Chapter+14

vChapter fourteen is about one of the new STA Platoon 2/7 members named Fergus. Anthony talks about how he wanted Fergus in STA Platoon because his intellegence highly exceeds most other members even though his physical conditioning was slightly below par. He goes on to say that after the Gulf War, Tony and Fergus spent a lot of time together. They attempt to disassociate themselves with the Corps at this time. Even with their efforts, they are still looked at as Marines and were in some occasions verbally abused for this. Two German women not only did this, but also told them that Operation Desert Storm was not a war. This brings up one of the more significant ideas of the chapter because Tony replies to them with his attitudes of his experience in Desert Storm. He says it was important because "we'd been there and only so many men know the horror of war and the fear, and they must suffer it, no matter the war's suspected atrociousness, because societies are made, in part, by men who have fought.....After V Day the vision of the victors is obscured by champagne....the war is over and the enemy dead." 159. With this quote, Swofford explains how society is shaped by war and that most generations have to deal with it in one way or another. Later Fergus disappears only to call Tony a few more times, once after murdering a man in the street with his pistol. This chapter fittingly ends with the last thing Swofford would ever hear Fergus say, "We fired the same rifle. You have the same problems as me." 166. This goes back to the biggest problem Anthony has with the Marines: Fergus is imnplying that they are both still just jarheads, grunts, and the same. This part of the book reminds me of "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World because of the individuality complex and the stray from what people in any branch of life find "acceptable."

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