“America, united, is unstoppable; America, divided, is an easy target,” writes Dr. McConkey. “If the powers that be spent as much time focusing on the actual future of the country and the development of our youth and communities as they do on the past, we would be much better prepared for the challenges that await us as a nation.
“When we speak of the fundamental principles that set America apart from every other country in the world, it comes down to the people: each American —whether ordinary, hero, or superstar-can become the "weight behind the spear." Our family systems, teachers, coaches, and our volunteers provide the confidence, the security, and the weight behind each of us.”
He divides his book into four parts: How to Be the Weight, How to NOT Be the Weight, Experiences That Shaped My Weight, and My Weight. In the first part, McConkey highlights the foundations of leadership drawn from experiences in combat, his childhood, and his time as a commander. 
In the next part, he shows how attributes of selfishness and greed rot America’s core principles and that foundation. In the third part, he offers anecdotal stories as an emergency physician around the world that illustrate what makes America unique as the shining beacon of freedom in the world.  In the fourth part, McConkey describes how near-death experiences and his family have been the weight that shaped him as a leader and why it drives him to keep fighting for our American values. Be The Weight Behind the Spear is a call to action. 
“America is as divided generationally and politically as it has ever been,” asserts Col. McConkey. “But the strength of America has always been its people. Our teachers, families, coaches, mentors, and volunteers have the opportunity to shape America's future. America is always at its best when we are faced with a challenge, but only if we are prepared to meet that challenge.”
Our national security and our future may just depend on it.