An Otherwise Healthy Person: A Marine's Story of Going to Fallujah and Fighting to Come Home
From the moment I cracked open Ron Jansen An Otherwise Healthy Person: A Marine's Story of Going to Fallujah and Fighting to Come Home, I felt that distinct tingle in my bones—the one that tells me I’m about to be transported back to the dust and adrenaline of a warzone. Jansen doesn’t waste time on perfunctory intros. He thrusts you right into the fray, capturing the searing heat of Fallujah’s streets and the tension that thrums through every patrol. As someone who has dedicated years to telling the stories of those who serve, I can say this account stands out for its authenticity and raw honesty.
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I don’t usually include long-form quotes in my reviews, but I had to add this one early on. Before even starting Chapter One, on the backside of the Part One intro, Jansen writes...
"It takes a lot to kill someone. We often reflect on the fragility of life, how a person can be here one moment and gone the next. It's true, but life is also incredibly resilient. Killing an otherwise healthy person requires dismembering them completely, draining more than half of the blood from their body, cutting off oxygen supply, or stopping a vital organ function with the shock of a bullet or shrapnel. Even then, breathing and some automatic functions don't stop right away. Whether in war or peace, humans come close to death on a daily basis; but somehow, remarkably few of us actually die. In the long run, death has a 100 percent success rate-but I believe that even that is not permanent. In the short run, however, life triumphs over death more than eight billion times per day."
Reading that passage brought an immediate rush of emotion that cut me deep, just thinking about the message he was conveying. From that moment on, I knew Ron wasn't going to hold back but would write without fear, displaying the raw encounters that come with war.
But the real power of this memoir lies in what happens after the firefights subside. Jansen’s exploration of his own battles with trauma and reintegration offers an intimate look at the inner war many veterans continue to fight once they’re back on American soil. He never glosses over the brutal truth: long after the dust settles in faraway cities, the echoes of conflict can remain alarmingly close to home. Jansen’s willingness to show both his vulnerability and resolve makes the book stand out from other war memoirs, bridging the gap between those who’ve worn the uniform and those trying to understand their experiences.
He writes candidly about everything from the mental toll of hypervigilance to the heartbreaking strain it puts on relationships and everyday life. Rather than romanticizing sacrifice or tying everything up with a neat bow, Jansen makes it clear that healing is neither simple nor guaranteed. It’s a constant push-and-pull—a journey that loops back on itself as often as it moves forward.
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Just A Few Lessons Found In This Book
Q&A With Ron
Jeff: When you think back to your time in Fallujah, what moments stand out the most—either as lessons you carry forward or experiences that still weigh heavily on you?
Ron: The moments that stand out the most showed the courage and resilience of my fellow Marines and the local tribes as they allied with us to fight against the Al Qaeda-backed insurgents. As a squad leader I saw the importance of leadership all the way up and down the chain of command. I had to trust my leaders and find ways to execute in the same way I asked my men to trust me.
Jeff: Your book is raw and honest about both the battlefield and the battle within. What drove you to open up about these experiences, and what do you hope readers take away from your story?
Ron: When I first started writing, my audience was myself and no one else. I wrote to understand my experiences and to integrate those past experiences into my current life. I felt compelled to be honest because I’ve struggled with the same things many others face but I’m better at hiding it sometimes. I hope readers can connect more with their own experiences as I share mine.
Jeff: For veterans who might be struggling to tell their own stories or process their experiences, what advice would you give them?
Ron: Whether books, movies, TV shows, or jokes we tell over dinner, stories unite us with a common experience. Each of us has a story that is important, but whether we choose to share it with others us up to us. Whether you share it with others is up to you, but being open about our stories with ourselves and others can foster growth and connection.
In An Otherwise Healthy Person, readers won’t find a glorified tale of heroism; instead, they’ll discover a respectful, clear-eyed examination of war’s lasting impact. It’s a story that lingers long after you turn the final page, raising difficult questions about what we ask of those who serve and how we help them heal. If you’re searching for insight into the true cost of conflict—both on the battlefield and in the quiet aftermath—this book more than delivers. It’s a stark reminder that, for many veterans, the fight doesn’t end when the guns fall silent; it merely shifts to a different and often harder battleground: home.
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