What if the thing you spent years running from turns out to be exactly where your freedom starts?
Andy Dittrich didn’t deploy. He didn’t stack up ribbons or chase firefights. He did administrative work, learned about computers, partied under the neon lights of SoCal, and walked away from the Marine Corps with no plan. From crashing on couches to building a solid IT career, Andy’s story proves you don’t have to be a hero to have a hell of a comeback. His book, "Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes," is a love letter to mistakes, sarcasm, and embracing every part of who you are.
Why picking the “boring” MOS saved him later
How Fairbanks, Alaska, and a spiritual mom changed everything
The couch surfing, clubbing years that taught him real life
Why your biggest f*ckups become your best stories
How mentoring young IT pros pays back the debt he never talks about
⏱ Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:30 From Berlin to Alaska at fourteen
07:20 The recruiter who wouldn’t stop calling
12:50 Getting stuck with admin — and making it work
19:00 Living out of boxes and crashing in Vegas
24:40 Club life and the raves that shaped him
32:10 Finding mentors when you didn’t have a father
39:50 How to break into IT without a degree
46:20 Writing a book about screwing up and surviving anyway
52:00 His door is open for any vet who needs a push
Website: https://andysbook.com
My name is Adam Peters, and I’m here to unf*ck the transition.
