WhathappenstotheUSArmyafterthebattlesareover,thecitizensoldiersdepart,andallthatremainsistheRegularArmy?Inthispathbreakingwork,BrianLinnarguesthatineachdecadefollowingeverymajorconflictsincetheWarof1812thepostwararmyhasundergonealong,painful,andremarkablyconsistentrecoveryprocessasitstruggledtobuildanewmodelforcetoreplacethe“OldArmy“thatenteredtheconflict.DepartingfromtheWashington-centricinstitutionalhistoriesofthepast,Linnsetshisfocusonsoldieringinthefield,distillingthelivedexperiencesofofficersandtrooperswhowereresponsibleforcleaningupthemessesleftinthewakeofwar.RealSoldieringprovidesthefirstcomprehensivestudyoftheUSArmy’stransitionfromwartopeace.Itisbothawide-ranginghistoryofthearmy’spostwarexperienceandaworkdetailingthecommonalitiesofAmericansoldieringoveralmosttwocenturies.Linnchallengesthreecommonhistoricalinterpretations:confusingWashingtonpolicywithimplementationinthefield;conflatingpostwararmieswithprewararmies;anddescribingcertainpostwarerasasdistinctandtransformational.Rather,LinnexaminesthepostwarforceasadistinctentityworthyofstudyasauniqueandimportantpartofUSArmyhistory.Heidentifiesthecommondilemmasfacedbytheserviceintheaftermathofeverywar.Theseproblemsincludedsuchmilitaryprioritiesasdefenselegislation,preparingforthenextwar,andadaptingtonewmissions.Buttheyalsoincorporatedoftenoverlooked--butforthosewholivedthroughthemmoreimportant--consistenciessuchasofficeracquisitionandcareermanagement,personnelturbulence,insufficientpersonnelandequipment,andmanyothers.RealSoldieringrepresentsoverfourdecadesofresearchintotheUSArmyandisdeeplyinformedbyLinn’sexperiencesteachingandworkingwithsoldiers.Itbreaksnewgroundinliftingoutthesimilaritiesofeachpostwararmywhilestillappreciatingtheirindividualcomplexities.Itidentifiestheleadersandthemethodstheserviceemployedtoescapetheinevitablepostwardrawdowns.Insightfulandentertaining,provocativeandempathetic,andaworkofhistorywithimmediaterelevance,RealSoldieringwillresonatewithmilitaryhistorians,defenseanalysts,andthosewhohaveproudlyworntheUSArmyuniform.
