Welcome!
Hello, and welcome to Veteran Variety! This blog is
dedicated to seeking out veteran stories and artwork and discussing them with
the public.
Ulysses S. Grant once said, “Because war… War never changes.”
I agree that in essence, war has not changed. War still consists of people on both sides fighting for something.
However, the way we fight wars has changed considerably and
is ever evolving. Men used to fight with swords and bows, then technology
advanced and firearms were the standard. Men have fought in woods, on oceans,
in the skies, and in trenches.
Another thing that has changed is who is fighting, and who received recognition for their role in service.
Previously, only white men could serve.
Later African Americans were allowed to join, though their treatment was not
the same as their white comrades.
Women were the next to be allowed to enlist, though only in
certain roles. Canine teams were used by the military before “Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell” was revoked, meaning dogs were welcome in the military before the LBGTQ+
community was.
I enlisted as a truck driver for the National Guard when I was seventeen.
By the time my contract ended six years later, I had been promoted to Staff Sergeant, served three years actively on orders, had traveled to over ten states, won several awards, and achieved several certifications.
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| JRTC 2018 |
However, being a young woman in a leadership role in a male dominated industry was not without its challenges.
My experiences in the military made me realize just how underrepresented military films, books, and artworks are.
That is why my goal is to find the stories
that are often not heard. I will continue from my previous work and discuss stories from veterans of minority groups. Veteran stories will always be popular, but I would like to make sure that all of the stories are being told.
If you have any film, book, or artwork recommendations, please feel free to share them so I can feature them here and get the discussion going!
