ERIK SABISTON
VETERAN • AUTHOR • ENTREPRENEUR
MY STORY

I was raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. I was naturally restless and tried whatever interested me. I worked as a butcher, music teacher, painter, door-to-door salesman, and even a makeover artist. I lived from one coast of the United States to the other and even spent a few years living off the grid. This diversity in my life blessed me with a broad understanding of many different viewpoints, opinions and people.
After 9-11, I made up my mind to serve my country. I deployed 3 times with the US Army both as a helicopter mechanic and pilot. Later I became an airline pilot and helped found RTAG, the largest veteran to aviation charity in the world. Additionally, I am a managing partner of Icarus Devices, an advanced flight training technology company. I love working with service members and helping businesses reap huge professional and financial benefits through the hiring of our nation’s veterans.



My life experiences also led me to find an outlet in writing and film. My work has appeared in Business Insider, Task & Purpose, We Are the Mighty, The Goodmen Project, and Newsweek. I authored the #1 Amazon bestselling book, Dustoff 7-3 – Saving Livings Under Fire in Afghanistan. I’ve worked as a technical advisor and co-producer on four award winning documentaries and have several projects in development. I also serve on the San Diego Film Festival’s Military Advisory Board.
In my free time I travel the country speaking to businesses and organziations about teamwork, sacrifice, motivation and service. If you’d like to have me come speak at your event, please contact me below.

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What vets can learn from It’s a Wonderful Life
It’s a Wonderful Life turns 74 this year and watching it is a Christmas tradition in my home. The film hearkens to a bygone era where characters from the Greatest Generation grow up before our eyes. We feel their joy, sorrow and redemption on a personal level. It’s...
Should You Leave the Military for the Airlines?
The airlines have crashed and burned. The economy has taken a huge hit. Most American’s savings are dwindling fast. Health care’s future is uncertain. Now is NOT the time to go off on some fool idealistic crusade in a civilian job market fraught with career IEDs and...
Vets Can Become Airline Pilots for Free
Congratulations! You’ve decided to soar above the earth in your new career as an airline pilot! Being a pilot is a challenging yet rewarding vocation. If you love the thrill of flight, travel and working as a team it's a great job to pursue. There’s only one thing...
Thank You for Paying Your Taxes
Thank you for paying your taxes! That’s my response to people who thank me for my service. As a combat MEDEVAC pilot, I’ve seen heroes with my own eyes, so it’s easier to deflect the unwarranted praise than it is to accept it. I understand that many Americans still...
What Just Happened?
I know a lot of you are wondering what just happened. We went from the very best airline hiring period in memory to the worst. For those in Oil & Gas, you’ve seen the bottom fall out. HEMS folks worry about bases closing and rising minimums. Military folks have...