Beyond the Frontlines: Veterans in the Humanities

Jarrod Taylor is a combat veteran and served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army from 2000-2009. He completed four deployments, including tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. In this episode, we learn how military service has impacted Jarrod’s life and how his students respond when finding out he is a veteran. We discover how a journal he carried during service, a class called, “War Stories,” and a music video called, “Sadr City” have all led him down a path of writing about his military experiences.

Show Notes

Jarrod Taylor is a combat veteran and served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army from 2000-2009. He completed four deployments, including tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2013, he received a Bachelor of Arts in History with Secondary Teacher Certification from Eastern Illinois University, and now has a Master of Arts in Education and an Education Specialist Degree from University of the Cumberlands. Jarrod has taught middle school history and high school English and social studies.

In this episode, we learn how military service has impacted Jarrod’s life and how his students respond when finding out he is a veteran. We discover how a journal he carried during service, a class called, “War Stories,” and a music video called, “Sadr City” have all led him down a path of writing about his military experiences. Tune in as we discuss the significance of “Section 60” and the mysterious “woman in blue.”  

In this segment, Jarrod reads the following excerpts from Proud to Be: 

“Escort” from PTB, Volume 2
“Section 60” from PTB, Volume 5

What is Beyond the Frontlines: Veterans in the Humanities?

Drawing on the legacy of Proud to Be, Missouri Humanities is thrilled to release "Beyond the Frontlines: Veterans in the Humanities." Hosted by Missouri Humanities Program Coordinator and Marine Corps Veteran Nick Lopez, this podcast explores veterans’ experiences during their military service and how that service led them to art, poetry, prose and the preservation of history and culture.

Disclaimer: This podcast contains themes of war and violence, and the use of adult language. Discretion is advised. If you are a veteran in crisis please call the Veteran Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.

Episodes 1-9: "Proud to Be" highlights veterans, military personnel, and family members published in Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors. Proud to Be (PTB) is a creative writing anthology that preserves and shares our nation’s military experience through poetry, fiction, essay, interviews, and photography. This season interviews PTB contributors as we discover their military affiliation and the stories behind their PTB contributions.