What Songs Defined Your Military Service During the Global War on Terror?

We’re surveying U.S. service members and veterans who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq about the battle songs that defined their time in the ranks.

Every American military conflict gets the battle songs it deserves. The Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that drew the United States into World War II birthed the song “Remember Pearl Harbor,” a patriotic march by songwriters Don Reid and Sammy Kaye that has stuck with veterans of the conflict to this day . The Vietnam War protest movement gave the country such iconic tracks as Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘“Fortunate Son.” Even The Clash’s “Rock the Casbah” became a wartime ballad after Armed Forces Radio opted to blast it at the outset of Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

The same can be said for American service members who served in Afghanistan and Iraq during the Global War on Terror. While some songs became universal fixtures of military service during those early deployments – “Bodies” by Drowning Pool comes to mind, as does Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)” – many service members likely associate the conflict with a variety of songs.

So we want to know: what songs defined your military service during the Global War on Terror? Send us your responses using the form below, and we’ll publish your thoughts for a follow-up article sharing the favorite songs of the Military.com community.

Your personal information will not be shared, and your responses will be used only for editorial purposes.

Want to Know More About the Military?

Be sure to get the latest news about the U.S. military, as well as critical info about how to join and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox.