Even though the war in Iraq rages on every day, many of us do not
personally know other young people who have fought. Or even if we do know someone, that person may not want to talk about his or her
experiences in the war. That's why I recommend this compelling piece by Gaurav Taneja, a Marine who tells us exactly what it was like for him both in the war and at home, where he's now a student at the University of California at Riverside.

Gaurav tells haunting stories including his feelings about seeing his friends get hurt on the battlefield and recounting a challenging period when, due to supply shortages, the soldiers had to survive on only one meal a day. He's glad to be back alive, but the effects of the war stays with him: someone coming up behind him, or even just a loud noise, can make him jumpy and nervous.

Though the content of this piece is really fascinating, the narration
and voicing could be a bit smoother. Gaurav might consider using his voice more expressively, and organizing the structure of the piece a bit more and putting a few bridges between his stories.

But that aside, the raw content of this piece is powerful and will
definitely make you think about the war and what it's like for our
soldiers. Thanks to Youth Radio for giving Gaurav some time to tell us about his life!