I wanted to change my life so I joined the military during a time when gays were not welcomed. While joining the military brought me out of a challenging situation, it was the beginning of a difficult journey. A journey I was able to navigate, but so many others were not so fortunate. Serving with Honor: Under a Cloak of Silence depicts the life of Dr. Lorenzo McFarland, along with three close friends, who served before and during the time of Dont Ask Dont Tell (DADT). This book answers that most interesting question of what it was like for gays in the military under DADT. In our own words we bare our souls and answer some of the tough questions not asked or answered before now. Questions like: Why join in the fi rst place? What was basic training like? How did we protect our careers? Would we serve again? We talk about exhaustive efforts creating elaborate webs to protect our secret. This book also depicts our patriotism and commitment to the military mission and this great country. Despite DADT, we served with honor and found great success.
A is for Artists painting the hardships of prison life. E is for Escape, as determined prisoners make daring plans to regain their freedom. More than one hundred thousand American service members have been captured by an enemy and imprisoned during war. Tens of thousands are still missing. This book tells the true stories of only a few of these brave men and women, but their stories represent the experiences of many others. The accompanying illustrations are based on surviving artwork, current and historic photographs, and firsthand descriptions of people, places, and events. From Geneva Conventions to Operation Homecoming, Tap Code to Yellow Ribbon and more, N is for Never Forget is a compelling journey through wartime history, honoring the sacrifices of prisoners of war (POWs), those missing in action (MIA), and their families. Poignant illustrations and stories capture key people, concepts, and memorials to help readers understand and honor the sacrifices endured by men and women prisoners of war and missing in action on behalf of freedom.
More than 75 years have passed since the US was attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor and declared war on the Axis powers. Most of the 16.5 million Americans who fought in World War II in dozens of countries are nearly gone. That includes their stories of service during the war. Kayleen Reusser has gathered 34 of the most exciting, intriguing tales from her 200 interviews with World War II vets. The men and women featured in this book served in every American military branch -- Army, Navy, Marines, Army Air Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine from 1941-1945 with harrowing tales:A Pearl Harbor survivor related what it was like that dreadful morning of December 7, 1941, when the world suddenly changed and his life was threatened; an Army medic endured mustard gas testing by his own government on American soil- and survived to treat injured soldiers in Europe; a Navy steward learned his country's rules of engagement depended on the color of one's skin;an Army Air Corps pilot's 44th bombing mission involved flying over Normandy on D-Day; a sailor aboard a destroyer helped sink an infamous German U-boat; females who enlisted learned that many thought it was a 'man's war' but persevered.Quotes from the veterans of what it was like to fight in a war so far from home, often seeing and doing things that were strange and sometimes frightening, can help people in the 21st century understand what it was like to serve overseas for years at a time with little contact from family and friends. It can also develop a renewed appreciation for the honor it took of serving one's country and fellow man.
