Martin, Turner, and Komenyaka

Hugh Martin, Brian Turner, and Yusef Komenyaka are veterans of war who became writers with a specialization on poetry. Martin and Turner participated in Iraq and have written multiple poems about their experience, and similarly, Yusef Komenyaka does the same regarding the Vietnam War, Thus, the three of them express to the best of their ability the feelings that involved being there and surviving while others on both sides were not as lucky. The three of them have contributed a lot to poetry and have received recognition and prices for their work as a result.

War has not changed much since Vietnam. Battles still take place within one side´s territory, and is still one sided. However, there has been huge technological advancements. The transportation of heavy weaponry such as tanks with the addition of more advanced fighting jets have provided the U.S. with a major technological advantage to eliminate any chance for failure. Although, due to this advantage, the locals responded with the often use of the element of surprise, as Turner occasionally mentions hidden bombs in cars and streets in his poems "There are bombs under the overpasses, in trashpiles, in bricks, in cars" (Turner; "What Every Soldier Should Know"). Furthermore, one major difference since the Vietnam War was the fact that the civil population was not required to enroll in the military as they did back in Vietnam. Only full time soldiers and military specialists were sent to Iraq this time.