A U.S. war veteran warned an ISU crowd Tuesday night that the structure of the U.S. defense needs some changes or the role the military plays in the war on terrorism will be exaggerated in the media.

Piers M. Wood, who served in the military for 28 years, spoke on what he believes the military’s role in the new war should be in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union. His speech was part of the 2001 Institute on World Affairs Series.

Wood said he believes there is an ominous over-emphasis on military solutions to the problem of terrorism

“Right now, the role of the military is much exaggerated in the popular press and media,” he said.

“I came all the way from Washington to Iowa to warn you of the dangers of exaggerating the military’s role in the ongoing war on terrorism.”

Wood fully supports the troops in the field, he said, but he feels the Pentagon is partially to blame for the misplaced emphasis.

“There are several reasons I am concerned with exaggerating military successes,” Wood said. “Military successes in this war may lead to unwarranted complacency, diminishing your alertness on the home front.”

It may also reduce Americans’ awareness that real threats exist elsewhere in the world, he said. Wood said the strategic objective of the war on terrorism needs to be prevention of other terrorist attacks that kill Americans on U.S. soil.

“The psychological commitment of our population – ingenuity and creativity of the American people – should remain concentrated on the home front,” he said.

Wood suggested that part of the $300 billion defense budget be directed toward more homeland security initiatives. He said $80 billion could be taken from the defense budget, and the United States would remain the strongest military in the world.

Now that America is in conflict, he is worried about shifting resources in the wrong direction.

“We have no choice but to be on the strategic defensive,” Wood said.

This means military operations are secondary. While the offensive is important, he said, America should be primarily focused on the defensive.

Wood, who retired as a Lt. Colonel, recently founded Military Insights, an organization that discusses issues relevant to the military in the United States.

Student co-chair of the Institute on World Affairs Laura Hatfield said she enjoyed hearing ideas she said aren’t voiced often in the media.

“I thought his perspective was really unique,” she said.

“It was very interesting for me to hear something other than what the media is telling us all the time.”