A Combat Memoir & Concept Soundtrack
The War Nobody Writes About
Wounded in Iraq. Stranded at Walter Reed. Lost in the wreckage of addiction. Rebuilt through 3,809 days of hard-won sobriety. This is the story of every battle that came after the shooting stopped — and the long road back.
About the Author
Tyson Ivie is an Army Infantry veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and survivor of the war that comes after the war. Deployed with the 502nd Infantry Regiment to Iraq's Triangle of Death, he returned home carrying eight pieces of shrapnel in his body — and invisible wounds that would take over a decade to name.
Today he runs The Back Bowl Pro Shop in Eagle, Colorado, directs the local USBC bowling association, and is a school district employee and community anchor. He has been continuously sober since January 2016.
The Memoir
A four-act memoir chronicling the complete arc of one soldier's life — from the blast that sent him to Walter Reed, through the wreckage of addiction, to the hard-won mountain ridge of recovery. This is the war nobody writes about.
Waking up at Walter Reed. Eight pieces of shrapnel. A wheelchair tour through the cost of infantry. The suffocating weight of trying to strap back into a combat vest that no longer fits.
Standing in the gap for other soldiers. The toxic culture of Rear Detachment. Heavy drinking, clashing commanders, and a devastating seven-car accident on the way to Nashville.
The aimless peacetime years. Rolling a Suburban seven times south of Eagle. A fractured C3 vertebra, court-ordered AA, probation, heartbreak, and the rock bottom you don't see coming until you're already buried.
3,809 days. Continuous sobriety since January 2016. A pro shop, a community, a purpose. The long, quiet, hard-won victory of a life completely rebuilt from the ground up.
Waking up in the hospital. Red Cross quilts, wheelchair tours, and eight pieces of shrapnel carried in the body. The moment parents walk through the door.
No parades, no cheering crowds. Just the unsettling, heavy silence of being completely changed in a familiar town.
Grueling shoulder rehab. The frantic, desperate decision to ask to return to the unit — one of the worst mistakes.
Navigating military legal systems. Helping fellow soldiers like Green and Menchaca transition out while an internal storm quietly builds.
The toxic culture of Rear D. Clashing with commanders, heavy partying, trying to outrun the shadow of a unit still deployed in harm's way.
Drinking all night. Driving toward Nashville. A seven-car accident and the haunting mystery of the people hurt — never knowing how their stories ended.
Final shoulder rehab, accepting the medical board, and the finality of being officially out of the Army in November 2007.
Returning home for good. The aimless, dangerous routine of a combat veteran surviving peacetime without a roadmap.
Rolling a Suburban seven times south of Eagle. Fractured C3 vertebra. The shift into court-ordered AA, probation, and a new chapter.
Heartbreak. A heavy VSO appointment. The day the legal leash came off — and the deepest dive into addiction that followed.
3,809 days of continuous sobriety. The Back Bowl. The USBC. A community rebuilt. A life completely reclaimed.
The Companion Soundtrack
11 Tracks · 4 Acts · One Survivor's Complete Story
Waking up at Walter Reed. The Red Cross quilts, the wheelchair tour, and the moment parents walk through the door.
No parades. No cheering crowds. Just the heavy, unsettling silence of being entirely changed in a familiar town.
Shoulder rehab. The suffocating weight of strapping back into a combat vest. The desperate decision to return to the unit.
Navigating military legal systems. Helping fellow soldiers transition out while an internal storm quietly builds.
Toxic culture, clashing commanders, heavy partying, and trying to outrun the shadow of a unit still deployed.
Drinking all night. Driving toward Nashville. A seven-car accident and the haunting weight of people hurt with no closure.
Final rehab. The medical board. The finality of officially being out of the Army in November 2007.
The aimless, dangerous routine of a combat veteran surviving peacetime without a roadmap.
Rolling a Suburban seven times. Fractured C3 vertebra. The shift into court-ordered AA, probation, and a new chapter.
Heartbreak. A VSO appointment. The day the legal leash came off — and the invisible rock bottom that followed.
Over 10 years of continuous sobriety. The Back Bowl. The USBC. A community rebuilt. A life completely reclaimed on the ridge.
Melodic Punk Rock · Driving, heavy, emotionally raw
Electronic Press Kit
Full chapter outline, narrative arc overview, and select draft passages available upon request for literary agents and publishers.
Complete 11-track concept album outline, sonic direction guides, and full lyrical demonstrations for Tracks 1 and 11 available for music industry review.
Full verified military service record overview, deployment history, Purple Heart citation context, and post-service community leadership résumé.
High-resolution author photos, The Back Bowl Pro Shop imagery, and Eagle County location assets available for editorial and promotional use.
Tyson Ivie served as an Infantry soldier with the 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, deployed to Iraq during one of the most dangerous periods of the conflict. Wounded in action south of Baghdad and treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he carried both visible and invisible wounds home — eight pieces of shrapnel in his body, and a decade-long battle with severe addiction ahead of him.
After a near-fatal vehicle rollover, a fractured C3 vertebra, court-ordered rehabilitation, and hitting a rock bottom that came in silence rather than spectacle, Tyson achieved continuous sobriety in January 2016 — a streak that now totals over 3,809 days and counting.
Today he is the owner and operator of The Back Bowl Pro Shop in Eagle, Colorado, a director of the local USBC bowling association, a school district employee, and a community leader dedicated to building bridges for veterans and families in Eagle County.
Get in Touch
Whether you're a literary agent, band manager, music collaborator, journalist, or fellow veteran wanting to connect — this is the right place. All serious inquiries are reviewed personally.