Strugglers In Arms: A Short Novel

Strugglers In Arms is a 1970s period piece and military drama. It focuses less on the action and more on the human condition, with depictions of depression, self-deprecation, and receiving or rejecting help from those that care.Early in the year 1979, while deployed in a French forest, Brandon "Brady" Logue tells his story to his fellow soldiers. It's been a long time coming, but he's finally opening up. Flash back to a few years prior, from Brady's upbringing in Findlay, Ohio to his time at Fort Benning, Georgia. He's been abandoned by his family, living in his car, unable to keep up with his girlfriend's desires, and simply unable to find his calling in life. He figured he could give the United States Army a try, after his other jobs failed. Unfortunately, it only made him hate himself even more... but the lessons to be learned were yet to come. Brady figured he didn't have to "suffer" alone when he befriends other miserable recruits. He encourages them to simply not care, and to tune out what bothers them. After all, men shouldn't be so emotional, right? Cracking open a beer and getting lost in some music, billiards, darts, and more is certainly more admirable than having a deep, sappy conversation with the nurses. The lead one, Dr. Benni Alexio, is practically Brady's archnemesis for a time. This lifestyle hardly holds for any of them. Some friends leave the group and they blossom. And those that hold onto that dangerous mindset are slowly eaten alive. When Brady finds himself being pushed towards a more positive path, it feels like he's betrayed himself, as well as Miles Rojas Green, the friend that kept those ideals going. All of this warfare occurs before the men even touch the battle field a year later. As the troop soon sets out to take down a terrorist group, Brady still has unresolved conflicts with Dr. Alexio and Miles. Brady's largest battles still go on within himself.