What was Andy McNab's profession before he became a best selling author?

Steven Billy Mitchell (born 28 December 1959) is usually known by the pseudonym and pen-name of Andy McNab, is a novelist and former British Army infantry soldier.

He came into public prominence in 1993 when he published a book entitled "Bravo Two Zero" containing an account of a military mission in which he had taken part with the Special Air Service (SAS) during the Persian Gulf War, for which he had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. He had previously been awarded the Military Medal in 1979 for gallantry in action whilst serving with the Royal Green Jackets in Northern Ireland.

He has published a number of other fiction novels and two autobiographies in addition to "Bravo Two Zero". He has also published a book on psychopathy entitled "The Good Psychopath's Guide to Success", claiming that he exhibits many psychopathic traits.

When McNab joined the army he was found to have the reading age of an eleven year old. Shortly before his seventeenth birthday he read his first book entitled Janet and John. Speaking in 2019, McNab recall how "I can vividly remember the sense of pride and achievement I felt. It was meant for primary school children but I didn’t care ... From then on I read anything and everything I could get my hands on."