Korey Rowe
The Soldier That Left: The Untold Story of Loose Change
Entrepreneur, filmmaker, and community builder; producer of Loose Change
Oneonta, NY
BOOK COVER
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: August 31, 2026
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
Page Count: 244
Format: PB/eBook
ISBN: 9798318813832
Price: $18.99
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Soldier That Left: The Untold Story of Loose Change is a raw and unflinching memoir by Korey Rowe, tracing his journey from soldier to fugitive to unlikely producer of one of the most controversial documentaries of all time.
Enlisting just weeks before September 11, 2001, Rowe was thrust onto the front lines of America’s wars before he was old enough to fully understand them. What followed was a harrowing journey through combat, moral conflict, and disillusionment as he begins to question the very system he serves. Faced with an impossible choice between obedience and conscience, Rowe made a decision that defined his life, he walked away.
On the run, Rowe reunited with his best friend Dylan Avery, who had been developing a film questioning the official story of 9/11. What began as a creative experiment evolved into Loose Change, a low-budget internet documentary that exploded into a global phenomenon. Hailed by Vanity Fair as “the first internet blockbuster,” the film spread virally through torrents, DVDs, and early video-sharing sites, igniting the 9/11 Truth Movement and forcing millions to question government narratives.
Intertwining the behind-the-scenes story of Loose Change with his own battles—against the U.S. Army, addiction, media backlash, and his search for identity beyond the uniform, The Soldier That Left is a story of dissent, friendship, and survival at the dawn of the digital age. Ultimately, Rowe reflects on the cost of speaking out, the burden of notoriety, and how a film made by a handful of young outsiders altered the conversation about truth, power, and history in the 21st century.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Korey Rowe is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and community builder based in Oneonta, New York. He is the founder of DOSHA, a licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary, and the co-founder of Otsego Media, a creative production company producing commercial and film work across upstate New York.
Through Hill City Ventures, his real-estate development firm, he invests in revitalizing local properties and strengthening Oneonta’s downtown economy. Korey also serves as a board member and committee chair of Film Otsego, a nonprofit dedicated to growing the local film industry and youth education in Otsego County.
A veteran of the U.S. Army and creator of the acclaimed documentary series Loose Change, he brings discipline, creativity, and integrity to every project he leads. Above all, he is driven by a passion for community, storytelling, and building opportunities that leave a lasting impact on his hometown and beyond.
TIMELY TIE-INS
June
- National PTSD Awareness Month
July
- Independence Day and U.S. Semiquincentennial – 4
August
- We Love Memoirs Day – 31 (pub date)
September
- Patriot Day (25th Anniversary of 9/11) – 11
October
- National Book Month
- 25th Anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan – 7
November
- National Life Writing Month – November
- National Author’s Day – 1
- Veterans Day – 11
SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
- Loose Change became one of the first truly viral documentaries in internet history. Looking back now, why do you think this film connected so deeply with millions of people around the world at that exact moment in time?
- You fought in both Afghanistan and Iraq at the very beginning of America’s post-9/11 wars. After witnessing those conflicts firsthand, what do you believe most Americans still misunderstand about the wars in the Middle East and the soldiers who fought them? How do those misunderstandings affect perceptions of the current Middle East war?
- Your story happened at the dawn of the internet age, and torrents, message boards, Google Video, and early social media all played a role in the rise of Loose Change. How did emerging technology allow a handful of young outsiders from upstate New York to challenge mainstream media narratives?
- Almost 25 years after 9/11, why do you think people are still searching for answers about that day, and what do you believe that says about trust in institutions, government, and media?
- At the center of this memoir is really a story about freedom — personal freedom, moral conviction, and the cost of standing by your beliefs. Was there a moment where you realized your life was no longer about survival, but about finding peace?
- After war, addiction, public controversy, arrests, and years spent effectively on the run, you eventually came home, rebuilt your life, started businesses, raised a family, and found peace back in Oneonta. What does redemption mean to you today?
BOOK DETAILS
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
Genre: Memoir / Christian Inspirational
Publisher: She Writes Press
Page Count: 304
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1647429003
Price: $15.99