Numerous veterans of the Vietnam War through Operation Enduring Freedom are faced with the disillusionment created by their enormous sacrifices and the slow removal of the U.S. military from the campaign. In turn, veterans and their families often lament the loss of friends, daughters, sons, lovers, spouses, parents, extended family members, sanity, and body parts in countries which are over-run after an American drawdown. This raises the question, do U.S. leaders have prior knowledge that a war-torn country cannot sustain itself, and if so, why do they subject American troops to a drawdown which may take months or years? Often, veterans of these wars later watch television and witness the reoccupation of enemy fighters in places where
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When America chirps of hero sentimentality, what one World War II veteran called a “matter of survival….totally savage” is completely lost on a vast majority of American people (Sledge, 1981 as cited by Samet, 2014, p. 77). In sentimentalizing their experiences, veterans’ memories are glamorized and then quickly pushed out of their country’s consciousness.
Strengths and Weaknesses Primarily, Samet wrote an interesting article that is pertinent to many veterans. She looked to several aspects of society and culture to bring her article’s point into focus. In doing so, she challenged America’s thinking of those who go to war in the service of their country and what the country’s support amounts to. Unfortunately, from a social work stand point, the author of this paper wished that there were other articles to draw from. In the academic realms of English and political science, the article is extremely thought provoking; however, the article contains a dearth of information. First, Samet did not draw from any empirical evidence to write her article. Next, Samet drew from obscure references such as William Shakespeare’s Richard the Second, the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Abraham Lincoln, and the movie Lone Survivor. Last, Samet did not interview anyone for her article,
When America chirps of hero sentimentality, what one World War II veteran called a “matter of survival….totally savage” is completely lost on a vast majority of American people (Sledge, 1981 as cited by Samet, 2014, p. 77). In sentimentalizing their experiences, veterans’ memories are glamorized and then quickly pushed out of their country’s consciousness.
Strengths and Weaknesses Primarily, Samet wrote an interesting article that is pertinent to many veterans. She looked to several aspects of society and culture to bring her article’s point into focus. In doing so, she challenged America’s thinking of those who go to war in the service of their country and what the country’s support amounts to. Unfortunately, from a social work stand point, the author of this paper wished that there were other articles to draw from. In the academic realms of English and political science, the article is extremely thought provoking; however, the article contains a dearth of information. First, Samet did not draw from any empirical evidence to write her article. Next, Samet drew from obscure references such as William Shakespeare’s Richard the Second, the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Abraham Lincoln, and the movie Lone Survivor. Last, Samet did not interview anyone for her article,