Authors
Meet Our Veteran Authors
The Veterans Writing Group (VWG) is proud to showcase the talented voices of our veteran authors. Each individual brings a unique perspective shaped by their military experiences and personal journeys. From poetry to memoirs, their work reflects the resilience, creativity, and strength that define our community. Below is a list of our authors, along with links to their published works and biographies. Explore their stories, and discover the powerful narratives that our veterans have shared with the world.
Joseph Ashby is a native Coloradoan. The military has been a part of his life since he enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17 during the Korean War. In the 12 years that followed, he served as an aircrew "twigit" (aviation electronics) radio/radar/ecm member, was recalled during the Berlin Crisis, and then went to Officer Candidate School. After time off for "good behavior," Joe tried the Air Force through the Air National Guard as an operations tech and rose to 1st Sergeant, Chief Master Sergeant, and Command Chief. He retired with nearly 30 years of service. Since then, he has been actively involved in veterans’ services. He has also had careers in communications marketing, product management, firefighting, and over 20 years in training management with FEMA. A father of three daughters, Joe resides in Oceanside, California, where he still pursues military interests.
Vernita Black retired after serving 21 years in the United States Navy. Dr. Black served in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm. During her time in the military, Dr. Black earned her doctorate in Education Counseling. Her experience in education led her to become an author. Dr. Black is not only a dedicated author but also a poet at heart. In her collection of poems, An Inspiration of Life, Dr. Black offers her perspective on faith and life’s beauty. The poems reflect Dr. Black’s personal and professional ups and downs--both good and bad. She has published two books: Parents’ Perceptions of Their Adolescents’ Attitudes Towards Substance Use by Ethnic Difference, and Life’s Reflections: A Collection of Poems -- Serenity, Peace and Faith. She currently lives in southern California and hopes to become an inspirational writer helping with pain, stress and medical disabilities.
Tom Calabrese is a Marine Corps veteran who saw combat in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970. He is a prolific screenwriter and action/adventure fiction writer. His novel Some of the Best is available on Amazon. His short stories can be read at thevistapress.com.
Gail Chatfield’s father was a Marine on Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima; a favorite cousin was a Marine in Viet Nam. Her father never talked about the war to his daughter; the cousin wrote her lengthy, detailed letters. The two men fought different wars but shared the same Marine esprit de corps. Curious about what her father would have experienced in those island battles, Gail began attending the Iwo Jima veterans’ annual reunions at Camp Pendleton. Listening to the veterans’ stories of selfless heroism, unspeakable horror, battlefield humor and life-long Marine Corps values inspired her to preserve their personal narratives. Gail is a native of Southern California and received her Bachelor’s Degree from San Diego State University courtesy of the G.I. Bill.
A degree in Anthropology, the study of man and the role that culture exerts on individuals or groups, thoroughly prepared her for working in the exotic, fertile fields of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. Positions at AFTRA, the William Morris Agency and for nearly a decade the personal assistant to Farrah Fawcett, confirmed the theory that nothing beats reality for a good story.
Currently living in San Diego with her husband, Chatfield is a freelance writer and editorial columnist for the North County Times. She is an member of the Military Writers Society of America, American Historical Association and associate member of the Third Marine Division Association.
Glen Foss served as a junior naval officer from 1966—70 during the Vietnam conflict. His duty assignments in the western Pacific included a diesel-electric submarine and a mobile inshore undersea warfare (MIUWS) unit. After retiring from his civilian career as seagoing operations superintendent for the scientific Deep Sea Drilling Project and Ocean Drilling Program, he taught oceanography and geology courses in the local community colleges. He currently does some freelance editing and writes mostly fiction—for entertainment and “mental calisthenics.”
Shara French served 20 years in the Marine Corps, retiring as a Gunnery Sergeant. Ammunition Technician trained, she also was a Leadership Program Coordinator, facilitating Dr. Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” workshops, prior to retiring in 2001. After retirement, Shara pursued higher education, culminating in an MA in Literature and Writing Studies from California State University San Marcos in 2017. Her published works include the poems “Growing Meaning like Bean Seeds,” included in the university chapbook of May 2010, and “Molly Ann,” included in the university chapbook of May 2017.Her latest published work is her Master’s thesis, titled “Worlds Apart: An Evolving Woman, One Female Marine’s Assimilation into Patriarchal Spaces, and the Grief Coda, including Critical Introduction.” Shara is a member of the Woman Marine Association, as well as a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Maria Galvan-Dupree was born in San Mateo, CA and raised in Southern CA. She is the daughter of Atanacio and Carolina Galvan. Her father passed when she was 13 years old and the oldest of 5 siblings. Her single parent was instrumental in parenting her children to grow up educated, independent, and hard-working, productive individuals.
