Robert Elliott

US ARMY

Nonfiction

Robert Elliott served 20 years as a Citizen Soldier in the Illinois Army National Guard retiring as a major in 2008. Most impactful to him and his family was a one-year deployment to Iraq. He was 39, and his wife suddenly became a single parent for their three kids.

Robert kept a journal while deployed and referred to it while writing his book seventeen years after returning home from Iraq. He authored the book because too few people understand the day-to-day lives of our service members who deployed to Iraq and the impacts on families.

Following his overlapping careers as a state trooper, army officer, and college professor, he earned a doctorate, started a business, and became an author.

Citizen Soldier

Early in “Citizen Soldier”, Elliott explains “Personal memoirs remain rare for a generation of young adults who yearn to learn more about their parents’ war separation experience.” However this book is so much more than that — this book is a tribute to the service or our military members, it is a pause to honor the sacrifice and commitment of the coalition allies and it shines a bright light on the experiences and emotions of families on the other side of a deployment.

I found “Citizen Soldier” to be incredibly difficult to unbiasedly review. I believe this is a testament to Elliott’s ability to share his story in a very genuine way. 

For readers who experienced the deployment of loved ones to Iraq during this period, parts of this book felt very familiar and emotional. However, Elliott’s willingness to share his experiences in such detail felt enlightening. He offered details not frequently discussed by military members who considered these experiences “routine” or “normal”. For those who wonder what it’s like to be a military member or military family, this is one for your reading list. 

Elliott includes a unique feature of links to videos and images, another opportunity to see Iraq through the author’s eyes. I can’t just say “Citizen Soldier” is a book I enjoyed, it’s a book I am thankful for!