War stories play a large part in the American cultural consciousness. Each war has its own narrative, of triumph or tragedy, that casts shadow over any individual person's story. The stories that fit the overarching narrative are acknowledged or rewarded. Those that fail to conform are left out. The War on Terror has resulted in a narrative of tragedy: isolation, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and damage. Cultural pursuit of "war stories" that conform to this mold has created distance between military and civilian spheres.Here, I outline the cultural conceit of a "war story" and illustrate its failures in addressing the narrative needs of military and military adjacent populations. I then describe the methodology and practice of ongoing oral history project that blends the concerns of cultural rhetorics, narrative theory, and oral history. And finally, I examine the kinds of storying that have resulted in the course of this project and the work these stories do in a communal framework. In doing so, I seek to create a framework for future scholars that seeks not just "war stories" but a comprehensive narrative that acknowledges nuance beyond trauma/triumph.
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