A fiber-optic system is reported for rapid, accurate, and precise 77 K measurements of relatively long phosphorescence lifetimes (τp = 200 ms). The instrument employs stimulated Raman scattering in connection with a pulsed laser source for sample excitation. Phosphorescence decay waveforms are collected at maximum emission wavelengths with a single channel detection system and the aid of a LabVIEW based in-house program acting as a data acquisition instrument, data storage device, and data interpreter. By means of program looping, up to 20 decays are recorded from a frozen sample in less than 5 min. A cryogenic fiber-optic probe directly frozen into the sample matrix removes the random errors associated with the classic sample freezing procedure and provides excellent reproducibility of measurements. The relative standard deviations of τp measured from several polycyclic aromatic compounds varied between 0 and 4.30%. The simplicity of the experimental procedure, the rather large τp differences observed from compounds within the same pollutant class, and the analytical figures of merit provide a solid foundation for pursuing low-temperature phosphorescence, time-resolved low-temperature phosphorescence, and low-temperature multidimensional luminescence analysis.

Time-resolved laser-excited phosphorimetry is proposed for the direct analysis of 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-para-dioxin in complex mixtures at 4.2 K. Measurements are easily made with the aid of a cryogenic fiber-optic probe, which provides excellent precision of measurements and high quality spectra. A tunable dye laser with a narrow bandwidth allows selective excitation in mixtures with highly overlapped excitation spectra. The selectivity of analysis is further enhanced with time-resolution of both fluorescence and phosphorescence interference. Detection at the parts-per-billion level (ng·mL−1) is made with the aid of photon counting. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of detecting 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzopara-dioxin in the presence of dioxin isomers and other organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polychlorinated dibenzofurans. Because of the selectivity of our approach, it was possible to spectroscopically resolve mixtures containing up to 43 components.

This essay explores the relationship between soldiers and their weapons. It draws upon the ideas of Sigmund Freud, Phyllis Greenacre, and D. W. Winnicott to chart the evolution of the weapon from transitional object in Basic Combat Training to fetish in combat. The author’s personal experiences as a veteran of the Iraq War, as well as testimony, literature, and artistic examples, detail the experience of the syndrome. “Phantom Weapon Syndrome” describes a symptom of the object loss that occurs when veterans return home and give up the weapons they relied upon for safety and security during combat. In Basic Combat Training, recruits must submit physically and mentally to the military institution in the first weeks, recreating elements of childhood development involved with the adoption of a transitional object. Soldiers lulled into an illusion of oneness with the military institution experience a shock when in marksmanship training “the enemy” challenges that institution’s omnipotence. The weapon emerges as the means through which recruits counter that threat and mastery of it gradually weans them from complete dependence upon their trainers. Basic Combat Training’s persecutory nature results in soldiers predisposed toward fetishizing their weapons in combat, enabling them to endure unseen and unpredictable threats psychically. Phantom Weapon Syndrome occurs when these sources of psychological safety and security are simply taken away as part of the return home.

The first chapter sets the parameters for a close examination of veteran identity, explaining the theoretical approach used throughout the book. Literary and social theorists apply interdisciplinary concepts to a text. The text that needs to be examined in order to better understand veteran identity is the American unconscious. Humans see themselves as they believe others see them. Veterans are no exception. To understand veterans' homecoming experiences, it is necessary to explore the undercurrent of mythmaking that takes place in patriotic discourse. How do veterans see themselves through the eyes of others? How do these perceptions impact their wellbeing and social status in tangible ways? The symbolic functions of veterans within larger national narratives can be rewarding, but they can also be limiting. Specifically, this theory of veteran identity argues that returning veterans are presented with two stereotypes to perform in place of authentic, individualized forms of identity: the superficially praised "hero," and the peculiarly pitied "wounded warrior." Fortunately, veteran storytellers are working through this problem. They harness their symbolic authority, develop individualized versions of veteran identity for others to model, and define what it means to be a "veteran" in literature, artwork, and service to their home communities.

Chapter Four draws upon creative works from the non-profit Military Experience and the Arts, an organization that provides workshops, writing consultation, and publishing venues to veterans and their families. "Veteran storytellers" harness their symbolic authority, demonstrate awareness of stereotypes, and develop individualized versions of veteran identity. Examples discussed in the chapter include a Marine who tells stories of homecoming through interpretive dance, an Army veteran who teaches veterans how to transform their old uniforms into art, an author and an artist forcing their audiences to face the realities of Military Sexual Trauma (MST), and a continual return the theme of veterans and civilians talking over one another. These "veteran storytellers" escape the silencing pressures and conformity experienced by "heroes" and "wounded warriors," and they provide other veterans with examples of resilience and post-traumatic growth to model during homecoming.