See me for who I am : student veterans' stories of war and coming home / edited by David Chrisinger ; foreword by Brian Castner ; afterword by Matthew Hefti.
Foreword / Brian Castner -- Introduction / David Chrisinger -- The fires that mold men into weapons / Chase Vuchetich -- My new rituals / Josh Thunder -- You're ... welcome? / Leon Valliere -- See me for who I am / Geoffry Norfleet -- Attitude is everything / Sean Casey -- One day in July / Nathan Coward -- Serendipity / Ross Petersen -- A history of transitioning / John Elbert -- We didn't understand / Yvette M. Pino -- Sharing the cost of war / Travis Jochimsen -- My first mission / Ryan Callahan -- A life of change / Matt Fortun -- Not everyone who comes home is home / Tyler Pozolinski -- In sickness and in health / Kyle Nowak -- Not all veterans are the same / Sack Trzinski -- Wanting to go back to hell / Cody Makuski -- Earning a seat at the table / Sara Poquette -- Finishing fifty / Brett Foley -- War followed me home / Zachary Ruesch -- We greeted violence with violence / Aaron Lewis -- Afterword / Matthew J. Hefti -- Contributing author biographies -- Acknowledgments -- The Veteran Print Project.
Summary:
Because so few Americans have served in the military since 9/11--or even know anyone who has--many look to the media for information about veterans and military service. Popular news outlets, however, traffic in tragedy and often paint those who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan with one of three broad brushes: as superhuman; as broken, disabled, and traumatized; or as dangerous, ticking time bombs. See Me for Who I Am aims to undermine these stereotypes. It brings together twenty young student veterans working to bridge the media-created gap that divides them from the American people they fought to protect. With thoughtfulness, humor, and honesty, they relive and relate their worst memories, illustrate shared experiences, explain to us the fulfillment of combat, and show us what going to war really entails. For veterans, these voices will ring familiar. For civilians, the stories open a view into a world few ever see and, in the process, affirm our common humanity -- provided by Amazon.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.