 Shannon Meehan
Roger Thompson
Michael Rivezzo
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Beyond Duty Authors Tell A Soldier's Story
"This is my voice rising out of that terrible silence. This is my story trying to order the ruins of that day," read Michael Rivezzo, an SU senior and president of the SU Student Veterans Club. Those lines were written not by Rivezzo but by Shannon Meehan, who, with Roger Thompson, wrote Beyond Duty: Life on the Frontline in Iraq.
Meehan and Thompson visited campus on Thursday, February 18 as part of the Writing Program's Nonfiction Reading Series. The event, co-sponsored with the Student Veterans Club and University College Dean Bea Gonzalez, began with Rivezzo reading from Beyond Duty's prologue. Meehan, a lieutenant in the US Army, wrote the memoir as a way to come to terms with his experience in Iraq, particularly with his decision to order a missile strike in which innocent civilians were mistakenly killed.
Meehan's decision brought with it disbelief, anger, and guilt that continued to haunt him even after he was injured and when he returned to his family and friends in the US. Speaking to an engaged and emotional audience, Meehan explained how the honor of receiving a purple heart made him feel not proud but undeserving: "I remember looking at [the purple heart] and seeing the soldiers that stood behind it. I thought about the family I destroyed, knowing there would be no medal for them, that they would be forgotten."
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. . . . every soldier's story is important . . . . |
Meehan emphasized that he wrote his story not just for himself but for other veterans and for the American public: "By doing this, I can show others that it's OK to come forward and tell your story . . . I'm hoping to show the public what we go through as soldiers—not only what soldiers go through but what Iraqi civilians endure."
The book took shape after Meehan began to tell his story via email to family and friends, including Roger Thompson, his former professor at Virginia Military Institute. Thompson, who worked with Meehan on Beyond Duty, now travels with him around the country, hoping to create understanding among audiences. There is a need, Thompson said, for citizens to allow space for stories about war, and he urged members in the audience to ask hard questions and participate in open dialogue.
Writing Program Chair and Director Eileen Schell praised Meehan and Thompson for presenting a side of the story of war that we get far too little of in the press and thanked them for "bringing humanity, conscience, heart and soul." In the spirit of continuing the dialogue and giving other soldiers the chance to tell their stories, Schell also announced the creation of an intergenerational writing group for veterans in the Syracuse area. Those interested in participating can email Schell at eeschell@syr.edu or call the Writing Program at 315-443-1083 to sign up and hear more details about meeting times and locations.
Meehan has also created As the Sun Goes Down, a photo narrative that chronicles his platoon's deployment in Iraq. All proceeds from the photo book are donated to Wounded Warrior Project in support of our troops wounded in action.
—story by Emily Dressing
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