Ever wondered what it’s like to be a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan? VH1’s new show, “Military Diaries,” can give you a little peek into the life of a U.S. soldier in the “war on terrorism.”
There are no journalists; all the shows are taped by the soldiers. The show gives viewers a chance to see what it’s like for these men and women, and it also gives the soldiers a chance to say what they think of what’s going on.
The show is definitely worth seeing. Most of the people are young and they range from GI to lower-level officers, from all branches of the military. Some are stationed in Afghanistan, others on ships nearby and others in neighboring countries.
Each episode is different but the focus seems to be on what each person does, why they joined the military and what they think of Sept. 11 and the “war on terrorism.” While the show is not outright political the stories and sentiments of these young working-class people leave a definite impression on the viewer.
In one episode a young woman told about her reasons for joining the military. In her third year at Duke University her scholarship was cut off and she had to either quit school or join the military, and have them pay her remaining tuition. In another episode, another young Black woman spoke of how she was looking for a job and the only decent one she could find was in the military.
Surprisingly, the show is not as pro-war as one might think. Parts are downright anti-war to the point of one young man saying war was always bad. More common than an anti-war sentiment, though, is a doubt many expressed in the good they were doing. A large part of one show was devoted to a young woman who said she wanted to help the children she saw everyday in Afghanistan. This woman had her family send over clothes and shoes to pass out to the Afghan children.
The show is on every Monday night (8/7 Central) on VH1. Everyone should try and see at least one show. It is very well put together and worth the half hour it takes to watch.
– Cori Marshall
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