When Lieutenant Jimmy Cross was in Vietnam he carried letters from a woman named Martha in his backpack. Martha attended his college in New Jersey and majored in English. The letters quoted poetry and never mentioned the war. She signed them love, Martha. Cross hoped Martha would one day return his affection.
Other soldiers carried mosquito repellent, pocket knives, gum, extra rations, a Bible and a poncho. All the soldiers carried the heavy burden of the war.
Students in Nicole Chambers’ Advanced English 2 Class are currently reading “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien. The novel details the experiences of soldiers in the Vietnam War.
Chambers said the novel and a Ted Talk by Sebastian Junger called “Why Soldiers Miss War” made students discuss what soldiers experience while serving in the military.
Junger, a journalist who was embedded with a United States Army platoon of the 173rd Airborne in Afghanistan, told the story of his friend Brendan O’Byrne. When O’Byrne came home after the war Junger invited him to a dinner party. He started talking to a woman who asked him if there was anything he missed about Afghanistan and the war. Junger said O’Byrne replied ‘Ma’am, I miss almost all of it.”
Junger said he believes that O’Byrne missed the brotherhood and the connection he had with his fellow soldiers.
Chambers said after watching the Ted Talk the students to discussed what they thought a soldier may feel like in war and upon coming home from war.
“I had the idea that instead of guessing, we should ask our veterans and current military about their experiences,” she said.
On Friday, October 26 from noon to 1 p.m Chamber’s class will be interviewing veterans regarding their experiences while serving in the military.
During the panel students will ask veterans questions about deployment, active duty, coming home, PTSD concerns, the feeling of family in the military and their stories and experiences from serving.
“The students are interested in authentic conversations about what it’s like to come from deployment and what it’s like to be away,” Chambers said.
The class is working on writing and editing questions and Chambers will email the questions to the participants before the panel so they can pick which questions they may not want to answer.
Chambers broached the idea of a panel to her students through a Google Classroom question. Almost all of the 40 students said they would enjoy a talking to veterans about their experiences.
Chambers is still looking for veterans to talk to the students.
“We are looking for anyone who has been deployed during any major conflict,” she said.
Anyone interested in participating can email Chambers at nchambers@sjo.k12.il.us.
