Top 5 war and veterans articles of 2013.
It’s that time of the year again, to look at all we’ve accomplished (or failed to accomplish) in the passing year. In the army, this is similar to doing an After Action Review (AAR) whereas after completing a mission, everyone mentions what they think went well and what needs improvement. For the new War & Veterans section of GMP, these articles are some of what has gone well…
5) Soldiers and PTSD, Part 1: Going Vegan
“There is no reverse basic training to teach us how to come home.” In this article, Iraq War veteran Michael Anthony, explores PTSD, and how it affects soldiers in their lives back home. Anthony interviews veteran Timothy Scott and together they discuss how veganism saved Scott from his struggles with PTSD. If you missed this article and know someone with PTSD definitely give it a read.
4) My Dad: Vietnam Veteran & Man in the 21st Century
“The war was not tough on me except for one day, the TET offensive.” In this piece, Air Force veteran, and GMP contributor, Sara Freeman shares a touching interview with her Vietnam veteran father, Gary. Gary shares insights into what the war was like for him, what it was like coming home from war, and what he sees in today’s veterans. It’s a must read if you have family that served in the Vietnam War.
3) Dead Men Don’t Count in War
“Yes, I care about the needless death of women and children. But I also care about the needless death of the men who fight them.” In this short, yet moving piece, Psychotherapist Dr. Phil Tyson explores the different feelings associated with death in war. Give it a read if you’re curious whether it matters who dies in war–men, women, children. 
2) When Does a War Truly End?
“Like the unexploded ordnance buried in the woods, or land mines long forgotten, war touches us long after the last soldier is lain to rest.” When does a war really end? In this article, GMP contributor Thomas Pluck tells us that “Wars battle on until everyone touched by them is dead.” Do you agree? Or do the wars end when we say they end? Read the article and join the discussion.
1) From the Office Where Soldiers Kill
“Does it take a special kind of courage to be a combat soldier—who pulls the trigger from an office, thousands of miles away?” In my favorite War and Veterans article of the year, GMP contributor Giovanni Barbieri dives into a topic that isn’t often talked about: the bravery (or not) of drone pilots. I may not agree with everything that Barbieri writes, but he raises some fascinating issues about bravery in modern war.
There were many great articles this year at GMP concerning Veterans and the Wars they fight, but these were a few that I thought deserved special mention.
If you’re interested in contributing to GMP’s War & Veteran’s section please click here.
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–Photo 1: Defence Images/Flickr
–Photo 2: Eduardo VC Neves/Flickr
–Photo 3: nabarund/Flickr
–Photo 4: The Fall of Saigon. Evacuation of CIA station personnel by Air America on the rooftop of 22 Gia Long Street in Saigon on April 29, 1975. Photo by Hubert van Es / UPI.
–Photo 5: RDECOM/Flickr
