Gold Star Museum Hosts Special WWI Events April 1

"Iowa Goes Over the Top." Illustration by Francis Webster, from "Somewhere Over There: The Letters, Diary, and Artwork of a World War I Corporal." Note mentions of the Iowa National Guard's 168th Infantry Regiment, and of the American Expeditionary Forces.

Blog editor's note: The following is based on press materials provided to the Red Bull Rising blog and other media outlets.

On Sat., April 1, volunteers and staff at the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum, located on Camp Dodge in the Des Moines-area suburb of Johnston, Iowa, will offer a series of special presentations commemorating the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I, The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free. All galleries are open. The Camp Dodge military installation is open to the public via the main N.W. 70th Avenue entrance. Note that photo identification at the gate is required for adults (a driver’s license is acceptable).

"This program honors the centennial of the United States entry into World War I," according to a museum news release. "WWI began with the assassination of Austrian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, in Sarajevo, on July 28, 1914. While the U.S. was initially a neutral state, continuing German attacks on American vessels in the Atlantic Ocean led President Woodrow Wilson to declare war on Germany on April 6, 1917."

Special presentations are scheduled from 10:20 a.m. to 2:15. The schedule includes:

• 10:20 a.m.: Welcome and introductions

• 10:30 a.m.: Tom Clegg, living historian/re-enactor: "The Common Soldier in WWI"

• 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.: Mike Vogt, Iowa Gold Star Military Museum curator, presents "Camp Dodge during WWI"

• 12:30–1:15 p.m.: Author/historian Darrek Orwig presents on Cpl. Francis Webster. Webster, trained as an illustrator under Des Moines Register political cartoonist Jay "Ding" Darling, captured the daily life of Iowans serving overseas in WWI with the Iowa National Guard. Webster was killed in action during the war.

• 1:30-2:15 p.m.: Greg VanWyngarden presents "James Norman Hall: An Iowan serving under three flags." Born in Colfax, Iowa, Hall served in the British Army during World War I, then became a pilot for France's flying force, Lafayette Escadrille. Taken prisoner by Germany and later honored as a war hero, Hall wrote "Mutiny on the Bounty," "Men Against the Sea," and "Pitcairn Island."

More than 114,000 Iowans served in the U.S. armed forces during WWI, including 3,576 Iowans who died during the war from battle wounds, injuries, and illness. Camp Dodge became the organizational location and training site for the U.S. Army’s 88th Infantry "Cloverleaf" Division during WWI, one of 16 cantonment sites nationally. More than 111,000 Soldiers were inducted and trained at Camp Dodge during the war.

Seventeen National Guard divisions, including the 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division, were assigned to the American Expeditionary Forces during WWI. The 42nd Division was comprised of soldiers from many states, including the Iowa National Guard’s 168th Infantry Regiment from southwest Iowa. The 168th Infantry was commanded by Col. Ernest Bennett and later, by Col. Matthew Tinley. During U.S. participation in WWI, the 42nd Division was credited with 164 days of actual combat. While 42nd Division casualties included 2,810 killed and 11,873 wounded, the 168th Infantry suffered more than 700 Soldiers killed and 3,100 wounded.

For more information about these commemorative events, contact Mike Musel or Mike Vogt at 515.252.4531.

Established in 1985, the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum is the only federally recognized repository for military artifacts in the state of Iowa. The mission of the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum is twofold: to preserve Iowa’s military history and honor the military service of all Iowans.

The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum’s permanent exhibits tell the stories of Iowans who have served in defense of their state and nation, beginning in the early settlement of the state in the 1840s, through the Global War on Terror. An extensive exhibit honors the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division, which holds the distinction of serving the most continuous days in combat of any division in the European Theater of Operation during World War II. The museum also contains one of the finest military small arms collections in the Midwest. Additionally, an exhibit detailing the history of the Iowa State Patrol is also on display.

A Holiday Postcard from Camp Dodge, Iowa

Last Fri., Dec. 2, I was honored to present a library copy of the recently published "Reporting for Duty: U.S. Citizen-Soldier Journalism from the Afghan Surge, 2010-2011" to the board of directors of the Iowa Gold Star Museum. The museum is located on Camp Dodge, the National Guard post located in the suburb of Johnston, north of Des Moines, Iowa.

The book collects more than 280 news reports and 320 black-and-white photos from the 2010-2011 deployment of the Iowa National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division. The presentation was made on behalf of the Task Force Red Bulls public affairs team of soldier-journalists, who produced most of the project's content while downrange. As a civilian who once embedded as media with that team, I helped collect, collate, and edit the product into book form.

The board's reception of the book was warm and enthusiastic. The board president even inquired as to how to make the book available for sale at the museum's gift shop. I'll keep you posted!

