William Reeder is a retired U.S. Army colonel, highly decorated with extensive combat experience (Silver Star for gallantry, Valorous Unit Award, two Distinguished Flying Crosses for heroism, three Purple Hearts for wounds received in combat). In Vietnam, he was an AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter pilot. Later in his career, he flew the AH-64 Apache advanced attack helicopter. He is also a former prisoner of war (POW) in Vietnam. In 2014, he was inducted into the U.S. Army Aviation Hall of Fame. Reeder holds a Ph.D. in history and does training and leadership development consulting with NATO Special Operations forces. He is a frequent speaker for veterans and other military and civic organizations. He lives in Seabeck, WA.