Hello and welcome to the Renaissance English History podcast, a part of the Agora Podcast Network.

I'm your host, Heather Tesco, and I make history accessible because I believe it's a pathway

to understanding who we are, our place in the universe, and being more deeply in touch with our

own humanity. Today, I'm going to veer away from the Renaissance to introduce you to a new show

from the Wondery Podcast Network. It's called

This Is War. These are fascinating, dramatic, and intensely human stories from the men and women of

the United States military, giving up close and personal accounts of their experiences in combat.

How does the reality of what they faced affect these brave soldiers? How do they overcome the

physical and psychological scars suffered on and off the battleground? You will hear firsthand accounts

from veterans who have experienced the highs and lows of serving their country. Comrades in

arms and the emotional road that they travel,

returning to their lives back home. In this episode, we meet Ian Mearns. A month before his

senior year in high school, when he was just 17 years old, Ian walked into the recruitment

office and signed up on the deferred entry program. That was in August of 2001. A year later, the world had completely changed and he was

entering the military under very different circumstances than he had anticipated. Here's a short

preview. Heroism is something bestowed. It isn't something people strive after. We look at actions and and in retrospect, we call them heroic, but the people who rise to

the occasion never seem to.

A lot of times, it can sound like false modesty, but that rarely is the case.

Heroism isn't found in courage or in strength, but rather in a commitment to duty, the ability

to swallow, shake your head, pick up one foot and put it down in front of the other, move

forward and do your job.

Telling stories of the American Combat Veteran gives us a chance to look at heroism, honor, and duty

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