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Warnings Unheeded: Twin Tragedies at Fairchild Air Force Base
The firsthand account of an active-shooter incident and military aviation disaster—told by the Security Forces Airman who ended the killing spree.
In one week, two fatal tragedies struck the community of Fairchild Air Force Base. On 20 June 1994, a gunman opened fire in the base hospital. Just four days later, a B-52 bomber crashed outside of Fairchild's Nuclear Weapon Storage Area.
In a compelling narrative, Staff Sergeant Andy Brown shares the eye-witness accounts of the people who experienced the tragedies—the first responders, the victims, and the survivors. The narrative also tells the story of the people who recognized the signs of impending tragedy.
For several months, Fairchild's mental-health clinic struggled to find help for a dangerous patient. When they were unable to convince others of the threat, the hospital became the target of a vengeful gunman and a victim of deep-set bureaucracy.
The pilot of the ill-fated aircraft had a history of flying the airliner-sized bomber like an aerobatic stunt plane. The rogue pilot's maneuvers caused aircrews to fear for their lives. They risked their careers by refusing to fly with him. When the chain-of-command failed to act, one brave commander made the ultimate sacrifice to save his men.
Brown shares how he had prepared for the lethal force encounter and vividly describes his gunfight with the active shooter. He candidly relates his experience with the aftermath and offers a unique insight into the hidden cost of becoming a "hero."
Warnings Unheeded is part of Brown's ongoing effort to share the stories of two preventable tragedies and the lessons contained within them.
If you like military biographies, true-crime storytelling, or learning from history—read this true story of mass murder and aviation disaster.
"In vivid and thoroughly researched detail, Andy Brown masterfully weaves two tragic stories ... this is an important and well-written read." —Gregory K. Moffatt, Ph.D., author of Blind-Sided: Homicide Where it is Least Expected
"Profoundly valuable for anyone who wants to understand violence and mental illness in our society today." —Lt Col Dave Grossman, author of On Combat and On Killing
"There are specific lessons in this book that can help us to prevent lethal tragedy." —From the Foreword by Massad Ayoob
***Contains more than 70 photographs and images.***
In one week, two fatal tragedies struck the community of Fairchild Air Force Base. On 20 June 1994, a gunman opened fire in the base hospital. Just four days later, a B-52 bomber crashed outside of Fairchild's Nuclear Weapon Storage Area.
In a compelling narrative, Staff Sergeant Andy Brown shares the eye-witness accounts of the people who experienced the tragedies—the first responders, the victims, and the survivors. The narrative also tells the story of the people who recognized the signs of impending tragedy.
For several months, Fairchild's mental-health clinic struggled to find help for a dangerous patient. When they were unable to convince others of the threat, the hospital became the target of a vengeful gunman and a victim of deep-set bureaucracy.
The pilot of the ill-fated aircraft had a history of flying the airliner-sized bomber like an aerobatic stunt plane. The rogue pilot's maneuvers caused aircrews to fear for their lives. They risked their careers by refusing to fly with him. When the chain-of-command failed to act, one brave commander made the ultimate sacrifice to save his men.
Brown shares how he had prepared for the lethal force encounter and vividly describes his gunfight with the active shooter. He candidly relates his experience with the aftermath and offers a unique insight into the hidden cost of becoming a "hero."
Warnings Unheeded is part of Brown's ongoing effort to share the stories of two preventable tragedies and the lessons contained within them.
If you like military biographies, true-crime storytelling, or learning from history—read this true story of mass murder and aviation disaster.
"In vivid and thoroughly researched detail, Andy Brown masterfully weaves two tragic stories ... this is an important and well-written read." —Gregory K. Moffatt, Ph.D., author of Blind-Sided: Homicide Where it is Least Expected
"Profoundly valuable for anyone who wants to understand violence and mental illness in our society today." —Lt Col Dave Grossman, author of On Combat and On Killing
"There are specific lessons in this book that can help us to prevent lethal tragedy." —From the Foreword by Massad Ayoob
***Contains more than 70 photographs and images.***
380 pages, ebook
First published November 2, 2016
333 people are currently reading
913 people want to read
About the author
Andy Brown
1 book37 followersAndy Brown is an Air Force, Law-Enforcement veteran who has worked as a Patrolman and Criminal Investigator.
An avid reader of nonfiction, Brown particularly enjoys learning from historical events. He credits Charles Remsberg's Street Survival books for helping him end an active-shooter's killing spree at Fairchild Air Force Base in June of 1994.
Brown's research into the mass-murder incident, and the aviation disaster that occurred four days later, led him to write Warnings Unheeded. He hopes others will benefit from the impactful stories and the valuable lessons contained within them.
After leaving the Air Force, Brown returned to the area of Spokane, Washington where he lives with his family and works for the Department of Homeland Security.
More information, including audio files of the police response, can be found at: fairchildhospitalshooting.com/inciden...
An avid reader of nonfiction, Brown particularly enjoys learning from historical events. He credits Charles Remsberg's Street Survival books for helping him end an active-shooter's killing spree at Fairchild Air Force Base in June of 1994.
Brown's research into the mass-murder incident, and the aviation disaster that occurred four days later, led him to write Warnings Unheeded. He hopes others will benefit from the impactful stories and the valuable lessons contained within them.
After leaving the Air Force, Brown returned to the area of Spokane, Washington where he lives with his family and works for the Department of Homeland Security.
More information, including audio files of the police response, can be found at: fairchildhospitalshooting.com/inciden...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
March 3, 2017
Tragedies that should be remembered and never repeated Thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy of his book that I review as part of Rosie’s Books Review Team.
I am a psychiatrist and have worked in forensic psychiatry (looking after patients with a history of dangerous behaviour and, on occasions, criminal records) and therefore when I was approached by this writer about the book, my interest was twofold. Although I’m not currently working as a psychiatrist, I wanted to read the book to see what lessons there were to be learned, especially from the incident of mass shooting, as it was particularly relevant to the issues of mental health assessment and treatment. I was also interested, as a reader, a writer and a member of the public, in how the author would write about the incidents in a manner that would engage the readership. More than anything, I was interested in reading about his personal experience.
As a reader (not that I’m sure I can take my psychiatrist hat off that easily), the book intertwines both incidents, that coincided in the same setting, Fairchild Air Force Base, within a week period. We are given information about previous concerns about the flying acrobatics of Holland, whose antics had worried a number of people at the time, although in his case we don’t get to know much about the person (the information is more about those who reported concerns and the way those were ignored or minimised), and, in much more detail, about the past history and behaviours of Mellberg, that read as a catalogue of unheeded warnings and missed opportunities.
Concerns about Mellberg follow him from school, where he was a loner, suffered bullying, never made friends and showed some odd behaviour and continue when he joins the Air Force. He becomes paranoid, starts harassing his roommate and despite concerns and assessments, he is simply moved from one place to the next, and the mental health assessments are either intentionally ignored or missed. Later on, when somebody decides to take action, there is no evidence of follow-up or organised system to check what happens when somebody is discharged for mental health reasons (some changes ensue, thanks mostly to the efforts of Sue Brigham [the wife of Dr Brigham, one of Mellberg’s victims], after the fact) and readers can feel how the tension builds up to the point where it’s only a matter of time until a serious incident happens.
Brown, the author, shares his background and his career progression to that point, his interest in policing and security from a young age, and he happens to coincide in time and space with Mellberg, being the first to respond to the calls for assistance when Mellberg starts shooting, first the people he blames for his discharge from the air force, and later, anybody who crosses his path. Although we know what’s going to happen, and, in a way, Brown has always been preparing for something like this, the reality is no less shocking.
Brown’s description of events, what the victims did, and what he did is exemplary, and it shows his experience in crime scene investigation. We can clearly reconstruct what happened minute by minute (almost second by second). As the description is interspersed with witness statements and personal detail I didn’t find it excessive, although that might depend on what readers are used to (I know from personal experience of writing reports that accuracy and details are prime, but that’s not what readers of fiction are used to, for example). The book also includes photographs of the scenes of both incidents, diagrams of the sites, etc.
