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UD writers to help soldiers record their stories McKay Jenkins, associate professor of English and author of “The Last Ridge” about the exploits of the U.S. Army’s elite 10th Mountain Division during World War II, and Marilyn Nelson, professor of English, are among 16 writers who will visit military posts in June to work with the soldiers. Operation Homecoming, which is being conducted in cooperation with the Department of Defense, will provide for both oral and written works. There is real energy behind this program from the highest levels of government, Jenkins said, noting that the April 20 launch was attended by Gen. Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Paul Wolfowitz, the deputy secretary of defense. The idea for Operation Homecoming originated in a conversation between Nelson and Dana Gioia, the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, at a conference of state poets laureate in April 2003. The conversation turned to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the very different worlds of literature and military service, and resulted in a project that combines the two.
The project has special meaning for Jenkins because he has been assigned to work with soldiers at Fort Drum, N.Y., home of the 10th Mountain Division about which he wrote. He also has a leg up on other participants because he has experience speaking with and reading the letters of those who served in combat. Jenkins said he believes the project will have benefits for both the military personnel and for the writers, who he says can learn a lot from the men and women who served on the front line, rather than just sitting back and thinking abstractly about war. For the soldiers involved, he expects they might have a less simplistic view of war, having served. It is likely they will have all kinds of impressions of war, some very patriotic, some very cynical, Jenkins said. There will be stories of heroism and stories of tragedy.
There is a richness to real life experiences, and they will have incredible stories to tell, Jenkins said. They may not know techniques to get those experiences down on paper, and thats where we can lend a hand. The fact that the Department of Defense has thrown its weight behind the project is impressive and somewhat surprising, Jenkins said, because once back from the front and off the leash, the soldiers can say anything. Jenkins said it is a great honor to be asked by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Department of Defense to participate in the project. There have long been strained relations between the military and the arts communities, he said, adding, This is a great opportunity in which writers can help soldiers learn to express themselves to people who think differently than they do. Article by Neil Thomas To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |