of Waterford, Michigan was fun, sweet and competitive as a child. He captivated neighborhood kids with skateboard tricks, a strong kickball leg and a friendly disposition. Later, he dreamt of becoming a sheriff's deputy. He seemed to brim with energy and compassion. Andrew graduated from Kettering High School in 2001, then worked at a coffee shop and as a restaurant cook until he joined the Army in October 2003 in the wake of his father's death. He was deployed to Iraq in September 2005. He said little about what he experienced in Iraq, where he was a Humvee gunner. While driving at home, he would swerve to avoid potholes or anything that looked unusual in the road. Oakland County made Waits a Sheriff deputy posthumously. His family was presented with the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his military service. He died in Baghdad, Iraq, where an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations at age 23.

Army
A co. 1st Battalion
502nd Infantry Regiment
2nd Brigade Combat Team
101st Airborne Division
Ft. Campbell, Kentucky