Book Review: Lines in the Sand: An American Soldier’s Journey in Iraq by F. Scott Service

F. Scott Service extends an open invitation to enter the mind of a soldier at war. “Lines in the Sand: An American Soldier’s Journey in Iraq” is based on diary entries that were kept during the author’s service in Iraq. It offers a unique and very intimate look at the thoughts and emotions sparked by a crumbling world.

The memories were sparked by the F. Scott Service’s deployment with the United States Army in the Iraq war. He was stationed at Camp Anaconda, where he worked as a hydraulic mechanic specialist, focusing primarily on helicopter repair. At camp, all daily activities are strictly regulated by the greater power of the US Army.The few days off that soldiers enjoy offer a very limited display of freedom. However, in parallel, he pursued his vocation and passion as a writer, tirelessly documenting the daily life of a soldier.

A recurring theme of the book is the concept of the conscientious objector and its repercussions. Scott is faced with these questions once at the beginning of his story and once towards the end. Each time, the answer would be a major turning point for future events. However, what’s really intriguing next is what happens in the meantime; how your experience of the war strengthens your theories and your belief system. During its deployment, F. Scott Service faced an internal war of its own. He relentlessly tried to reason with the seemingly unreasonable Iraq war, hoping to attribute some meaning to the utter chaos.

As the world was seemingly falling apart around him, the life he knew was falling apart. The life he built for years with his soulmate, Rita, began to show cracks that shook the entire structure of the marriage. A structure that was once solid, was now dissolving somewhere in the geographical distance between the spouses, but also the increasing distance between their souls. Two beings who lived in symbiosis for so long, faced two very different realities that lived alone.

Finally, “Lines in the Sand: An American Soldier’s Journey in Iraq” also sheds light on the many difficulties veterans face. Reintegration to civil life is a real struggle. The shadow of war is long and those who participated in it rarely come out from under it. The only thing left to do is learn to live with it, to somehow integrate the experience and find the light where possible.