Veteran Writing/Blogs that I Follow and Find Interesting…

I’ve been asked a few times, “what blogs do you follow?” and “do you read other veteran writing?” I’ve even been asked, “what veteran writing or books by veterans would you recommend?” It seems as if these are loaded questions at times because I could be completely overwhelming. I’m going to offer information on a few blogs, websites, journals, and books that you can check out if you are interested in learning about the veteran or military experience.

O-Dark-Thirty https://o-dark-thirty.org/

This is a blog that is the literary journal of the Veterans Writing Project. This is a platform for veterans and members of the military to share writing with a broad community of readers. You can find fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and a quarterly literary journal called The Review online as well. Check it out!

Paving the Road Back-Moving Combat Veterans Foward in Life https://pavingtheroadback.com/

This is a blog by psychiatrist Rod Deaton. He has worked in a variety of settings that have allowed him to interact with combat veterans. Deaton writes from a post in late January that the blog is on an indefinite pause; however, you can go through the archives to see what Deaton has shared about working with Veterans.

True Boots https://trueboots.com/

This is a personal blog of Army veteran Kristen Rouse. In addition to blogging, Rouse is a writer and advocate with an academic background in literature. On the blog, you can find essays and quotes in addition to her posts. This is a really neat blog, and I think you should check it out (or even subscribe to it).

Journal of Veterans Studies http://journals.colostate.edu/jvs/index

This journal is open-access, online, peer-reviewed, and facilitates research, collaborations, and helps narrow gaps within cultures, institutions, experiences, and understandings. Veterans studies is a scholarly look into the military experience through military veterans and their families–this includes various topics such as combat exposure, reintegration challenges, and the veteran experience.

Sidenote: I had the privilege to meet the editor and associate editor of this journal at a conference—and they are amazing women who care deeply about veteran studies. 

National Women Veterans of America http://wvanational.tripod.com/WVANational

Here you can read information and find other links to websites that may be helpful in understanding the history of the WVA, the mission, various events, and other chapters of the WVA. There is also information about healthcare and being an advocate for the female voice.

And one last website to leave you with…

Love Our Vets http://www.loveourvets.org/

This site offers support and information on PTSD and families…and is maintained by Welby O’Brien. Welby is a delight, and I have mentioned her website and book in previous posts, but it is worth a share again! If you are curious about PTSD and the struggles that veterans and their families may face, you should check out this site, with a link to Welby’s blog.

It was hard to select just a few websites, blogs, and journals for this post. I hope you will check out some of the posts listed…and if you have suggestions on other sites I should check out, please let me know!