AC adjunct, Knopps, unveils patriotic memoir, ‘The No-Fail Mission,’ in Washington D.C.
Posted Friday, February 07, 2025
Author: Melissa Crawford (AC student)
Anthony Knopps, adjunct for Adrian College’s Communication and Political Science departments, has many accolades to his name. From being an eight-time Emmy award winning storyteller, a TEDx speaker, and his more than 30 years of print and broadcast journalism experience, he recently added to that list with his publishing and unveiling of a memoir titled “The No-Fail Mission,” in Washington D.C.
The book recounts the stories of 10 unsung heroes who all received the high honor of the Presidential Service Badge (PSB), awarded only to those in the very top of their respective branches.
“Earning the PSB is something that started with Eisenhower… as a way to recognize meritorious service to the office, and there’s no checklists that you have to go through — the President decides whether you earned it or not,” Knopps said.
The recipients of this accolade are the only ones allowed to wear the Presidential Seal, or the “Coat of Arms,” barring only the President and uniformed Secret Service members.
Despite the prestige of this award, it is still rather unheard of by the general public, Knopps said. He didn’t know about the PSB before beginning the project. He was assigned the task of creating this memoir by a colleague who is a badge holder himself.
“Even if you were in DC, and you walk down the street and ask 100 people what the PSB is, you’d be lucky to get three people that will give you the right answer,” Knopps said. “So, this is a way to educate and share information about it.”
Knopps told also of the writing process, saying that the hardest part “was getting people to actually go on record and talk about what they did,” speaking to their humility and dedication to their country.
“They don’t do it for stature; they don’t do it for a party,” Knopps said. “They do it because it’s important to them. They don’t look for attention.”
This aspect of modesty and secrecy is what made Knopps so eager to tell these stories.
“There are so many great stories of people who served the President that are never told,” Knopps said. “As a storyteller… when you hear that, you’re like ‘Nobody’s told this story? I’m gonna tell it,’” also noting that it sometimes took months to locate the recipients.
When asked what stories shared in this first memoir stood out to him most, Knopps talked about two of the stories that resonated with him — “One was a colonel… and he had been in war and been commanding troops, and he talks about how the biggest challenge was walking 900 yards to the base and medics because he knew something wasn’t right,” Knopps said.
Another — “A story about a woman who was born and raised in Boston, and when the Boston Marathon Bombing happened, she was asked to be a part of the support staff that took care of President Obama,” Knopps added.
She shared that her hardest challenge was coming back to Boston, where Knopps quotes her saying, “I wore my dark glasses so no one could see me crying.”
Knopps said, “You wouldn’t normally, ya know, connect with that, but those stories really resonate.”
The high-pressure positions of these individuals are what led Knopps to the memoir’s title.
“They want to be in the shadows,” Knopps said. “They want to just do what needs to be done. You don’t know when that bell is gonna ring. You can work on a hundred different things — you have to be ready every time… You really can’t fail, because if you fail, the world finds out.”
Knopps said the release of the book went over well in Washington D.C.
“I was fortunate enough to be at the White House Historical Association where the book got a lot of exposure with those in the D.C. area, and it just continues to build momentum,” he said.
Knopps said he received many sales from badge holders themselves, noting their enthusiasm that these stories are finally being surfaced.
To further honor these hidden heroes, Knopps assured that the proceeds from the book went back to those who served, and continue to serve, the country, as well as recognizing the families that sacrificed alongside them.
“The proceeds benefit a scholarship for families of the military who served at the White House,” Knopps said.
Knopps hinted-at doing a sequel that would contain additional stories from America’s bravest in the future.
The “No-Fail Mission” can be found at most major retailers, including Amazon, or on Knopps’ website at anthonyknopps.com.