As I said above, although the reader gets the same sense of impending doom when reading about the dangerous and reckless flight manoeuvres Holland does, we don’t get to know much about Holland as a man, only about his experience flying. The issue of warnings not being acted upon is highlighted, but we don’t know if anything else might have been behind Holland’s behaviour, and we’re therefore less personally invested in the case. I must also confess to having little understanding of acrobatics and individual planes capabilities, so I found some of the details about that incident more difficult to follow and perhaps unnecessary for the general reader (the message is clear even if we don’t know exactly how the gs a fuselage can bear might be determined).
Brown’s own reaction to the shooting and his difficulties getting his PTSD acknowledged and treated form the latter part of the book, and they come to illustrate a side of these tragedies that is hardly ever commented upon or discussed in detail, as if sweeping things under a carpet and not talking about them would make them disappear. (As he notes, people don’t know how to react: they either joke about the incident or avoid talking about it completely). He honestly shares his struggle, how long it took him to understand what was happening to him, the less than helpful behaviours he engaged in, and his self-doubt and guilt feelings, not helped by the reluctance of the Air Force to share the information he requests. He had the added difficulty of being removed from service every time he tried to get help, something that he, understandingly, saw as a punishment. He eventually decided to leave active service to try and find peace of mind, but it was a lengthy and difficult process, that might vary from individual to individual. It is always helpful, though, to know that one is not alone and it is not just a matter of getting over it, and that’s why personal accounts are so important.
Brown offers conclusions and lessons on how to keep safe. Although I don’t necessarily agree with some of the comments (the right to bear arms and use them for self-defense is a very controversial subject and I currently live in a country where not even the police carry them regularly), I agree with the importance of being aware of the risks, with the need to be more sensitive to the mental health needs of the population, with the importance of providing follow-up and support to those who experience mental disorders and also the need to see human beings in a holistic way, rather than only treating their bodies and ignoring their minds.
This is an important book that should be read by people who work in law enforcement (either in the military or in a civil environment), provide security to organisations, and of course by psychologist and psychiatrists alike. It is not a book to read for entertainment, and it is definitely not a light read, but I would also recommend it to people who research the subject and/or are interested in real crime and PTSD. I wonder if a shorter version of the book, dealing specifically with the PTSD experience of the author might be useful to other survivors of trauma who might find the rest of the book too difficult to read.
I am a psychiatrist and have worked in forensic psychiatry (looking after patients with a history of dangerous behaviour and, on occasions, criminal records) and therefore when I was approached by this writer about the book, my interest was twofold. Although I’m not currently working as a psychiatrist, I wanted to read the book to see what lessons there were to be learned, especially from the incident of mass shooting, as it was particularly relevant to the issues of mental health assessment and treatment. I was also interested, as a reader, a writer and a member of the public, in how the author would write about the incidents in a manner that would engage the readership. More than anything, I was interested in reading about his personal experience.
As a reader (not that I’m sure I can take my psychiatrist hat off that easily), the book intertwines both incidents, that coincided in the same setting, Fairchild Air Force Base, within a week period. We are given information about previous concerns about the flying acrobatics of Holland, whose antics had worried a number of people at the time, although in his case we don’t get to know much about the person (the information is more about those who reported concerns and the way those were ignored or minimised), and, in much more detail, about the past history and behaviours of Mellberg, that read as a catalogue of unheeded warnings and missed opportunities.
Concerns about Mellberg follow him from school, where he was a loner, suffered bullying, never made friends and showed some odd behaviour and continue when he joins the Air Force. He becomes paranoid, starts harassing his roommate and despite concerns and assessments, he is simply moved from one place to the next, and the mental health assessments are either intentionally ignored or missed. Later on, when somebody decides to take action, there is no evidence of follow-up or organised system to check what happens when somebody is discharged for mental health reasons (some changes ensue, thanks mostly to the efforts of Sue Brigham [the wife of Dr Brigham, one of Mellberg’s victims], after the fact) and readers can feel how the tension builds up to the point where it’s only a matter of time until a serious incident happens.
Brown, the author, shares his background and his career progression to that point, his interest in policing and security from a young age, and he happens to coincide in time and space with Mellberg, being the first to respond to the calls for assistance when Mellberg starts shooting, first the people he blames for his discharge from the air force, and later, anybody who crosses his path. Although we know what’s going to happen, and, in a way, Brown has always been preparing for something like this, the reality is no less shocking.
Brown’s description of events, what the victims did, and what he did is exemplary, and it shows his experience in crime scene investigation. We can clearly reconstruct what happened minute by minute (almost second by second). As the description is interspersed with witness statements and personal detail I didn’t find it excessive, although that might depend on what readers are used to (I know from personal experience of writing reports that accuracy and details are prime, but that’s not what readers of fiction are used to, for example). The book also includes photographs of the scenes of both incidents, diagrams of the sites, etc.
As I said above, although the reader gets the same sense of impending doom when reading about the dangerous and reckless flight manoeuvres Holland does, we don’t get to know much about Holland as a man, only about his experience flying. The issue of warnings not being acted upon is highlighted, but we don’t know if anything else might have been behind Holland’s behaviour, and we’re therefore less personally invested in the case. I must also confess to having little understanding of acrobatics and individual planes capabilities, so I found some of the details about that incident more difficult to follow and perhaps unnecessary for the general reader (the message is clear even if we don’t know exactly how the gs a fuselage can bear might be determined).
Brown’s own reaction to the shooting and his difficulties getting his PTSD acknowledged and treated form the latter part of the book, and they come to illustrate a side of these tragedies that is hardly ever commented upon or discussed in detail, as if sweeping things under a carpet and not talking about them would make them disappear. (As he notes, people don’t know how to react: they either joke about the incident or avoid talking about it completely). He honestly shares his struggle, how long it took him to understand what was happening to him, the less than helpful behaviours he engaged in, and his self-doubt and guilt feelings, not helped by the reluctance of the Air Force to share the information he requests. He had the added difficulty of being removed from service every time he tried to get help, something that he, understandingly, saw as a punishment. He eventually decided to leave active service to try and find peace of mind, but it was a lengthy and difficult process, that might vary from individual to individual. It is always helpful, though, to know that one is not alone and it is not just a matter of getting over it, and that’s why personal accounts are so important.
Brown offers conclusions and lessons on how to keep safe. Although I don’t necessarily agree with some of the comments (the right to bear arms and use them for self-defense is a very controversial subject and I currently live in a country where not even the police carry them regularly), I agree with the importance of being aware of the risks, with the need to be more sensitive to the mental health needs of the population, with the importance of providing follow-up and support to those who experience mental disorders and also the need to see human beings in a holistic way, rather than only treating their bodies and ignoring their minds.
This is an important book that should be read by people who work in law enforcement (either in the military or in a civil environment), provide security to organisations, and of course by psychologist and psychiatrists alike. It is not a book to read for entertainment, and it is definitely not a light read, but I would also recommend it to people who research the subject and/or are interested in real crime and PTSD. I wonder if a shorter version of the book, dealing specifically with the PTSD experience of the author might be useful to other survivors of trauma who might find the rest of the book too difficult to read.
December 3, 2022
On June 20th 1993, Airman Andy Brown, an Air Force Security Policeman, was on duty when he responded to a call that a gunman was shooting staff and patients at the Hospital Annex at Fairchild Air Force Base in eastern Washington. Brown located and killed the gunman, former Airman Dean Melberg, ending the shooting spree.
Four days later, A B-52 bomber, piloted by Lt. Colonel Arthur “Bud” Holland, engaged in a low level pass around Fairchild AFB. The aircraft, call sign Czar-52, began to stall, then turned almost vertically before crashing into the ground killing Holland and three other crewmembers.
