Echoes of Vietnam and Iraq: The Timeless Soldier’s Experience with Author Patrick Naughton, Jr

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Patrick Naughton, Jr, author of the book Born from War. Originally from Hawaii, Patrick is a United States (US) Army officer and a Military Historian. He is currently teaching at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS.

 

He received the Army’s General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award in 2012. He has had unique opportunities to serve as an Interagency Fellow with the Department of Labor, a Legislative Liaison to the US Senate, and a Congressional Partnership Program Fellow with the Partnership for a Secure America - all in Washington, D.C. He also served as a Senior Leadership Fellow with the Center for Junior Officers at West Point.

 

He holds a Master of Military Arts and Science degree in History from the US Army Command and General Staff College, where he was an Art of War Scholar. He also holds a Master of Science in Crisis and Emergency Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History both from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he was an Army ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate. 

 

He has published in several venues, but his first book “Born From War: A Soldier’s Quest to Understand Vietnam, Iraq, and the Generational Impact of Conflict” was released in April 2025. The views expressed in those publications and this website are his own and not of the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or any agency of the US Government.

 

He is forever thankful for the support of his lovely wife, Sheila and their beautiful son, Tommy.

 

In my book review, I stated Born from War is an incredible memoir that looks at the author's time in Iraq compared to his father's time in Vietnam. Despite the decades between the wars and the many differing circumstances, Patrick found astounding similarities. These similarities helped him to understand his father and 'his father's war' in ways he never thought possible.

 

I found it very interesting that without identifiers giving me the what or when, many of the author's recollections could have been swapped with his father's. It makes me wonder if the same would be true for those who fought in WWII or Korea or any modern conflict - and if so, what do we need to learn as a people about war and what it does to soldiers and to civilians living with the consequences.

 

Despite 'lessons learned' from Vietnam, it appears some things do not change. Can they? Should they? And how do we get those in charge to understand what is actually happening on the front lines?

 

I enjoyed this book and feel like I know a bit more about Vietnam, Iraq, and the soldiers who are willing to fight for their country - even when the goals are nebulous.

 

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You can follow Author Patrick Naughton, Jr

Website: https://www.patnaughton.com/

X: @PatrickMilHis

FB: @patrick.naughton.37

IG: @patricknaugh

LinkedIn: Patrick Naughton

 

Purchase Born from War on Amazon:

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4nfooeZ

Ebook: https://amzn.to/3JNP7kn

 

Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com

FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor

IG: @terimbrown_author

X: @terimbrown1

 

Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors

 

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