MWSA Review

At the age of 39, Elliott volunteered for deployment, leaving his wife and three children behind. Elliott's experience is a profound journey, encompassing physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges. He undergoes rigorous training, witnesses violence and loss firsthand, and later reunites with his family upon returning home. Through his unfiltered narrative, Elliott offers readers a candid glimpse into the chaos of convoys, mortar attacks, and solemn memorial services.

More than just a war memoir, Citizen Soldier explores the unique challenges faced by National Guard members and their loved ones during deployment. With no military base to call home, families are left without the typical support structures. And for the citizen soldiers themselves, the transition from civilian life to combat operations and back again raises complex personal questions and difficulties.

Powerful and raw, this book provides a window into why soldiers serve, the reality of their sacrifices, and the enduring impacts of defending our nation. Elliott's storytelling will give civilian readers a deeper appreciation for the experiences of the tiny sliver of Americans who have seen combat. Citizen Soldier provides crucial insight into the human price paid by soldiers and their families in times of war.

Review by Elvis Leighton (April 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

Imagine going to war for a year with no assurance that you would ever return.

In Robert Elliott’s Citizen Soldier: From the Land of Lincoln to Iraq and Back, readers learn what it is like to say goodbye to a wife and three children and then travel across Iraq by convoy and helicopters. You’ll learn about the stressors, the dangers, and the risks taken and retaken.

The author gives vivid accounts of; walking the ancient ruins of Babylon, transporting detainees to Abu Ghraib Prison, meeting with Ukrainian soldiers near the Iranian border, calling in a medevac after a roadside bomb attack, and sustaining a mortar attack.

The true story is written from a soldier's perspective, inviting you to experience the emotional roller coaster that service members and their families voluntarily endure to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Creative Nonfiction

Number of Pages: 272

Word Count: 58,534