Harrison County Man Aims to Help Folks Understand War Through a Soldier's Eyes
This generation has been fighting a war for almost a decade now. Thousands of troops have been deployed overseas, but when they come home, many claim it's difficult to adjust back to a normal life.
Many have said the hardest part is getting the folks back at home to understand what they've gone through. One local man is making a book of soldier's artwork they make while overseas, and he said he hopes it will one day bridge this giant gap between soldiers and civilians.
Former Iraqi War combat medic Jason Parsons knows first hand what it's like to deal with the struggles of returning home from war. So he and fellow soldier Jason Deckman founded The Graffiti of War Project. "It's difficult for the civilians to understand the soldiers," he said. "It's difficult for the soldiers to understand the civilians. And I think this book will be a bridge."
Parsons said the book will be packed of photos of soldier's artwork, as well as a background story. He's collecting everything from a message scribbled on a bathroom wall, to elaborate paintings. Anything that will help give the public a true account of war. "I think that would really grab America and the world to show the world exactly what was going through that soldier's head," Parsons explained. "I think that is where we're going to bridge this widening gap of civilian and soldier."
Parsons said some of the images can be gut-wrenching. Others show how soldiers try to find comic relief. He said no matter what the image, it still gives folks an idea of exactly what the soldiers are thinking. "There's that immediate urgency and immediate action that I'm going to write this down," he said.
He said he admits the general public may never grasp what war is like, but he said this is a step in the right direction. He hopes all soldiers will send in photos for the project. He also hopes family members here in the states will help relay the message.
To find out more about how to submit a photo, or even how to donate to his cause, visit the project's homepage at
http://www.unconventionalmilitaryart.com.
Bookmarks