Sound Targets: American Soldiers and Music in the Iraq War

Contents, Acknowledgments

C o n t e n ts Map of Iraq xii Introduction 1 1 Music and Contemporary Military Recruiting 16 2 Music as an Inspiration for Combat 46 3 Looking at the Opposing Forces 58 4 Music as a Psychological Tactic 78 5 Music as a Form of Soldier Expression 100 6 Metal and Rap Ideologies in the Iraq War 135 Postscript 185 Appendix 1: Soldier E-mail and Sample Questions from Soldier Interviews 189 Glossary of Military Ranks 191 Notes 192 Bibliography 209 Index 216 First and foremost, I would like to thank the soldiers who contributed to this book. Many were apprehensive about speaking to me because of the discrepancy they feel exists between their experiences and media reporting about the Iraq War. I am grateful that they gave me the opportunity to ask them questions and greatly appreciate their openness, honesty, and strength to speak about very difficult topics, like the loss of a fellow soldier. While my focus was on music, they willingly shared much more than I could have ever expected, and many times they referred me to a friend or resource that proved invaluable. I am happy and proud to consider many of you new friends, and I wish you all the best in the future. Thank you; I am personally richer for having met and spoken with you.    The research process for this book was often based on networking and contacts. As such, I am grateful to the following people who assisted in this capacity: Gabrielle Dalton, Amber Ferenz, George Gittoes, David Little, Christopher Sabis, David Schober, and Ann Marie Sorrow. At the City College of New York, institutional support was generously made possible by the Dean of the Humanities Fred Reynolds; Deputy Dean Geraldine Murphy; Provost Ze’ev Dagan; President Gregory Williams; and a PSC-CUNY Research Foundation Grant. My colleagues Shaugn O’Donnell and Joe Popp at CCNY were especially supportive. Special thanks are also due the many scholars and experts, too numerous to be individually listed here, outside the field of music who answered my emails and questions. I appreciate your willingness to respond to my inquiries . I would also like to thank those scholars who have responded to my work. Their comments, and particularly their passionate disagreements , were important parts of my thinking and rethinking aspects of this book. While they may no doubt maintain some of their objections, the book has improved from their insights and I appreciate their time and engagement with my research.    I am especially grateful to Jane Behnken and the staff at Indiana University Press for their support of this project. Taylor and Francis generously granted me permission to reprint sections of my article “Sound Targets: Music and the War in Iraq,” which originally appeared in the Acknowledgments x   sound targets Journal of Musicological Research 26, nos. 2–3 (2007): 123–50. That article laid the foundation for much of the work I pursue in this book, and sections of it are interspersed throughout the text.    Other people helped in less tangible ways and motivated me through the example of their character: Jim Holtom and the Holtom family, Holly McGeogh, Wade Oglesby and his family, Mike and Katrina Rojas and their families, Melissa Sewell, Sue Tottle, and Paula and Michael Zasadny.    My family and friends have been exceedingly supportive of this book and I wish them many thanks and love: the Gignilliat family; Kimberly, Gavin, and Gabriel Hindman; Annette, Joe, and the entire Kane family ; Brian, Suzanna, and Ben Pieslak; my mother, Judith Pieslak, and my late father, Robert Pieslak; Karen, William, Hannah, and Gwendolyn Pohlmann; Joel Puckett; D. J. Sparr; George and Janet Staples; and Mary and Fred Van Geuder. And to anyone I may have overlooked, please know that I send you the warmest appreciation.    Finally, I wish to thank my wife, Sabina. She carefully read the drafts of this book and offered insightful comments. In many ways, Sabina bore the brunt of the sacrifices made in writing this work. Living with the Iraq War is not easy, and she was forced to deal with the conflict almost daily. I have experienced joy, anger, laughter, confusion, tears, and almost every possible emotion from working on this book, and she was tirelessly by my side. Thank you, my love. Sound Targets ...