There is no shortage of creatives in the military. They appear between the missions: volunteering to sing the national anthem, write articles for the wing, paint the squadron mural or sketch out the flight’s new logo. Once separated from service and facing the classic veteran question — “now what?” — it’s not uncommon for these creatives to consider careers in their passions.
But going from combat to creative isn’t often a switch that’s easily flipped. As military members, we spend years in a culture that feels contrary to creativity. Military life is rigid and structured, with small margins of error and limited opportunities to express personal emotions and individuality. Being a creative, on the other hand, requires the opposite: flexibility, individuality, experimentation and complete emotional involvement.
I know this because I am one of those creative veterans. The moment I separated, I found myself easing back into the creative person I’d been since birth — the person that I had put on hold to serve my country.
Thankfully there are organizations out there that recognize the value of military and veteran stories and provide opportunities for veterans to rediscover their creativity after service.
Here are five of my favorite free resources, across artistic disciplines to get you started on your journey from combat to creative.
United States Veterans’ Artists Alliance (USVAA)
The USVAA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping veterans pursue creative endeavors in a variety of disciplines to include writing, film and fine art. They hold a monthly virtual Veterans Writing Workshop where veterans can receive feedback on screenplays, short stories, or novel excerpts from professional writers and make connections with likeminded veterans. It’s been my experience that USVAA is also very connected within the art community and always in pursuit of new ways to help veterans. Its meetings regularly come with announcements on additional resources for vets such as the Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project, and is a great starting point for veterans jumping back into a creative industry.
Veterans in Media and Entertainment (VME)
The VME organization, and specifically its social media arm, VME Connect, is for veterans who are interested in the arts surrounding film and performance. It highlights industry jobs, internships, fellowships, mentorship opportunities and even film screenings open to veterans. While the website can sometimes be slow to update, its email lists and VME Connect are not. So whether you want to be an actor, stunt person, part of a film crew, or screenwriter, it’s worth checking out VME.
Operation Encore
For veteran musicians looking to step into a music career, the nonprofit Operation Encore is an amazing start. Named after the idea that life after service is limitless, Operation Encore works to develop veteran talent and amplify veteran voices. Unlike the previous organizations, Operation Encore holds rolling applications for participation, and those accepted receive loads of development, networking and performance opportunities for their music.
Not ready for the application? No problem! You can check out Operation Encore’s podcast and Spotify playlist for some inspiration.
Department of Veterans Affairs Whole Health Program
One of the best kept secrets within the veteran’s health care system is the Whole Health program. While it isn’t specifically geared towards helping veterans pursue creative careers, it is a great place for veterans to dip their toes back into art with a healing lens.
The VA Whole Health webpage specifies that Creative Art Therapies (also known as CATs) promote “psychosocial, physical, and cognitive health through Art, Dance/Movement, Drama, and Music Therapy.” Members who request it from their primary care doctor are assigned a Whole Health coach that pairs them with art programs beneficial for recovery and overall wellness. It’s also a great place for veterans to flex their creative muscles and try something new. As part of my Whole Health program, I’ve had the opportunity to try wood burning (pyrography), leather stamping, watercolor painting, music therapy and clay work.
And no, I won’t show you my creations.
Local resources for creative veterans
Finally, if none of the resources above are what you are looking for, many states and cities have local organizations dedicated to helping veteran artists. The best way to find these organizations is through word of mouth with other veterans, or by checking out the local military base’s newsletters which often keep tabs on community programs that help military and veterans. You can also try Internet key word searches using the word “veteran” coupled with the art discipline and city.
Moving from combat to creative is an endeavor to rebuild and strengthen the artistic you that’s always been there alongside your veteran past. While it may be daunting at first, it’s a worthy journey — and you never know where it could take you.
