Camillo Mac Bica

Veterans have and continue to play, an important role in instigating social and political change in this country. One such group of veterans is the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, or VVAW: a movement of military veteran activist who, while struggling to heal from the psychological, emotional, and moral injuries of war, demanded through protests … Continue reading “This Nation Owes a Debt to the Vietnam Veterans Against the War”

Having suffered the trauma and moral distress of participating in war, in my case the American War in Vietnam, I have learned that "coming home," reintegrating, and living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moral injury can be aided or hindered by whether military members and veterans can find meaning and purpose in the experience. … Continue reading “Living With Vietnam and Afghanistan: It’s Not What You Did Then, But What You Will Do Now”

Considered by many to be the greatest antiwar novel, Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front (henceforth All Quiet) is much more than a well-written war story. Remarque’s depiction of trench warfare told from the perspective of young soldiers is, arguably, the most accurate and accessible account of war and the effects of … Continue reading “‘All Quiet on the Western Front’: Transforming Moral Injury and Traumatic Recollections into Narrative”

I remember being far from home, family, and loved ones. Thrust into an alien and hostile land I didn’t even know existed. Christmas dinner choppered in to a desolate LZ. The space on the chopper where the cold turkey and warm beer had been, quickly filled with the still-warm bodies of comrades who had experienced … Continue reading “Christmas: A Casualty of War”

In "celebration" of Memorial Day, this Nation’s most somber day of remembering and grieving those sacrificed in war, President Trump is considering pardoning a number of Servicemen accused or convicted of war crimes. To the delight of some and the outrage of others, President Trump has already granted a full pardon to Michael Behenna, a … Continue reading “Hero or Murderer: The Pardoning of Michael Behenna”

Recently I was invited to attend the "My Lai Memorial Traveling Exhibit" sponsored by the New York City Chapter of Veterans For Peace during its three day showing at the Quaker Meeting House in Manhattan. Developed by "Mac" MacDevitt and the Chicago Chapter of Veterans For Peace, the purpose of the exhibit is, in my … Continue reading “Both Victimizers and Victims”

War Story: an account or anecdote concerning one’s personal experiences of hardship, ordeal, or adventure in military combat during war. ~ Dictionary.com Though as a activist, philosopher, educator, and veteran, I speak often of war in theory and in practice, I earnestly strive to avoid telling war stories as traditionally understood. While, on occasion, I may … Continue reading “Why I Tell No War Stories”

November 10th is the 242nd birthday of the United State Marine Corps. It is a time of celebration during which current and former Marines acknowledge the storied history and glorious traditions of the branch of the military in which they so proudly served. I, however, am torn. As a former Marine Corps officer with service … Continue reading “A Celebration of Killing and Dying”

Following World War One, up until then the bloodiest and most destructive war in the history of humankind, many of the beleaguered belligerent nations resolved, at least temporarily, that such devastation and tragic loss of life must never happen again. In the United States, on June 4, 1926, Congress passed a concurrent resolution establishing November … Continue reading “Reclaiming Armistice Day: A Day To Perpetuate Peace”

I believe this should be the last year we "celebrate" Memorial Day. Perhaps this may seem callous or uncaring especially coming from a veteran who served in war and suffered the deaths of friends and comrades, but it is exactly because of my service and my respect for the slain, and the living, that I … Continue reading “Homily for the Slain”