Maria Enlisted into the Active Army serving three years with 127 th Signal Bn at Fort Ord 7 th ID in Monterey CA. In 1992 she joined C Co 240 th SIgnal BN in the CA National Guard. With prior service, Maria eventually was commissioned into the Medical Field. She completed her command time on active duty with E Co Med 540 MSB at The National Training Center at Fort Irwin CA 2005. Maria spent the rest of her military service with the MED Det then with HHC 40th ID Los Alamitos California. Maria graduated with a degree in Counseling Psychology and worked with San Diego County for 13 years as a Mental Health Clinician. She is retired as a Major from service in 2012. Maria worked with combat Veterans for five years at a Vet Center before retiring from her civilian job. She is a 40 th ID Alumni. Her love of helping her fellow Veterans has led her to write her experiences.
Garry G. Garretson received his air crew wings and other air medals serving in the United States Navy from 1965 to 1969 as a Second-Class Petty Officer. He flew transportation and early warning flights in support of fleet units in the Gulf of Tonkin and Southeast Asia from 1967–1969. His unit was part of the famed “Typhoon Trackers,” which penetrated and tracked typhoons throughout the Pacific Ocean. He was an electronics technician and an in-flight radioman. Garry retired after a 40-year career with a Fortune 500 company, ARAMARK. Formerly a Marshfield (MA) School Committee member and Parks and Recreation Commissioner in Massachusetts, Garry stays busy as a member of several nonprofit boards supporting children, the Vista (CA) Planning Commission, and North Coast Church. He is married with three children and one grandson.
Captain Ron Pickett is a retired naval aviator with over 250 combat missions and 500 carrier landings. He was the commanding officer of a squadron and a Human Resource Management Center. His 90-plus articles have appeared in numerous publications. Ron’s areas of specialization are Leadership and Management development and customer relations, among others. He enjoys writing fiction and has published five books: Perfect Crimes – I Got Away with It, Discovering Roots, Getting Published, EMPATHS, and Sixty Odd Short Stories.
Terry Severhill was a dedicated poet whose work appeared in various journals including Damnfino, A Quiet Courage, and Soul-Lit. In 2016, he received the "Art Young’s Good Morning Memorial Award for Poetry" from Garbanzo Literary Journal. Born in the north woods of Upper Michigan, Terry was part Chippewa, part Scot, part Marine, and fully American. After serving in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, Terry settled in Vista, CA, where he continued to write, read at open mics, and volunteer. He passed away in December 2017, leaving behind a legacy of powerful, heartfelt poetry.
Frank served in the U. S. Army in Europe during World War II. Following his discharge, he attended medical school and was a physician in private practice in Pasadena, California for over 37 years. He was a strong supporter of the Veterans’ Writing Group and is greatly missed.
Stacey Thompson enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at age 17. She volunteered for her first overseas duty station to Okinawa, Japan in 1999. Shortly after her arrival to Okinawa, Stacey experienced sexual harassment in her workplace. In December 1999, she was raped by her superior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO). As a result of reporting the rape, she was retaliated against and separated from the Marines with an Other Than Honorable discharge. Over a decade later Stacey became a public advocate for survivors of military sexual assault. Although a disabled veteran herself, Stacey is also her husband’s full-time caregiver. In 2013, Stacey joined Senator Barbara Boxer in Los Angeles where she shared her story publicly for the first time. Her powerful speech led her to be invited by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in 2014 to speak in Washington, DC, in support of the Military Justice Improvement Act. Stacey graduated with honors and has a Master of Science Degree from the California University of Pennsylvania. She was featured in Veterans Coming Home, a documentary in conjunction with PBS of short films which depict the struggles disabled veterans face after coming home and reintegrating back into society. In January 2016, after four years of litigation, Stacey received a discharge upgrade from the Department of Defense which finally acknowledged her honorable military service and she is now receiving her veteran benefits. Her tenacity and perseverance is apparent in not only her character but, in her advocacy work as well. Stacey can gracefully articulate her experiences with MST and PTSD offering a unique understanding from both the veteran and caregiver perspective. Her success and commitment to advocacy thus far is certainly an indication of things to come.
Mike Wood, "The Worst Writer in the World," was born in Colorado, grew up in Louisiana, enlisted in the Marine Corps from Texas, and is currently raising his two boys in California.