dr. kerstetter thirst for intensity led them to volunteer in war-torn rwanda, kosovo and bosnia. and to join the army national guard. during his tours in iraq he was involved with everything from saving soldiers lives to organizing the joint u.s.-iraqi forensic team tasked with identifying the bodies of saddam hussein's sons. suffering a stroke upon returning from iraq, jon spent usually covering, impeded by near unbearable pain and complicated by ptsd. overcoming the perceived limits of his body and mind, jon reimagined his own capacity for renewal and change, and found healing in his writings. the wisconsin veterans museum is a statesman was dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of all the men and women from wisconsin that have served in the armed forces. the opportunity to hear the stories directly from the veterans themselves is especially powerful. it is therefore special pleasure for me to welcome forward wisconsin veteran jon kerstetter. [applause] >> well, thanks much. thanks a coming. and i want to thank the book festival for inviting me. every author who pins

dr. kerstetter received his medical degree from mayo medical school in rochester, minnesota, and his fma degree with -- from ashland university in ohio. he served as a combat physician and flight surgeon for the u.s. army and completed three combat tours in iraq. his writing has appeared in the best american essays, river teeth and other literary journals. his most recent work "crossings" a memoir of an improbable by powerfully drawn life that been in poverty on the denied that rays sir -- oneida reservation but encompasseses a medical practices. he is thirst for intensity led item to volunteer in war torn rwanda, kosovo and bosnia and to join the army national guard. dishis tours in iraq he was involved in everything from saves soldiers' lives to organizing the joint u.s.-iraqi forensic team tasked with identifying the body of saddam hussein's son. suffering a stroke upon returning from iraq, john spent years recovering, impeded by near unbearable tame and complicated be tpsd.... the hospital that we set up. right after a series of attacks in baghdad. we walk from the icu down to this t