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Dissidents: Veterans Speak Out for Justice Main Menu Racism in the US Military Veterans Against War Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the US Military Dissidents Veterans Speak Out

Steve Sober

The Vietnam War was one of the most unpopular wars in U.S. history, as a majority of the American public opposed the war for its destruction in Vietnam and to U.S. troops. For Steve Sober, a Vietnam War veteran, the feelings of uneasiness about the war were not unfamiliar.

Born in Antananarivo, Madagascar in 1948 to a family within the foreign service, Sober grew up abroad for most of his early life. Living in places like India, Iceland, and Czechoslovakia, Sober was exposed to both experiences and people that influenced his political consciousness, perspective, and understanding of America and its role in the world -- all from a young age.

February 13th, 1967, a year into his time at Dickinson College, Sober enlisted in the U.S. Army. It was when he was working as a travel clerk in New York that he received his orders to Vietnam -- not a month after the Tet Offensive, both a major escalation and one of the biggest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. Stationed at the Phu Hiep Base, Sober worked as a company clerk in the finance unit as well as the company truck driver for the compound. Sober was honorably discharged after returning from Vietnam on September 16th, 1969.

Draft or Join

After graduating from high school in 1966, Sober studied at Dickinson College. During his time there, the Vietnam War continued to rage and escalate. U.S. troops stationed in Vietnam increased by tens of thousands, the Draft becoming more and more of a threat to American men. In 1967, Sober decided to volunteer for the U.S. Army, both because he felt a patriotic duty to, and to be able to choose his initial occupation, rather than be assigned one when drafted.

When asked if he notified his parents of his plans to enlist in the military, Sober responded, "No, not really. It was either get drafted or join."

"Needing More Bodies"

Communicating with Vietnamese Citizens

Patriotism

Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide

Steve Sober's Full Oral History Interview

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Steve Sober, "Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide" by Jason A. Higgins Steve Sober, "Crossing the Military Civilian Divide," interviewed by Dr. Jason A. Higgins and Madison Cholewa, January 25, 2023, Williamsburg, VA at the College of William & Mary "Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide" project is part of a 4-VA Collaborative research project by Dr. Jason A. Higgins, postdoctoral fellow in digital humanities, and Andre Taylor, oral historian at the College of William and Mary. Special thanks to our three research assistants Leena Alsayab, Madison Cholewa, and Gabrielle Wells, who are undergraduate students and recent graduates of Virginia Tech.
Steve Sober: Draft or Join, Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide Steve Sober, "Crossing the Military Civilian Divide," interviewed by Dr. Jason A. Higgins, Jan. 25, 2023, Williamsburg, VA. "Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide" project is part of a 4-VA Collaborative research project by Dr. Jason A. Higgins, postdoctoral fellow in digital humanities, and Andre Taylor, oral historian at the College of William and Mary. Special thanks to our three research assistants Leena Alsayab, Madison Cholewa, and Gabrielle Wells, who are undergraduate students and recent graduates of Virginia Tech.
Steve Sober: "Needing More Bodies," Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide Steve Sober, "Crossing the Military Civilian Divide," interviewed by Dr. Jason A. Higgins, Jan. 25, 2023, Williamsburg, VA. "Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide" project is part of a 4-VA Collaborative research project by Dr. Jason A. Higgins, postdoctoral fellow in digital humanities, and Andre Taylor, oral historian at the College of William and Mary. Special thanks to our three research assistants Leena Alsayab, Madison Cholewa, and Gabrielle Wells, who are undergraduate students and recent graduates of Virginia Tech.
Steve Sober: Communicating with Vietnamese Citizens, Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide Steve Sober, "Crossing the Military Civilian Divide," interviewed by Dr. Jason A. Higgins, Jan. 25, 2023, Williamsburg, VA. "Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide" project is part of a 4-VA Collaborative research project by Dr. Jason A. Higgins, postdoctoral fellow in digital humanities, and Andre Taylor, oral historian at the College of William and Mary. Special thanks to our three research assistants Leena Alsayab, Madison Cholewa, and Gabrielle Wells, who are undergraduate students and recent graduates of Virginia Tech.
Steve Sober: Patriotism, Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide Steve Sober, "Crossing the Military Civilian Divide," interviewed by Dr. Jason A. Higgins, Jan. 25, 2023, Williamsburg, VA. "Crossing the Military-Civilian Divide" project is part of a 4-VA Collaborative research project by Dr. Jason A. Higgins, postdoctoral fellow in digital humanities, and Andre Taylor, oral historian at the College of William and Mary. Special thanks to our three research assistants Leena Alsayab, Madison Cholewa, and Gabrielle Wells, who are undergraduate students and recent graduates of Virginia Tech.