Just before the meeting, an old friend of Sherpa and the Red Bull gave me an unexpected and priceless gift. To a mutual colleague—and in front of me—he recommended my 2015 book of humorous war poetry, "Welcome to FOB Haiku." He then proceeded to quote a few of his favorite haiku from memory! I'll admit, I blushed a little—no doubt, I turned a deep "Red Bull" red. But it was incredible to hear someone I've known and respected for years, quote me to ... well, me. Needless to say, it made my whole weekend!

Before I left the museum, I browsed a display of three Christmas trees in the building's lobby. Each tree is thoughtfully adorned with ornaments naming those fallen service members with Iowa ties.

The Camp Dodge office of the U.S. Army Survivor Outreach Service, the people who provide long-term care to the families of U.S. service members who have died in the line of duty, apparently maintain the display. Visitors to the museum can leave information of other service members to be remembered.

I stopped long enough to find the names of a number of citizen-soldiers I'd known. It was a lovely way to pause for remembrance and reflection, before making my way back into the noise and cold of the workaday world.

Happy Holidays!

Eastern Iowa Mil-Writing Workshop is Feb. 27-Mar. 1

Detail of Grant Wood-designed stained-glass window at Veterans Memorial Building, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. PHOTO: www.redbullirising.com

A "Writing My Way Back Home" weekend writing workshop for military service members, veterans, and families will be conducted in Eastern Iowa, 5 p.m. Fri., Feb. 27 to 1 p.m., Sun., Mar. 1. This is the sixth iteration of the event. This year, the venue is again the renovated Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The free 3-day workshop offers an opportunity for writer-veterans at all levels of experience to exchange ideas and information. Military family members are also welcome to attend. The focus is on exploring military themes and topics through fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and more.

Attendees may choose to attend all sessions, or opt to use some of the available time to work with others on writing projects. The atmosphere is usually relaxed and low-key. Given the volunteer-run, no-cost venue, be prepared for programming, instructor, and other last-minute changes. Total attendance typically fluctuates around 30 people. Attendees may have opportunities to share some free meals prepared at the venue. Also, there is often a scheduled reading or performance event open to the public.

For more insights into the potential "Writing My Way Back Home" workshop experience, see these Red Bull Rising blog posts regarding the 2011 and 2013 events.

While the event is free, on-line registration is requested via an EventBrite page here.

A Facebook page for the event is here.

A organizational Facebook page for the "Writing My Way Back Home" non-profit is here.

Veterans Memorial Building exterior. PHOTO:
www.redbullrising.com

Originally constructed in 1920, the Veterans Memorial Building also served as the Cedar Rapids center of government until floods damaged the structure in 2008. The building is located on May's Island, in the middle of the Cedar River. After a $20 million renovation in 2014, the reopened facility is now home to the Iowa Veterans' Welcome Center, Midwest Military Outreach, and other veterans-service organizations, and contains office, exhibit, meeting, and performance spaces.

The address of the building is: Veterans Memorial Building, 50 2nd Avenue Bridge, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401.

The building's exterior features a sculpture of an eternal flame atop the structure. Inside, there is a stained glass window designed by American regionalist painter Grant Wood, a Cedar Rapids native.

'The Pass In Review' Explodes in Surreal Second Issue

The sophomore issue of The Pass In Review, informally organized around a theme of humor, is now available for printing and purchase via Createspace. Availability in electronic formats such as Amazon Kindle is still pending. The 70-page quarterly literature and arts journal features fiction, poetry, visual arts by military veterans, as well as interviews with artists and veterans-arts activists.

The journal has been previously been mentioned on the Red Bull Rising blog here and here.

Featured on the new issue's cover is one of Giuseppe Pellicano's grenade series, a surreal depiction of an anthropomorphic explosive device taking part in a princess-themed tea party. Pellicano crafted the absurdly large grenade from two half-egg-shaped industrial lights and a little sheet metal.

Readers of the Red Bull Rising blog may also recognize Pellicano's work from the Journal of Military Experience, Vol. 3, published in 2013. In The Pass In Review, the remainder of Pellicano's grenade series is presented alongside a "campground-style" Q&A interview. The long-form arts interview is a signature feature in both this and the journal's inaugural issue, and one hopes it will continue in future issues.

Photographs of Pellicano's "War Pigs," a series of ceramic masks, appear in The Pass in Review's coverage. Through Nov. 1, the masks are also currently installed in the National Veterans Art Museum's "Surrealism and War" exhibit.

The grenades, Pellicano says in the interview, are readily accessible symbols not only of how military veterans are depicted in media, but of the emotional and social struggles faced by many people who have experienced trauma. He says:

I think that a lot of civilians can relate to it, too. A lot of civilians have post-traumatic stress too. If you’re a rape victim, obviously, you’re going to have PTSD. If you were mugged and beaten in an alleyway, you’re going to have PTSD. S---, the whole state of New York has PTSD after 9/11. It’s common. And maybe they can see, that even though there might be a disconnect between being a soldier and being a civilian, there is this connection that we are all human. And we all suffer. And we can all find a common ground to talk to one another and help one another.

