In a recent survey more than 70 percent of Americans polled thought our country was headed in the wrong direction. Who's responsible and what can be done to change course? CHECK ENGINE LIGHT addresses many of the concerns and issues that contributed to the survey results.

American citizens are the engine of democracy and the check engine light of our country is lit. As a nation, we have grown content with our lives and have taken our freedoms for granted. We have become complacent with the status quo and stopped paying attention to social and political issues that impact our lives and those of our children and grandchildren.

Check Engine is about identifying issues and stimulating thought and conversation so every American can begin to make conscious decisions on what they want America to be in the coming years. The country we grew up in is changing and it's time for every citizen to consider where we go as a country from here.

As a disabled military veteran, I'm committed to helping those who served our communities and country. Thirty percent of the after tax proceeds from the sale of this book will be split and evenly contributed to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation and the Wounded Warriors Project.

In a recent survey more than 70 percent of Americans polled thought our country was headed in the wrong direction. Who's responsible and what can be done to change course? CHECK ENGINE LIGHT addresses many of the concerns and issues that contributed to the survey results.

What do you do when the CHECK ENGINE light on your dashboard lights up? Of course you get your vehicle checked as soon as you can to avoid further problems and unnecessary expenses. American citizens are the engine of democracy and the check engine light of our country is lit. America is in trouble and all of us American citizens are to blame. As a nation, we have grown content with our lives and have taken our freedoms for granted. We have become complacent with the status quo and stopped paying attention to social and political issues that impact our lives and those of our children and grandchildren.

Check Engine is not about blaming any social, ethnic, racial, or political group for what's happening in America and needs to be changed. It's about identifying issues, stimulating thought and conversation so every American can begin to make conscious decisions on what they want America to be in the coming years. The country we grew up in is changing and it's time for every citizen to consider where we go as a country from here.

As a disabled military veteran, I'm committed to helping those who served our communities and country. Thirty percent of the after tax proceeds from the sale of this book will be split and evenly contributed to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation and the Wounded Warriors Project.

Avery Parson is the son of Italian and Irish parents who instilled in him the values of faith, family, honesty, and hard work. He grew up in rural Pennsylvania and earned his first dollars working in the barns of dairy farmers. He joined the military at the height of the Vietnam War and retired after more than 23 years of active military service. After his military retirement he continued his service to America as a senior Department of Defense civilian employee and also as a defense contractor. He deployed to more than 20 countries on 6 continents while supporting Department of Defense and intelligence community operations. His global travel afforded him the opportunity to experience social and governmental practices around the world and compare them to what we routinely enjoy in the United States. His common sense viewpoints on contemporary American issues may not provide solutions but all bear consideration and discussion.