Sergeant Presley

What happened when Elvis entered the army in 1958? Although many have
speculated, for the first time we get the inside story. Rex Mansfield, the co-
author, was inducted on the same day as Elvis in Memphis, went through basic
training with him in Texas, and travelled with the King to Germany as well.
Early on, Rex discovered that by not speaking with reporters, he could stay in
Elvis' inner circle, and ultimately became a close-knit member of the extended
Presley family. Once overseas, Elvis befriended Elisabeth Stefaniak, a young
German girl, and hired her to answer his fan mail. Elisabeth became
romantically involved with him, but soon discovered Elvis' wandering eye and
double standards. Eventually, Rex and Elisabeth began to date secretly, and
concealed it from Elvis. Torn between Elvis and Rex, Elisabeth was forced to
choose - and she chose Rex. On June 4, 1960, they married. Elvis never again
spoke to either one of them. And though glimpses of their story have been
recounted in several Presley biographies, the two have remained silent for
four decades. Until now. What will be revealed in Sergeant Presley? We learn
about the beginning of Elvis' addiction to prescription drugs. We see Elvis'
initial meeting with Priscilla Beaulieu, his eventual wife. And we hear about
the daily goings-on both on the army bases and in the homes Elvis rented in
Texas and Germany. More than the revelations, however, this is a story about
three people: Rex, who becomes a close friend of Elvis; Elisabeth, who becomes
one of Elvis' girlfriends; and Elvis himself, during the "missing years."