Eventually, while working through a long and painful battle with PTSD, Brown began to look into how Dean Melberg found himself on a path that would end in the deaths of so many. Though not directly involved with the loss of Czar-52, he would gather information on this incident as well.
The majority of the book is spent delving into the path of Dean Melberg. A man who would eventually be diagnosed with autism. While Melberg may well have lived a better life outside of the US Military, he chose to join the US Air Force which was a poor environment for someone struggling with social interactions, a demanding work culture, and anger management. Melberg had repeated conflicts with his peers and was evaluated by several medical professionals who recommended his discharge from the service.
Part of this tragedy was that Melberg might have avoided the military or have made a smoother transition back to civilian life if his condition was understood much earlier. This did not end up being the case. Melberg’s attack at the Hospital Annex was revenge against those who started the discharge process that he fought so bitterly against.
The other tragedy covered was Bud Holland’s last flight in Czar-52. Holland was considered a superior pilot with more flight hours and expertise in the B-52 than many of those ranked above him. However, more junior officers considered him reckless to the point of refusing to fly with him.
Brown makes it clear that the final outcome of both tragedies was both foreseeable and preventable. Brown does an impressive job of objectively breaking down the run up to both events, especially considering he was personally scarred by one of them.
Four days later, A B-52 bomber, piloted by Lt. Colonel Arthur “Bud” Holland, engaged in a low level pass around Fairchild AFB. The aircraft, call sign Czar-52, began to stall, then turned almost vertically before crashing into the ground killing Holland and three other crewmembers.
Eventually, while working through a long and painful battle with PTSD, Brown began to look into how Dean Melberg found himself on a path that would end in the deaths of so many. Though not directly involved with the loss of Czar-52, he would gather information on this incident as well.
The majority of the book is spent delving into the path of Dean Melberg. A man who would eventually be diagnosed with autism. While Melberg may well have lived a better life outside of the US Military, he chose to join the US Air Force which was a poor environment for someone struggling with social interactions, a demanding work culture, and anger management. Melberg had repeated conflicts with his peers and was evaluated by several medical professionals who recommended his discharge from the service.
Part of this tragedy was that Melberg might have avoided the military or have made a smoother transition back to civilian life if his condition was understood much earlier. This did not end up being the case. Melberg’s attack at the Hospital Annex was revenge against those who started the discharge process that he fought so bitterly against.
The other tragedy covered was Bud Holland’s last flight in Czar-52. Holland was considered a superior pilot with more flight hours and expertise in the B-52 than many of those ranked above him. However, more junior officers considered him reckless to the point of refusing to fly with him.
Brown makes it clear that the final outcome of both tragedies was both foreseeable and preventable. Brown does an impressive job of objectively breaking down the run up to both events, especially considering he was personally scarred by one of them.
September 19, 2016
This was a really good read, written in a clear, no-frills style, with hardly a single typo to jolt me out of the narrative. Even the appendices are good reading. This is a case I never heard of before, about a double disaster -- a mass shooting and a plane crash -- happening in the space of less than a week in 1994 on the same airbase. The author was right there for it and was directly involved, and I have to say this book includes one of the finest verbal renderings of an epic adrenaline rush -- and the crash that follows -- that I've ever read. He makes a point of letting the reader see the long-term aftereffects of events like these. There is a lot packed into these 354 pages. Brown paints a picture of very concerned experts doing everything they can to get the brass to make the right decision, swimming in neck-deep paperwork and bureaucratic stamping of forms, and absolutely nothing coming of it until it's far too late. He only lost me when he started using terminology that only someone who understands aviation would know -- what's an aileron roll!? Illustrated with crime-scene photos, charts, graphs and maps.
February 2, 2017
I'll start by saying that this is book is a terrific achievement by the author. The painstaking and intricate work that has clearly gone into it is to be admired, as is its purpose.
The 'warnings unheeded' of the title refer to two mass-casualty accidents that occurred within days of each other on a US air base. "Using the words of the people who experienced the tragedies, the book provides an in-depth look at the before, during and after of a preventable “active shooter” incident and an avoidable fatal plane crash." A shooter terrorised the base hospital, and, in a parallel account, a veteran pilot, known for his reckless flying put the lives of both his crew and spectators at risk.
Andy Brown was the hero who ended the hospital killing spree, and intersperses chapters about the build up of fears about Mellberg and Holland with information about his own life and what led him to the position by which he was able to act as he did. He also writes about the aftermath of the shootings, and PTSD.
I found shooter Mellberg's story the most interesting, and read almost open-mouthed that the people who could take action did not appear to see that he was a tragedy waiting to happen, with the professionals who predicted this swamped by bureaucracy. Most chilling was Dr Brigham's instruction to his wife to keep firearms in the house, because he recognised the sort of patient who would see those who helped him as friends, though could just as easily turn on them. Although non-fiction, the character of Mellberg, in particular, came across most clearly. The book is well-written throughout, and the amount of planning that has gone into it is apparent. For a non-military person (with no particular interest in or experience of the military), I thought that the factual detail was clear and well-explained, though sometimes too detailed, adding facts (and many initials, military terms and the explanations of) that were perhaps not necessary to the story for a layman's point of view, and made one glaze over a little. However, for its target audience, I imagine such detail will be admired.
For that target audience, I would say that this should probably be required reading.
The 'warnings unheeded' of the title refer to two mass-casualty accidents that occurred within days of each other on a US air base. "Using the words of the people who experienced the tragedies, the book provides an in-depth look at the before, during and after of a preventable “active shooter” incident and an avoidable fatal plane crash." A shooter terrorised the base hospital, and, in a parallel account, a veteran pilot, known for his reckless flying put the lives of both his crew and spectators at risk.
Andy Brown was the hero who ended the hospital killing spree, and intersperses chapters about the build up of fears about Mellberg and Holland with information about his own life and what led him to the position by which he was able to act as he did. He also writes about the aftermath of the shootings, and PTSD.
I found shooter Mellberg's story the most interesting, and read almost open-mouthed that the people who could take action did not appear to see that he was a tragedy waiting to happen, with the professionals who predicted this swamped by bureaucracy. Most chilling was Dr Brigham's instruction to his wife to keep firearms in the house, because he recognised the sort of patient who would see those who helped him as friends, though could just as easily turn on them. Although non-fiction, the character of Mellberg, in particular, came across most clearly. The book is well-written throughout, and the amount of planning that has gone into it is apparent. For a non-military person (with no particular interest in or experience of the military), I thought that the factual detail was clear and well-explained, though sometimes too detailed, adding facts (and many initials, military terms and the explanations of) that were perhaps not necessary to the story for a layman's point of view, and made one glaze over a little. However, for its target audience, I imagine such detail will be admired.
For that target audience, I would say that this should probably be required reading.
March 7, 2024
This was very good. Brown showed that both these tragic
events most likely could have been prevented.
The author Andy Brown was in the Air Force Security-Police
when he shot & killed an active shooter at Fairfield AF base
hospital in 1994. This book recounted true events, but at
times it felt like reading a thriller.
Dean Mellberg was a AF recruit who did a sub-standard job
training to be a lab tech, neglected his hygiene, threatened
others w/ lighter fluid and a knife, and made inappropriate
overtures to women. He kept a journal. He had 5 psych.
evaluations by the AF, 1 in his training phase. His mother
got his US Congressman to intervene when the AF planned
to discharge him. This was pre-HIPPA. Ultimately the AF
discharged Mellberg w/o a mental health follow-up plan in
place & w/o informing his parents of his discharge. Mellberg
later became the active shooter.
The AF 'grounded' Brown from his regular duties x 3 months
after the shooting. The chaos Mellberg caused was hard but
necessary to read. AF members and civilians helped good
people hide in/ near the hospital and receive treatment for
their injuries. Brown called many folks brave that day. He
& others developed PTSD after that horrid day.
