Name: Modern Warriors
Rating: 4.3 (23 reviews)
Author: Pete Hegseth

What’s in it for me? The untold story of today’s soldiers.

What inspires men and women to serve in the armed forces? What sacrifices do they have to make? And how do they lead “normal” lives after service?

In the US, soldiers often feel unable to talk about their experiences of war when they come home, so these questions often go unanswered. Some veterans return deeply traumatized, and suffer in silence. Others feel like their physical and psychological wounds will never be understood.

In these blinks, you’ll get a glimpse into the lives and stories of the latest generation of American veterans, from former army rangers to combat pilots. You’ll find out about their experiences during their time in service, as well as the projects they’ve been focusing on since.

You’ll also learn

what true bravery looks like;
why talking about our experiences can encourage growth and healing; and
how soldiers feel when they take a person’s life

Pete Hegseth wants to share the untold tales of US army veterans.

Meet Pete Hegseth, a former US Army soldier. He had three deployments, to Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He earned two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge for his service.

When Hegseth hung up his army boots in 2006, he began working for Vets For Freedom – the largest conservative veterans’ organization in the United States.

In 2014 he landed a job at Fox News as a contributor, hosting his own morning show called Fox & Friends, and later created a televised special called Modern Warriors. His aim was to tell the stories of veterans who had left their families and friends to fight for their country.

The key message here is: Pete Hegseth wants to share the untold tales of US army veterans.

Before he came up with the idea for Modern Warriors, Hegseth was convinced that Americans just didn’t care about the lives of soldiers. He thought that regular people weren’t really interested in hearing about war and suffering.

But when he started covering war topics on his show Fox & Friends, he realized he’d been wrong about the public. Their reactions to discussions about soldiers and combat were always positive. It showed him that Americans did want to hear the stories of men and women in service – especially those who had been involved in combat since 9/11.

The thing is, soldiers’ stories don’t end when they finish service. Often, soldiers come home with hopes, dreams, and the scars of war. And they struggle in transitioning back to civilian life.

For example, many return home wounded – not just physically, but psychologically, too. Many wrestle with post-traumatic stress. Some contemplate, or even commit, suicide.

This is why Hegseth encourages soldiers to share their stories. He thinks it’s imperative for veterans to engage in honest conversations about their experiences, to expose the realities of bloody combat and the grief of losing your closest friends.

In doing so, soldiers can figure out what all the fighting meant to them – and to their country. It can also offer them ways to move forward.

Losing his leg taught Walding the value of determination.

Sergeant John Wayne Walding had a long career in the US Army. During his twelve years of service, Walding saw and experienced a lot. But there was one occasion that stands out from the rest.

On April 6, 2008, Walding took part in an operation in Nuristan Province, on Afghanistan's northeastern border with Pakistan, as the leader of Assault Team 1 in the 3rd Special Forces Group.

Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Workman suffered from trauma and extreme guilt after serving with the Marines.

It was a hot day in Fallujah, a city in Iraq. Jeremiah Workman was serving as a squad leader with the US Marines’ 3rd Battalion.

He remembers his platoon exchanging gunfire with the enemy for hours. It didn’t feel like it was going to stop any time soon.

Army service taught Sergeant Mat Best the rewards and sacrifices of leadership.

Mat Best joined the army at the age of 17 – with the goal of becoming a Ranger.

At the time, Best had a romantic idea of what it was like to be in the army. He thought war, combat, and serving his country were cool.

In the attack on COP Blackfoot, Sergeant Eric Geressy and his soldiers were courageous and devoted to each other.

In 2007, Eric Joseph Geressy was the first sergeant for Eagle Company, 2nd Squadron. The company was assigned to occupy and conduct operations out of Combat Outpost Blackfoot – or COP Blackfoot – in East Rasheed, southern Baghdad.

This sector was al-Qaeda’s last stronghold in Baghdad, and was known as Al Qaeda’s castle. And it was extremely dangerous. Al-Qaeda controlled one side of the street, and a militia called Jaysh al-Mahdi controlled the other. COP Blackfoot sat right in the middle.

Lieutenant Commander Caroline Johnson struggled with the military’s masculine environment

Caroline Johnson had her work cut out for her when she went to the Naval Academy.

Of her class of 1,200 midshipmen, only 14 percent were women. And a lot of value was placed on masculinity. And despite being athletic and academic, Johnson was continuously undermined by male students and teachers.