Introduction

This is a book about faith and moral issues facing American troops and veterans. As someone who spent four years wearing a U.S. army uniform, Edgar S. Welty has plenty of "soldier stories." But he does not start this book with those stories. Instead, Welty introduces his work with the telling of Simon's service when he carried the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. He argues that "service" is the same as Jesus's call to "go an 'extra' or 'second' mile." Americans are called by Jesus to walk a "second mile" for American troops and veterans.

This act of service is necessary because many troops are in trouble, as is demonstrated by suicide rates. Each section of this book focuses on a new issue surrounding troops and veterans.