For Love of Country: What Our Veterans Can Teach Us About Citizenship, Heroism, and Sacrifice

Description

"The remarkable stories in For Love of Country aim to bridge the divide in our society between our civilian and military populations, shattering stereotypes of our veterans as broken, angry, and needy by highlighting the power of their experiences and their profound devotion to their country. The first half of this extraordinary book honors acts of remarkable valor in Iraq and Afghanistan, including an army sergeant who runs into a hail of gunfire multiple times to protect his comrades; two marines who chose to stand and defend their outpost from an oncoming truck bomb rather than run to safety; and a sixty-year-old doctor who joined the navy after his son was killed at war and saved the lives of dozens of people. The second half showcases how post-9/11 veterans are plowing their leadership skills and commitment to service into initiatives to strengthen and rebuild our nation. Among them are former soldiers who help residents dig out after natural disasters, a general seeking to find new ways to treat brain injuries, and an army spouse who is helping wives whose husbands have lost multiple limbs in war. We see the challenges some of our returning troops face--joblessness, homeless

"HOWARD SCHULTZ is chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Starbucks. He is the recipient of the 2013 Kellogg Award for Distinguished Leadership at Northwestern University for his commitment to employees and communities. He has been, and will continue to be, a leading advocate for veterans. He is the author of Onward-How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul (2011) and Pour Your Heart Into It (1997). RAJIV CHANDRASEKARAN is senior correspondent and associate editor of The Washington Post, where he has worked since 1994. He has been the newspaper's bureau chief in Baghdad, Cairo, and Southeast Asia, and has been covering Afghanistan off and on for a decade. He is the author of Little America and Imperial Life in the Emerald City, which was named one of the 10 Best Books of 2007 by The New York Times."

"These stories leave the reader with a profound sense of [our troops'] selfless sacrifice and, sadly, a profound sense of the gulf that separates the ethos of the military from the contemporary currents of American life....Schultz and Chandrasekaran never suggest that war is good. But the stories they tell are a welcome reminder of what soldiers have always known: that out of difficulty and trauma come a sense of spiritual self-worth and a dedication to the service of others." -Maj. Gen. Robert H. Scales, The Wall Street Journal "Full, vibrant profiles of men and women forever marked by war, who continue to endure and transform both themselves and their communities." -The Washington Post "Harrowing and heroic stories of war and coming home." -Maureen Dowd, The New York Times "Schultz and Chandrasekaran couldn't be more on point...For Love of Country is important reading." -The Huffington Post "[Schultz and Chandrasekaran] are on target in calling for a societal salute to America's new generation of veterans." -St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran have...allowed readers everywhere an up close look at what our country's war heroes and veterans do for us. The scenes to which we're made privy are at times heartbreaking, inspiring-or both." -Everyday eBook "Filled with inspiring narratives." -Library Journal "Inspiring....will certainly move readers who have served in the military, as well as...fans of military histories and those who have close contact with the courageous soldiers who put their lives on the line." -Kirkus "This splendid book should be read by every American. It is a story of heroes, of sacrifice, of valor. But it is also a story of resilience, recovery, and a continuing desire to serve our country and its citizens. You must be made of stone to read this and not shed tears. But the book's message is that, after the tears, we must not forget the sacrifices those in uniform and their families have made for all of us over the last thirteen years; we must welcome back into our communities those who served not just with thanks and open arms, but with respect, admiration, and new lives and careers worthy of all they have done for all of us." -Robert M. Gates, author of Duty "A truly inspirational, uplifting book, one that will fill you with pride in America's new Greatest Generation in war and in peace." -General David H. Petraeus, U.S. Army, Retired