Other highlights of The Pass In Review's second issue include:

Five haiku poems by the writer of the Red Bull Rising blog. Friends, Iowans, and colleagues may remember my love of subverting the haiku form, and "your squad leader writes haiku" features such tactical and practical advice as this favorite:

Cover stops bullets
and concealment hides from view.
Know the difference.

Two pencil drawings from Christina Beltran, a former Marine and combat engineer who deployed twice to Iraq. Whether working as a writer, photographer, or artist, Beltran injects insight and humor into every subject she sets her eye toward. Her "Halt," depicting a small child with upraised hand as seen from behind a crew-served weapon, stops me in my tracks everytime. And I want a copy of her "Follow the Leader" (at right) to hang in my own creative space. (The bumper sticker is funny, because it's true.)

A very funny short story by Christopher Clow, a former citizen-soldier in the Oregon and Washington National Guards. His "Five Most Dangerous Things in the Army" is a series of vignettes in ascending order of rank, hilarity, and truth— starting with "A Private saying ... 'I learned this in Basic,'" and ending with "A Warrant Officer saying ... 'Watch this s---.'"

A short story titled "Roadkill," from Canadian-born Michael Starr. The fictional tale seems based on his experiences as a former member of the Israel Defense Forces (I.D.F.). In the story, a squad attempts to make sense of an inscrutable interpreter's apparent vendetta against ... porcupines. The Pass In Review has notably opened its calls for submissions to include members and former members of any nation's military, and the transcendent humor evident in Starr's story demonstrates the universality of the uniformed experience.

An interview with United States Veterans Artists Alliance (U.S.V.A.A.) Executive Director Keith Jeffreys. The Los Angeles-based organization supports military veterans' involvement in the arts, humanities, and entertainment. The group's work includes gallery installations, theatrical productions, and other endeavors.

Submissions for The Pass In Review's next issue are open until Aug. 3, 2014. Click here for more information.

On Surrealism: Fishing for Bombs in Minnesota

An exhibit of paintings, sculptures, and other artwork by nine U.S. military veterans, titled "Surrealism and War," recently opened at the National Veterans Art Museum (N.V.A.M.), Chicago. The event runs through Nov. 1, 2014.

"Resort" by David Keefe

Surrealism was first an early 20th century cultural and artistic movement, in which dream-like images and imaginings were juxtaposed as response to rational thought.

Or, as the exhibition catalog puts it: "Surrealism is an attempt to revolt against the inherent contradictions of a society ruled by rational thought while dominated by war and oppression. Surrealism seeks expression of thought in the absence of all control exercised by reason and free of aesthetic and moral preoccupation."

Got that? Crazy stuff.

Works presented in the NVAM event include that of U.S. Marine veteran David Keefe, who enlisted in 2002 and served in Iraq in 2006-2007. Among other images, his painting "Resort" co-mingles swimming fish and mortar rounds, frozen lakes and desert sand.

"I start with certain imagery, whether it’s a memory from childhood or experience from Iraq, and all of a sudden images and time collapse," Keefe says in an interview presented on the NVAM website. "I grew up fishing in Minnesota, and that’s where 'Resort' comes from: ice fishing. So it's an ice fishing scene with me as a little boy in the very front. But under the ice are these bombs that I remember from Iraq, these mortars. So the fish become bombs and the bombs become fish. [...]"

For Keefe, surrealism is a way to find similarities among cultures, as well as to make the past a more-immediate—almost explosive—presence for viewers. He says:

Simultaneously as a young child ice-fishing and as a young adult fishing for bombs in Iraq, my memories are no longer the past and develop into a new present tense. This unstable paradigm seemingly becomes a labyrinth of simulated possibilities presenting a world for my characters to contemplate and choose their destiny, yet their fate is as fragile as the convergence of bombs and ice. These paradoxes create a visual tension, and nonetheless, these bombs could explode this fragile world of ice and ruins, blowing it all sky high. In a blink of an eye, my memories, experiences and reality could all cease to exist.

PHOTO: National Veterans Art Museum

The exhibition features the work of Korean War veteran Jim Leedy, whose "Atomic Skull" and "The Earth Lies Screaming" are nearly overwhelming in size and scope. Each appears to be constructed of mud and bone.

Vietnam-era artist-veterans include William Dugan, Stan Gillett, Mike Helbing, and Richard Yohnka.

Besides Keefe, artist-veterans who served during recent conflicts include Robynn Murray, Giuseppe Pelicano, and Erhen Tool.

Pictures of the opening reception for the exhibition are posted on the NVAM Facebook page here. The organization's website is here.

Founded in 1981 as the Vietnam Veterans Art Group, the organization took on the purpose of including artists from all wars in 2003. The organization was re-named the National Veterans Art Museum in 2010. Its Portage Park neighborhood location houses the work of more than 255 artists—more than 2,500 pieces in all. An on-line collection of artist-veteran work is here.

