John Crawford (author)
Encyclopedia
SPC John Crawford is an American
Iraq War veteran
and writer originally from Palatka
, Florida
known for his bestselling memoir The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell, about his tour in Iraq. In the early 2000s, Crawford, already an Army
veteran, had enlisted in the Army National Guard
to help pay for his college tuition. Because he already held an Associate's degree from Tallahassee Community College
, he was assigned the rank of Specialist
.
In 2002, John Crawford was recently married and close to earning a degree in Anthropology
from Florida State University
. In 2003, his unit was deployed to Kuwait
and later Iraq
during the early stages of the Iraq War.
"I was planning to enroll in a master's program at FSU," he says. "Instead I took a vacation to Iraq."
Crawford describes his experiences as having created a "new level of accountability," and remarked that when he told his fellow soldiers he was writing a memoir about his experience, all of them "wanted to know if I was writing a 'super liberal' book."
Crawford later plans to travel to Afghanistan
to write an account of the current War on Terror
in the country from a civilian perspective.
Crawford has made appearances on National Public Radio and The Daily Show
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Iraq War veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
and writer originally from Palatka
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
known for his bestselling memoir The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell, about his tour in Iraq. In the early 2000s, Crawford, already an Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
veteran, had enlisted in the Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
to help pay for his college tuition. Because he already held an Associate's degree from Tallahassee Community College
Tallahassee Community College
Tallahassee Community College is a community college, located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. The institution was founded in 1966 by the Florida Legislature. The college is a member of the Florida College System....
, he was assigned the rank of Specialist
Specialist (rank)
Specialist is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and equivalent in pay grade to Corporal. Unlike Corporals, Specialists are not considered junior non-commissioned officers...
.
In 2002, John Crawford was recently married and close to earning a degree in Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
from Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. In 2003, his unit was deployed to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and later Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
during the early stages of the Iraq War.
"I was planning to enroll in a master's program at FSU," he says. "Instead I took a vacation to Iraq."
Crawford describes his experiences as having created a "new level of accountability," and remarked that when he told his fellow soldiers he was writing a memoir about his experience, all of them "wanted to know if I was writing a 'super liberal' book."
Crawford later plans to travel to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
to write an account of the current War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
in the country from a civilian perspective.
Crawford has made appearances on National Public Radio and The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...