Shant Kenderian was an Iraqi-born United States permanent resident of Armenian Christian background attending Wheeling High School in Chicago.He visited his father in Iraq in 1980, and 7 days later the Iran—Iraq War started, blocking him from leaving the country. After graduating college in 1985, he was forced into the Iraqi Navy and fought in the Iran—Iraq War.

Before he could get his green card processed to leave Iraq, the Persian Gulf War started and he was forced to fight against the Americans. Captured by the Americans, he was a prisoner of war until he could convince the Americans of his story. At first the Americans didn't believe his story and thought him a Saddamite spy. While being held in POW camp, he became romantically involved with "Monica", one of the guards. Eventually he was allowed to return to the United States where he reunited with his mother in Glendale.

After returning to the United States, Shant Kenderian wrote about his adventures in Iraq. After he did a reading of his book on the radio show This American Life, his book was picked up by a publisher.

Shant Kenderian became an American citizen in 2000 and he received a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2002. He contributed to the Space Shuttle Columbia Investigation Team and received the American Society for Nondestructive Testing Research Award for Innovation in 2005 . He currently works for The Aerospace Corporation where he researches nondestructive testing.