For more information:

National Veterans Art Museum
4041 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Second Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60641 

Phone: 312.326.0270
E-mail: info@nvam.org

8 Ways You Can Support the Work of Artist-Veterans

From the Military Experience and the Arts on-line art gallery.

In a recent post on the Red Bull Rising blog, I described my recent acquisition of some original work drawn by Aaron Provost, an artist who happens to be a veteran. He's a working freelance illustrator, and I particularly like his military-themed stuff.

The visual arts are another way that veterans can help share stories, and bridge the civil-military divide.

When I boasted on-line about my new pencil drawing of an MRAP truck, I also asked others for their ideas on how else to help artist-veterans pursue their professions and their passions. Here's a start of a growing list of techniques, complete with examples:

1. Take artist-veterans seriously as artists. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: "Writing can be therapeutic, but it sure as heck ain't therapy." I think the same applies to the visual and other expressive arts. Yes, there are people doing great and healing art-therapy work in hospitals. And you can (and should) help support these efforts with your time, talent, and money. Don't assume, however, that every artist who happens to be a military veteran is somehow in need of healing, or is "just a hobbyist," or is limited in artistic vision, scope, or interest to expressing the experiences of war. Veterans have something to say, and it doesn't have to just be about the military.

2. Engage artist-veterans as artists first, veterans second. Travis Martin, founder of the non-profit organization Military Experience and the Arts, offers this suggestion: "Write reviews or informal reaction statements to show the veteran that they've seriously / critically examined his or her work and that they are willing to start a dialogue."That's great advice, and I plan to follow it. One caveat from Sherpa, however: "If you're face-to-face at an art show, however, don't monopolize an artist's time if you're not able to buy something yourself. Art-show time is money."

3. Feature the works of artist-veterans work in publications or websites. Previously reviewed on Red Bull Rising, The Pass In Review is a recently launched quarterly print and on-line journal that presents visual art in full-color glory, as well as fiction and poetry. The sophomore issue will soon be available for sale on-line, and it's pretty awesome. (Full disclosure: I'm a contributor.) In another example, Martin recently posted a virtual gallery of all the artwork featured in his organization's four on-line journals since 2012. Another caveat to would-be promoters, however: Make sure you first acquire copyrights and permissions from artists. When you can, try to pay them, even if it's just a token fee or honorarium.

4. Even if you're not a practitioner or publisher yourself, network with artists as a patron. In addition to the Facebook page of Martin's Military Experience and the Arts, you can "meet" artist-veterans via the social media pages of Veterans Artist Program, the Arts and the Military, and others. Offer them advice, encouragement, feedback ... or to buy them a coffee sometime.

5. Attend gallery openings, traveling art shows, and museum exhibitions. Sometimes, all you have to do be a supporter is to see and be seen. Here's the type of event to seek out: On May 23rd, there will be a reception for artist-veteran Rob Bates of Bates Illustration. His work is being shown at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's student union art gallery, May 15 to June 5, 2014. For more information, click here.

6. Create and participate in your local artist-veteran scene. Make spaces in which artist-veterans can meet, practice, and present their works. If you're in the Milwaukee area, contact the "Artful Warriors" at the Dryhootch coffee shop. Buy supplies for artist-veterans such as Denver's Curtis Bean, who are teaching art as therapy. Provide encouragement to artist-veterans, and engage other people about what's happening in veteran-generated art. In other words: Tell your friends.

7. Buy or commission artwork (or related merchandise) as an individual patron. More and more artists—from fine-art print-makers to web cartoonists, from woodworkers to sculptors—offer work for sale via on-line venues. Painter and mil-blogger Skip Rodhe, for example, recently wrote about establishing a sales-beachhead on Etsy. A group of artist-veterans in Maine banded together to set up an on-line arts and crafts shop. Original art too expensive? Provost uses an on-line fulfillment platform called Society6 to sell original art, prints and posters, coffee mugs, throw pillows, and more. The creator of the DoctrineMan!! web comic sells book-length collections via Amazon.com and coffee mugs via Zazzle. Art is like Justice Potter Stewart's quote about obscenity—I know it when I see it. And I think DoctrineMan!! certainly qualifies. (As art, I mean—not obscenity.)

8. Buy, commission, or recognize artwork by working within an organization. If you can't afford to buy art as an individual, perhaps you can work with your local library or museum foundation, veterans service organization, or other group to create opportunities to recognize and feature the work of artist-veterans. The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, for example, recently recognized a charcoal self-portrait by Oklahoma native Sarah Rothschild with its Colonel John W. Thomason Jr. Award. The work is now housed at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Triangle, Virginia.

Semper art!

Writing Event for Veterans, Eastern Iowa, March 28-30

PHOTO: Erik Ostrom via Flickr

If you're not already scheduled to run the 4-mile "Warrior Challenge" urban obstacle course that weekend, a fifth "Writing My Way Back Home" weekend writing workshop for military service members, veterans, and families will be conducted in Eastern Iowa, March 28-30. This year, the venue is the recently renovated Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The free 3-day workshop offers an opportunity for writer-veterans at all levels of experience to exchange ideas and information. The focus is on exploring military themes and topics through fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and more.

