Danger Close: My Epic Journey as a Combat Helicopter Pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan

One of the few women to pilot the Kiowa Warrior helicopter Amber Smith flew into enemy fire in some of the most dangerous combat zones in the world. Now, in her riveting memoir, the first written by a Kiowa pilot who engaged in high-intensity warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan, Smith takes you into the heat of the battle, where routine scouting missions can become harrowing ambushes in an instant and protecting troops is paramount.

Smith recounts her unrelenting fight for both mastery and respect as she navigates boot camp and flight training school, where pilots learn to perform under pressure. Smith perseveres under extreme duress - both in action against an implacable enemy and within the "boys club" of Army aviation, ultimately rising to pilot in command and air mission commander in the premier Kiowa unit in the Army, the elite 2-17 Cavalry Regiment.

Dramatic, cinematic, and inspiring, Danger Close is both a great war story and the personal chronicle of a brave pilot who fought for and earned a lifetime membership in the ranks of the best of the best.