First and foremost, I find it important to state that I believe Tim O’Brien to be an individual of utter genius and intelligence when it comes to his writing style. His book, “The Things They Carried,” was one in which I could honestly say that I did not put down once until I finished it. He kept my attention as well as my interest throughout each short story of his. Furthermore, I found connections between his short stories and the stories and articles found about the war in Iraq today. The connection between the two, albeit under stark contrasting differences occurs within the idea of being released from one’s soldierly duties. Being a person who highly opposes the war, and any war in general, I can easily understand the want and need to find some sort of reason to release one’s self of his/her duties as a soldier to our wars. The story of releasing in “The Things They Carried” and the story of releasing I found on the military blog “The Unlikely Short-Timer” are two very different releasing stories.
The story of Rat Kiley going mad as a medic in “The Things They Carried” shows the psychological damage done throughout the course of a war as well as proving that some soldiers will do anything possible to make sure they get the hell out of there.
“‘This whole war,’ he said. ‘You know what it is? Just one big banquet. Meat, man. You and me. Everybody. Meat for the bugs.’ The next morning he shot himself. He took off his boots and socks, laid out his medical kit, doped himself up, and put a round through his foot.” (O’Brien, 223.)
In contrast, the author of the military blog, “The Unlikely Short-Timer,” discusses how just as much as he desires to be out of the military, for prideful reasons he would never “cheat” the system. He understands and feels as though he has an obligation to serve his country and finish his duty no matter what his feelings are about being released from the war.
“I tried to gather a list of reasons why I should be exempt, allowed to leave. Tried to think of a way to present them that would somehow persuade them. Then it dawned on me that it wasn’t going to happen. No Poor Me excuses are going to work. As I stepped back and looked at the case I was trying to present, it just looked weak. Feeble. Selfish. Then, for the first time I REALLY realized the gravity of the truth. I really did sign a contract.”
As one can see through these two examples, it is not by any means easy for a soldier to admit he or she wants to be dismissed of his or her duties in the war. Nevertheless, the psychological damages are dire and immensely grave. Rat Kiley went to lengths deep enough that he shot himself in order to get himself out of the war and away from the horrors. He cannot be blamed or labeled as a coward by any means, but the author of the military blog holds a prideful viewpoint that I believe to be apparent in most soldiers’ minds. They seem to believe that society will think less of them if they find a way out or come up with some excuse why they should not go back. But in the full reality of the sense, who would blame them? Not me, for one…
“The Things They Carried” Tim O’Brien
http://theunlikelysoldier.blogspot.com/2009/03/final-word.html
I had a friend who joined the military, the army to be exact. We (his friends) were all surprised. It seemed to come out of the blue. We tried to talk him out of it, not because we were unpatriotic, didn’t believe in the cause, most of them aren’t even anti-war. It was because we thought he was getting in over his head. He was 25 (just on the verge of being too old), out of shape (pudgy is probably an accurate description), and seemingly doing it for the wrong reasons (he talked a great deal about his life ‘going nowhere’ and the wiping away of student loans). Anyway, it turns out we were right; within two months he had a breakdown. Mental, physical, the whole works and was discharged (I’m not sure he was even in long enough for it to be honorable or dishonorable). The point is: he wasn’t a coward. I think your post works great to expose other reasons why people aren’t in the military—reasons beyond cowardice. A soldier, I believe, is made up of something different. A stoic will, strong body, and something deep down many people don’t have. I suppose some cynics among us will call that cowardice, but like you, I wouldn’t.
-Tom
This issue was actually something I thought about as I read through O’Brien. The idea of war is not something being can actually wrap their minds around unless they have experienced it; even then they seem to not fully understand it. As O’Brien, Vonnegut, and most of the authors of the books we have read have conveyed. They find it hard to tell a war story. In my opinion war is just not something human minds are equipped to handle, that is war in the traditional sense. Civilians being recruited into the military and sent to foreign soil, most soldiers were not raised soldiers, therefore do not know how to handle it. There are not many war cultures, which teach their children to fight and kill. So when a war occurs that leaves us with Civilians in soldier’s uniforms. I would probably be like O’Brien contemplating Canada if there were a draft and I was drafted. I can see where pride would stand in the way of getting out of the military, but I can also fully understand how one would break down and go to extreme measures to get out as Rat Kiley did. So as you said, who can blame them?
This is so interesting for you to reflect on the other issues that soliders encounter throughout their journey of change in the military. Throughout The Things We Carried, we were faced with the reality of the problems the men faced. The idea of members of the military feelings like they do not want to be discharged, no matter how much they dream of being out of the military is an interesting complex i think many people experience. People join the military for all sorts of different reasons, as Tom mentioned about his friend. For money, for discipline, for a change, not everyone joins because they bleed red, white, and blue and want to spend time volunteering four years of their life for their countries. However, everyone experiences the transformation. everyone leaves home and must learn to deal with a new life. Almost inevitably, everyone experiences missing home, longing for comfort, feeling lost without family. But, as you stated in your post, the military blogger would never do anything to “cheat” the system. it’s almost as if the indoctrination of the military is responsibile for this. You learn to be on time, to be clean, to shoot straight, to hold your head high. You learn how to press your uniform, shine your shoes, balance your money, conduct yourself during the playing of the national anthem, and finally, you learn that your time still stands. Your four years started ticking when you raised your hand to swear in, and you will stick them out with everyone else. It is almost as if being in the military itself is proof that you care enough about your country, that you would not do anything to jeopardize your unit, your branch, your country. Although this mentality does not take to everyone, also mentioned by Tom, i think it is a cornerstone of the United States military.
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