Light the Fuse

• Main Author: Seth Kastle
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Virginia Tech Libraries 2019-03-01
• Series: Journal of Veterans Studies
• Subjects: veterans issues, transition, social issues, reintegration, accountability
• Online Access: https://journal-veterans-studies.org/articles/106

Light the Fuse by Vincent “Rocco” Vargas is pseudo memoir offering guidance in the area of military to civilian transition and navigating everyday struggles of uncertainty. In Post-9/11 America, there is no shortage of current and former service members doing their best to provide the veteran community with their take on the “self-help book.” Vargas is a former Army Ranger who served multiple deployments with the Army’s elite 75th Ranger Regiment, he is a former border patrol agent, actor, author, and most importantly, he is a father and husband. Through Vargas’ life and career, he has sustained and negotiated numerous setbacks and obstacles. In his writing, he is incredibly frank about this, and how each has shaped him. The difference between Light the Fuse and a majority of other books in this genre is that Vargas tells it through the lens of his shortcomings. This is not Captain Americas guide to a spotless transition – this is the realistic portrayal of the bumps, bruises and ultimate accession of a man that has walked the same path that many veterans face; this is real life. The book is not billed as the one size fits all guide to success, but more of a “this is what the ugly truth looked like for one person.” Many service members can relate to and benefit from this read. In a sea full of the simple how to’s Light the Fuse is a breath of fresh and critically needed air.