Army of Torches: The Weight of Duty
by Kaitlin Murdock
Written at 16 years old
An honest field guide to leadership that lasts after the applause stops. Built on the framework of Carry. Light. Pass. — this book is for anyone who feels the call to lead but isn't sure they've earned the right to start.
Let consequences land so judgment can form. Model the responsibility you want others to carry. Hypocrisy destroys development faster than incompetence. Vulnerability, used carefully, is the mechanism trust is built on. Authoritarianism closes that door. If your team can't function without you, you haven't built a team. You've built a dependency.
The Framework: Carry · Light · Pass
Three stages that map the journey every principled leader must take.
Carry
Take responsibility before you feel ready. Leadership starts when you shoulder the weight of duty — not when someone hands you a title. This section covers building resilience, owning outcomes, and leading from the front even when it's uncomfortable.
Light
Visibility through sustained effort, not performance. Real influence comes from endurance — showing up consistently, speaking truth, and lighting the path for others through action rather than authority.
Pass
Build genuine capacity in those who follow. The ultimate test of a leader isn't how the team performs with you — it's how they thrive without you. This section covers developing independence, creating systems, and passing opportunity forward.
Watch the Teaser
A look inside the principles that drive An Army of Torches.
Kaitlin Murdock
Author & Founder
Kaitlin Murdock
Kaitlin Murdock wrote Weight of Duty at just 16 years old. An Arizona-based entrepreneur and founder of the nonprofit An Army of Torches, she wrote the book from the front lines of her own leadership journey.
At seventeen, she commanded over a hundred JROTC cadets, managed a nonprofit, and had already navigated two failed businesses. She draws on early morning drill practices in the Arizona heat, hard lessons from real failure, and the mentors who shaped her philosophy: leadership is not about authority — it's about carrying weight others aren't ready for.
She is also the creator of Ember, an app designed for growth and connection among young people aged 16 to 25. Her approach to leadership emphasizes building teams through connection and vulnerability — not command.
93
Pages
#1
Teen Careers eBooks
5.0
Amazon Rating
$9.99
Paperback