What is the theme in In Pharaoh's Army: Memories of the Lost War by Tobias Wolff?

Abandonment is a central theme in this story. Tobias Wolff suffered for much of his formative years from the abandonment of him by his father. Abandonment is regrettably a common issue that faces families in today's world. As is often the case, Wolff's mother stuck by her children while their father took off. Wolff struggled with the absence of his father for many years.