A Decade of Trial

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904836104576560393285549226.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADSecond

This opinion article describes the personal experiences Anthony Dolan, who worked as a special advisor in the State Department and Department of Defense during the Bush Administration.

Details: When reading a tribute to America's soldiers, one expects a glorious account of sacrifice, either leading to tragedy or to redemption. Dolan takes a different, more honest approach. Instead of simply spinning out a feel good message that justifies or even glorifies the sacrifices that the soldiers make, Dolan highlights the bittersweetness of the inherent nature of their service to the country. Dolan does not comment on whether the hurt suffered by the young men and women is justified or unjustified; he remains ambiguous on his personal point of view. He stirs up emotion, only to leave the reader to ponder to himself over the morality of the issue. He does this by including details that evoke conflicting emotions. For instance, when Dolan throws the reader's expectations when he relives an exchange between a high ranked general and a young veteran in a wheelchair.Military customs get thrown out the window when the general refuses the soldier's apology for not saying "sir", and says, "I'm the one who should be calling you 'sir;"The dramatic reversal of this usually rigid, sometimes harsh code reveals the human side of the military, and the compassion that exists behind the scenes.

Language/Imagery: This theme of conflicting emotions carries over the Dolan's language, and the imagery it evokes. He recounts the " parade of crutches and wheelchairs", a metaphor that carries a conflicting message. A parade traditionally evokes thoughts of pomp and circumstance, pride, and patriotism. However, the parade consists of young men and women crippled at an untimely age, all in the name of their country. They cannot walk proudly, they must struggle along with the assistance of others. While the young veterans are proud of their sacrifice, readers can only feel pity at the image of men and women, at the prime of life, crippled for the rest of their lives. Readers are reminded of the costs of war and must ask themselves, "is it worth it"?

Diction: When most people think of the word "hop", they don't think of heroism or dignity. They think of the Easter bunny, frogs, or even small children. However, when Dolan describes the movement of the crippled soldiers, the guests of honor at an important dinner, towards their van on that shuttles them back to Walter Reed, that's exactly the word he uses. He acknowledges the tough emotions that the word brings up , writing "Hard to hear and hard to watch. The hero as grateful hopper." The words "hero" and "hopper" juxtaposed reveal to the reader the truth behind all of the fancy medals, the festive parades, and all of the eloquent speeches. The glory of sacrifice is a thin veneer for the real pain and suffering that wounded veterans must endure, often for the rest of their lives.