Attendees may choose to attend all sessions, or opt to use some of the available time to work with others on writing projects. The atmosphere is usually relaxed and low-key. Total attendance fluctuates between 30 and 50 people. Attendees may have opportunities to share some meals prepared at the venue. Also, there is usually a scheduled reading event open to the public.

For more insights into the potential "Writing My Way Back Home" workshop experience, see these Red Bull Rising blog posts regarding the 2011 and 2013 events.

While the event is free, on-line registration is required here. A Facebook page for the event is here.

A organizational Facebook page for the "Writing My Way Back Home" non-profit is here.

In the past, the group's weekend workshops have been conducted on or near the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. This year marks the first time the workshop will be conducted in Cedar Rapids.

Originally constructed in 1920, the Veterans Memorial Building also served as the Cedar Rapids center of government until floods damaged the structure in 2008. The building is located on May's Island, in the middle of the Cedar River. After a $20 million renovation, the recently reopened facility is now home to the Iowa Veterans' Welcome Center, Midwest Military Outreach, and other veterans-service organizations, and contains office, exhibit, meeting, and performance spaces.

The address of the building is: Veterans Memorial Building, 50 2nd Avenue Bridge, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401.

The building's exterior features a sculpture of an eternal flame atop the structure. Inside, there is a stained glass window designed by American regionalist painter Grant Wood, a Cedar Rapids native.

Recently, a traveling art exhibit regarding Military Sexual Trauma (M.S.T.) was installed in the building. In "Project Retrospoect: Flipping the Script on Rape," a Wisconsin-based organization called Survivors Empowered Through Art (SETA) presents a collection of artwork related to sexual assault in the military.

Veteran's Art Shown at Nat'l Guard Memorial Building

Artist Dominic Fredianelli with one of his paintings. PHOTO: NGEF

Visual artist and veteran Dominic Fredianelli, one of three Michigan National Guard soldiers featured in the 2011 documentary "Where Soldiers Come From," recently exhibited his work during a National Guard Education Foundation (N.G.E.F.) legislative workshop reception in Washington, D.C.

The NGEF organization is separate from but co-located with the National Guard Association of the United States, and shares occupancy of the National Guard Memorial Building at One Massachusetts Ave., Washington, D.C., where the event took place.

A gallery of photographs from the event were posted on the NGEF Facebook page here.

According to press materials:

While serving in the National Guard, Dominic deployed to Afghanistan with Michigan's 1431st Engineer Company and performed route clearance duties for nine months as part of the Global War on Terrorism. After returning home, Dominic turned to art as a way of grappling with his experiences during the war. He has completed murals at the National Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, at UC-Santa Barbara and at Finlandia University. He continues to create art that speaks to the mental, physical and psychological impact of combat on today's military veterans.

Fredianelli is currently a student at the Corcoran College of Art and Design.

Milblogging.com Index Adds 'Military History' Category

Milblogging.com, the index of military-themed online journals, has recently added a "Military History" category. The update recognizes that many military writers, family members, and even museums are using online and social media to present diaries, photos, and other materials.

"There’s been a trend over the last few years that’s starting to pick up more now with the popularity of Twitter. However, blogs are also experiencing an uptick," writes Milblogging.com founder and editor Jean-Paul Borda.

"The trend has to do with blogging (or in the case of Twitter, tweeting) about historical events as they happened from the perspective of people who lived them."

Borda notes there have been several online diaries from conflicts dating as far back as the American Civil War. He encourages writers and editors submit links to military-history blogs for inclusion on the Milblogging.com index.

Writer Kurt Greenbaum is using a blog to post the letters of his late uncle Frank D. "Babe" Mauro, who fought in World War II Italy as part of the U.S. 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division. Mauro, who died a few days before the end of the war, always began his letters with "I am well, happy, and safe." Greenbaum's blog takes its name from the salutation.

For a previous Red Bull Rising mention of the "Well, Happy, and Safe" blog, click here.

A 'Red Bull' Thanksgiving in World War II Italy

Sgt. Schlitz, a sharp-eyed friend of the Red Bull Rising blog, pointed out yesterday that the National World War II Museum in New Orleans had recently posted various pictures of American troops at Thanksgiving—including one depicting six soldiers of the 135th Inf. Reg. sitting down to a rustic table in World War II Italy.

The 135th Inf. Reg. was part of the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division. The regimental lineage is maintained by the Minnesota National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 135th Inf. Reg., headquartered in Mankato, Minn. The battalion is part of the modern-day 1st Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Inf. Div. (1-34th BCT).

The images were taken by U.S. Army Signal Corps photographer William Caldwell in Nov. 1944. According to the museum, Caldwell was assigned to the Fifth Army Headquarters in North Africa and Italy, and later served as the motorcycle driver to Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark.

