Jarhead

Once you're part of the Marine Corps, you are, and will always be a Marine, a "Jarhead". Anthony Swofford, an ex-marine wrote about his experiences in The First Gulf War, and how even now, as an aspiring author for the New York Times, is still at heart, a marine. The First Gulf War took place in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, and to the men who fought there, the desert, the sun, the sand itself was like a disease. It was everywhere, the sand became a part of the soldier's lives. In Jarhead Anthony Swofford tells us how the sand is still in his life, and how the Marines are still one of the biggest parts of his life.

Growing up in a family full of military enthusiasts, Swofford was almost destined to be in the military. His father was in the military, his uncle was in the marines and his grandpa was in the army. So when he joined the Marines at 18, he knew he was doing what he was meant to do. Quickly he was accepted as a sniper. And almost as soon as he felt comfortable in his position he was sent into Afghanistan, to what seemed to be a fight for oil. The Marines in Afghanistan knew less about what was going on in the Gulf War then their families in the United States. All they knew was that the Iraqis were supposed to have mustard gas, and that they were in the desert and that they wouldn't get out until the end of a war. 

This book was intense for me to read because I never really thought about the troubles of a soldier other than the fact that they were at war. This book really taught me that even though we appreciate and love the soldiers of our country because they fight for us, they have other problems too. Including the conditions in which they live in. The fundamentals and the simple fact that they are going to fight soon and may die soon, whether it's tomorrow, or the day after, or maybe even a year from now, is a thought that would be awful to have go through your head. After I read Jarhead, I was very appreciative of my life now. I'm glad that I read it.