Joshua Howe and Alexander Lemons "Warbody: A Marine Sniper and the Hidden Violence of Modern Warfare" (W. W. Norton & Company, 2025)

Jun 1, 2025

Joshua Howe, an environmental historian, teams up with Alexander Lemons, a Marine scout sniper and Bronze Star recipient, to delve into the unseen impacts of modern warfare. They discuss Lemons' haunting experiences in Iraq, his battle with chronic illness, and the 'slow violence' of toxic exposure from combat. The conversation sheds light on the psychological ramifications of war, including PTSD, and critiques the military's handling of health hazards. Together, they highlight the urgent need for deeper understanding and support for veterans facing health struggles.

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ANECDOTE

Marine Sniper Recon Experience

A Marine sniper spends long hours observing enemy movements in fixed, harsh conditions.
This reconnaissance role requires patience and keen sensory awareness, not constant shooting.

INSIGHT

Toxic Legacy of Modern Warfare

The scale of modern warfare releases vast toxicants like lead and chemical residues.
These exposures combine with trauma and concussive injuries to produce complex health issues.

ANECDOTE

Veteran's Struggle Post-Service

After returning from deployment, Alex developed severe health issues and an eating disorder.
This was compounded by survivor's guilt and difficulty reintegrating into civilian life.

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A friendship between an environmental historian and a chronically ill US Marine yields a powerful exploration into the toxic effects of war on the human body.

Alexander Lemons is a Marine Corps scout sniper who, after serving multiple tours during the Iraq War, returned home seriously and mysteriously ill. Joshua Howe is an environmental historian who met Lemons as a student in one of his classes. Together they have crafted a vital book that challenges us to think beyond warfare’s acute violence of bullets and bombs to the “slow violence” of toxic exposure and lasting trauma.

In alternating chapters, Lemons vividly describes his time in Fallujah and elsewhere during the worst of the Iraq War, his descent into a decade-long battle with mysterious and severe sickness, and his return to health; Howe explains, with clarity and scientific insight, the many toxicities to which Lemons was exposed and their potential consequences. Together they cover the whirlwind of toxic exposures military personnel face from the things they touch and breathe in all the time, including lead from bullets, jet fuel, fire retardants, pesticides, mercury, dust, and the cocktail of toxicants emitted by the open-air “burn pits” used in military settings to burn waste products like paint, human waste, metal cans, oil, and plastics. They also consider PTSD and traumatic brain injury, which are endemic among the military and cause and exacerbate all kinds of physical and mental health problems. Finally, they explore how both mainstream and alternative medicine struggle to understand, accommodate, and address the vast array of health problems among military veterans.

Warbody: A Marine Sniper and the Hidden Violence of Modern Warfare challenges us to rethink the violence we associate with war and the way we help veterans recover. It is a powerful book with an urgent message for the nearly twenty million Americans who are active military or veterans, as well as for their families, their loved ones, and all of us who depend on their service.

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