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How Veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom Negotiate the Experience of Illness As They Transition from Healthy Warrior to Sick Veteran Jodie L

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How Veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom Negotiate the Experience of Illness As They Transition from Healthy Warrior to Sick Veteran Jodie L University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School June 2018 “Livin’ the Dream?” How Veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom Negotiate the Experience of Illness as They Transition from Healthy Warrior to Sick Veteran Jodie L. Sweezey University of South Florida, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons Scholar Commons Citation Sweezey, Jodie L., "“Livin’ the Dream?” How Veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom Negotiate the Experience of Illness as They rT ansition from Healthy Warrior to Sick Veteran" (2018). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7370 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “Livin’ the Dream?” How Veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom Negotiate the Experience of Illness as They Transition from Healthy Warrior to Sick Veteran by Jodie L. Sweezey A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Elizabeth Bird, Ph.D. Daniel Lende, Ph.D. Rebecca Zarger, Ph.D. Jason Lind, Ph.D. Kevin Kip, Ph.D., FAHA Martin Steele, Lieutenant General (Retired) USMC Date of Approval: June 4, 2018 Keywords: military, disease, exposure Copyright © 2018, Jodie L. Sweezey ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to extend a very special thank you Dr. Elizabeth Bird for the indispensable and patient guidance she provided as I entered this new field of study and worked through many obstacles. Thank you for teaching me about the power of visual anthropology and how I could use it to bring awareness to this personal and important issue. I am also grateful to my committee; Dr. Daniel Lende, Dr. Rebecca Zarger, Dr. Kevin Kip, Dr. Jason Lind, and LtGen (Ret) Martin Steele. Your advice, direction, and instruction was vital to my completing this program. Additionally, LtGen (Ret) Steele, thank you for your leadership and support as a mentor over the years. I would like to also acknowledge the very special role my dear friend and mentor Dr. Tracy St. Benoit played in supporting me from the very beginning. As a veteran and anthropologist she was uniquely positioned to help me traverse the divide between these two cultures. I will be forever grateful to her. Dr. Kiersten Downs, who began this program with me, was a constant source of encouragement. As a fellow veteran struggling with an autoimmune disease, she eased my doubts and provided a sympathetic ear. Dr. Pete Berardi and Mr. Ronald Bell, former co-workers, veterans, and dear friends made me laugh, especially when I needed it most, and always reminded me that I could make this dream happen. Thank you my friends! To each of the participants in this research, I am especially grateful for your courage to speak out about your illness. I know it is not easy for combat veterans to share such personal aspects of their lives but you did so as partners in this struggle for answers. May this be a first step for us in making a change in the lives of our brothers and sisters. Finally, and most of all, I thank my family: Bob and Lynn Sweezey and John, Amy, Jaelyn, Anderson, and Graycen Wrench. You understood when I missed events and encouraged me each and every step of the way. I would certainly not be here if it were not for you. You are so awesome for always supporting my dreams no matter how crazy! TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ................................................................................................................... v List of Figures .................................................................................................................. vi List of Abbreviations, Acronyms, Initialisms .................................................................... x Abstract .......................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 The What and Why ............................................................................................. 2 The Rest of the Story ............................................................................................ 5 Just One of the Boys.................................................................................. 5 To “Assume” Makes an .............................................................................. 8 Commander’s Intent................................................................................... 8 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2: A Controversy for Every Generation ............................................................ 11 Vietnam .............................................................................................................. 12 Desert Shield/Desert Storm ................................................................................ 13 Cause ...................................................................................................... 15 Exposures ................................................................................................ 15 An Ounce of Prevention ................................................................ 16 Environmental Toxins .................................................................... 18 Mental Health ................................................................................ 19 A Few More Points ................................................................................. 22 Other Theories .............................................................................. 22 Veterans Administration ................................................................ 23 “Illness of Modernity” ..................................................................... 24 Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom .............................. 25 Exposures ................................................................................................ 26 An OIF and OEF Syndrome? ................................................................... 28 An Anthropologist’s Perspective .............................................................. 30 Anthropology of the Military ........................................................... 30 Medical Anthropology .................................................................... 31 Necessary Insight .......................................................................... 31 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 32 Chapter 3: Laying the Foundation – Theoretical Framework ........................................ 34 Embodiment ...................................................................................................... 34 i “The Individual Body” ............................................................................... 35 Illness as Lived Experience ........................................................... 35 Illness Narrative ............................................................................ 37 “The Social Body” ................................................................................. 39 I Want You! Answering Uncle Sam’s Call ..................................... 39 Those Yellow Footprints and the Rites of Passage ............ 40 Second Lieutenant 101 ...................................................... 41 Fitness and the Art of “Sucking it Up” ................................. 42 Syndemics .................................................................................... 43 A Standing Ovation ....................................................................... 44 Performance ....................................................................... 45 “Through the Looking Glass” .............................................. 45 Stigma ................................................................................ 46 Self-Stigma ......................................................................... 47 Within the Culture: “The Body Politic” ........................................... 48 Critical Medical Anthropology ........................................................ 48 At the Macro-Social Level................................................... 49 At the Intermediate-Social Level ......................................... 50 At the Micro-Social Level .................................................... 50 Power ........................................................................................... 51 Men, Men, Men, Men ......................................................... 52 Knowledge Production ....................................................... 53 Resistance .......................................................................... 53 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 55 Chapter 4: Framing the House – Methodology .............................................................
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