The AF had maverick, reckless pilot, Lt. Col. Arthur "Bud"
Holland, who liked to tilt his B-52 plane at crazy angles
and swoop too close to the ground at air shows. Some
commanding officers (COs) seemed to tolerate this b/c
of the AF macho atmosphere. If the plane was tilted
at more than a 35 degree angle it was prone to stall, &
the deeper the degree, the harder it was to correct the
plane upward & then to make it horizontal to the ground
again. Holland disobeyed AF orders on 35 degree angle,
etc. After one such plane stunt, Holland's plane needed
500 rivets replaced! (The plane started to come apart at
the seams). Several pilots asked the AF to ground Holland,
but the COs refused. Holland had 1 month till retirement.
Holland as pilot, w/ 3 crew aboard, practiced for the 1994
air show. Holland positioned the plane at a 90 degree angle,
it stalled, he was unable to correct his error, & all died in a
fiery crash. Only 1 AF CO was held responsible & he did no
jail time.
events most likely could have been prevented.
The author Andy Brown was in the Air Force Security-Police
when he shot & killed an active shooter at Fairfield AF base
hospital in 1994. This book recounted true events, but at
times it felt like reading a thriller.
Dean Mellberg was a AF recruit who did a sub-standard job
training to be a lab tech, neglected his hygiene, threatened
others w/ lighter fluid and a knife, and made inappropriate
overtures to women. He kept a journal. He had 5 psych.
evaluations by the AF, 1 in his training phase. His mother
got his US Congressman to intervene when the AF planned
to discharge him. This was pre-HIPPA. Ultimately the AF
discharged Mellberg w/o a mental health follow-up plan in
place & w/o informing his parents of his discharge. Mellberg
later became the active shooter.
The AF 'grounded' Brown from his regular duties x 3 months
after the shooting. The chaos Mellberg caused was hard but
necessary to read. AF members and civilians helped good
people hide in/ near the hospital and receive treatment for
their injuries. Brown called many folks brave that day. He
& others developed PTSD after that horrid day.
The AF had maverick, reckless pilot, Lt. Col. Arthur "Bud"
Holland, who liked to tilt his B-52 plane at crazy angles
and swoop too close to the ground at air shows. Some
commanding officers (COs) seemed to tolerate this b/c
of the AF macho atmosphere. If the plane was tilted
at more than a 35 degree angle it was prone to stall, &
the deeper the degree, the harder it was to correct the
plane upward & then to make it horizontal to the ground
again. Holland disobeyed AF orders on 35 degree angle,
etc. After one such plane stunt, Holland's plane needed
500 rivets replaced! (The plane started to come apart at
the seams). Several pilots asked the AF to ground Holland,
but the COs refused. Holland had 1 month till retirement.
Holland as pilot, w/ 3 crew aboard, practiced for the 1994
air show. Holland positioned the plane at a 90 degree angle,
it stalled, he was unable to correct his error, & all died in a
fiery crash. Only 1 AF CO was held responsible & he did no
jail time.
September 17, 2016
I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of "Warnings Unheeded", and the author hit it out of the park. I was expecting much less from a first-time author, and would not have been disappointed had it been much less than it has proven to be. The author, Andy Brown, is the police officer who stopped the Fairchild Air Force Base mass shooter.
The research going into the work has been meticulous. The treatment of all parties involved has been objective, fair, and non-judgmental. There were people who deserved nothing but wrath and disdain, but Andy Brown avoided going there with it. Similarly, there were many who faced the challenges presented with courage and professionalism. Again, this was a fair, objective and informative read. Beyond that, it is presented in such a way as to make it an enjoyable one. There are some tear-jerking moments, to be sure, but all in all, a marvelous, enjoyable account of two incidents which displayed real people at their absolute worst, and others at their absolute best, presented in such a way as to allow readers to draw their own conclusions.
For law enforcement, government officials, first responders, gun enthusiasts, and anyone who carries a gun for personal protection, there are valuable lessons here. It will validate some doctrine and dogma, and will dispel some others.
The author, and the others who responded to the shootings and their aftermaths exemplified the best that humanity has to offer, along with the weaknesses that come along for the ride. Read this book.
The research going into the work has been meticulous. The treatment of all parties involved has been objective, fair, and non-judgmental. There were people who deserved nothing but wrath and disdain, but Andy Brown avoided going there with it. Similarly, there were many who faced the challenges presented with courage and professionalism. Again, this was a fair, objective and informative read. Beyond that, it is presented in such a way as to make it an enjoyable one. There are some tear-jerking moments, to be sure, but all in all, a marvelous, enjoyable account of two incidents which displayed real people at their absolute worst, and others at their absolute best, presented in such a way as to allow readers to draw their own conclusions.
For law enforcement, government officials, first responders, gun enthusiasts, and anyone who carries a gun for personal protection, there are valuable lessons here. It will validate some doctrine and dogma, and will dispel some others.
The author, and the others who responded to the shootings and their aftermaths exemplified the best that humanity has to offer, along with the weaknesses that come along for the ride. Read this book.
December 8, 2017
This book details two tragedies that occurred within days of each other at a US Air Force Base. It provides an in-depth look at what happened before, during and after these tragedies and highlights the issues with mental health assessment and treatment. It shows how very easily preventable the mass shooting, which occurred at Fairchild Air Force Base, could have been had people listened and paid attention to the evident warning signs.
Additionally, this is written by a man who physically stopped the mass shooting by shooting the perpetrator dead. He provides an extremely unique insiders look into a shocking crime and also manages to humanise the mass shooter who completely turned his life upside down and forced him to kill another human being. It’s an insightful book in which the author tries to uncover lessons that could be learnt from both tragedies and he makes it quite evident to see where it all went wrong and how it could have been easily avoided.
Additionally, this is written by a man who physically stopped the mass shooting by shooting the perpetrator dead. He provides an extremely unique insiders look into a shocking crime and also manages to humanise the mass shooter who completely turned his life upside down and forced him to kill another human being. It’s an insightful book in which the author tries to uncover lessons that could be learnt from both tragedies and he makes it quite evident to see where it all went wrong and how it could have been easily avoided.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2016
In 1994, Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington state was the location of two horrendous tragedies. One was the crash of a B52 bomber during an air show practice session. The second was when an active killer targeted the base’s hospital, killing five people and wounding 22 more. Andy Brown, an Air Force Security Police Officer, stopped the active shooter attack by killing the gunman. Now, more than 20 years after these events, Andy Brown has written a book detailing the events leading up to both tragedies.
Andy goes into incredibly deep detail in this book about the events leading up to both disasters. He details all of the problems identified with the bomber pilot that continued without intervention. He then details the background of the active shooter and all of the psychiatric symptoms he displayed. No one intervened significantly in that case either. The lack of substantial intervention in both cases caused a predictable escalation that led to needless death and suffering. This book tells the story of how that happened and how it might be prevented in the future.
You’ll like this book if you have any interest in active killers. Andy truly did his research here. The shooter’s problems starting from the day he enlisted are described in extensive detail. The reader watches the events occur like a runaway train, knowing tragedy is the only possible outcome while simultaneously being unable to alter the course of history. In addition to gaining an incredible amount of insight into the mental processes of a killer, the shooting itself is described in tremendous detail. Andy provides a step-by-step description of every action the killer took that day and how each victim was killed or injured.
Andy goes on to describe his preparation for the event and how he trained to prevail against a crazed assassin. He also describes how the actions he took that day led to depression and psychological problems that haunted him for years.
As he tells the story of the killer, he parallels it with the story of a reckless pilot who crashed a B52 four days after the shooting. The career track of the pilot was shockingly similar to the path of the killer, with problems being constantly noted, yet never seriously addressed by supervision. If you’ve been in the military or are interested in bureaucratic inefficiencies, you’ll also like the book. You will truly feel the frustration of those who reported the conduct of both the pilot and the killer, only to be ignored by superiors more interested in promoting their own careers than doing the right thing.
