Beyond the Frontlines: Veterans in the Humanities

Billy Jenkins is a Pittsburgh-based writer and a 28-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, where he retired as a Sergeant Major. He is a City of Pittsburgh Firefighter with over 22 years of service. In 2015, he earned his MFA in Creative Writing from Chatham University. In addition to writing, Billy is an actor and has appeared on TV, in movies, and on stage.

In this episode, we learn what drew Billy to service at the age of 17, about his 2003 deployment following 9-11, how a conversation over MREs (Meals, Ready-to-Eat) inspired him to pursue writing, and how his writings speak to the memory of his father and his own military experience. We also discuss the expectations of “the eve of” a thing, his “Barney-style” of writing, on being a “spork”, the collaboration of veterans and the arts, and the benefits from acting vs. writing.

In this segment, Billy reads the following excerpts from Proud to Be:
“Going Home” from PTB, Volume 6
“The Night Before” from PTB, Volume 10

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.