Since completing my first master’s in International Relations (1983) while I was on active-duty in Germany and then a master’s (1998) and PhD (2003) in English, I have made myself into an expert on the stories of the American war in Vietnam. I have been fortunate to have published innumerable articles and book chapters on this subject and five scholarly books: Masculinity in Vietnam War Narratives (2009); Masculinity and Monstrosity in Contemporary Hollywood Films (co-wrote, 2013); The Vietnam War (edited and contributed to, 2014); Looking Back on the Vietnam War: Twenty-First Century Perspectives (co-edited and contributed to, 2016); and American War Stories (2021).
Because of my expertise in this field, I have often been asked to contribute to collections of long-form, scholarly essays having to do with American war generally and the Vietnam War specifically. Recently, I have been commissioned to contribute book chapters to two Cambridge University Press collections: one essay about Vietnam War drama and one about masculinity in American war narratives.
You have witnessed that I do a lot of research for my SoldierGirl postings and have written in them a couple book’s worth of words. But I can foresee that writing these two scholarly essays will necessitate even more research, as I follow leads the study unexpectedly leads me to. Moreover, for both essays I have been given summer 2026 deadlines. The research and the deadlines mean that I can’t do both—research and write the Cambridge UP essays and research and write my SoldierGirl postings—so I am taking a leave from SoldierGirl until early June 2026.
Given the current state of the US military, I have lots more ideas for SoldierGirl postings, and so I hope you will continue your subscription until I return in early June. In the meantime, and if you want to refresh, re-read, or catch up, here are links to the 53 postings I have already made in the last two-plus years.
1. August 30, 2023. What do I mean by “stories”? https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-1-what-do-i-mean-by-stories
2. September 6, 2023. How words alone tell stories that normalize militarism. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-2-how-words-alone-tell-stories
3. September 13, 2023. The story of the dropping birthrate, recruiting, and “Be All You Can Be.” https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-3-the-story-of-the-dropping
4. September 20, 2023. Tuberville’s story about “woke” and force readiness. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-4-tubervilles-story-about
5. September 27, 2023. Stories about classified documents and national security. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-5-stories-about-classified
6. October 4, 2023. The story of affirmative action. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-6-the-story-of-affirmative
7. October 11, 2023. The story about American police (and their militarization). https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-7-the-story-about-american
8. October 18, 2023. Stories about the invisible wounds of war. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-8-stories-about-the-invisible
9. November 1, 2023. The Department of Defense’s use of taxpayer money. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-8-the-department-of-defense
10. November 15, 2023. The story about who fights our wars. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-10-the-story-about-who-fights
11. November 29, 2023. The story of women in the US military. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-11-the-story-of-women-in
12. December 13, 2023. The Story of Self-Sacrifice and Military Life. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-12-the-story-of-self-sacrifice
13. December 27, 2023. The story of American patriotism in the US Military. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-13-the-story-of-american
14. January 10, 2024. The Story of Peace Through Strength. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-14-the-story-of-peace-through
15. January 24, 2024. The Story of Free Will in the US Military. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-15-the-story-of-free-will
16. February 7, 2024. The Story of Who Provides the Best US National Security. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-16-the-story-of-who-provides
17. February 21, 2024. The Story of JROTC. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-17-the-story-of-junior-rotc
18. March 6, 2024. The Story of NATO and Donald Trump. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-18-the-story-of-nato-and
19. March 20, 2024. The Stories of “Support the Troops” and “Thank You For Your Service.” https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-19-the-stories-of-support
20. April 3, 2024. What do I mean by “stories”? (Redux) https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-20-what-do-i-mean-by-stories
21. April 17, 2024. The Story of the Draft, Women and Men, and Bodily Autonomy. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-21-the-story-of-the-draft
22. May 1, 2024. The Story of What it Means to Serve…in my own experience. https://soldiergirl.substack.com/p/posting-22-the-story-of-what-it-means
23. August 14, 2024. The Story of Discipline and Immunity for a Commander-in-Chief. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-23-the-story-of-discipline?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
24. August 28, 2024. The story of when wars begin and end. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-24-the-story-of-when-wars?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
25. September 11, 2024. The story about Arlington Cemetery. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-25-the-story-about-arlington?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
26. September 25, 2024. The story of “war stories” and Stolen Valor. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-27-the-story-of-war-stories?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
27. October 9, 2024. The story of the Defense Industry, the US Economy, and the Israeli War in Gaza. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-29-the-defense-industry-the?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
28. October 23, 2024. The story about the French and American Wars in Vietnam. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-28-the-story-about-the-french?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
29. November 6, 2024. The story of Memorial Day. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-29-the-story-of-memorial?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
30. November 20, 2024. The story of immigrants in the US Military. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-30-the-story-of-immigrants?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
31. December 4, 2024. The story of the Climate Crisis and the US Military. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-31-the-story-of-the-climate?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
32. December 18, 2024. The story that serving in the US Military is the highest achievement. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-32-the-story-that-serving?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
33. January 15, 2025. The story of nuclear weapons in the US Military. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/33-the-story-of-nuclear-weapons-in?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
34. January 29, 2025. The story of suicide in the US Military. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-34-the-story-of-suicide-in?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
35. February 12, 2025. The story of how the Commander-in-Chief uses the US Military. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/35-the-story-of-how-the-commander?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
36. February 26, 2025. The story of foreign aid and securing the nation (Part I). https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-36-the-story-of-foreign-aid?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
37. March 12, 2025. The story of foreign aid and securing the nation (Part II). https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-37-the-story-of-foreign-aid?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
38. March 26, 2025. The story of “Warriors” (Part I). https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-38-the-story-of-warriorspart?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
39. April 9, 2025. The story of “Warriors” (Part II). https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-39-the-story-of-warriorspart?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
40. April 23, 2025. The story of schools, curriculum, and the Department of Defense. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-40-the-story-of-schools-curriculum?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
41. May 7, 2025. The story of the pure Pentagon…and purging it. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-41-the-story-of-the-pure?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
42. May 21, 2025. The story of Veterans and the VA (Part I). https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-42-the-story-of-veterans?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
43. June 4, 2025. The story of Veterans and the VA (Part II). https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-43-the-story-of-veterans?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
44. June 18, 2025. The motivating story: why I write SoldierGirl. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-44-the-motivating-story-why?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
45. July 2, 2025. The story of Martial Law. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-45-the-story-of-martial-law?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
46. August 6, 2025. The story of World War II: Trump is pro-war when it suits him. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/46-the-story-of-world-war-ii-trump?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
47. August 20, 2025. The story of the US Military Industrial Complex. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/47-the-story-of-the-us-military-industrial?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
48. September 3, 2025. The story of disobeying an order. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-48-the-story-of-disobeying?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
49. September 17, 2025. The story of my life in a Catholic, US Army family. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-49-the-story-of-my-life-in?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
50. October 1, 2025. The story of the US Military and International Law. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-50-the-story-of-the-us-military?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
51. October 15, 2025. The story of the US Military’s obligation to be non-partisan. https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-51-the-story-of-the-us-militarys?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
52. October 29, 2025. The story of war monuments (Part I). https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-52-the-story-of-war-monuments?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
53. November 12, 2025. The story of war monuments (Part II). https://open.substack.com/pub/soldiergirl/p/posting-53-the-story-of-war-monuments?r=25h9eq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.