I found the book educational from both the standpoint of a researcher interested in active killer events and as a government employee who deals with constant bureaucratic nonsense. It was a compelling read and I truly enjoyed it. I think you will too.
Andy goes into incredibly deep detail in this book about the events leading up to both disasters. He details all of the problems identified with the bomber pilot that continued without intervention. He then details the background of the active shooter and all of the psychiatric symptoms he displayed. No one intervened significantly in that case either. The lack of substantial intervention in both cases caused a predictable escalation that led to needless death and suffering. This book tells the story of how that happened and how it might be prevented in the future.
You’ll like this book if you have any interest in active killers. Andy truly did his research here. The shooter’s problems starting from the day he enlisted are described in extensive detail. The reader watches the events occur like a runaway train, knowing tragedy is the only possible outcome while simultaneously being unable to alter the course of history. In addition to gaining an incredible amount of insight into the mental processes of a killer, the shooting itself is described in tremendous detail. Andy provides a step-by-step description of every action the killer took that day and how each victim was killed or injured.
Andy goes on to describe his preparation for the event and how he trained to prevail against a crazed assassin. He also describes how the actions he took that day led to depression and psychological problems that haunted him for years.
As he tells the story of the killer, he parallels it with the story of a reckless pilot who crashed a B52 four days after the shooting. The career track of the pilot was shockingly similar to the path of the killer, with problems being constantly noted, yet never seriously addressed by supervision. If you’ve been in the military or are interested in bureaucratic inefficiencies, you’ll also like the book. You will truly feel the frustration of those who reported the conduct of both the pilot and the killer, only to be ignored by superiors more interested in promoting their own careers than doing the right thing.
I found the book educational from both the standpoint of a researcher interested in active killer events and as a government employee who deals with constant bureaucratic nonsense. It was a compelling read and I truly enjoyed it. I think you will too.
November 30, 2016
I served as an Air Force cop for ten years. I lived in Spokane, WA at the time of these events and remember them will. With this book written by a fellow AF cop, I was expecting time stamps and bullet points...not even close. Andy's narrative is exceptionally well written and easy to read. He takes the time to explain military speak where it is used in the book and paints two parallel timelines that lead up to each of these tragic and avoidable events. His background of Air Force training and the Security Police career field brought back many memories of my own time in the USAF and his meticulous attention to details shed light on questions that have been in my mind since each of these events took place. Additionally, this book serves as notice, that terrible events continue to happen because of politics...bureaucracy...arrogance...or simple inattentiveness...This book is about events that took place over 20 years ago, and while reading it, several events came to mind that could have been avoided that happened since. Major KUDOS to Andy Brown for a superbly written book that will hopefully force a spot light on those in authority, who simply let bad things happen...
December 21, 2017
I really appreciate Andy Brown taking the time to research and write -- and live -- this book. Courageous.
July 31, 2018
I can't remember why I ordered this book. There must have been some sexy teaser. At any rate, it's a blow-by-blow narrative of two events that took place within days of each other at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington state. At first I thought it was just a pretty good account of two bizarre men flipping out, but by the time I finished it, I felt that it was written by a noble, patriotic author who wasn't that excited to write it, because he was the one that killed one of the bizarre men, and he was a real patriot and a thoughtful man, but he was urged to write it by his colleagues, since he was the one who shot the first crazy person.
The things that I was left with was the almost-standard incompetence--or at least obliviousness--of the Air Force when it came to designating a complete loon as someone who shouldn't be in the Air Force, or else batting him around from department to department without addressing his psychosis. The man was clearly off his rocker, to put it technically. He would openly masturbate when his roommate brought his girlfriend into their dorm room; everyone was terrified to be around him because of what they thought he might be capable of (which in the end he was), and it was obvious that he was missing a major screw the whole time he was in the Air Force. One psychologist decided he should be separated from the service, but somehow another one just thought he should be sent back. Either way, his obvious and profound mental illness was never dealt with until he "went postal" with a shooting spree that killed five people and wounded dozens of others, until the author, who was with the Air Force military, felled him with a pistol from a fairly long distance, after first asking him to drop his weapon (then being shot at by the man instead of his dropping the weapon). Any passerby could have seen that the shooter was completely psychotic (or autistic or paranoid, acc. to various diagnoses), but no one stopped him before he "went postal." The fact that the Air Force just bunted him around without making a definite clarification and separating him reminds me of all the Roman Catholic bishops who, when hearing that a priest in their diocese was a pedophile, just transferred him to another parish instead of acknowledging the problem. The church took a huge financial hit from this perpetual problem never being addressed until it was sued by any number of ex-acolytes who reported that Fr. Handsy had been abusing them for years.
That was one issue. The other was with the second out-of-control airman who flew B-52s wildly at air shows to the point that other airmen refused to fly with him until, inevitably, he crashed a B-52 at an air show by flying it at dangerous heights and making spectacular turns until his last turn ran his wing into the ground and killed him and the men aboard the plane with him. This incident, which occurred a day or two after the shooter, was also an example of a man who was clearly not safe as a pilot, who was also bunted around and never separated from the service for various reasons, because of his rank and reputation and no one could seem to pull the trigger on the fact that he needed to be removed.
In the last several chapters of the book, the author gets into an earnest discussion of PTSD and how it affected him for years after he shot the crazy shooter. It's very moving and sincere, and he really makes himself vulnerable to readers. He makes strong points about the insufficient state of mental care in the Air Force. The only thing I disagreed with him on was his belief that more "good guys" should have guns to stop the "bad guys" with guns. That creeped me out, because if the Air Force couldn't determine how to handle a psychotic shooter, how was it going to be able to distinguish "good guys?" A lot of guns floating around does not make me feel a bit safer, but rather that my chances of becoming a victim have greatly increased.
Other than that, the book is well-written and good and a real cautionary tale.
The things that I was left with was the almost-standard incompetence--or at least obliviousness--of the Air Force when it came to designating a complete loon as someone who shouldn't be in the Air Force, or else batting him around from department to department without addressing his psychosis. The man was clearly off his rocker, to put it technically. He would openly masturbate when his roommate brought his girlfriend into their dorm room; everyone was terrified to be around him because of what they thought he might be capable of (which in the end he was), and it was obvious that he was missing a major screw the whole time he was in the Air Force. One psychologist decided he should be separated from the service, but somehow another one just thought he should be sent back. Either way, his obvious and profound mental illness was never dealt with until he "went postal" with a shooting spree that killed five people and wounded dozens of others, until the author, who was with the Air Force military, felled him with a pistol from a fairly long distance, after first asking him to drop his weapon (then being shot at by the man instead of his dropping the weapon). Any passerby could have seen that the shooter was completely psychotic (or autistic or paranoid, acc. to various diagnoses), but no one stopped him before he "went postal." The fact that the Air Force just bunted him around without making a definite clarification and separating him reminds me of all the Roman Catholic bishops who, when hearing that a priest in their diocese was a pedophile, just transferred him to another parish instead of acknowledging the problem. The church took a huge financial hit from this perpetual problem never being addressed until it was sued by any number of ex-acolytes who reported that Fr. Handsy had been abusing them for years.
That was one issue. The other was with the second out-of-control airman who flew B-52s wildly at air shows to the point that other airmen refused to fly with him until, inevitably, he crashed a B-52 at an air show by flying it at dangerous heights and making spectacular turns until his last turn ran his wing into the ground and killed him and the men aboard the plane with him. This incident, which occurred a day or two after the shooter, was also an example of a man who was clearly not safe as a pilot, who was also bunted around and never separated from the service for various reasons, because of his rank and reputation and no one could seem to pull the trigger on the fact that he needed to be removed.
In the last several chapters of the book, the author gets into an earnest discussion of PTSD and how it affected him for years after he shot the crazy shooter. It's very moving and sincere, and he really makes himself vulnerable to readers. He makes strong points about the insufficient state of mental care in the Air Force. The only thing I disagreed with him on was his belief that more "good guys" should have guns to stop the "bad guys" with guns. That creeped me out, because if the Air Force couldn't determine how to handle a psychotic shooter, how was it going to be able to distinguish "good guys?" A lot of guns floating around does not make me feel a bit safer, but rather that my chances of becoming a victim have greatly increased.
