LibGuides: Learning Resource Center (LRC): Veteran's Day Guide

Veteran's Day Books, Websites, and Resources

Combat Orthopedic Surgery by Brett Owens; Philip Belmont; Philip Belmont
During the course of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, military orthopedic surgeons have made significant technical and philosophic changes in the treatment of musculoskeletal combat casualties. The widespread use of individual and vehicular body armor, evolution of enemy tactics to include its reliance on improvised explosive devices, and the effectiveness of treatment rendered at military treatment facilities have resulted in a large burden of complex orthopedic injuries. Combat Orthopedic Surgery: Lessons Learned in Iraq and Afghanistan represents and recognizes the latest advances in musculoskeletal surgical care performed to treat today's US military servicemembers.
Returning Home from Iraq and Afghanistan by Assessment of the Readjustment Needs of Military Personnel, Veterans, and Their Families Committee; Board on the Health of Select Populations Staff; Institute of Medicine
As of December 2012, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in Iraq have resulted in the deployment of about 2.2 million troops; there have been 2,222 US fatalities in OEF and Operation New Dawn (OND)1 and 4,422 in OIF. The numbers of wounded US troops exceed 16,000 in Afghanistan and 32,000 in Iraq. In addition to deaths and morbidity, the operations have unforeseen consequences that are yet to be fully understood. In contrast with previous conflicts, the all-volunteer military has experienced numerous deployments of individual service members; has seen increased deployments of women, parents of young children, and reserve and National Guard troops; and in some cases has been subject to longer deployments and shorter times at home between deployments. Numerous reports in the popular press have made the public aware of issues that have pointed to the difficulty of military personnel in readjusting after returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
A Story for All Americans by Frank L. Grzyb (Editor); John Kerry (Foreword by)
A Story for All Americans: Vietnam, Victims, and Veterans (formerly titled, Touched by the Dragon) details wartime accounts of average servicemen and women ? some heroic, some frightening, some amusing, some nearly unbelievable. The work is a historical compendium of fascinating and compelling stories woven together in a theme format.
The Turning by Andrew E. Hunt
The anti-Vietnam War movement in the United States is perhaps best remembered for its young, counterculture student protesters. However, the Vietnam War was the first conflict in American history in which a substantial number of military personnel actively protested the war while it was in progress. In The Turning, Andrew Hunt reclaims the history of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), an organization that transformed the antiwar movement by placing Vietnam veterans in the forefront of the nationwide struggle to end the war.
The United States and Iraq Since 1990 by Robert K. Brigham
This book offers a concise history of US policy in Iraq since 1990 and how it has evolved over two decades. Examines US relations with Iraq from both a regional and international perspective Argues that the only way to clearly understand US policy toward Iraq is to see it in its proper historical context and within a transnational framework Uses recently declassified documents at the end of each chapter to illustrate US decision-making in the wars for Iraq Addresses the importance of the changing domestic climate surrounding two decades
Veterans' Journeys Home by Lori Holyfield
Veterans' Journeys Home is a vivid portrayal of military life and its aftermath for US troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Highlighting the challenges US veterans face in today's changing military culture, the book depicts the haunting and visceral memories of returning soldiers, conversations with mental health providers, and offers an alternative approach to healing the emotional wounds of war. For anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the human costs of recent wars this book is invaluable. It combines a moving narrative with a penetrating analysis of the welfare and post-conflict treatment of veterans.
The Vietnam War in American Memory by Patrick Hagopian
This title presents a penetrating account of the cultural politics surrounding the memorialization of the Vietnam War. It is a study of American attempts to come to terms with the legacy of the Vietnam War.

