You Shouldn’t Have to Kill to Get Ahead
By Chris Rivers
What does it say about America when the clearest path to opportunity runs through a battlefield?
Christopher Rivers knows that path firsthand. Raised in a lower-middle-class family and tested by war, he fought his way into West Point and led Soldiers in war. He then kept leading and serving in the halls of US diplomacy and corporate strategy. He also served on the front lines of politics as he ran for state office. Along the way, he learned how power really works—who hoards it, who loses it and what it would take to build something better.
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You Shouldn’t Have to Kill to Get Ahead is not just a Soldier’s story. It’s a book that combines gripping lived experience with a plan for collective renewal to build a democratic system that works for the vast majority of Americans. With clarity and courage, Rivers cuts through the noise of partisan politics to expose how America's obsession with zero-sum success—whether on the battlefield, in the marketplace or in public life—has left millions behind to benefit a powerful and wealthy few.
This is a book for anyone disillusioned by inequality, division or the feeling that the American Dream has become a rigged game. With sharp insights and unflinching honesty, Rivers offers a new vision for how we define success, who belongs and what it means to build a country where no one has to fight just to live with dignity.
Author Bio
Christopher Rivers is a former US Army officer and combat veteran who enlisted at 17 and served in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Physics with a focus on Nuclear Engineering, as well as master’s degrees in Public Policy and Foreign Service from Georgetown University.
Following his military service, Rivers worked as a policy advisor and problem-solver at the US Department of State and later in the private sector, helping organizations navigate complex operational and strategic challenges. His career spans national security, diplomacy, corporate problem-solving, and candidacy for statewide political office—giving him a unique perspective on how power is exercised across institutions.
You Shouldn’t Have to Kill to Get Ahead is his first book
ISBNs:
- 978-1-968339-19-7 (Hardcover)
- 978-1-968339-18-0 (Paperback)
- 978-1-968339-17-3 (eBook)
Genre:
- Memoir
- Politics & Government
- Current Affairs
- Military & Veteran Issues
- Social Justice
- Leadership
Themes:
- Wealth & Inequality (how America’s economic system leaves millions behind)
- Belonging (the human need for community, dignity and inclusion)
- Military as a Pathway (the price of opportunity through service and sacrifice)
- Broken Systems (politics, markets and power structures rigged against the majority)
- Resilience (personal and collective strength forged in adversity)
- Reimagining Success (a vision of prosperity rooted in fairness and shared opportunity)
FAQs:
Q: What is You Shouldn’t Have to Kill to Get Ahead about?
A: It is both a memoir and a manifesto. Drawing on his journey from a working-class childhood in Connecticut to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, to serving in government, the private sector and political campaigns, Chris Rivers exposes how America’s obsession with zero-sum success has created a rigged system. He calls for a reimagining of wealth, power and belonging to create a more just society.
Q: Who is Chris Rivers?
A: Chris Rivers is a former US Army officer and combat veteran who enlisted at 17 and went on to graduate from West Point, later earning two master’s degrees from Georgetown. He has worked across national security, diplomacy, corporate strategy and politics, giving him a unique perspective on how power functions in America.
Q: What makes this book different from other military or political memoirs?
A: Unlike traditional war memoirs or partisan political books, You Shouldn’t Have to Kill to Get Ahead combines lived experience with systemic analysis, offering not only gripping frontline stories but also a constructive plan for political and cultural renewal.
Q: Who would enjoy reading this book?
A: Readers disillusioned with inequality, division and political dysfunction—as well as veterans, policymakers, activists and citizens who want to see a government that works for working people—will find it powerful and inspiring.