Other than that, the book is well-written and good and a real cautionary tale.
March 4, 2022
Seriously captivating book since first page. Has quite a few pictures which are great if you want to get the full picture. I like how this story is told and how it is very informative.
I also liked how he touched on the trauma afterwards. How it affected him and how he wasn’t ok for a while. That was a thoughtful piece because it brought to light different types of mental health issues and how it might not be today, tomorrow or the next day. For him it took 20 years and i feel thats an important point to make!
If you want a deep dive into 2 tragedies, this is a must read.
I also liked how he touched on the trauma afterwards. How it affected him and how he wasn’t ok for a while. That was a thoughtful piece because it brought to light different types of mental health issues and how it might not be today, tomorrow or the next day. For him it took 20 years and i feel thats an important point to make!
If you want a deep dive into 2 tragedies, this is a must read.
June 22, 2018
So we'll written
This is a well written book. I'm from the Spokane area, but was out of the country when these disasters occurred. The mass murders were a forerunner of what we experience routinely these days. It's so sad, but like Andy Brown advised, we need to be aware all the time.
This is a well written book. I'm from the Spokane area, but was out of the country when these disasters occurred. The mass murders were a forerunner of what we experience routinely these days. It's so sad, but like Andy Brown advised, we need to be aware all the time.
March 2, 2017
In the last week of June 1994, Fairchild Air Force base in Washington State found itself at the centre of two devastating tragedies which took the lives of nine individuals and injured twenty-two. The rage of a single gunman with a history of mental health problems followed by a daring manoeuvre in a B-52 bomber by an experienced but daredevil pilot whose desire for showmanship outweighed his respect for safety. 'Warnings Unheeded' is the insightful, honest and admirable book written by Andy Brown, the man who stopped gunman Dean Mellberg in the height of his shooting spree. It is a book which reflects on these two events and the two men who caused them, leading the reader through their histories and the clear mistakes that were made in both cases.
Throughout this journey, he has not only tried to uncover the lessons that can be learnt but also provide some healing to himself and others after battling his own feelings and emotions in understanding what it means to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is a detailed and moving account of these two tragedies telling their stories as they unfold while equally serving as a solid reference for how two individual men on entirely different life courses when left to their own devices, caused so many deaths and impacted so many people.
Both Dean Mellberg and pilot Lt. Arthur 'Bud' Holland exhibited behaviour in the preceding years which raised red flags, and both were enabled to continue with no intervention. The success of Warnings Unheeded lies in Brown's engaging and heavily researched accounts of these cases and his reflections and understandings of the aftermath for himself, the survivors and families wrapped up in these two events. Through diligent research and rare honesty, Brown has provided a true insight into the aftermath of both these tragedies, a part of the story so many books do not explore. An in-depth and moving read telling the untold story with an important message to give.
Read my full review of Warnings Unheeded on Crime Traveller at: https://www.crimetraveller.org/2017/0...
August 3, 2019
WOW! Another case in history leaders should learn from, but, some won't...
A MUST READ... I read this book with a heavy heart, but it helped me understand so much...
My father, Capt. James P. Estrada, flew B-52s while stationed in Altus, Oklahoma. We were stationed at Bunker Hill AFB when he was killed in "routine" maneuvers in a B-58 when a piece of his plane exploded and became a projectile hitting him in the heart. I was six years old. So, I read a lot about Strategic Air Command as a way to learn about my father's career. It brings me close to him. That is why I persisted in finishing this book, though I knew it would be hard.
I have to say this book was well worth reading for me. I think the author did an amazing job in researching and presenting not just the setting, but the atmosphere of USAF organization and mission from my perspective. What does an Air Force Brat know? More than you might imagine.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing. ...Edmund Burke
Would history repeat if we learned from the past? Evil (mental illness) occurred to create the "twin tragedies" due to negligence or chosen ignorance. In both cases the warning signs were there. This author wrote the most outstanding non-fiction book I have ever read. I appreciated his detailed writing style and his first hand account of his experience. He is a man of integrity having written a fair representation of these tragedies.
I thank Andy Brown for his honesty and candor when writing this incredible book. He is a hero in so many ways. We must remember heroes are human beings.
A MUST READ... I read this book with a heavy heart, but it helped me understand so much...
My father, Capt. James P. Estrada, flew B-52s while stationed in Altus, Oklahoma. We were stationed at Bunker Hill AFB when he was killed in "routine" maneuvers in a B-58 when a piece of his plane exploded and became a projectile hitting him in the heart. I was six years old. So, I read a lot about Strategic Air Command as a way to learn about my father's career. It brings me close to him. That is why I persisted in finishing this book, though I knew it would be hard.
I have to say this book was well worth reading for me. I think the author did an amazing job in researching and presenting not just the setting, but the atmosphere of USAF organization and mission from my perspective. What does an Air Force Brat know? More than you might imagine.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing. ...Edmund Burke
Would history repeat if we learned from the past? Evil (mental illness) occurred to create the "twin tragedies" due to negligence or chosen ignorance. In both cases the warning signs were there. This author wrote the most outstanding non-fiction book I have ever read. I appreciated his detailed writing style and his first hand account of his experience. He is a man of integrity having written a fair representation of these tragedies.
I thank Andy Brown for his honesty and candor when writing this incredible book. He is a hero in so many ways. We must remember heroes are human beings.
March 3, 2017
Simply amazing book in how well it's written, and the breadth and depth of the coverage of its topic.
As the title indicates, the book is about Warnings Unheeded - primarily about warnings regarding a mentally ill Air Force airman, but also warnings about a B-52 pilot's recklessness in flying his aircraft. Written by the Air Force Security Police Officer who shot and killed the mentally ill airman during his mass murder rampage at an Air Force hospital, it covers in detail the lives of the two key figures in this story and how the tragedies for which they were responsible could have been averted, if only the multiple warnings regarding their behavior would have been heeded.
Wonderful book that's hard to put down. The author shows incredible humility and goes to great lengths to avoid portraying himself as any type of hero. In fact, he's quite honest about the PTSD symptoms he suffered for many years following the shooting. He also takes care not to place blame, but rather to show what might have been changed to avert the two terrible tragedies outlined in the book. The author, Andy Brown, seems like an extraordinary individual and he's written an extraordinary book.
As the title indicates, the book is about Warnings Unheeded - primarily about warnings regarding a mentally ill Air Force airman, but also warnings about a B-52 pilot's recklessness in flying his aircraft. Written by the Air Force Security Police Officer who shot and killed the mentally ill airman during his mass murder rampage at an Air Force hospital, it covers in detail the lives of the two key figures in this story and how the tragedies for which they were responsible could have been averted, if only the multiple warnings regarding their behavior would have been heeded.
Wonderful book that's hard to put down. The author shows incredible humility and goes to great lengths to avoid portraying himself as any type of hero. In fact, he's quite honest about the PTSD symptoms he suffered for many years following the shooting. He also takes care not to place blame, but rather to show what might have been changed to avert the two terrible tragedies outlined in the book. The author, Andy Brown, seems like an extraordinary individual and he's written an extraordinary book.
May 8, 2021
I was stationed at Fairchild AFB and on flight status in one of the tanker squadrons when these horrific, traumatic events took place.
Dr Alan London was my therapist after my brother's death. My husband and I were chatting with him outside his office three minutes before he was killed while with a patient. For years, the thought that we would've been killed that day had we chatted just a little longer haunted me.
After purchasing a sympathy card for Dr. London's wife at the base exchange four days later, I walked to my car to drive to the memorial service and watched the B-52 crash.
Andy Brown was a hero at the base hospital shooting when he expertly killed the shooter .