Award Named for Iowan Honors Baseball, Navy Heroes

Named after a Iowa World War II veteran and National Baseball Hall of Famer, presentation of the first-ever Bob Feller Act of Valor Awards scheduled to take place Nov. 6, 2013 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the United States Naval Memorial, 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C.

Born 1918 in Van Meter, Iowa, Bob Feller bypassed the minor leagues and pitched for the Cleveland Indians from 1936-1941 and 1945-1956. His professional nicknames include "Bullet Bob" and "The Heater from Van Meter."

Feller enlisted after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, despite having the option of a draft deferment. During World War II, he served four years on the U.S.S. Alabama, and ended his military career as a chief petty officer.

According to press materials, when asked what the most important game he ever won was, Feller replied, "World War II."

The award is to be given annually to one Major League Baseball player, one Baseball Hall of Famer, and—in the first crossover award of its kind between Major League Baseball and the U.S. Navy—one serving naval chief petty officer. The physical award is a bronze bust of Bob Feller in naval uniform.

Awardees are selected on criteria include the display of good character, assisting those less fortunate, supporting the United States and its servicemen and women, and good moral conduct.

The 2013 finalists were announced in a Cleveland, Ohio ballfield ceremony on July 4th. (See YouTube video here, or embedded below in this blog-post.)

Honored at the Nov. 6 awards ceremony will be:

• U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Garth Sinclar, 45, a chief hospital corpsman and instructor at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, Fla.

• Justin Verlander, 30, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and founder of Verlander's Victory for Veterans Foundation.

Due to health-related travel restrictions, Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, 88, was presented with the third of this year's inaugural awards in a private ceremony Oct. 19 at the Yogi Berra Museum at Montclair State University, Little Falls, N.J.

An Oct. 16 Iowa Public Radio report regarding the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award can be found here.

The website for the Bob Feller Museum in Van Meter, Iowa can be found here.

Indiana Art Center Opens Veterans' Exhibition Nov. 1

"Baghdad Guardhouse" by Skip Rohde

Oil on Canvas

 An upcoming Michigan City, Ind., exhibit demonstrates how some artist-veterans are breaching obstacles between military and civilian life, work, and culture. "Citizen * Soldier * Citizen" opens with a reception at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts' Hyndman Gallery, Fri., Nov. 1, from 5 to 8 p.m. 

Michigan City is about 60 miles east of Chicago. The exhibit runs thorough Feb. 9, 2014.

Independent scholar, archivist, and art consultant Tara Leigh Tappert curated the works presented, which will include 27 artists from the Combat Paper Project and the Joe Bonham Project.

"The exhibit is arranged by themes—RECORD, REACT, REHABILITATE, and REMEMBER—chosen because the artwork selected reflected experiences by people who had served in the military," Tappert notes. She offers two examples to illustrate:

In REACT, we have a ceramic sculptural piece by Jesse Albrecht called "Ninevah" that gives geography, archeology, and cultural history lessons. Albrecht describes Iraq as "a muse that stalks me." His piece offer a glimpse of the country across time. The ruins of the ancient city of Nineveh—the largest and most powerful city in antiquity—is situated across the Tigris River from present day Mosul, where Albrecht served as a medic. 

In REMEMBER, "Dust Memories," an installation of 39 pieces—19 diptychs and one additional piece, in a mix of media (drawings, paintings, and collages). Aaron Huges attempts to communicate the ambiguous and anxious moments of deployment. Conceived as a repeating cycle, the series is a metaphor for the artist’s own continually repeating thoughts of his experiences in Iraq.

Participating artists also include mil-blogger and artist Skip Rohde. Rohde's work downrange has previously been mentioned on the Red Bull Rising blog here. The artist also recently presented an online slide show of his "Faces of Afghanistan" portraits here. Included in the Michigan City exhibit will be Rohde's oil-painting "Baghdad Guardhouse," pictured above.

Other featured artists include: Robin Brooks, Thomas Dang, Tif Holmes, Ash Kyrie, Malachi Muncy, Jaeson "Doc" Parsons, Giuseppe Pellicano, Donna Perdue, Patrick Sargent, Phillip Schladweller, Zach Skiles, Ehren Tool, and Andrew Wade Nunn.

Running concurrently at the center through Feb. 24, 2014 is "Theater of Conflict." Presented in the Brincka/Cross and Robert Saxton Galleries, the exhibit features artwork from the center's permanent collection, which are focused on themes of political protest, revolution, and war. According to press materials:

• William Weege's highly graphic prints are a chronicle of the unrest of the 1960s with a focus on political protest and the Vietnam War.

• Oskar Graf, a German artist and highly regarded master of the etching process, presents snap shots of World War II.

• Raphael Canogar, a Spanish print maker, features bold, heavy and graphic work that deals with political struggle and revolution in Spain in the 1960s.

