Struggle and Survival of American Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom

Abstract

The past century of American military history has shown a rise in warfare against ideologies rather than nations. In comparison to previous military conflicts against other nations or military groups, America has recently found itself waging costly international wars against communism, drugs, illegal immigration, and most recently, terrorism. During the same period growing numbers of veterans struggle with mental illnesses such as PTSD, fits of anger that produce road rage and domestic violence, substance abuse and addiction, and ultimately suicide, which has climbed to a staggering rate of 20 veterans per day. By listening to and analyzing the voices from war through the autoethnography of one OIF veteran, this project will reintroduce the human element of warfare, specifically the second war in Iraq that was primarily known as Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), while illustrating the unique individual struggles that the humans involved in this conflict endured during the war and continue to fight long after the conflict has “ended."