Nathaniel Ritzo volunteered to join the U.S. Army. As the lifelong Portsmouth resident puts it, “The Army volunteered me to do everything else.” That everything else included two tours in Iraq. Ritzo signed up because he wanted to serve his country. And, just like every American, he was shocked and horrified by the events of 9/11, 2001. For Ritzo, that ultimately led to two tours in Iraq, a non-commissioned officer serving in the signal corps. His specific job was to provide Internet service for American officers and soldiers serving there. Ritzo says he loved the Army, but realized that, even when he served in the so-called “Green Zone,” in Baghdad, his ultimate safety was dependent on returning home from that war-torn country. It wasn’t until years later, that Ritzo began to write “Tower 13,” a book, which, while fiction, drew upon his personal experiences during his two tours.  Roger Wood interviews Nathaniel Ritzo, author, in his latest podcast.
Ritzo will be signing his book on Veterans Day, Nov. 11th at Barnes and Noble in Newington.

Nathaniel Ritzo/s new book “Tower 13”