ROBERT H.BOB HICKS

FAILURE NOT AN OPTION

Discover Bob Hicks’s gripping Cold War Memoir, Failure Not an Option. Witness his journey from a young Airman who successfully managed a nuclear crisis to a Senior Federal Law Enforcement Officer with the OSI. Read the untold stories of bomb disposal, deep undercover work, fighting Defense fraud, and coordinating 9/11 security ground responses.

FAILURE NOT AN OPTION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert H.Hicks

Bob Hicks, a native Texan, is a highly decorated veteran whose forty-year career spanned U.S. national security and federal law enforcement. Beginning his service as an enlisted Airman, Hicks rose to Chief Master Sergeant, with early assignments in Nuclear Weapons Maintenance and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), serving in the Strategic Air Command during the Cold War. He confronted a nuclear crisis as a young airman and transitioned into the civilian ranks of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), specializing in critical investigations.

Promoted to Senior Federal Law Enforcement Officer (GS-15), Hicks served as Special Agent in Charge of OSI’s largest command, overseeing investigations of defense contractors across the U.S. West Coast. He led large-scale operations, including three years as a deep undercover agent, combating international terrorism in Germany, and recovering hundreds of millions in U.S. funds lost to major defense contractor fraud. His commitment to service and integrity culminated in his induction into the OSI Hall of Fame in 2013.

Now retired in Texas, Bob Hicks enjoys life with his wife, Janet, their four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, remaining active in the Fellowship Bible church in New Braunfels. Janet remains the center of his life 60 years after the blind date in Cincinnati. They call Cibolo, TX home, but Somerset will always be where the roots remain.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Failure Not an Option

A Cold War Memoir from Nuclear Crisis to Senior Federal Law Enforcement Officer is the compelling, true story of Bob Hicks’s decorated 43-year career in U.S. national security. This essential Cold War Memoir offers a rare, behind-the-scenes perspective on defending the nation.

The book vividly chronicles Hicks’s path from a young Airman to Chief Master Sergeant and elite Senior Federal Law Enforcement Officer (OSI). It details the high-stakes nuclear crisis at Ellsworth AFB, where Hicks had to devise a recovery plan for a detached nuclear warhead, cementing his mantra: “Failure is Not an Option.”

The narrative spans his work in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), three years undercover with the FBI exposing defense contractor fraud, combating terrorism in Germany (Ramstein bombing), and recovering hundreds of millions lost to contractor deceit on the B-2 Stealth Bomber program. A testament to courage and integrity, this book is a must-read for fans of military history and true espionage.

BOOK VIDEO TRAILER

Gritty, real-world espionage from a true patriot

Jake P. California Law Enforcement

Master Sergeant Hicks delivers unmatched, high stakes tension.

Lieutenant Colonel R. T. (Texas, Retired)

An electrifying, authentic look behind the Cold War curtain.

Sarah M.Former D.C. Analyst

Book Reviews

A Glimpse into the World of Bob Hicks

Frequently Asked Questions
About This Memoir

1. What is the book Failure Not an Option about?

It’s a Cold War Memoir detailing Bob Hicks’s rise from Airman through a nuclear crisis to a top federal agent.

2. Did Bob Hicks handle a nuclear crisis?

Yes, he led the recovery of a nuclear warhead blown off an ICBM at Ellsworth AFB.

3. Was Hicks in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations?

Yes, he became a Senior Federal Law Enforcement Officer (OSI), directing critical global investigations.

4. Did he go undercover for the FBI?

Yes, he became a Senior Federal Law Enforcement Officer (OSI), directing critical global investigations.

5. What is the author's famous personal motto?

His motto, forged under extreme pressure, is: “Failure is Not an Option.”

6. Does the book cover fighting terrorism in Germany?

Yes, Hicks recounts his experience responding to terrorist threats like the Ramstein bombing incident.