By Jordan Bravin

Howard Schultz - chairman, president and CEO of Starbucks - and Rajiv Chandrasekaran of the Washington Post teamed up this past year to publish a collection of colorful vignettes from U.S. military veterans. The book, as one might expect, is both heart wrenching and inspiring. The first half of For Love of Country is devoted to harrowing stories from Iraq and Afghanistan. Schultz and Chandrasekaran walk readers through the unbelievable account of the 75th Ranger Regiment’s fateful encounter with an unexpected mine field, the fearless rescue conducted by Specialist Samuel Crockett, who traversed an active minefield under fire to save his injured Rangers, and the 41 purple hearts awarded to the men of Bravo Company for their valiant efforts on that fateful night. The authors recount the story of 2nd Lieutenant Kellie McCoy’s remarkable leadership in the face of a violent convoy ambush and the humbling sacrifice made by Jordan Haerter and Jon Yale, two Marines who stood their ground to save their brothers in arms.

The second half of the book provides insight into an often neglected chapter in the lives of American veterans: their commitment service long after their tours have ended, telling stories of both tremendous loss and remarkable healing. Sandwiched between stories like Team Rubicon’s selfless service to those ravaged by natural disasters and the young Max Cabrera’s search for community and nurture after his father didn’t return home from the war is a narrative that drives at the heart of a larger issue.

Fewer Americans today — less than 1 percent of the population — are choosing to serve in the military. Perhaps we should chalk this up to a change in global demand for military service or the nature of the wars that we fight. Regardless, a divide is widening between those who serve and the rest. There is a bounty of new books and novels detailing their harrowing war stories and trials of hardship. But For Love of Country is different. It includes the stories you might overhear on the couches of a USO, at coffee between veterans, or from a military father to his son.

Schultz and Chandrasekaran aren’t seeking your empathy or pity for America’s veterans. Their aim is to instill a greater appreciation for the commitment of our men and women in uniform, with the tact and deference such a subject deserves. While the book is a step in the right direction and an integral piece of modern military literature, it’s still easy to dismiss as little more than a set of war stories and emotional memoirs to a reader not versed in military affairs. The book could perhaps have benefited from an additional narrative that extends beyond the scope of Iraq and Afghanistan. Dialogue explicitly addressing the civilian-military divide might also have been helpful. Still, Schultz and Chandrasekaran’s work stands as a good reminder of what service and sacrifice truly mean. It’s hard to walk away from this book without a new, intimate understanding of and unique sense of indebtedness to our troops.

[Photo: Flickr Creative Commons]

For Love of Country- What our Veterans can Teach us About Citizenship, Heroism, and Sacrifice
By Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Alfred A. Knopf