He's my hero now for the OUTSTANDING research he did trying (and succeeding) to understand where in our Air Force it all went so wrong that these tragedies happened.
It's a compelling read... written so well it left me shaken, reliving that horrific week from hell, praying someone in command somewhere in today's Air Force reads this book and makes a command decision that stops the next potential tragedy.
Thank you Andy Brown, for everything.
Dr Alan London was my therapist after my brother's death. My husband and I were chatting with him outside his office three minutes before he was killed while with a patient. For years, the thought that we would've been killed that day had we chatted just a little longer haunted me.
After purchasing a sympathy card for Dr. London's wife at the base exchange four days later, I walked to my car to drive to the memorial service and watched the B-52 crash.
Andy Brown was a hero at the base hospital shooting when he expertly killed the shooter .
He's my hero now for the OUTSTANDING research he did trying (and succeeding) to understand where in our Air Force it all went so wrong that these tragedies happened.
It's a compelling read... written so well it left me shaken, reliving that horrific week from hell, praying someone in command somewhere in today's Air Force reads this book and makes a command decision that stops the next potential tragedy.
Thank you Andy Brown, for everything.
November 25, 2019
Great story, a little hard to track
The story told here is an astounding show of failures in a large bureaucracy encumbered by both politics and personal shortcomings. It was a little difficult to follow the shooter's movements and where people were throughout the event, not being familiar with the hospital.
Regarding the B52 crash, the failures of the leadership from Squadron to Wing and on to big AF are also astounding. This aspect of the story almost seems to be a side note, when these failures alone could likely be - or likely are - a book of their own.
Together the stories provide a devastating display of a lack of accountability at several levels in an organization that should be known for its excellence.
The story told here is an astounding show of failures in a large bureaucracy encumbered by both politics and personal shortcomings. It was a little difficult to follow the shooter's movements and where people were throughout the event, not being familiar with the hospital.
Regarding the B52 crash, the failures of the leadership from Squadron to Wing and on to big AF are also astounding. This aspect of the story almost seems to be a side note, when these failures alone could likely be - or likely are - a book of their own.
Together the stories provide a devastating display of a lack of accountability at several levels in an organization that should be known for its excellence.
October 27, 2016
Andy Brown wrote this book about his experience as the military police officer who stopped a shooting rampage at Fairchild Air Force Base in 1994. I am giving it my heartfelt best recommendation. At times, I read it through tears. It is well-written, heart-breaking, and informative.
February 4, 2017
A well researched well thought out read, kudos to Andy Brown for organizing his huge amount of research in an organized manner. I hope that through this book, specific elements of military practice will change for the better. Thank you Andy Brown for an excellent read!
February 23, 2017
This is a fascinating book. The author was personally involved in two tragedies in short order at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane Washington. He tells the story of both, and it's not a spoiler to note that neither tragedy should have been a surprise. Well worth the read.
August 9, 2020
(Audiobook) This book offered a good overview of the events leading up to, during and after a series of horrible acts at Fairchild AFB in 1994. The book follows the lives of three key figures: The author, who was a young security forces airman (cop), a discharged, mentally-disturbed airmen, and an experienced but arrogant B-52 pilot, who wanted to press the limits of his airframe before his pending retirement. As is the case for so many of these things, there were so many times when if people had acted the right way, or followed established procedures, perhaps the tragedies never come to pass. The focus on Dean Melberg, the mentally disturbed man who went on a shooting rampage, is particularly personal for Brown, as Brown was the security forces airman who killed Melberg during that stand-off. Given the rash of mass shootings in the years since, it is perhaps all-too-predictable how this plays out, that people keep passing the buck, the system didn’t check like it should have, and Melberg was manipulative enough to stop people from making the right calls.
The story of Lt Col Bud Holling is tangential to the shooter/SF airman, but it was also a demonstration of the failure of leadership that culminated in a needless disaster right at the same time of the mass shooting. His story is one that has long been a case study for Air Force officers in the failure of leadership to step in and make the right calls. Like Melberg, it wasn’t as if people hadn’t warned leaders, but too often, the calls from the lower ranks went unheeded, and thus, the crash.
The aftermath was hard, but especially for Brown, for while he performed his job and saved lives, the burden of his action, and living with the consequences were rough on him. He too is another case of PTSD, one that is worth study and understanding. That he was able to get the eventual help he needed and had the support of his family should be a motivation for others to seek help.
The most contentious part of his work comes in the afterward. Given his experiences and training, he has a great deal of credibility when he noted the failings of how law enforcement could stop all mass shooters. However, to call for people to arm themselves and gain proficiency in their weapons may not be the best solution for all. It does open the door for concerns about gun control and that too many guns will mean that people will use them too many times. Still, he does offer options for how to deal with mental stress, options for dealing with mass shooting situations, and armed or not, he does emphasize that you should take steps to just be aware of your surroundings.
Overall, a good read. Learned a lot about events that, while in my lifetime, I didn’t recall before reading this. The audiobook reader is solid, but it doesn’t add or detract from the work. Worth at least one read in whatever format you have, but should be a must read for military personnel for many reasons.
The story of Lt Col Bud Holling is tangential to the shooter/SF airman, but it was also a demonstration of the failure of leadership that culminated in a needless disaster right at the same time of the mass shooting. His story is one that has long been a case study for Air Force officers in the failure of leadership to step in and make the right calls. Like Melberg, it wasn’t as if people hadn’t warned leaders, but too often, the calls from the lower ranks went unheeded, and thus, the crash.
The aftermath was hard, but especially for Brown, for while he performed his job and saved lives, the burden of his action, and living with the consequences were rough on him. He too is another case of PTSD, one that is worth study and understanding. That he was able to get the eventual help he needed and had the support of his family should be a motivation for others to seek help.
The most contentious part of his work comes in the afterward. Given his experiences and training, he has a great deal of credibility when he noted the failings of how law enforcement could stop all mass shooters. However, to call for people to arm themselves and gain proficiency in their weapons may not be the best solution for all. It does open the door for concerns about gun control and that too many guns will mean that people will use them too many times. Still, he does offer options for how to deal with mental stress, options for dealing with mass shooting situations, and armed or not, he does emphasize that you should take steps to just be aware of your surroundings.
Overall, a good read. Learned a lot about events that, while in my lifetime, I didn’t recall before reading this. The audiobook reader is solid, but it doesn’t add or detract from the work. Worth at least one read in whatever format you have, but should be a must read for military personnel for many reasons.
June 3, 2021
Warnings Unheeded is an outstanding, engaging, detailed account and case study of two mass casualty incidents which exemplify failures in institutional systems to successfully identify escalating patterns of threats; tragically, both preventable incidents resulted in many lives lost.
To institutional leaders everywhere, the book serves as a guide to raising awareness of behavior patterns indicating an ever increasing threat. Workplaces and schools across America are seeking methods of preventing workplace / school violence, and systemic approaches to violent threat risk assessment have never been as critical. This text is a primer in recognizing behavior patterns that should alert workplace leaders and cultures to potential threats.
Mr. Brown’s personal role and reflection in the incidents serves his credibility, as well as he provides a model for first responders who need to prepare for, respond to, and live with responding to critical incidents, especially mass casualty incidents.
As a retired first responder and former school principal, my hope is that as many people (especially leaders and first responders) read Warnings Unheeded. Hopefully we heed the warnings it provides. Thank you Mr. Brown for your bravery in protecting and serving. Not only did you risk your life while saving the lives of many that day many years ago, you have now also provided us the opportunity to avoid such incidents in the future.
To institutional leaders everywhere, the book serves as a guide to raising awareness of behavior patterns indicating an ever increasing threat. Workplaces and schools across America are seeking methods of preventing workplace / school violence, and systemic approaches to violent threat risk assessment have never been as critical. This text is a primer in recognizing behavior patterns that should alert workplace leaders and cultures to potential threats.
