Memoirs of a US Marine in Chile
Travel, Military, Religion, Personal Memoir
Date Published: November 4, 2019
Publisher Lucid Books
Behind Friendly Lines is the story of a US Marine officer serving as the only foreigner in the Chilean Marine Corps’ most important combat unit. Lieutenant Colonel Mark McGraw arrives with his young family to Chile full of optimism and certainty about his ability to navigate the obstacles of language, customs, and security, but quickly runs headlong into difficulties presented by a tragedy in the home, a commander initially hostile to Americans, and the isolation of his family’s inability to speak and understand Spanish. The author takes the reader far off the tourist’s beaten path on dangerous missions from the far-flung arid northern deserts to the frigid Straits of Magellan where he lived, trained, and suffered alongside the Chilean Marines. Behind Friendly Lines explores the challenge of recalibrating nearly every facet of a family’s existence while forging lifelong friendships and learning irreplaceable lessons.
What does it mean to serve your country while learning to love another one on the other side of the world? How does a family adjust to life in a new place and then find that they must adjust again to the place they always considered home? This memoir raises questions about the nature of nation, service, and belonging, while providing an honest view of American foreign policy decisions from a retired military officer.
Excerpt:
Our two-year stay in Chile was the keystone experience of
our family life, and it changed the way I see the world. It convinced me more
than ever of the spark of the divine that exists in the most humble and
unassuming person. It taught me that despite the significant differences of
language and culture, there is an overwhelmingly greater humanity that unites
us. I came away with a better understanding of the power of ceremony and
commemoration, the strength of personal relationships, and the gift of time
spent together. As soon as we could, Margaret and I pursued work that gave us
time to enjoy our lives together, and we started to put more of our money into
experiences and less into things. We resolved that when we got back to the US,
we’d return the favor of hospitality that the Chileans had shown us, to be a
bridge of welcome to international visitors, especially if they speak Spanish.
About the Author
Mark McGraw was born in Ft. Worth, Texas, grew up in Alexandria, Louisiana, and lived and worked in thirty-four countries during his twenty years of service as a U.S. Marine officer. He is a writer, translator, and language professor, having earned a master's degree in Modern Languages and a Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies from Texas A&M University. He has also translated Joseph Avski's Heart of Scorpio (Tiny Toe Press, 2012) and One Step from Juarez (Mouth feel Press, 2015).
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