Description
Object description
American officer served with 24th Mechanized Infantry Div in USA, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, 1988-1992; peace protester with Veterans for Peace in USA to 2006
Content description
REEL 1 Background in North Carolina and Virginia, US, 1967-1988: memories of childhood living close to Fort Bragg and then Fort Lee; family; religious beliefs; opinion of childhood; lessons taught by mother; racial discrimination faced by parents; slow building up of reasons for wanting to join army; details of service in reserve at high school and college, 1981- 1987; changes made to training at time he joined up; reflections on training; details of units joined. Aspects of period as officer with 24th Mechanized Infantry Div in USA, 1988-1990: reason for joining field artillery; firing of guns; posting as forward observer; details of division and Rapid Deployment Force; description of desert training.
REEL 2 Continues: opposition of US Army during 1980s including start of desert training; awareness of Saddam Hussein and expectation of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait; briefing about Iraq; news of invasion of Kuwait; reactions to news; bidding farewell to son; reactions to approaching war; details of nuclear, chemical and biological training and suit. Aspects of period as officer with 24th Mechanized Infantry Div in Saudi Arabia, 9/1990-2/1991: manoeuvres; duties and postings; area based in; building-up of camp; problems in desert; opinion of desert training; air activity; opinion of Saddam Hussein's mistakes; attitude toward war and opinion of Iraqi forces; journey to Saudi Arabia; wait for war to start; statements issued by Tariq Aziz; leisure activities and concerts around Christmas 1990.
REEL 3 Continues: thoughts about possibility of death; will; mail sent home. Aspects of operations as officer with 24th Mechanized Infantry Div in Iraq, 2/1991: opinion of leadership; memories of artist in unit and Lieutenant Colonel Lutz; role of unit; scenes during advance into Iraq; lack of contact with opposition and reaction to this; description of chemical weapons alarms in Saudi Arabia; opinion of Saddam Hussein's actions; opinion that should gone further; story of visit to Iraqi Republican Guard camp and souvenirs taken; contact with civilians including story of illicit alcohol; details of only female soldier in camp; decision to leave army and comradeship; details of mother-in-law in Kuwait; departure from army; discussion of anti-anthrax pill and Gulf War syndrome; effects of military service; discussion of media during Gulf War including contact with media.
REEL 4 Continues: story of Doonesbury cartoon; debate with superior officer over use of media. Background to joining Veterans for Peace: background to anti-war stance and understanding of reasons for USA being disliked around world; importance of religion in anti-war outlook; discussion of pacifism and methods of improving the nation; effect of conflict in Bosnia on views. Aspects of work with Veterans for Peace in USA to 2006: history and make-up of Veterans for Peace including aims of organisation; activities of Veterans for Peace; reasons for joining.
REEL 5 Continues: links formed between pro and anti- war people; formation and work of Iraq Veterans Against the War; support given to troops whatever their of war; details of the case of Lieutenant Ehren Watada including reasons for illegality of 2003 Iraq War; service of son in army including problems faced by troops returning from Iraq; discussions with son before he joined up; discussion of what needs to occur in Iraq and opinion of reasons for change in attitude towards US presence in Iraq; contact with British groups; discussion of differences between protests against Vietnam War and 2003 Iraq War; opinions about war in Afghanistan within Veterans for Peace; provisions for conscientious objectors in USA.
REEL 6 Continues: details of conscientious objector cases; reasons troops become objectors; hopes for future of Veterans for Peace.