Danger Close: One Woman's Epic Journey as a Combat Helicopter Pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan

While most memoirs about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been penned by male combat veterans, Smith's book represents a missing viewpoint—the voice of a female Kiowa Warrior helicopter pilot. Deploying in 2005 and 2008 with the Second Squadron of the 17th Cavalry Regiment, part of the legendary 101st Airborne Division, Smith flew missions over dangerous and remote territories in Iraq and Afghanistan to scout IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and enemy presence, maintaining calm under fire in the worst of situations. Smith begins with her decision to join the U.S. Army after growing up with her pilot father and a childhood of flying experience. The book journeys through basic training, flight school, and then in-the-air training. Through that training, Smith shares the difficulty of breaking through the "boys club" of military aviation. The author covers each mission with edge-of-your-seat detail and a coolness that demonstrates how she gained the respect of not only her fellow pilots but also soldiers on the ground.