial indoctrination in the A-6, Ed asked to fly some of his advanced Bombardier/ Navigator (B/N) training hops with me as his pilot. It was on those training flights that I recognized how Ed got his call sign “Bull Dog.” He wasn’t our routine prospective air wing commander, most of whom were interested in learning basics of the A-6 Intruder and some B/N skills. Not Bull Dog. He was “all in” to employ the A-6 to the maximum of its capabilities. There were several low-level all-weather night missions where I’d be flying a bit slower and somewhat higher while flying at night in the deep valleys of the Cascade Mountains. Bull Dog would always call for faster and lower. I suggested he should get a few more hours in the A-6 before taking the Cascades on at high speed at 500 feet above the terrain. Bull Dog was having none of that. He was always quick to respond, “Hey Bud, trust me, I’ve got this”! I’d push the throttles up, move the stick forward, and say my prayers. I quickly learned Bull Dog was in his element, demonstrating strike warfare competence and courageous in-extremis leadership. For the next two years, we remained a tight A-6 crew, with CAG Allen as strike leader, innovating new tactics while leading major air wing missions from my right seat. That bond continued over the next forty years throughout our Navy and private sector careers. Why this book is important to all leaders and future leaders are the remarkable insights into Ed’s leadership and how these traits translate to the success for elite business leaders operating in dangerous competitive environments. I am talking about the higher requirements of competence, trust, nonverbal communications, shared risk, expressions of genuine humility, and concern for others over self. These are essential character ingredients that inspire loyalty and courageous behaviors in others. I am just one of dozens of Naval officers, sailors, and industry leaders who Ed inspired and maneuvered to far greater successes at work and in life. These most fortunate people are Ed Allen’s greatest legacy.
—Bud Langston
Senior Vice President, Salesforce

I am honored to write this heartfelt testimonial for my friend and mentor, Ed Allen, and his extraordinary new book. Not only has Ed made a profound impact on my life through his mentorship, but his book has further deepened that influence, leaving an indelible mark on my journey of personal and intellectual growth. This book is evidence of his profound understanding of the human experience as he invites us on a transformative journey of self-discovery, compassion, and personal growth. I was mesmerized by the brilliance of his storytelling and his uncanny ability to captivate readers with his words. It is also a testament to his remarkable talent, unwavering dedication, and the extraordinary impact he has on the lives of those fortunate enough to know him.
—Lisa DeMille
Global Vice President, Salesforce

I have known Eddie since we were kids, and he is without a doubt one of the most accomplished persons I have ever known. He has always excelled in whatever he has done. You will enjoy reading about his life in this book. It is the story of a man who rose to the highest levels in the Navy and also in civilian life. While in the Navy, he was awarded the Tailhooker of the Year Award as the aviator who did the most for naval aviation that year and also the John Paul Jones Award as the CO of the most improved ship in the Navy. After his Navy retirement, he was a specialist as a coach for executives, advising them on how to further enhance their careers and business dealings.
—John Fitzgerald
USNA Class of 1964

While reading this masterful work, I realized that very little of Ed Allen’s early life, let alone the “emotional baggage” that he was carrying beneath his radiant aura of confidence, was known to me. This was despite being “soulmates” for nearly a decade in a weekly 12 Step Program “knock off.” Ed is not an alcoholic/addict. But his powerful testament depicts the debilitating traits and habits as difficult as the challenges of those battling physical addictions. Among them is the debilitating tendency to engage obsessively in what the 12 Steps refer to as “stinking thinking,” sometimes called the universal addiction. Ed admitted that he was powerless and then began the process of letting go of the death grip on everything in his life. This is far easier said than done, especially for an accomplished Naval officer whose entire life was bound up in the belief that surrendering to one’s limitations was tantamount to professional—and hence, personal—suicide. Ed’s work chronicles the life of a man willing to Let Go, Let God to follow a most difficult path toward emotional sobriety, which is our “saving grace.”
—Colonel Larry Burgess, USMC (Ret.)