Mr. Brown’s personal role and reflection in the incidents serves his credibility, as well as he provides a model for first responders who need to prepare for, respond to, and live with responding to critical incidents, especially mass casualty incidents.
As a retired first responder and former school principal, my hope is that as many people (especially leaders and first responders) read Warnings Unheeded. Hopefully we heed the warnings it provides. Thank you Mr. Brown for your bravery in protecting and serving. Not only did you risk your life while saving the lives of many that day many years ago, you have now also provided us the opportunity to avoid such incidents in the future.
August 8, 2020
Within 4 days of each other, the community of Fairchild Air Force Base faced two preventable mass causality incidents. A discharged, mentally unstable airman returned to the hospital with a rifle and killed 5 and wounded 20 on 20 June 1994. Then on 24 June 1994, a reckless pilot crashed his B-52 bomber and killed all crew on board just outside the Nuclear Weapon Storage Area, days before the airshow.
Why I started this book: I was looking for new audio versions of my Professional Reading list and found this book on the US Coast Guards new recommended reading list.
Why I finished it: Fascinating to see the interweaving of personal decisions and systemic failures. And it was especially glaring this summer as we witness the repercussions of systemic racism, the weakness of public health vs. individual liberty in the American cultural debates during a pandemic.
Brown traces the failures to heed warning signs on two different tragedies that happened days apart on Fairchild Air Force Base. But he was also blunt about the time that it takes to recovery from such a tragedy. There is immediate press attention, and then the years of healing, lawsuits and recovery in the shadow of this events. And in this hyper-attention driven media climate, we don't talk about what recovery is, how it is achievable and what resources and time that it will take.
Why I started this book: I was looking for new audio versions of my Professional Reading list and found this book on the US Coast Guards new recommended reading list.
Why I finished it: Fascinating to see the interweaving of personal decisions and systemic failures. And it was especially glaring this summer as we witness the repercussions of systemic racism, the weakness of public health vs. individual liberty in the American cultural debates during a pandemic.
Brown traces the failures to heed warning signs on two different tragedies that happened days apart on Fairchild Air Force Base. But he was also blunt about the time that it takes to recovery from such a tragedy. There is immediate press attention, and then the years of healing, lawsuits and recovery in the shadow of this events. And in this hyper-attention driven media climate, we don't talk about what recovery is, how it is achievable and what resources and time that it will take.
January 30, 2019
Andy Brown was serving in the Air Force as a law enforcement specialist when, in 1994, he responded to an active-shooter incident in progress at the base hospital where he was stationed. Four days later a B-52 bomber crashed during an air-show practice flight. Both tragedies had been predicted and warned about.
Brown's book, Warnings Unheeded, is part of his ongoing effort to share the lessons learned from the Fairchild Air Force Base tragedies and his experience with the effects of trauma. He struggled with guilt and other mental health issues as a result of the shooting. His own experience with trauma is another powerful story in the book.
Brown draws from investigation reports and witness statements from the Air Force. He also had copies of the gunman’s medical records, journal entries, and other documents and personally interviewed many of the people involved. The result is a compelling account of double tragedies that could have been avoided.
Warnings Unheeded would be a hit with true-crime fans, veterans, and readers with an interest in psychology, history, law enforcement, military, or aviation.
Brown's book, Warnings Unheeded, is part of his ongoing effort to share the lessons learned from the Fairchild Air Force Base tragedies and his experience with the effects of trauma. He struggled with guilt and other mental health issues as a result of the shooting. His own experience with trauma is another powerful story in the book.
Brown draws from investigation reports and witness statements from the Air Force. He also had copies of the gunman’s medical records, journal entries, and other documents and personally interviewed many of the people involved. The result is a compelling account of double tragedies that could have been avoided.
Warnings Unheeded would be a hit with true-crime fans, veterans, and readers with an interest in psychology, history, law enforcement, military, or aviation.
October 19, 2019
The man who stopped a mass killing in progress gives us a close-up of the shooter's upbringing, mental situation, social interactions, and ill-fated military career. There had been countless warnings, mostly ignored. Then, days later, another tragedy on base. A respected pilot and crew rehearsing for an air show. An unrecoverable stall at low altitude, more deaths. But, there had been issues for years.
The post-tragedy headlines were national. Of course, the wrong messages were taken by the media, the public, and regulators.
Partial list of topics:
• Mass killing phenomenon in ancient tribes
• Mental health decline, parental denial
• Mental health decline, signs of
• Mental health in military, administrative roles
• Military base security
• Active shooter situation
• Environmental awareness
• Post-traumatic stress, shellshock, soldier's heart
• Cockpit mental attitude - invulnerability
• Cockpit mental attitude - complacency
• Flight crew - safety roles
• B52 bomber
• Slow and low flight
• Aerobatics in heavy aircraft
The post-tragedy headlines were national. Of course, the wrong messages were taken by the media, the public, and regulators.
Partial list of topics:
• Mass killing phenomenon in ancient tribes
• Mental health decline, parental denial
• Mental health decline, signs of
• Mental health in military, administrative roles
• Military base security
• Active shooter situation
• Environmental awareness
• Post-traumatic stress, shellshock, soldier's heart
• Cockpit mental attitude - invulnerability
• Cockpit mental attitude - complacency
• Flight crew - safety roles
• B52 bomber
• Slow and low flight
• Aerobatics in heavy aircraft
January 21, 2023
An extremely heart-wrenching story of two tragedies that could’ve been avoided had the AF followed proper protocols & heeded to numerous red flags. I had the privilege of speaking to one of the survivors who continues to work for Fairchild’s beneficiaries & tears filled my eyes as she described the events that took place. I will never understand the carelessness the system had in regards to Mellberg’s mental state & Holland’s reckless behaviors. Let this story be a resounding reminder that we must be vigilant for signs of danger & to appreciate the value of our heroes & life itself. Lastly, the author, who took down a mass public shooter, should be recognized even more than was mentioned in this book & in other sources I’ve read. He not only had the courage to face this evil to save others but he had the courage to seek help when his mental state began to decline because of his heroic act. He will forever be one of my heroes. 🤍
July 17, 2021
Andy Brown's book that highlights the fact that "unforeseen tragedies " very often happen after numerous signs warning they are likely to occur.
Andy Brown traces his journey from heroic first responder of the Fairchild Air Force Base mass shooting in 1994 to survivor as he chronicles the shooting and the missed opportunities for intervention and possibile prevention of the incident in the first place. In telling this story, he parallels it with the narrative of a B-52 crash at the base that occurred four days later, and how warnings and predictors were missed in that tragedy as well.
It's a riveting account that focuses ultimately on the heroism of survivors and responders as he talks about his own and others long road to healing from the pain, suffering, and trauma of those incidents, and what might be done to prevent and mitigate future tragedies
Andy Brown traces his journey from heroic first responder of the Fairchild Air Force Base mass shooting in 1994 to survivor as he chronicles the shooting and the missed opportunities for intervention and possibile prevention of the incident in the first place. In telling this story, he parallels it with the narrative of a B-52 crash at the base that occurred four days later, and how warnings and predictors were missed in that tragedy as well.
It's a riveting account that focuses ultimately on the heroism of survivors and responders as he talks about his own and others long road to healing from the pain, suffering, and trauma of those incidents, and what might be done to prevent and mitigate future tragedies
October 13, 2020
Remember seeing the footage of this B-52 “Czar 52” crash when I was younger on one of those “World’s Most Amazing Videos” type programs. I was shocked to find this book because I had no idea of the tragedy brewing behind the scenes in the years leading up to that fateful June day nor the fact that there had been a different and equally horrific tragedy just 4 days prior to the crash. Highly recommend for true crime fans and military enthusiasts. “Warnings Unheeded” is written very bluntly with just enough details to give a full picture. Felt like reading a crime report than a “true crime/ mass market paperback” and I appreciate the tone of solemnity Brown uses. It’s also incredibly moving that the man telling this story is the same man who ends Airman Melberg’s spree...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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