January | 2014 |

Joe Miller’s Introduction to Blue Nostalgia Featured by University of Maine’s Khronikos

Joseph Miller served as a platoon leader, executive officer, and Iraqi Army Advisor before leaving active duty to become an ROTC instructor. In 2011, he was named Officer Instructor of the Year. Joseph is a regular contributor to PTSD: A Soldier’s Perspective and a member of Team Red, White and Blue. He recently defended his Master’s Thesis and is a PhD student at the University of Maine. His dissertation will explore institutions in North America that absorbed veterans following the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars (The US Custom Service, British Veterans’ Battalions, and utopic French veterans’ colonies in Texas).

At MEA, Joe is the editor of Blue Nostalgia: A Journal of Post-Traumatic Growth, the literary journal of The Veterans’ PTSD Project which recently released its first volume. “On Nostalgia,” Joe’s introduction to the volume, was featured in part on Khronikos, a blog showcasing the accomplishments of history students at the University of Maine.

Read “New Narratives in an American Story of War and Growth” on the Khronikos blog here.

Blue Nostalgia Contributor David P. Ervin Featured on The Joe Harting Show

David P. Ervin served as an infantryman in the Iraq War in 2005. We covered his work Leaving the Wire: An Infantryman’s Iraq in another post. At around the same time David joined one of our writing workshops and completed a story for the recently released Blue Nostalgia: A Journal of Post-Traumatic Growth, the literary journal of the Veterans’ PTSD Project.

Joe Harting, the show’s host, calls David’s book “brutally honest” in the interview and hopes that the work will connect those who haven’t served with those who have. We agree and want to congratulate David in getting some well-deserved coverage. You can watch the whole interview below:

Congratulating Patricia Stotter

The beginning of a new year is ripe for reflecting on days past. In the past year, contributors and supporters of Military Experience and the Arts have accomplished many feats for bridging the military – civilian divide through arts and education.

One very noteworthy event is the award poetry contributor, Patricia Stotter received this past fall. Stotter, published her piece “Triggers” in our inaugural issue of Blue Streak: A Journal of Military Poetry.

Along with Marcia Rock, she created the 2011 documentary Service: When Women Come Marching Home. This past fall, Stotter and Rock received a Silver Star award from The Volunteers of America of Illinois, who “recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves as real advocates of Veterans and/or members of the Military through either significant philanthropic activities or other personal acts of notable service.” Co-producers, Stotter and Rock were awarded by the VOA Illinois because, their “documentary highlighting the struggles women face after service resonates with our clients while drawing attention to the need for greater after-care services. We are especially appreciative of the film’s candor, which is why we are awarding you our Silver Star.” This award is much deserved and the documentary is worth watching if you have not yet seen it (it has aired on PBS). Also, the amazing BriGette McCoy is featured in the documentary; McCoy is a major supporter and contributor to MEA and runs her own organization Women Veteran Social Justice.

Congratulations to Stotter and Rock for their award!