The Lubeznik Center for the Arts is located at 101 W. 2nd Street, Michigan City, Ind. The center is open weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m; weekends 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Program Celebrates Purple Heart History, Recipients

A program celebrating veterans who have received the Purple Heart medal will be held on Sat., Aug. 10, from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. at the Iowa Gold Star Museum, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa. A complimentary lunch will be served, provided by the Iowa Pork Producers Association and Fareway Stores.

The medal was first created by Gen. George Washington on Aug. 7, 1782. Originally called the "Badge of Military Merit," the award recognized an individual soldier's bravery and fidelity. In keeping with that history, an image of Washington appears on the modern heart-shaped medal, and the words "for military merit" appear on the reverse. The award is presented to members of the U.S. armed forces, regardless of branch of service, who have been wounded or killed by enemy actions during combat operations.

For more facts about the Purple Heart, click here.

The "Purple Heart Day: Celebrating Iowa Veterans" program will be led by Navy veteran Larry Spencer, a Purple Heart recipient and former prisoner of war. Vocalist Shawna Beeman will sing the National Anthem. Pastor Craig Ferguson of the Johnston River of Life church will provide the invocation.

Speakers scheduled include:

• Douglas Biggs, professor at the University of Nebraska, Kearney, Neb.
• Tony Powers, former WHO-TV broadcaster, author, Purple Heart recipient, Vietnam War veteran
• Matt Harvey, director of Fort Des Moines (Iowa) Museum and Education Center
• Mary Ellen White, nurse in Vietnam at Long Binh, 1967

After the program, Powers will also be available to sign his books, which include mysteries featuring a Vietnam-era veteran protagonist. His titles include "Murder On the Opinion Page," and "1st & Dead"

According a news release, attendees are also invited to tour the museum:

The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum’s permanent exhibits tell the stories of Iowans who have served in defense of their state and nation, from the early settlement of the state in the 1840s to present day. An extensive exhibit honors the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division, which holds the distinction of serving the most continuous days in combat of any division in the European Theater of Operation during World War II.

The museum is open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except holidays. Admission is free.

Citizen-journalist Re-takes Normandy by Storm

Mil-blogger, U.S. Army veteran, and citizen-journalist Blake Powers—aka "The Laughing Wolf"—is commemorating the 69th anniversary of the allied landings at Normandy with a shoe-string and bootstrap reportorial tour. He figuratively and literally hit the beaches earlier this month, and reports that he has established an expeditionary base he humbly calls "Camp Laughing Wolf."

Imagine a Euro-sized hatchback with a laptop computer attached, and you'll get the idea. With typical cheek, he's further branded the vehicle the "Blackfive Normandy MediaMobile."

According to an update posted June 2, the hearty Hoosier is surviving by alternating between car camping and cheap hotel rooms. "For the record, I've camped everywhere from the high moors of Norway to the Superstition mountains, even in freezing Iraqi winter nights," he writes. "Last night is the coldest I can remember being. I ran the heater in the rental car for about five minutes, decided to rest a bit, and the next thing I knew it was after 1000 hours."

More seriously, Powers described his current mission in a fund-raising message earlier this year:

While this is not a "big" year, it could be one of the last in which the survivors take part. My goal is to make use of the access I've been granted to document the events, with special focus on any survivors who are present, and create a photographic e-book that documents this year's activities. I will be working closely with Army [Public Affairs Office] on the event, so that I have access to all activities and possibly even some of the "behind-the-scenes" activities as well.

Powers provided further project details in a recent profile at the "News Blaze" website.

Check out Powers' continuing overseas coverage at his "Laughing Wolf" blog-site, his Facebook page, and at the "Blackfive" team mil-blog. Stories recently filed at the latter site include:

• "Sneak Peak: Overlord Museum"

• "The Flame"

• "Ouistreham"

• "Pegasus Bridge 2013"

Powers is also author of "A Different View: Travels with Team Easy, Iraq 2007," published in 2012, as well as the more recent "Travels to Al Qa'im and Beyond: Volume 2 of 'A Different View.'"

For information on how to contribute financially to Powers' journalism efforts, click here or here.

Scenes from a Reading of Dog-eared Children's Books

Photo: Dinko Ibukic/DinkoDesign.com

Save for the promise of a babe in a barn, one would be hard-pressed to conceive a more incongruous congregation: A troupe of traveling actors, a pack of puppies, and a muttering of children who have, on this misty gray Saturday morning, in a military museum filled with guns and planes, gathered together to share stories and songs.

Making her introductions, Paws & Effect Executive Director Nicole Shumate remembers the day before, an ugly and unthinkable and nearly unspeakable day, but only in passing. "Considering yesterday's events," she says, "I can't think of a better way to spend my day today, spending a little time with some kids." Her voice cracks a little, and so do we.

Photo: Todd Cerveris

The troupers hail from the national tour of "War Horse," which is playing later that afternoon at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. It is a theatrical play that celebrates, among other themes, the connections among humans and animals. It was also a movie. Before that, it was a book for young people.

