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Acknowledgments´ ´ ´ ´ This book has its origins in a 2002 seminar on the history of the American West under Raymond Wilson at Fort Hays State University . Under Ray’s tutelage, I wanted to examine a curious program called Civilian Public Service (CPS) that I had heard about from my family, as my maternal grandfather was a conscientious objector during World War II, serving in soil conservation and forestry camps and in a guinea pig unit. I was raised in the Church of the Brethren with a strong connection to the Mennonite ancestry on my father’s side of the family, so I had always been curious about CPS and conscientious objection. While I worked on that paper, I became intrigued by the man who oversaw CPS and dealt with objectors during the war–Lewis B. Hershey, director of Selective Service. The idea that the chief of conscription was sympathetic to the problems of conscience and religious rights during wartime fascinated me., When I learned that Hershey came from Mennonite ancestry, I was hooked. As my father, who is of the Vietnam generation, succinctly put it to a friend while I was writing my dissertation, “He’s finally realized that General Hershey is WAY more important than General Patton.” I happen to agree (with deep apologies to the doctrinal brilliance and significance of George S. Patton, Jr.). This book began as my Ph.D. dissertation at Kansas State University in Manhattan. Mark Parillo, my major professor, will always have my gratitude for everything he did for me in my years at K-State. He guided me in the conceptualization of this project, helped me through my coursework and exams, and read numerous drafts of questionable quality. Over the years he has become a good friend whom I will always value. ix  It is my distinct pleasure to know the following scholars and to offer my thanks for their assistance in this project: Robert Linder’s seminars in the history of American Christianity provided a forum for developing some of the ideas I present in the pages that follow. His attention to detail concerning my understanding of the Historic Peace Churches has been instrumental. Dale Herspring, Michael Ramsay, Robert Schaeffer, and Sue Zschoche all offered helpful comments on early drafts of the manuscript. Albert Hamscher’s advice during our all-too-infrequent golf rounds got me through some of the drudgery. Dave Stone and Mark Jantzen provided information about the nature of the publishing industry. Scott Bennett read the manuscript, made excellent suggestions for improvement, and has offered a wealth of information, particularly regarding the secular side of conscientious objection. The time I spent in archives would have been wasted were it not for the wonderful people I met and worked with during my research trips. Wendy Chmielewski and Anne Yoder of the Swarthmore College Peace Collection, John Thiesen and James Lynch of the Mennonite Library and Archives, Richard Sommers, David Keough, and Rich Baker of the Army Heritage and Education Center, and Richard Bolyan of the National Archives were all of great assistance. James Zimmerman of Trine University , Hershey’s alma mater, went above and beyond the call of duty in providing me with access to Hershey’s personal papers and photographs and giving me a tour of Steuben County emphasizing the places of interest in the life of Hershey and his family. Finally, the staffs of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, the Harry S. Truman Library, the Brethren Library and Archives, and the Mennonite Church USA Archives—Goshen were of great help in directing me through the collections or sending me photographs I requested. I also thank Clair Willcox of the University of Missouri Press for listening to my initial proposal and taking on this project as a part of the press’s American Military Experience series. Thanks to Sara Davis, Lyn Smith, Beth Chandler, and Jennifer Gravley for their efforts in the publication and distribution of this book. Portions of chapter 7 appeared as an article in the March 2011 edition of War and Society, and I thank Maney Publishing for granting me permission to reprint some of that article here. I should also take this opportunity to thank my family. My parents, Bruce and Geneva, have always supported my work on this book. My siblings , Lindsay, Beth, Jeffrey, and Scott have been helpful as well, whether they knew it or not. Jeffrey’s wife, Elizabeth, also has my gratitude for spreading the news of my work to her family...

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