There was the sound of a single bullet, and then . . . a deafening barrage of gunfire and explosions. There were, literally, thousands of bullets in the air at once, and more tracers streaking across the sky than there were stars overhead. It was a miracle that most of us weren’t killed instantly. Staff Sergeant Salvatore, “Sal,” Giunta was the first living person to receive the Medal of Honor—the highest honor presented by the U.S. military—since the conclusion of the Vietnam War. In Living with Honor, this hero who maintains he is “just a soldier” tells us the story of the fateful day in Afghanistan that led to his receiving the unique honor. With candor, insight, and humility, Giunta not only recounts the harrowing events leading up to when he and his company fell under siege, but also illustrates the empowering, invaluable lessons he learned. As a seventeen-year-old teen working at Subway, Giunta was like any other kid trying to figure out which step to take next with his life after graduating from high school. When Giunta walked into the local Army recruiting center in his hometown, he just wanted a free T-shirt. But when he walked out, his curiosity had been piqued and he enlisted in the Army. Deployed to Afghanistan, Giunta soon learned from the more seasoned soldiers how “different” this war was compared to others that America had fought. Stationed with the 173rd Airborne Brigade near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Korengal Valley— also known as the “Valley of Death”—Giunta and his company were ambushed by Taliban insurgents. Giunta went into action after seeing that his squad leader had fallen. Exposing himself to blistering enemy fire, Giunta charged toward his squad leader and administered first aid while he covered him with his own body. Though Giunta was struck by the relentless barrage of bullets, he engaged the enemy and then attempted to reach additional wounded soldiers. When he realized that yet another soldier was separated from his unit, he advanced forward. Discovering two rebels carrying away a U.S. soldier, Giunta killed one insurgent and wounded the other, and immediately provided aid to the injured soldier. More than just a remarkable memoir by a remarkable person, Living with Honor is a powerful testament to the human spirit and all that one can achieve when faced with seemingly impossible obstacles. *** The President clasps the medal around my neck. Applause fills the room. But I know it’s not for me alone. I look at my mom and dad. I look at Brennan’s parents and I look at Mendoza’s. And I try to communicate to Brennan and Mendoza wordlessly: This is for you . . . and for everyone who has fought and died. For everyone who has made the ultimate sacrifice. I am not a hero. I’m just a soldier. —Salvatore A. Giunta, from Living with Honor
On November 18, 1965, U.S. Navy pilot Willie Sharp ejected from his F-8 fighter after being hit while positioned over a target in North Vietnam. With a cloud layer beneath him, he did not know if he was over land--where he would most certainly be captured or killed by the North Vietnamese--or over the Gulf of Tonkin. As he ejected, both navy and air force aircraft were already heading toward him to help. What followed was a dramatic rescue made by pilots and other airmen with little or no training or experience in combat search-and-rescue. Told by former military flight test engineer Eileen A. Bjorkman, this story includes nail-biting descriptions of air combat, flight, and rescue. Bjorkman places Sharp's story in the larger context of the U.S. military's bedrock credo--No Man Left Behind--and calls attention to the more than eighty thousand Americans still missing from conflicts since World War I. She also explores the devastating aftershocks of the Vietnam War as Sharp struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder. Woven into this gripping tale is the fascinating history of combat search-and-rescue missions that officially began in World War II. Combining the cockiness and camaraderie of Top Gun with the heroics of Sully, Unforgotten in the Gulf of Tonkin is a riveting tale of combat rescue and an unforgettable story about the U.S. military's commitment to leave no man behind.
Rare stories from more than 250 years of Native Americans' service in the military Why We Serve commemorates the 2020 opening of the National Native American Veterans Memorial at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, the first landmark in Washington, DC, to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of Native veterans. American Indians' history of military service dates to colonial times, and today, they serve at one of the highest rates of any ethnic group. Why We Serve explores the range of reasons why, from love of their home to an expression of their warrior traditions. The book brings fascinating history to life with historical photographs, sketches, paintings, and maps. Incredible contributions from important voices in the field offer a complex examination of the history of Native American service. Why We Serve celebrates the unsung legacy of Native military service and what it means to their community and country.
BIOGRAPHY: HISTORICAL, POLITICAL & MILITARY. A young combat veteran hides in his closet under a pile of clothes on bad nights. Another, home for five days, can't figure out how to talk to his wife. And a commander's spouse recounts the soul-draining effect of attending nearly one hundred memorial services...When therapist Elizabeth Heaney left her private practice to counsel military service members and their families, she came face-to-face with unheard-of struggles and fears. Emotions run deeply-and often silently-in the hearts of combat veterans in this eye-opening portrait of the complex, nuanced lives of service personnel, who return from battling the enemy and grapple with readjusting to civilian life. Presenting the soldiers' stories-told in their own words-as well as her own story of change, Heaney offers an intimate perspective, not of war itself but of its emotional aftermath. Some of these stories scrape the bone; others are hopeful, even comical.
