What do men and women in the military have in common with artists?
The answer to this question is as stimulating as it is puzzling. So immersed are we in our daily lives that we rarely think back to our nation’s borders or the men and women protecting them. While we dread mundane tasks and search for new opportunities to better our careers, these men and women witness combat indefinitely during their military career. Given the terror, stress, and atrocity of wars, can we agree that men and women in service are entitled to the same, if not more, opportunities as the rest of us?
B.R. McDonald, former member of Army’s Joint Special Operations Command, agrees. Upon his return from service in 2009, McDonald struggled to find a job despite his training and credentials. As a result, he initiated the “Veteran Artist Program,” which helps veterans get involved in the entertainment industry through different media. The program also allows veterans to explore their entrepreneurial side by “pitching” start-up ideas for projects. The “Vets for Sets” program, for instance, allows veterans to engage in filmmaking and pitch possible ideas to producers, directors, and writers representing institutions like WNET and Independent Filmmaker Project.
Furthermore, the movement focuses on imparting veterans the skills they will need to succeed in their respective artistic pursuits. Universities like Columbia and Syracuse have undertaken the task of developing the writing skills of veterans. Similarly, the Writer’s Guild Foundation (a part of McDonald’s “Veteran Artist Program”) gives veterans professional mentors for guidance and support.
Such programs show a shifting public attitude towards war veterans. Just like the GI Bill after World War II, the “Veteran Artist Program” allows former men and women in military service to reconnect with society and develop their “civilian careers”. However, McDonald claims that this endeavor is not designed to deal with the post-traumatic stress associated with war. In fact, he believes that supposing veterans suffer from such stress deters potential employers. Thus, he specifies that his purpose is to help returning soldiers who aspired (or currently aspire) to enter the arts by utilizing society’s newfound compassion and “goodwill” for them.
McDonald’s venture has already seen some resounding success. Affiliation with NYU has helped Marines like Phil Klay collaborate with his colleagues to publish an anthology of war fiction. Further, the “Words of War” workshop has enabled numerous veterans to participate in discussion of popular war literature and evaluate each other’s writing skills. Mike Dowling, who fought the war in Iraq, started his own film organization, and is now an actor. Last week, in light of Veterans Day on November 11, the program even sponsored a social networking event called “Arts and Service Celebration”.
While there is evidence that veterans are benefiting from such programs, I think McDonald can work towards expanding the range and scope of his project. For instance, the “Words of War” workshop was held in a “cramped book-lined space in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.” It is disheartening that such causes do not receive enough public attention and thus, they lacks funds to reserve a location that suits their purpose. I would want to see such workshops more frequently, not just in a “cramped” part of Brooklyn, but also around the country.
As far as the veterans and arts are concerned, I can now see and answer the question the article posed earlier. I can see why an army officer 12,000 feet above ground in Iraq would think back to his life as an opera singer. In this perspective, McDonald’s aim to fulfill some veterans’ aspirations to pursue arts has been successful. His program can be rightly called an entrepreneurial venture because he has created a new niche of career opportunity by focusing on veterans and combining aspects of two almost contrasting fields— war and the arts. Such initiatives should also be taken to get veterans involved in other realms like business, law, and politics. The best way to do that, as author Robin Pogrebin mentioned, is by “capitalizing” on the changed public outlook of army officers who have served in wars. If we increase interaction between the veterans and the general public, we can bring to light the sacrifices veterans have made to protect the public. McDonald’s “Telling Project,” where some veterans come on stage to share their stories and experiences, is one way of raising such awareness. The project has been active for five years in nine states.
In general, benefactors should be more supportive because ultimately, we are discussing the future of thousands of veterans. After witnessing action on the field for years, men and women are bound to feel disconnected with the society they lived in. To ease this transition and help them sustain themselves and their families, we can open doors of opportunities for them. By helping them find work, we not only relieve the burden on federal government and the tax paying public, but also help the men and women previously in service successfully fend for themselves. This strategy relates to the popular saying: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Rather than handing them out the money to sustain themselves, we can help them build their pride by allowing them to explore and pursue their passion.
Work Cited:
Pogrebin, Robin. “Veterans Pursue Careers in the Arts.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 10 Nov. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/arts/veterans-pursue-careers-in-the-arts.html?ref=arts>.
Wow, this is such an interesting topic and honestly it is not something that I’ve ever thought about before. At my job over the summer one of my jobs was to try and help war veterans become re-assimilated to society. I worked with people who simply did not have the social and emotional stability to hold down your average, middle class job. There are various programs that I learned about that provided therapy for these veterans, but none of the ones that I worked with dealt with art.
But art can be very therapeutic. Sometimes when I am stressed doodling or playing the piano help relax me: and I wouldn’t consider myself especially good at either. So I absolutely love the idea of using art to help war veterans deal with the emotional trauma of combat. I hope that this program continues to get attention and grow. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!
McDonald is a true entrepreneur. He discovered a niche and a need in the market and created something to fill that void. In this case, it was the link between art and veterans. I’m glad he began all of these programs to improve the life of returning veterans, but where does he receive the funding for them. It would be much easier for him to spread his programs if he had money.
You mention that he needs to improve and expand the programs, such as the one in Brooklyn. I’m sure he would like to create the best program possible, but I believe he is incapable of doing so because of a lack of funding. The “Telling Project” has been active for five years and has only reached nine states. Nine states hardly compares to fifty states. I don’t think veterans need to raise awareness concerning their issues. This job is suppose to be the government’s, to let their people know what returning veterans are facing. Since the government has not done a good job at this, veterans themselves must take action to create a better life for themselves after their return.
I think this is a really interesting concept, and I’m glad that I was introduced to it. Like the article mentions, it may be hard for people to get work because of PTSD, or the preconceived idea that everyone going to fight will be bogged down by stress upon their return. Meanwhile, raising the morale of soldiers with this program is really great. Soldiers will know that they can fulfill their dreams of going into to the arts upon their return, and this will give them hope and light. That’s why I think this is a really nice idea, and also helps them adjust quicker after coming back from war. I agree with you that it would be nice for them to have bigger venues, but articles and reviews like yours are helping spread the word, and hopefully they will find more benefactors to support this great concept.