In a Time of War
In a Time of War by Bill Murphy, Jr. is a powerful, moving, heart-breaking book.
I cried through most of it.
The book details the lives of several members of the West Point Class of 2002 as they graduate and begin military careers that take them almost immediately to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. (I will not reveal what happens in the book, but obviously there are things in it that none of us would ever want to have happen.)
I hesitated, debated, wrestled with myself about whether I should write a post about this book that moved me so deeply. I felt a huge need to discuss it, to express my feelings, to share it with others. At the same time, most of the friends with whom I would want to discuss this book have loved ones currently deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan, about to deploy to Iraq and/or Afghanistan, just back from Iraq and/or Afghanistan and likely to return, or have children at West Point or in ROTC and thus likely to deploy somewhere in the not too distant future.
And thus, it did not seem very sensitive of me to talk about it.
If I were in a similar position, I doubt I would have read the book.
So many of my close friends have loved ones serving their country in a time of war. They know all about separation and sacrifice.
Yet, the irony, to me, is that most of America remains oblivious to the sacrifices our service members and their families are making, often again and again and again. They may watch the evening news, put “We Support Our Soldiers” bumper stickers on their cars, even send Girl Scout cookies to our troops overseas, but their lives have not really been affected in any tangible way.
I recently read a quote that said (and I paraphrase): America is not at war. Soldiers are at war; America is at the mall.
Wow. That about says it all.
When I read In a Time of War, I was not only moved by the sacrifices and loss incurred by war, I was also overcome by feelings of guilt and feelings of fear.
Feelings of guilt as someone who served in the military but never in a time of war. I graduated from West Point, served my country as an Army officer at a time where we practiced our combat training against thinly disguised Soviet/Eastern Bloc forces, whether on the plains and in the forests of Germany whilst on REFORGER exercises or in the California desert at the National Training Center.
I cannot control the fact that our country was not at war when I graduated from West Point any more than I can control the fact that we were when the Class of 2002 graduated. Yet I still feel a sense of guilt: Why was I so lucky when these young men and women were not?
Feelings of fear that perhaps all mothers feel when it comes to thoughts of their children and war.
These wars – or wars like them – or wars I cannot even yet imagine – may well be raging when my children come of age to serve. I believe strongly in service to one’s nation, and clearly if our children do not serve in the military of the future, who will? Yet, I have to admit, I do not encourage my children with thoughts of joining the military. I do not tout West Point as a first choice for college. If my children told me they really wanted to join the military or go to a service academy or join ROTC, I would support them fully. But I would never push them in that direction. In all honesty, I would not even nudge them.
I come from a family with a very long tradition of military service, both as enlisted soldiers and officers: WWI, WWII, the Vietnam Era, and the Cold War. My children have two parents and a grandparent who went to West Point. Their father was a career military officer and a veteran of the first Iraq War. I admire the soldiers and young officers of today who knowingly enlist and volunteer; they KNOW they are going to make huge sacrifices. I would support my own children if they decided to serve in the military, and I would be proud of their service. But it would cause me great anguish and concern.
As it does every parent who has a child in the military in a time of war.
I worry about our country, a nation where most people never serve anything beyond themselves.
A place where the malls remain very crowded.
I cried through most of it.
The book details the lives of several members of the West Point Class of 2002 as they graduate and begin military careers that take them almost immediately to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. (I will not reveal what happens in the book, but obviously there are things in it that none of us would ever want to have happen.)
I hesitated, debated, wrestled with myself about whether I should write a post about this book that moved me so deeply. I felt a huge need to discuss it, to express my feelings, to share it with others. At the same time, most of the friends with whom I would want to discuss this book have loved ones currently deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan, about to deploy to Iraq and/or Afghanistan, just back from Iraq and/or Afghanistan and likely to return, or have children at West Point or in ROTC and thus likely to deploy somewhere in the not too distant future.
And thus, it did not seem very sensitive of me to talk about it.
If I were in a similar position, I doubt I would have read the book.
So many of my close friends have loved ones serving their country in a time of war. They know all about separation and sacrifice.
