Bio
T.R. Hendricks is an author and former Army tank platoon leader and military intelligence officer. During his five years of service he deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. From 2004-2005 he served with the 1st Cavalry Division in northeast Baghdad, patrolling the infamous neighborhood of Sadr City. Trading in his M1A2 SEP Abrams tank, Hendricks was assigned a Humvee platoon, where he was tasked with leading a multitude of mission sets. These included providing security for the transportation of key personnel; logistical transportation of supplies such as rations, water, ammunition, and equipment; cordon and search operations; MEDEVAC; food, supplies, and services distribution to the Iraqi populace; and counter-insurgency operations.
Originally commissioned as a Military Intelligence officer, Hendricks volunteered for the branch detail program, essentially allowing the M.I. branch to “loan” him to the Armor branch until Hendricks was promoted to Captain. Upon his promotion in the summer of 2006, Hendricks would PCS from Fort Hood, Texas to Fort Huachuca, Arizona in order to attend the Military Intelligence Captain’s Career Course. Graduating from the course and receiving an all-source intelligence officer designation, Hendricks received orders for his second deployment to Iraq. T.R. returned to Baghdad from 2007-2008.
Assigned to the Green Zone, Hendricks would serve as a military intelligence advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior’s National Information and Intelligence Agency, the equivalent to our own FBI. Hendricks acted as a liaison between the Iraqi Agency and FBI Special Agents stationed in the U.S. Embassy, passing instruction curriculum and when necessary, intelligence, between the two entities. In addition to his duties as an intelligence advisor, Hendricks acted as his team’s tactical commander, planning and executing all tactical movements to and from the offices in the Ministry of Interior building.
During his service T.R. was awarded the Army Commendation Medal twice, the Army Achievement Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Hendricks contributed to his company earning the prestigious Draper Award, presented to the best company in the 1st Cavalry Division. He was awarded the Warrior Spirit citation for excellence in small unit tactics during his Officer Basic Course. Hendricks also qualified and graduated from Army Airborne school, earning his basic parachutist badge while still a cadet. Graduating with a B.A. in History from Hofstra University on Long Island, T.R. was awarded the ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate citation upon his commissioning.
After completing his military service Hendricks worked as a Security Staff Agent for the famed Gavin De Becker and Associates firm protecting A-list clientele. T.R. was trained in and conducted close body protection, advance operations, and secure transportation for his assigned clients. Hendricks’ protective details took him from coast to coast as he was assigned to guarding some of Hollywood’s most elite personas. Amongst the many protective assignments that T.R. fulfilled during his time with GDBA were numerous book tours, providing security for clients while they held Q&A, meet and greet, and book signing sessions with their loyal fans.
Following his time with Gavin De Becker and Associates T.R. managed contracts in New York City for a large, family-owned security firm. Hendricks worked first as the Operations Manager assigned to the company’s Port Authority contract before being promoted to Assistant Regional Manager for all of New York City. When the opportunity presented itself T.R. became the Operations Director for the company’s background screening division. Soon after the Background Screening and Investigations divisions split off from the larger firm and formed as an independent entity. Hendricks continued to serve as the Operations Director until he was promoted to the Managing Director of Investigations. In that role T.R. oversaw all investigative contracts for the company, while also putting his open-source intelligence designation from the Army to use as the company’s Due Diligence investigator.
Hendricks has been writing as long as he can remember, but he started making a serious push towards becoming a published author in 2014. At the time T.R. was composing and posting short stories on his Facebook account. At the encouragement of friends and family members, he launched a website to host his stories while simultaneously working on several full-length novels. An admitted genre-jumper, Hendricks has drafted works in fantasy, speculative fiction, military sci-fi, historical and paranormal fiction. In 2018 while speaking with a co-worker, T.R. came up with the concept for THE INSTRUCTOR, his first venture into the thriller genre. As many writers can attest to, T.R.’s first draft took on a life of its own. He drafted 90,000 words in just 90 days. In 2020 after two years of revision and refinement, querying and rejection, Hendricks was offered representation by Barbara Poelle, at the time with the Irene Goodman Literary Agency and now President & CEO of Word One Literary. In March 2021 THE INSTRUCTOR was acquired by Robert Davis of Tor/Forge and Hendricks’ first novel debuted in April 2023. His sequel THE INFILTRATOR, also from Tor/Forge, hit shelves one year later in April 2024.
When not working or writing, Hendricks is most likely reading, woodworking, or watching his beloved San Francisco 49ers. T.R. calls upstate New York his home.