Section 60: Arlington National Cemetery; Where War Comes Home

In his latest work, Poole (former executive editor, National Geographic; On Hallowed Ground) looks at the human cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the lens of the most active section for burials in Arlington National Cemetery: Section 60. Each chapter recounts the deaths of service members during combat (as well as noncombat or postcombat fatalities) and details the means by which survivors negotiate their grief. For many left behind, Section 60 is a sanctuary where they find occasional solace with fellow mourners and where private rituals transform into displays of public memory. Loved ones attach photos, cards, and trinkets to headstones or place them at grave sites, turning these objects into artifacts commemorating lost lives. Throughout, Poole's insightful writing is touching and demands pauses for reflection. Until a dedicated memorial exists to honor those who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, Section 60 is the de facto memorial and this book highlights that fact.