Military Service and National Obligation

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Symposium discusses veterans’ issues

October 8, 2012 - The nature of modern war has widened the chasm between civilians and the armed forces, former College President James Wright said at a history symposium, “Military Service and National Obligation,” this weekend. The symposium, held Friday and Saturday, was an intellectual gathering that brought veterans and scholars together in a conversation about the role of our military in 21st century American society.

The event highlighted important themes of Wright’s recent book, "Those Who Have Borne the Battle: A History of America's Wars and Those Who Fought Them". The symposium opened Friday in Filene Auditorium with a roundtable discussion featuring Wright and Lt. Col. John Nagl, a U.S. Naval Academy Minerva Research Fellow. On Saturday, Dartmouth faculty lectured and presented papers on military history in Carson Hall.

A former Marine, Wright has been visiting veterans’ hospitals since 2005 to encourage veterans to continue their education, he said in an interview. Through his interactions with veterans and his extensive teaching experience, he noticed that there was little written information regarding veterans’ service to the United States, he said. The absence of literature moved Wright to publish his new book.

“The book focuses on how America has decided who will fight our wars for us, and, more importantly, how we choose to honor and support our veterans,” government professor Benjamin Valentino said during the symposium. read more>>>