Through Veteran's Eyes

by Minear, Larry

• ISBN13: 9781597974905
• ISBN10: 1597974900
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-05-25
• Publisher: Potomac Books Inc

Summary

As of early 2010, more than two million U.S. troops have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet the American public is neither much engaged in the issues of these two wars nor particularly knowledgeable about the troops' experiences, which have ranged from positive and energizing to searing and debilitating. Based on scores of interview--some culled from the Library of Congress Veterans History Project and others conducted by the author himsel--Through Veterans' Eyespresents a composite narrative of the experiences of U.S. service personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. Minear quotes more than 175 veterans by name and includes a dozen of their own photos from the conflict theaters. Thematic chapters cover duty and service, politics, cultural and ethical challenges, relationships to local populations, and reentry into American society. Neither pro-war nor anti-war, Minear's approach encourages veterans to express their views on issues critical to the nation. What has motivated U.S. military personnel to enlist? What specific challenges have they faced in Iraq and Afghanistan? What have been the impacts of deployment on their families and communities? Is their experience changing their views of their country and the world? What lessons may be learned from their stories? Veterans' candid responses to these and other probing questions deserve pondering.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Introduction	p. xvii
Acronyms and Abbreviations	p. xxiii
The Setting
The Global War on Terror	p. 3
The Experience
Enlistment and Patriotism	p. 19
Politics and Professionalism	p. 31
Coping with Unfamiliarity and Violence	p. 47
Wrestling with Ethical Issues	p. 65
Winning Hearts and Minds	p. 85
Working with Private Contractors	p. 97
Dealing with the Media and Public Opinion	p. 107
Reentry
Reestablishing Normalcy	p. 125
Accessing Institutional Resources	p. 147
The Global War on Terror and Earlier Wars	p. 165
Listening to Veterans	p. 183
Notes	p. 197
Bibliography	p. 227
Index of Veterans	p. 229
Index	p. 237
About the Author	p. 243
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