In Eternal Conflict

Based on Yvonne Latty’s book In Conflict: Iraq War Veterans Speak Out on Duty, Loss and the Fight to Stay Alive, “In Conflict” vividly portrays the aftermath of sixteen Iraq war veterans whose lives have been drastically changed, mostly, for the worst. Adapted and directed by Douglas C. Wager, the play was a series of candid testimonies on the effects of the experience in Iraq. Several of them describe the unfortunate loss of limbs, the drastic toll the experience took on their daily lifestyles, and the insurmountable physical and mental pain.

Each time there was a change of character, cast members constantly maneuvered five panels that were set on the stage. One side had sections of a sullied American flag and the other had sections of a map of the Middle East. For each character, there was either a wheelchair, a table, or even American flags placed on top of the cast lying supine on the floor to imitate the coffins of deceased soldiers. The props were simple but at the same time, powerful in that they transported the audience to the actual interview location. For a while, I felt like I was in Latty’s shoes, like say Section 8 apartment in South Bronx, in war veteran Noel’s case.

The actors from Temple University adroitly performed their roles as war veterans. One veteran that struck me was private first class Herold Noel, acted out by Damon Williams. Holding a cup and a glass bottle of alcohol, swaggering across the stage, and effortlessly bulging the veins on his forehead made his bitterness and pain seem real and credible. Another veteran, Tammy Duckworth, played by Suyeon Kim, cheerfully masked her bitterness while telling her story about adapting to life without her legs; she admits that she miserably feels incomplete without them. Although it was a moving performance, I was constantly aware of the acting and did not believe that she was the actual veteran. I couldn’t help but wonder how she positioned her legs to make the effect of missing a leg look so real.

“In Conflict” left an impression on me in that it made me ponder about the young soldiers (with the same age as me) surrounded by life and death. After hearing the heartfelt stories of each veteran, I felt sympathy. For them, the experience in Iraq was the turning point in their lives, whether it was emotional trauma or physical loss. Noel says, “I gave up my soul…You can’t see my amputation because my amputation is up here, and nobody can give that back to me.” Whatever happened to them follows them like a shadow wherever they go. You would think veterans come home feeling glorious or proud but, in fact, they feel anything but heroic.