The United States has been at war in Iraq and Afghanistan for almost the entire lives of students in high school or college today. Those who have never been to war must base their impressions of it largely on the stories told in movies, television, music and books. Hearing first-hand testimonials of war and considering how they compare to the media’s depictions can be valuable, especially at a time in students’ lives when many may be seriously considering whether to pursue or eschew a military career. This lesson is designed to help students develop a critical awareness of the sources of our ideas about war and what it’s like to be a service member who went to war.