The off-duty actors have answered an early call, but gamely rouse the crowd with a boisterous tune from the show. Written by John Tams, it appears as "Wheel of Fortune" on the soundtrack. People are just likely to recognize it, however, as "(When We Go) Rolling Home." It is stirring stuff, better than coffee:

Round goes the wheel of fortune, don't be afraid to ride
There's a land of milk and honey waits on the other side
There'll be peace and there'll be plenty, you'll never need to roam
When we go rolling home, when we go rolling home

After the song, the performers focus on their floor-bound audience, eagerly taking turns to read aloud three children's books. At times, it is difficult to discern who is having more fun: the kids, the readers, or the occasional errant pup who crashes in among both.

Photo: Todd Cerveris

In addition to training psychiatric service animals for wounded military veterans, Paws & Effects helps train Reading Education Assistance Dog ("READ") teams—humans and animals that help with literacy efforts. Indeed, some of the children and dogs present have met before, during pre-event arts activities at the Civic Center's annual series of family-centered performances.

Appropriately, on this day, the selected books each speak to human-animal themes, against backdrops of war and sacrifice:

First, "Scuttlebutt Goes to War," a childhood favorite of mine. The 1943 picture book is the true story a dog who is wounded in World War II, and adopted by sailors and Marines. Scuttlebutt gets his name from the wheeled apparatus he uses to get around temporarily, having been injured.

Even as a kid, I apparently enjoyed military punnery. And stories about dogs in service.

Then, "Klinger: A Story of Honor and Hope," which tells how a horse from Iowa becomes a key part in honoring soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

Finally, "14 Cows for America," the story of how, following the attacks of September 11, a tribe in Kenya sought to comfort Americans with the gift of its most treasured possessions.

Between stories, more songs: "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain," then "This Land is Your Land."

Scientists grandly speak of a unified theory of forces, attractions that bind and connect all that is, from planet to particle. Some are strong forces. Some are weak. The way I understand it, some of the smallest are also the strongest, responsible for binding together such fundamental bits as protons and electrons. And, no doubt, snakes, snails, and puppy dog tails.

Even during the holidays, one need not look far to know that there is pain in the world. And hurt. And evil. But there is also peace—a peace that can be found in belly rubs and cocked ears, eager listeners and cradled babes.

Remember this, where'er the wheel of fortune takes you this holiday season: Every moment is a present. Every story, a gift.

Photo: Todd Cerveris

Vonnegut Library Launches Literary Journal

The board of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library, Indianapolis, Ind., has announced a new literary journal that will be published on Nov. 11, 2012. The date coincides with U.S. Veterans Day—sometimes still called "Armistice Day"—as well as the birthdate of the late Kurt Vonnegut. The journal will be titled "So It Goes," and the theme of the first issue will be "War and Peace."

Born Nov. 11, 1922 in Indianapolis, Kurt Vonnegut was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army, a writer of cuttingly satirical fiction and other works, and an artist of whimsical and cartoonish graphics. Captured during the Battle of the Bulge, he used his experiences as a prisoner of war during the firebombing of Dresden, Germany as inspiration for "Slaughterhouse Five." The book is often categorized as science-fiction, and one of his most popular works.

Authors and artists are invited to submit poetry, creative nonfiction, short fiction, original artwork, and/or photography in keeping with the issue's theme. Deadline for either electronic or paper submissions is Aug. 15. According to the journal's Facebook page:

We will accept new and previously published work (simultaneous submissions are allowed with notification) and will credit the original publisher for previously published works. Submissions are limited to one work of prose (maximum 1,500 words) or up to five poems, photographs, and/or works of art. 

Please format with double space, use 12 point Times New Roman font, and include a cover letter with a brief biography. Questions may be directed to: SoItGoes@vonnegutlibrary.org.

We will accept both electronic and paper submissions. Upload your electronic submissions through http://kvml.submittable.com/submit. Send paper submissions to: 

The Vonnegut Library
So It Goes Submissions
340 N. Senate Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46234

Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage for response. Submitted materials will not be returned.

Release of the first issue of "So It Goes" will coincide with a free and public event also sponsored by the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library: “Veterans Reclaim Armistice Day: Healing through the Humanities" will take place Nov. 11, 2012 at the Indiana War Memorial Auditorium. The event is part of the 17th Annual Spirit and Place Festival.

According to the Vonnegut library event's website, the event is "to spotlight the importance of the arts and humanities to help veterans both heal from and understand better their experience of war [...]"

It continues: "The program will explore how the arts and humanities can help veterans cope with the trauma of war [...] Veterans, notable writers, performers, philanthropists, family members, and those who are simply grateful to take part in a day of artistic expression will gather for one day of healing for hundreds of veterans and their families [...]"

Donations of $7 in support of the Vonnegut library event are welcomed here. (In the “comments” section of the online donation form, specify the amount should go toward the Armistice Day event.)