'Jarhead' Anthony Swofford has boots, ear to the ground

[thedrifter]

The first Gulf War, from the inside <br />
'Jarhead' Anthony Swofford has boots, ear to the ground <br />
By Adam Dunn <br />
<br />
Tuesday, April 22, 2003 <br />
<br />
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In war memoirs, there is usually a...

[MillRatUSMC]

http://www.lclark.edu/dept/collcomm/objects/tonyswofford.gif
Anthony Swofford present photo.

An adjunct professor of humanities, Anthony Swofford teaches first-year students at Lewis & Clark College. He also happens to have been a soldier during the Gulf War in 1990-1991.

http://www.lclark.edu/dept/collcomm/tonyswofford.html

http://www.lclark.edu/dept/collcomm/objects/jarhead2.jpg
The cover of the book "Jarhead"

Now a question;
Will many believe this really is what the Marine Corps is like?
He takes liberties in his characterations.
He says;"Like most good and great marines, I hated the Corps,"
He doesn't even use a capital "M" in Marines.
I might feel the need to debate him on this...as I'm sure many more would also want to take a part of this.
But every man or woman to their own opinion...

Every man or woman view of the battlefield is different.
No two see the same thing.
So his view is his alone but some might think it's the view of all...

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo

[MillRatUSMC]

From the end of "Jarhead"...

Those who survive are spared for a purpose, he says near the end of the book: "the single purpose of spreading bad news when they return, the bad news about the way war is fought and why, and by whom and for whom."

Again this is only one man view...
We saw the insanity of war...because the warriors fight wars started by the politicians...
In Nam many of the rich sent their offsprings to Europe to avoid having to fight in that insanity.
This war was fought by volunteers and reserves...most of the population was left to view instant war on the tube.

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo

[wrbones]

I agree with ya MillRat, but I didn't know how to say anything without goin' on a rant. He's gettin' some of the poison out, I reckon. That's alright, but some folks are gonna think that's all there is to the Marine Corps. Hell, ain't a one of us can't write **** like that if we don't balance things out some.

Hope he's not another Nichols.

[tommyboy]

I just finished the book last night. It was an ok read but found some things maybe a bit exagerated.

[wrbones]

Thanks tommyboy. I appreciate that. Those articles and reviews are kinda hard to tell from.

Welcome home, Marine.

'Bones

[tommyboy]

hey how do you get your chevrons on here?

[vance]

Read it , didn't like it . I think he has talent as a writer but I really am not impressed with garbage language . Thinking about suicide before the war started ?

I think he was venting more than anything, writing to a more liberal audience.