Learning Framework

Overview | Required Reading | Schedule | Workshop Study Guides
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Overview

The discussion program centered on creating a space where those affected by war and its aftermath can explore important humanities sources on war as a means of self-reflection and self-realization. Epic poetry, narrative non-fiction, military biography, memoir, and film are used to accomplish two goals: first, to explore war and the themes of trauma, loyalty, heroism, and homecoming and their effects on individuals and societies and, second, to develop a space for veterans and others to have meaningful and transformative conversations through facilitated discussions focused on these themes.

Required Discussion Group Reading/Viewing

Suggested Reading

  • Caroline Alexander. The War That Killed Achilles: The True Story of Homer’s Iliad and the Trojan War. New York: Penguin, 2010.

  • Philip Caputo. 1977. A Rumor of War. New York: Picador Books (Macillian).

  • Lynda Van Devanter. 1983. Home Before Morning: The Story of an Army Nurse in Vietnam. Boston: University of Massachusetts Press.

  • Tim O’Brien. 1990. The Thinks They Carried. New York: Broadway Books.

  • Johnathan Shay. 1995. Achilles in Vietnam Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character. New York: Simon and Schuster.

  • John Ketwig. 2002. ...and a hard rain fell: A G.I.’s True Story of the War in Vietnam. New York: Macillian.

  • Susan R. Dixon & Mark M. Smith. 2019. Seeking Quan Am: A Dual Memoir of War & Vietnam. New York: ATI Books.

  • Ben Anderson. 2012. No Worse Enemy. New York: Oneworld Publications (Simon and Schuster)

  • David J. Danelo. 2006. Blood Stripes. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books

  • Dexter Filkins. 2008. The Forever War. New York: Random House.

  • Sebastian Junger. 2016. Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging. New York: Twelve.

  • Bing West. 2015. One Million Steps: A Marine Platoon at War. New York: Random House.

  • Evan Wright. 2004. Generation Kill. New York: Penguin.

Schedule

Two discussion groups will be capped at a maximum of twenty-five participants each. Groups will have four discussion leaders. This structure supports both whole-group discussions and facilitated smaller breakout sessions where members talk in-depth, ask questions and explore humanities themes in a more dynamic setting. Groups will meet ten times (twice monthly for five months) for 2 to 2.5 hours each time. A weekday evening and a weekend daytime group will accommodate different schedules and allow greater participation.

Calendar dates paper schedule
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  • Meetings 1-3 – Reading The Iliad.
    • Topic: The Trojan War and the problems of protracted warfare. Themes: trauma, homecoming, loyalty and heroism.
    • Questions (M1): Are there clear heroes in war? What impact do repeated and protracted battles and prolonged war have on warriors and civilians?
    • Questions (M2): Does loyalty change over the course of the war? Why? How? What conflicting loyalties do warriors’ have?
    • Questions (M3): What is the psychology of the warriors at the start of the war? Does it change over the course of the war? Why? How? Are they apprehensive about returning home after such a prolonged absence? How do heroism or trauma affect homecoming?
  • Meeting 4 – Reading Dispatches.
    • Topic: Rules of war. Themes: Heroism, loyalty, trauma, homecoming. Questions: How does the expressive quality of the writing in the Iliad and Dispatches impact the reader? Does one get a different sense of heroism, loyalty, trauma or homecoming from the two readings? How are they similar or different? How do warriors’ battle actions impact homecoming?
  • Meeting 5 – Reading Sisterhood of War.
    • Topic: Women in war. Themes: loyalty, heroism, trauma, and homecoming. Questions: What defines a veteran’s military experience? In what ways are women’s experiences of war similar to and different from men’s? Are women’s contributions, loyalties, and heroism valued the same as men’s? Why? Why Not?
  • Meeting 6 – Reading selection from What It Is Like to Go to War
    • Special Guest: Karl Marlantes, author of What It Is Like to Go to War
    • Topic: The realities of war. Themes: trauma and loyalty. Questions: Are recruits prepared for the psychic and moral challenges of combat? Can one be fully prepared for war? What value comes from combat veterans sharing war experiences?
  • Meeting 7 – Reading selections from Faith of my Fathers.
    • Topic: In depths of despair, what keeps a warrior going? Themes: trauma and homecoming. Questions: What about John McCain’s family life and background enabled him to withstand torture and confinement? What psychic and physical tolls does war take on veterans and their families? How does McCain discuss transitioning from military to civilian life?
  • Meeting 8 – Reading Rule Number Two.
    • Topic: Experiences of war, social change, and women’s roles in military combat zones. Themes: loyalty and heroism. Questions: Are women’s contributions, loyalty and heroism valued the same as men’s? How has this changed since the Vietnam War?
  • Meeting 9 – Reading Rule Number Two.
    • Special Guest: Dr. Heidi Kraft, author of Rule Number Two
    • Topic: PTSD on the field of battle and on the Homefront. Themes: Trauma and homecoming. Questions: Does increased acknowledgment of PTSD make a difference in preparing for war or in coming home? Do women warriors face different expectations at homecoming?
  • Meeting 10 – Expanding outreach.
    • GI Film Festival San Diego (GIFFSD), a local film festival that aims to reveal the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of service members and veterans through compelling and authentic storytelling. Documentaries, shorts, narratives, and family-friendly films are presented, highlighting stories of heroism, resilience, and honor.

A reading schedule, a discussion guide with pre-discussion reading questions and possible group discussion questions, and a short summary detailing each war and its historical context, was provided to participants.