Alexander Lemons: Restoring Landscapes, Healing from War

In 2010, after military tours at sea and in Iraq as a Marine and sniper, Alexander Lemons returned home to Utah and tried to integrate back into mainstream American society. But he found himself feeling profoundly isolated, and this feeling was intensified by family tragedy and a mysterious chronic illness from his years in combat. When the weight of his burdens felt too heavy, he sought solace in perhaps an unusual place: environmental restoration, nursing back to health ecosystems that had been degraded or chemically polluted. In this episode, our Spring 2026 undergraduate intern Riley Petersen interviews Alex about the seen and unseen tolls of war–and how recovery is both an inside and outside job.

Warbody

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