Call Signs

Five pilots. Fifteen stories. Army pilots tell "Their I was" stories from the 1980s until 2010. Flying behind the Iron Curtain, the Berlin Corridor, drug war missions in South America, staring down the North Koreans, flying in Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan and having presidents parachute out the back, these are stories are about the challenges and adventures only military flying can provide in airplanes that look nothing like their civilian counterparts. In this collection of true short stories from the U.S. Army's little-known, underappreciated airplane community, readers will get to know the pilots who did what was asked—and lived to tell their tales. Stories about the Cold War, combat, Korea, South America. These stories will both entertain and inform, all the while lending credence to the age old adage: "Truth is stranger than fiction."

Five pilots. Fifteen stories. Army pilots tell "Their I was" stories from the 1980s until 2010. Flying behind the Iron Curtain, the Berlin Corridor, drug war missions in South America, staring down the North Koreans, flying in Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan and having presidents parachute out the back, these are stories are about the challenges and adventures only military flying can provide in airplanes that look nothing like their civilian counterparts. In this collection of true short stories from the U.S. Army's little-known, underappreciated airplane community, readers will get to know the pilots who did what was asked—and lived to tell their tales. Stories about the Cold War, combat, Korea, South America. These stories will both entertain and inform, all the while lending credence to the age old adage: "Truth is stranger than fiction."

Steve Koenig was commissioned an Army Aviator through ROTC at Xavier University in 1986. He has held leadership positions from Platoon Leader through Battalion Commander and has had assignments in Germany, Korea, Colombia (South America), Ft Hood, Ft Bliss, West Point, the Pentagon and Iraq. He is qualified in two types of Army helicopters and five different Army airplanes. He was in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 and served in different rolls while deployed to Iraq for various lengths of time in 2004, 2005 and 2006. He retired in 2010 after 24 years and his awards and decorations include Master Aviator with over 4000 flight hours, the Army Parachutist Badge, the Legion of Merit, the Iraq Campaign Medal with one battle star and numerous other awards. He is also a recipient of the Army Aviation Association of America Order of St Michael (Bronze) and the Military Intelligence Corps Association Knowlton Award. He has a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Relations from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and a Master of Science in Education and Leadership from Long Island University, Long Island, New York. In retirement he is an avid General Aviation airplane owner and pilot and is employed as a commercial Boeing 777 airline pilot with FAA type ratings in the EMB-145, ERJ 170/175/190 and B777. He has been recognized by both La Salle High School, Cincinnati, Ohio (Community Pillar Award 2012) and Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio (ROTC Hall of Fame 2017) for his contributions. He is married to LTC (retired) Cindy Koenig for 33 blessed years and they reside outside of Columbus Ohio. CALL SIGNS was written during layovers in hotels around the world and is a result of stories and pictures being shared on an Army Fixed Wing Website. Throwing out the idea for a book to the group, I finally took my own advice and started to write. This is compilation of over two years work with all the contributors who decided to let me tell their stories. I hope you find it entertaining and just a little be different.