A great tale, well told. It is a story of an ordinary person interacting with ordinary people experiencing the gamut of human existence—tragedy, joy, depression, rejection, achievement, and failure. Ending in redemption and reflection on a life well lived. A must read.
—Jeffrey W. Hurt Esq.
USAFA class of 1967

I had the great fortune to serve with Ed Allen as his operations officer when he commanded the USS Coral Sea, then the oldest aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Fleet. I have served with both leaders and commanders; Ed is the quintessential amalgam of both. He has the innate ability to build a strong and cohesive team, the intellect to articulate the mission clearly and precisely, and the experience and confidence to then allow you to do your job without superfluous “rudder orders.” RADM Allen is the embodiment of the finest qualities that we seek in those who serve our country—and there is much one can learn from Oh Yeah...Watch This!
—Captain Steve Counts, USN (Ret.)

Eddie and I were football teammates at Harlingen High School. My dad was our coach. Dad often said his greatest satisfaction in coaching was not how his players performed on the field but what they accomplished after football. Football ends. Life goes on. Football teaches valuable lessons in overcoming adversity, reaching goals, teamwork, and leadership. I still remember Eddie’s football picture in our yearbook. He had a look of dogged determination. Besides being highly intelligent and purpose-driven, Eddie is very likeable. He is always honest and reliable, has a hearty laugh, and is fun to be with. I am honored to call Eddie my friend. I had no idea about the hardships he was enduring before and through high school until I read his book—but that revelation highlighted another of his numerous qualities: Eddie never complained. Want to go on an amazing journey? Read Eddie’s book!
—Joe Hamrick Jr.
high school football teammate

Eddie Allen has been my friend and part of my family for over fifty-five years. We met in our first Fighter Squadron, VF-41, in 1967. We flew F-4s together, we experienced aircraft carrier operations for the first time, and we survived our first overseas deployment. Oh Yeah…Watch This! is a harbinger for the reader that anything is possible. No matter where you start on the totem pole of life, you can reach the top with hard work, going the extra mile, and determination. The author had a humble beginning in south Texas but rose to be a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, a very successful businessman, and an executive coach. His life story is an example for all of us on the values of faith, courage, honesty, and commitment.
—Captain John F. Manning Jr., USN (Ret.)

After only four months of Ed’s coaching, I was able to develop a highly focused statement of purpose for both my personal and business lives. Over the course of the next fifteen-plus years, this document became the cornerstone for major life decisions, including where to live and work. It also helped me prioritize my personal time to focus on my family, church, and community. Ed’s coaching continues to have an instrumental influence on my many life and business successes. His coaching was so influential, I went back to college at fifty-five and became a coach too.
—Dennis Francis
Coaching Client

Eddie and I go back decades and since we met as Navy Ensigns, I've considered him an outstanding leader and a lifelong friend. As my RIO while I piloted an F-4 Phantom II, we depended on one another for our lives. Eddie captures a harrowing moment from our many adventures and shares so much more through from-the-heart storytelling of a well-lived life. If I fly an F-4 on one good engine and have Eddie in my back seat, I know I'm okay.

Eddie always exhibited outstanding leadership through his team spirit, astute decision-making, and being calm under pressure. I felt early on that Eddie would be "going places" and that he'd lead others to great places, too. Eddie was dedicated to being the best.

My wife, Brenda, and I were so impressed with how Eddie lived his life on a daily basis that we asked him to be the godparent of our eldest son. Eddie has great character, and anyone who reads this gem will find inspiration.
—Jon A. McBride
Captain USN/NASA Space Shuttle Pilot (retired)

Very few are given the privilege and responsibility to command one of our nation’s most significant assets—a 90,000-ton aircraft carrier. Our nation trusted Rear Admiral Allen, the "bulldog," to train 5,000 men and women to globally deploy in USS Coral Sea, as directed by our national command authority. This is not a simple task! Where do we find such leaders to effectively instill the trust and confidence in their team to fight and win?
—Winston Copeland
RADM USN (retired)