MEA is proud to announce the release of AS YOU WERE: THE MILITARY REVIEW, Vol. 24, containing over two dozen works of military-themed artwork, poetry, creative nonfiction, and literary fiction. We invite you to explore and read this edition! militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

“After White Flags,” literary fiction by Dane Sawyer, examines the nuances of emotional entanglements at home and involvement in war abroad, peering into the motivations and justifications that drive them militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

S. Jay Holz’s creative nonfiction, “Out of Uniform,” is a sensitive, intimate portrayal of moments of her life as the wife of a man whose reintegration after wartime service presents significant challenges militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

“Let That Be a Lesson,” by Sid Macken elaborates several instances in the beginning of his service in the Army that imparted valuable wisdom for him as he progressed in his career militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

“Field Manual: Browning M2,” by Edward Vidri, is a creative nonfiction story about Iraq written in the form of a familiar publication for those who served – a field manual for a piece of equipment militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

Claire Fron’s creative nonfiction story, “Plastic Boy,” describes a vivid recollection of her time in Iraq, highlighting a poignant and moving encounter with a small Iraqi boy militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

“Dirt Bag Lieutenant,” nonfiction by Nancy Stroer, is a candid piece of reflection wherein the writer looks back on a pivotal moment in her service in the US Army that led to a change in perspective about what that service entailed militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

Stanley C. Ross’ nonfiction, “Can’t Quit, Won’t Quit,” recounts a life-changing experience during his service in the Central Highlands of Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

Military service can provide valuable training to be applied to civilian careers, even if that career track is, in retrospect, unexpected. Learn about Tanya Whitney’s experience with this in her creative nonfiction, “When Life Throws You a Curve” militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

Joey Damiano’s poem, “Grease Grate,” candidly discusses what it was like to feel terribly out of place in a combat arms role in the Marine Corps militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

“The One Who Picks Up,” a poem by P. J. Hughes, imparts its readers with the raw emotions that serve as a bond between two veterans suffering similar challenges militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

P. J. Hughes powerful poem, “Half a Person,” looks at what can be lost in military service militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

N. Jed Todd finds an old patrol cap, and it invokes a wide array of memories and reflections in his poem, “Meditations on a Too-Small Hat” militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

Daniel W. Ross invites his readers to join him in remembering a friend made during Russo-Ukrainian War in his poem, “Toasting from Warm-Up to Stirrup” militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

“In Between,” poetry by Earl Weigelt, examines the compelling gravity of the memories of war and their paradoxical allure militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

Earl Weigelt takes his readers to a forward operating base in Afghanistan in his poem, “Mizan” militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

Would a military aircraft be out of place in a residential neighborhood? Of course! See what happens when a jet adorns a backyard in Stephen Barile’s poem, “F-86 Sabre Jet” militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

J.M. Green’s literary fiction, “Our Red Toyota Paseo,” illustrates a rather nuanced father-son relationship militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

Louis Faber’s poetry, “V.A. Hospital,” glimpses inside a ward of a Veterans Affairs hospital and into the unique personalities found there militaryexperience.org/as-yo…

“To Any Civilian,” a poem by Frances Wiedenhoeft, is an answer to the age-old question, “What did you do in the war?” militaryexperience.org/as-yo…