"I wonder if the Star-Tribune could do something to help thank Wyoming's Vietnam veterans for their service," said Wyoming Veterans Commission Director Col. Larry Barttelbort in 2015. The commission was planning a reunion for Vietnam veterans to mark the 50th anniversary of the war. Barttlebort was not asking for a few free ads or a front-page story about the reunion. Those would be welcome, but he remembered when the paper told the stories of 104 World War II veterans in weekly full-page profiles in the Casper Star-Tribune and the Casper Journal that culminated in the publication of a hardcover book and a celebration for the veterans and their families. Barttlebort was not shy - he asked for a repeat performance for Wyoming's Vietnam veterans - and we readily agreed. We interviewed and photographed veterans from every corner of Wyoming and all points in between. We talked with members of every branch of service, serving everywhere from tunnels underground to spy planes high in the sky, from PT boats in the rivers to aircraft carriers and hospital ships. The stories are different, but each tells the tale of young men and women whose lives were shaped by their military service in Vietnam. The profiles in "They Served with Honor: Vietnam" tell of service first to country, and then to community. Each begins with the veteran's Vietnam experience and follows their return home to build a life. Most never quit serving their communities. At the start of this project, for example, four Wyoming mayors and a county commissioner were Vietnam veterans. The Vietnam War was a confusing time for the county and its veterans. Many came home from their time of service and were instructed to take off their uniform before leaving the airport so they would not be harassed. There were no brass bands. There was no parade to welcome soldiers home, and few thanked them for their service. Many never told their stories. To each Vietnam veteran, included in these pages or not, we say thank you. Thank you for your service, and thank you for allowing us to learn your stories. The honor is ours -- Dale Bohren.-- from the flip cover.
In China, an entire generation’s most formative years took place in remote rural areas when city kids were sent to the countryside to become rusticated youth and partake in Mao’s mandated Great Leap Forward. In an inspiring tale, Emei Burrell shares her mother’s true experience during the Down to the Countryside Movement of the early 1970s, which sought to increase agricultural outreach and spur social and ideological change amongst youth. Burell’s stunning illustrations honor her mother’s courage, strength, and determination during a decade of tremendous political upheaval.
To Serve with Honor argues that public servants must act ethically and honorably to earn the public's trust - and that no amount of ethics laws will guarantee this. There are 109 pages of federal government ethics laws, yet CIA Director David Petraeus resigned over an affair with his biographer. No law prevented that. The IRS improperly singled out certain groups seeking tax-exempt status for review - and then did its best to explain away what it had done. Again, no law prevented that. Appointment schedulers in the Veterans Health Administration falsified patient wait times under pressure from their own management. Secret Service agents consorted with prostitutes in Cartagena and shared their concerns about agency practices with the press but not their own leaders. Ethics laws and rules can help public servants choose between "right" and "wrong." But rulebooks are not enough. The promise of democracy can be realized only if government workers earn the public's trust by doing the right thing, whether or not there are rules to guide them. This takes skill and moral courage. To Serve with Honor focuses especially on ethics choices between "right" and "right" - where no law or regulation is even possible. What do I do when asked to withhold information I think the public should see? How do I deal with a superior whose behavior is destroying morale? How do I balance competing expectations among clients my organization serves? What do I do when pressured to lie? How can I spot ethical problems before they blindside me? As a leader, how can I create a positive ethical culture in my organization? In these - and most of the ethics issues public servants face- there might be many "right" choices- all of them legal. But how do I pick the best one? This book - filled with case studies, checklists, and stories of exemplary public servants - offers a practical, readable roadmap for acting ethically and honorably. Using the acronym, SERVE, the book takes the reader through five essential steps: Spot the ethics issue, Examine the ethics issue and decide, Recognize and realign the organization's culture, Voice your decision, and Establish justice. Each step is broken into critical questions to address. Public servants need to act honorably - and be honored for doing so. Honor is a concept that has been lost in public service, confined now only to those in the military when it should pervade all those who serve in government. The book's postscript focuses on how to restore honor to public service. Appendices provide practice ethics cases, a model (with questions) for ethical decision making, Web sites that provide additional guidance, and an annotated bibliography keyed to the SERVE model. To Serve With Honor can help restore right conduct and honor to their needed places in the public service. Terry Newell spent nearly forty years in senior positions in the federal government. He regularly writes and teaches on building trust in government, ethics, leadership, and statesmanship.
