[ Silence ]
>> There are two things also I think that is -- that's just not -- it's not singing my praises,
it's just what somebody -- what somebody in the media telling a story does,
as long as they tell it accurately.
One is, it makes it real somehow for soldiers.
The idea, you know, sometimes I think they come back and it's like --
it's otherworldly, and they're in a Starbucks and somebody's yelling about not enough foam
on their late and they can't even believe that this is the experience in front of them.
And did that really even just happen?
What I went through in Afghanistan?
And a book, or even an article or whatever, makes it real.
And then also before, one of the Staff Sergeants in the book, Clint Romecha,
was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama.
But before that happened, the book launched in November,
and some of the book tour allowed people an opportunity
to reunite that they didn't have before.
The Army doesn't stage reunions for troops who have gone through a traumatic experience.
The Army doesn't like -- and I'm not -- I don't even necessarily fault the Army for that.
I mean they just --
>> Right.
>> -- they can't.
They don't have the ability to do that.
But this was -- it created a safe space where people could come together,
purportedly for the purposes of the book, but really to see each other; to reunite.
And it's been especially helpful, I think, for the Gold Star families.
>> Yeah.
>> The people who lost a son or a husband.
And that's not to say that this book is so amazing because of that,
but the idea that the more media attention can happen for our troops,
the more there can be some healing I think.
>> Right. I think that's true, and don't get me wrong, it's not all singing praises.
There were things in the book that I didn't like.
>> [Chuckles].
>> I didn't want to see in there.
Same with my soldiers or their spouses or parents.
And we fought Jake about it.
You know, we said no this shouldn't be in the book.
At the end of the day we probably lost many more of those battles than we won with Jake,
but everything in the book is factual, right?
And so what does that mean?
Well, there's a double-edged sword here.
On one hand, telling the story can be painful; as if you're ripping off a scab.
However, on the other, it's a very cathartic experience, that has actually,
in my opinion, allowed for a lot more healing.
Because it's been made public.
It is now out there.
We can talk about it; it's safe to talk about.
And so I think at the end of the day, regardless of how you may or may not
like one particular fact or another, on the whole it's been a very positive outflow
of support between the troopers that are featured in the book.
>> The fact that I portray troops, men and women -- but mainly men --
as real human beings with flaw, who make mistakes, who in some cases didn't have great,
exemplary personal lives, etcetera, I think it makes it more real for people.
>> You know, and that same, exact approach carries over perfectly
with my experiences here at Dartmouth.
You know, me and some friends got together and founded --
under the leadership of a fellow graduate student, Ron Bucca [phonetic] --
the Dartmouth Graduate Veterans Association.
And used that same approach of connecting the Dartmouth community with people who they go
to school with, or who they served with on the faculty administration,
who also happened to be veterans.
And using that platform to speak to the greater Dartmouth community of, hey we're here.
We're around.
Here's what we have done.
It doesn't mean we're any more special than any other service --
>> No.
>> -- or any other organization you can be in, it's just a matter of having a voice.
And I think it's giving voice by approaching stories to put people in touch
with the human side of what it is that we do.
It's not all about pulling triggers.
In many cases it's about just helping your fellow man get to the next hill.
>> So my father wanted me to mention that the book, of course, is "The Outpost
and Untold Story of American Valor".
And if you don't read the whole thing, you should at least read Chapter 28, "Send Me",
which is about Captain Stoney Portis, who it says, could have been a character straight
out of one of the books written by his dad's cousin, Charles Portis, author of "True Grit",
so Chapter 28 at the very least recommended in this book.
Thanks.
>> Thank you.
[ Silence ]