In 2017, when I began this journey to tell my story, I knew that there would be a day when it would be time to retire.
I knew when I began, that succeed or fail, the project that became the book was mine. Every word was mine, with organization assistance and proof-reading from my cousin Kristy. The pictures used in the book, I selected. I designed the cover. I copyrighted my work.
I am proud of what was produced. The book was completed, published and printed in time for the fifth anniversary of my 2013 incident, as was my goal when I started working dutifully on it the year prior.
I am happy that I was able to tell my story, perhaps someday my children will read it. I enjoyed the “author talks” I was able to give over the last 6 years.
At the close of 2024, I will suspend active marketing and book sales, the website will be shuttered, I will stop posting to the book’s social media presence.
I do still have a limited inventory of printed books, so if you’re interested in a copy for yourself or as a gift, please order before the end of the year. I will have some books on-hand, so in-person sales will continue to be possible into 2025 and beyond.
Thank you to everyone who helped me with this project, there are many. I hesitate to list everyone because I would inevitably and inadvertently forget a name, but I know who they are and so do they.
Thank you to the many Heroes that saved me, put me back together and pushed me to heal (I know a “thank you” is never enough). You’re forever in my heart.
~Andy
Pamir 62
January 14, 2013 after a flight at Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan (OASD)
A smirk because I was happy to be wearing a ballcap and a headset.VIP 1, I must’ve been a pretty Big Deal.Posting with my new ride.A few months later, I’d snap a very similar pose of my MD530 in the FARP at Shindand Air Base (OASD).
90 YEARS AGO TODAY: 22 February 1932, The modern Purple Heart medal was established by General Order #3, signed by General Douglas MacArthur. The date was chosen in observance the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. The award was inspired by the Badge of Military Merit, created by Washington in the waning days of the Revolution. As was the Badge of Military Merit, the Purple Heart was also originally a merit-based award. Wounds received in action were one way a person could qualify for the award.
Since 1942, the medal is awarded to U.S. service members who have been killed or wounded by enemy action.
Later this year I will begin sharing #TenYearsAgo pictures and musings from my deployment to Afghanistan that began in October 2012 and ended in September 2013 when an IED destroyed my MD530, critically wounding my Afghan co-pilot and me.
Thank you to everyone who reads and follows my book’s social media accounts (Facebook & Instagram), I’m especially grateful for those of you who have purchased a copy of my book. I appreciate your interest in the story of my Heroes.
I am new to the whole podcast thing, but I recently learned about this one. It is hosted by a former Kiowa Warrior aviator, and features talk about various combat aviation with the actual servicemembers that lived the events. I hope you'll check it out.
The Low Level Hell Podcast is available through several podcast providers:
I am appreciative that the online-only magazine of The Military Order of the Purple Heart features my story on page 19 of the PDF. The article has excerpts from the book and a couple of pictures.
But I’m disappointed that the text I sent was modified & truncated. The article ends in the middle of a sentence. Two of the four pictures are mis-captioned. Sidebar text that should have been a short author bio was jumbled in with the body of the article.
The book’s website URL was left out of the article. The website, which you are currently reading, has more pictures (properly captioned), this blog, and ordering information.
I was dicharged from the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, GA and travelled home to my family at Fort Rucker, AL. With the help of my Fancy Cane, I shuffled proudly from the airplane to the terminal at the Dothan Regional Airport.
It had been 97 days since an IED changed my day, and my life. I still had months of physical therapy ahead of me, but now I was Home.
I fly the Star Spangled Banner at the house nearly every day of the year.
The 2 days of exception are today, National Purple Heart Day, and on September 7th, the anniversary of when I earned my Purple Heart Medal in 2013 near Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan.
