Dennis J Call

Dennis J. Call is the author of Nothing As It Seems, a memoir exploring war, trauma, grief, redemption, and the long road toward healing.

Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Dennis joined the United States Army and was commissioned as an infantry officer after graduating from Eastern New Mexico University with degrees in History and Biblical Studies. During his nearly fourteen years on active duty, he led soldiers in combat during three deployments in support of the Global War on Terror, serving with the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan.

His military service included assignments as a rifle platoon leader, battalion mortar platoon leader, and rifle company commander. During his final deployment, he commanded Combat Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment in the birthplace of the Taliban near Kandahar, Afghanistan, where his unit suffered seven soldiers killed in action and forty-three wounded.

Immediately after his deployment to Afghanistan, Dennis was selected as an Army Congressional Fellow, earning a Master of Professional Studies in Legislative Affairs from The George Washington University. He later served in the office of Senator Richard Burr and as a Congressional Liaison on the Army Staff at the Pentagon. He also holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Public Administration from Liberty University.

In 2017, Dennis transitioned to the U.S. Army Reserve where he spent the next seven years serving in a variety of leadership and staff assignments supporting the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, the Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, two Valorous Unit Awards, and numerous others. His military qualifications include the Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Air Assault Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

Following his military career, Dennis continued to serve others through his work at the Department of Veterans Affairs and as an elder at Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, Virginia. Dennis and his wife, Katie, married in 2000 and live in Fairfax Station, Virginia. Together they have five children; their oldest son is a United States Marine serving in California.

Through his writing and speaking, Dennis seeks to help others navigate trauma, loss, leadership, faith, and the challenges of life after war. His hope is simple: that those carrying unseen burdens would know they do not have to carry them alone.