THE 'BACKBONE' BOOK Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered comments as the keynote speaker during the roll out of a book describing the duties and history of noncommissioned and petty officers at the Pentagon, Dec. 17, 2013. The book, "The Noncommissioned Officer and Petty Officer: Backbone of the Armed Forces," is the first of its kind. Written by noncommissioned and petty officers, it provides a comprehensive explanation of enlisted leaders across the U.S. Armed Forces. SHARE: Download: Full Size (0.04 MB) Tags: Lead Photos Credit: VIRIN: 248803-L-BBT62-463.jpg Photo Gallery