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Ben White is an author and professor. As he was serving his 22-year military career in the US Army and the US Coast Guard, and then again while earning his MFA from the University of Tampa, Ben thought he was a poet. He has since discovered he is not a poet at all, but rather a witness—and what he writes is testimony.
In this episode, we learn how this Kentucky boy became a “Cold War Warrior” serving overseas in Germany, as well as the impact his military experience and Kentucky roots have had on his writing. We also discuss his honest approach to writing, putting his military education funding to good use, being commanded by Vietnam veterans, the influence of other war writers, and the lasting impression of Nena’s song, 99 Red Balloons.
In this segment, Ben reads the following excerpts from Proud to Be:
“Cold Warriors” from PTB, Volume 6
“Recordings for Later Listening: Lost Rounds” from PTB, Volume 7
“Memorial Thoughts” from PTB, Volume 10
Proud to Be highlights veterans, military personnel, and family members published in Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors. Proud to Be is a creative writing anthology that preserves and shares our nation’s military experience through poetry, fiction, essay, interviews, and photography. The podcast will feature interviews with PTB contributors as we discover their military affiliation and the stories behind their PTB contributions.