WASHINGTON -- A former Capital Guardian from Southern Maryland is trading his wrench for a pen in a way that is impacting people all around the world with a powerful message.
Senior Airman Nicholas Cammaroto, an F-16 Falcon crew chief turned recruiter, has authored his first book, “You Are Loved,” which aims to remind people of their inherent value and self-worth by sharing several experiences from his tour in the honor guard.
Cammaroto joined the D.C. Air National Guard in November 2015 as a maintainer before being selected to serve as a ceremonial guardsman with the 11th Wing. He later became an F-15 crew chief in the Florida Air National Guard while also taking on the role of the non-commissioned officer in charge of the base honor guard. He is currently a recruiter for the Georgia Air National Guard.
Cammaroto’s book, featured on Amazon in digital and paperback formats, is about one of the most important lessons in humanity: no matter who you are, where you come from or what you have done, you are loved by the people around you.
The idea for the book came to Cammaroto while he was standing at attention at a funeral detail. The next of kin was speaking at her father’s eulogy about how he never truly understood how loved he was and did not think many people would be at his funeral. Over a thousand people attended.
“This is a man who was in his nineties; he fought in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and he didn’t know how much he was loved,” said Cammaroto. “How many thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people out there pass away from this earth, not knowing how loved they are?”
Cammaroto mentioned his book idea to a friend who, unbeknownst to Cammaroto at the time, owned a publishing company. His friend—Dr. David Kashmer, who wrote the foreword for “You Are Loved”—helped Cammaroto publish his book first in Kindle format and, once they met their goal for digital copies within the first week, then in hard print.
All proceeds from book sales go to suicide prevention in the name of Elijah Evans, a childhood friend of Cammaroto’s whose mother was a D.C. Guardsman and whose father is currently a D.C. Guardsman. Evans was one of the 137 lost to suicide in the Air Force this past year, and Cammaroto served on his friend’s funeral detail. He hopes that the time and money people spend on his book can save lives. “If someone is at that point where they might be number 138, maybe they’ll stop and think, ‘Forget it, I’m going to give it a shot and read this book,’” said Cammaroto. “In that way, it might save a life.”
During a time like COVID-19, it is especially important to take time to reflect on the people who love and value you. “Get together in safe ways and make sure you keep that human connection,” recommended Cammaroto. “Human connection and knowing in your mind and heart that you are loved and valued are the keys to living a happy life.”
Cammaroto continues to pursue his passion for writing with three books in the works and an article about Air National Guardsmen, which focuses on the heritage and excellence in the modern millennial and the militiaman.