Ask and Tell by Steve Estes
Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was the directive of President Clinton's 1993 military policy regarding gay and lesbian soldiers. This official silence continued a collective amnesia about the patriotic service and courageous sacrifices of homosexual troops. Ask and Tell recovers these lost voices, offering a rich chronicle of the history of gay and lesbian service in the U.S. military from World War II to the Iraq War.
Disabled Veterans in History by David A. Gerber (Editor)
Disabled Veterans in History explores the long-neglected history of those who have sustained lasting injuries or chronic illnesses while serving in uniform. The contributors to this volume cover an impressive range of countries in Europe and North America as well as a wide sweep of chronology from the Ancient World to the present. This revised and enlarged edition, available for the first time in paperback, has been updated to reflect the new realities of war injuries in the 21st century, including PTSD. The book includes an afterword by noted Veterans Administration psychiatrist and MacArthur Award winner Jonathan Shay, a new preface, and an added essay on the changing nature of the American war hero.
It's My Country Too by Jerri Bell (Editor); Tracy Crow (Editor); Kayla Williams (Foreword by)
This inspiring anthology is the first to convey the rich experiences and contributions of women in the American military in their own words--from the Revolutionary War to the present wars in the Middle East. Serving with the Union Army during the Civil War as a nurse, scout, spy, and soldier, Harriet Tubman tells what it was like to be the first American woman to lead a raid against an enemy, freeing some 750 slaves. Busting gender stereotypes, Josette Dermody Wingo enlisted as a gunner's mate in the navy in World War II to teach sailors to fire Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns. Marine Barbara Dulinsky recalls serving under fire in Saigon during the Tet Offensive of 1968, and Brooke King describes the aftermath of her experiences outside the wire with the army in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Medicine Bags and Dog Tags by Allen Carroll
As far back as colonial times, Native individuals and communities have fought alongside European and American soldiers against common enemies. Medicine Bags and Dog Tags is the story of these Native men and women whose military service has defended ancient homelands, perpetuated longstanding warrior traditions, and promoted tribal survival and sovereignty. nbsp; Drawing on a rich array of archival records and oral traditions, Al Carroll offers the most complete account of Native veterans to date and is the first to take an international approach, drawing comparisons with Native veteran traditions in Canada and Mexico.
Vietnam Veteranos by Lea Ybarra; Edward James Olmos (Introduction by)
One of the most decorated groups that served in the Vietnam War, Chicanos fought and died in numbers well out of proportion to their percentage of the United States' population. Yet despite this, their wartime experiences have never received much attention in either popular media or scholarly studies. To spotlight and preserve some of their stories, this book presents substantial interviews with Chicano Vietnam veterans and their families that explore the men's experiences in combat, the war's effects on the Chicano community, and the veterans' postwar lives.
When Janey Comes Marching Home by Laura Browder; Sascha Pflaeging
This powerful collection juxtaposes 48 photographs by Sascha Pflaeging with oral histories collected by Laura Browder to provide a dramatic portrait of women at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Women from all five branches of the military share their stories here--stories that are by turns moving, comic, thought-provoking, and profound. Seeing their faces in stunning color photographic portraits and reading what they have to say about loss, comradeship, conflict, and hard choices will change the ways we think about women and war.

Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD by Cheryl Lawhorne-Scott; Don Philpott
As more veterans return from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, more are needing care for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI). While there are several treatment and recovery options, outlets for support, and other resources, understanding and gaining access to them is often difficult or confusing. In Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD: A Resource and Recovery Guide, authors Cheryl Lawhorne and Don Philpott offer guidance for returning veterans, from treatment options, to diagnostic criteria and techniques, to resources for rehabilitation and support.
Fields of Combat by Erin P. Finley
For many of the 1.6 million U.S. service members who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, the trip home is only the beginning of a longer journey. Many undergo an awkward period of readjustment to civilian life after long deployments. Some veterans may find themselves drinking too much, unable to sleep or waking from unspeakable dreams, lashing out at friends and loved ones. Over time, some will struggle so profoundly that they eventually are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress Disorder (PTSD). Both heartbreaking and hopeful, Fields of Combat tells the story of how American veterans and their families navigate the return home. Following a group of veterans and their their personal stories of war, trauma, and recovery, Erin P. Finley illustrates the devastating impact PTSD can have on veterans and their families.
Invisible Wounds of War by Terri Tanielian (Editor); Lisa H. Jaycox (Editor)
A comprehensive study of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury among servicemembers returning from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, the health care system in place to meet those needs, gaps in the care system, and the costs associated with these conditions and with providing quality health care to all those in need.
Veteran Friendships Across Lifetimes by Jamie Ward
Veteran Friendships across Lifetimes: Brothers and Sisters in Arms seeks to add to the larger conversation about the Band of Brothers phenomenon by focusing on stories of survival after service members return home. Based on five years of research, including in-depth interviews with fifty servicemen and women, this book explores the interrelationship between camaraderie and contentment. Specifically looking at how military friendships translate from the battlefield into civilian life and how they assist soldiers in gaining peace with the past, happiness in the present, and hope for the future. James Ward highlights the service member as an individual, not just a cog in the machine. Their stories help shed light on their paths. This text uses the themes of strength, kinship, and resilience to demonstrate that while many veterans are battling demons that remain from their war time experiences, those demons have not broken them."
When the War Never Ends by Leah Wizelman
The chances of service members developing PTSD after military-related traumas is, according to a U.S. study, at least 30 percent. The effects of PTSD can be devastating, ranging, for example, from distressing flashbacks, nightmares, sleep disorders, physical symptoms, irritability, aggressions, memory and concentration problems. These symptoms often cause severe impairment in all areas of life and may lead to despair and hopelessness. PTSD is neither a localized nor a temporary problem. Here, Leah Wizelman relates the true stories of service members from different service branches and ranks from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Germany, who were participants in various wars (Vietnam, Gulf war, Iraq, Afghanistan, Grenada) and peace missions (Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia, Cambodia, Somalia, Cyprus, Haiti).

What's Next for Student Veterans? by David DiRamio (Editor)
With the passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2008, more than 1.4 million service members and their families became eligible for higher education benefits, and veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan enrolled in colleges and universities in record numbers. The first wave of research about these new student veterans focused primarily on describing their characteristics and the transition from military service to civilian life and the college campus.

U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
CalVet Programs
CalVet offers a variety of services to honorably discharged veterans from residency in one of our state Veterans Homes to helping you purchase a home through our Farm and Home Loan program. This department also advocates for veterans, providing information and representation before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. There are many services, benefits and preferences provided to you by the people of California as a way to honor your service…explore this site and find out what you may have been missing.
CAVSA
Founded in 1995, the California Association of Veteran Service Agencies (CAVSA) is a consortium of seven non-profit veteran service providers working in partnership to address the needs of California’s veterans. CAVSA’s geographic diversity facilitates the delivery of direct services in both urban and rural regions throughout the state, stretching from Eureka to San Diego. As community-based direct service providers, we draw upon our experience working directly with veterans to inform policy and advocate for adequate and accessible services and support. We understand that the obstacles veterans face — including homelessness, poverty, unemployment and disability — are interrelated and require an integrated network of support within the community and continuum of care. Together we work to improve services for California’s veterans and educate our communities about the unique needs of military veterans and their families.
DAV
DAV is a nonprofit charity that provides a lifetime of support for veterans of all generations and their families, helping more than 1 million veterans in positive, life-changing ways each year. Last year, the organization provided more than 163,000 rides to veterans attending medical appointments and assisted in filing over 151,000 claims for benefits. In 2021, DAV-represented veterans received more than $25 billion in earned benefits. DAV’s services are offered at no cost to all generations of veterans, their families and survivors.
Veterans Crisis Line
Signed into law in 2020, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act authorized 988 as the new three-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. As part of the law, all telephone service providers in the U.S. had to activate the number no later than July 16, 2022. Veterans can use this new option by dialing 988 and pressing 1 to contact the Veterans Crisis Line. Veterans may still reach the Veterans Crisis Line with the previous phone number—1-800-273-8255 and Press 1—by text (838255), and through chat (VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat).