Tomas Young's War

Wow. I have never read a book that affected me this strongly; at times humorous, tender, horrifying, and graphic, Tomas Young's War allows the reader to experience, at least in part, the day to day life of a young soldier who sustains a spinal cord injury in a war he never expected to have to fight. Tomas Young could have been any soldier who enlisted after 9/11, young and idealistic, eager to fight back against the perpetrators of the 9/11 terror. Instead he was sent to Iraq, where he sustained injuries that forever changed, and eventually ended, his life. Mark Wilkerson allows us to see the physical and mental sufferings this very young man had to cope with every day after his injury. We also see how his injuries affected his family and friends and their relationship with Tomas. This book also gives us a glimpse into a system that badly needs overhauled - the VA medical system.

This book is well written and I loved it. It tells the story of Tomas' life, touching on who he was pre-war and who he became after his service (a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq). It shines a light on how soldiers who came home severely injured were treated through Tomas' first hand account- including the medical "treatment" he received at the VA. It should be a must read for all citizens but particularly members of Congress.

Tomas Young was betrayed by his country and paid a tremendous price. The story of his life and death is as poignant an indictment of the military industrial complex as has ever been written. As a veteran, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If your son or daughter is thinking of enlisting in the Armed Forces, make them read this book first.

I watched Body of War back in 2010 and loved it. This book details his life before and after the paralyzation and what happens after the movie came out, up until his death. The book was easy to read and very well written.

Sobering....