Books & authors

Stories and poems, in veterans' own words.

Our anthologies collect the voices of the men and women who served. Every purchase helps VWG keep workshops free and put books into the hands of veterans, hospitals and libraries.

Book I

Away for the Holidays

Veterans recall holidays spent far from home, from World War II battlefields to Kandahar.

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Book II

Listen Up!

Stories and poems by 27 authors from every branch, spanning several decades and five conflicts.

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Book III

Stories That Must Be Told

From World War II to the War on Terror: life in the military, from the tragic to the everyday.

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Book IV

At Ease!

Heroic events, quiet moments and honest reflections on what military service leaves behind.

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Book V

A Seat at the Table

Stories and poems by veterans, from humorous anecdotes to deeply felt reflections on service.

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Book VI

Title to be confirmed

Our sixth anthology is in development. Details will be shared here once they are confirmed.

Coming soon

Brian Sanchez holds a VWG anthology at the USS Midway Museum

Books in the community

VWG donates its publications to veterans' homes, military bases, hospitals and libraries, so that the stories of our veterans are shared and preserved.

You can also support our writers with VWG shirts and gifts from our online shop.

Visit the VWG shop

Author spotlights

Meet our veteran authors

Each writer brings a perspective shaped by military service and a life lived afterward.

Joe AshbyEnlisted in the Navy at 17 during the Korean War and later rose to Command Chief in the Air National Guard, retiring with nearly 30 years of service.
Bob BechillRetired Navy Supply Corps Captain who now advises veterans on employment and careers.
Vernita BlackNavy veteran of 21 years who served in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm. Author and poet.
Thomas CalabreseMarine Corps veteran who saw combat in Vietnam. Screenwriter and action and adventure novelist.
Gail ChatfieldVWG co-founder. Her father's service as a Marine on Iwo Jima inspired her to preserve veterans' personal narratives.
Glen FossJunior naval officer during the Vietnam conflict, later an oceanography teacher. Writes mostly fiction.
Shara FrenchRetired Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant with an MA in Literature and Writing Studies. Poet.
Maria Ysela Galvan-DupreeRetired Army Major and mental health clinician who spent years working with combat veterans.
Robert A. GansMarine Corps infantry captain, awarded the Bronze Star with Combat "V" and three Purple Hearts.
Garry GarretsonNavy air crewman with the "Typhoon Trackers" in the Pacific, 1965 to 1969. VWG President Emeritus.
Alexa Kingaard
Armen KurdianRetired Navy Captain and E-2C Naval Flight Officer whose stories lean light-hearted, with a life lesson tucked inside.
Jim McDonough Jr.Coast Guard deck watch officer and rescue coordination controller, then four decades in corporate IT.
Joe O'LoughlinAuthor of the Age of Sail adventure novels Gallagher's Prize and Gallagher's Pride.
Ron PickettRetired naval aviator with over 250 combat missions and 500 carrier landings. Author of five books.
Dante PuccettiArmy artillery surveyor in Vietnam, 1968 to 1969, later a counselor and research analyst at the VA.
Douglas Schanzenbach
Terry SeverhillMarine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War and award-winning poet, remembered for powerful, heartfelt work.
Vern Smith
Frank SuttonServed in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II, then practiced medicine for over 37 years. Greatly missed.
Stacey ThompsonMarine Corps veteran and public advocate for survivors of military sexual assault.
Mike VopatekWest Point graduate, Ranger and paratrooper who served as an advisor to the Vietnamese Army in 1967 and 1968.
Michael WoodMarine Corps veteran and self-described "Worst Writer in the World."
Bob Yonan

Your story matters. Start where you are.

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