Yet, the irony, to me, is that most of America remains oblivious to the sacrifices our service members and their families are making, often again and again and again. They may watch the evening news, put “We Support Our Soldiers” bumper stickers on their cars, even send Girl Scout cookies to our troops overseas, but their lives have not really been affected in any tangible way.
I recently read a quote that said (and I paraphrase): America is not at war. Soldiers are at war; America is at the mall.
Wow. That about says it all.
When I read In a Time of War, I was not only moved by the sacrifices and loss incurred by war, I was also overcome by feelings of guilt and feelings of fear.
Feelings of guilt as someone who served in the military but never in a time of war. I graduated from West Point, served my country as an Army officer at a time where we practiced our combat training against thinly disguised Soviet/Eastern Bloc forces, whether on the plains and in the forests of Germany whilst on REFORGER exercises or in the California desert at the National Training Center.
I cannot control the fact that our country was not at war when I graduated from West Point any more than I can control the fact that we were when the Class of 2002 graduated. Yet I still feel a sense of guilt: Why was I so lucky when these young men and women were not?
Feelings of fear that perhaps all mothers feel when it comes to thoughts of their children and war.
These wars – or wars like them – or wars I cannot even yet imagine – may well be raging when my children come of age to serve. I believe strongly in service to one’s nation, and clearly if our children do not serve in the military of the future, who will? Yet, I have to admit, I do not encourage my children with thoughts of joining the military. I do not tout West Point as a first choice for college. If my children told me they really wanted to join the military or go to a service academy or join ROTC, I would support them fully. But I would never push them in that direction. In all honesty, I would not even nudge them.
I come from a family with a very long tradition of military service, both as enlisted soldiers and officers: WWI, WWII, the Vietnam Era, and the Cold War. My children have two parents and a grandparent who went to West Point. Their father was a career military officer and a veteran of the first Iraq War. I admire the soldiers and young officers of today who knowingly enlist and volunteer; they KNOW they are going to make huge sacrifices. I would support my own children if they decided to serve in the military, and I would be proud of their service. But it would cause me great anguish and concern.
As it does every parent who has a child in the military in a time of war.
I worry about our country, a nation where most people never serve anything beyond themselves.
A place where the malls remain very crowded.
posted by delta at 8:08 PM
4 Comments:
My son is West Point '12 and went there knowing that it is both a time of war now and in the future as well. Their class motto is: For More Than Ourselves. So, there are still young men and women who long to "live beyond" the mall.He sees his role as being on the wall so that others don't have to be. He know that "Freedom is not Free".
I got to hear the author speak on that book, it was awesome, and I bought it, but it is still on the "to be read" shelf. Looking forward to it and to hear the great stories of modern-day heros!!!
Thanks for the post.
Yes, there are still young men and women who long to "live beyond" the mall. And I am sure there always will be. And I am thankful for that and admire their courage and selflessness and desire for service. I worry more about the masses of people who never "leave the mall" and fight over parking spaces and beep their horns and rear end each other on the way to and from the mall. It bothers me that so many Americans do not look past themselves and their own self interests. Service to others is an amazing, invaluable commodity, and it can mean many, many things besides military service. Or in addition to military service. Yes, you are right: our service members are protecting our way of life. It seems like maybe Americans shouldn't take all that freedom for granted and should perhaps give a little bit more of themselves in whatever ways they can.
I am not so sure you will want to read this book right now, with your son at West Point, training for service and combat. Modern day heros, as soldiers of any day do, pay a huge price. And this book is powerful.
I am in the same boat, served, and was in Korea (which was the "tough" assignment for my year group, as well as deployments to Bosnia) but I left the Army without being sent to war. 6 of my classmates have died in the war and one has lost a leg. I don't know how many people are directly impacted, much of the time it seems like background noise. It's not like past wars where people were more involved and in tune. I think ignorance is bliss and people are content to be ignorant.
But I have been meaning to read this book, so thank you for the reminder.
I've reacted similarly:
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2006/10/24/doing-our-part-time-war
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