The American Spectator

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p> MILITARY MYTH MAKING br> Re: James Bowman's review of Jarhead : /p>

Please don't take Jarhead seriously -- it is the work of a vivid imagination.

Like Swofford, I went through boot camp in 1989 and served in an Infantry unit in the first Gulf War. His book and movie are nothing but a collection of wild exaggerations, tall tales, and urban legends. The scene you pointed out where he is ridiculed for his reading material in a bathroom by a Drill Instructor is impossible. Recruits are not allowed, nor did we have time, to casually read literature. The only reading materials we have are manuals issued to us and a bible. Nor were we allowed to casually hang out in the bathroom and read -- you did your business and got out. Ridiculous scene.

p>There are small nuggets of truth wrapped in a thick layer of lies throughout the "story." Read the reviews by Marines at places like Amazon. Very few of them think Swofford is truthful and most are angry at how his lies depict us. br> -- Chris Bramley /p>

My son is in the army. This is from his personal blog:

"...if any terrorists are busy wasting their time reading this, well, whatever. Y'all want to kill me for having any opinion that doesn't agree with yours. Take your best shot while I'm over here, though. I wouldn't recommend trying it again in my country. Sure, it might be hurting right now, but you don't want to poke a wounded bear. You do know what a bear is, don't you? If you're online, you should do a Google search on what a grizzly bear is capable of doing to a person. Sure, a grizzly bear isn't exactly sociable, doesn't have wonderful manners, or like to be petted, or great company, or for sitting in one's lap, but it will survive extraordinarily harsh environments, massive amounts of trauma that would kill lesser creatures, and still manages to have some fun while living. Don't mess with the bear."

p>I'm sure this has been repeated countless times by his brothers and sisters in arms in all services. Swofford should be ashamed at the caricature he created.

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