Your Experience....Your Story....Your War.

Submitted by Bobby Dolan

We recently learned of more base closings in Iraq, and for me as an artist and spouse of a veteran, this is deeply troubling.  This comes on the heels of our expedition team being informed that we are being restricted to much fewer areas around Iraq due to a lack of interest among the units currently deployed.  Knowing that with each closing we lose that much more artwork done by our military and others, we feel the need to make a plea to get more participation from those that are deployed.  We know this is not an easy task as you are not there to be photographers but to do a job, and we are not asking that you sacrifice your obligations, but there are over 50,000 troops still deployed.  If we can get just one of you on each post to take a few pictures of graffiti you see, we can ensure that it is sealed in time for future generations to experience. 

Many may ask why this is important.  Our answer is simple, this artwork represents a piece of history, your history, a moment in time through your perspective.  It’s something that represents the lives of those who were there; the visual explanation of the lives of soldiers, airmen, marines, local nationals who didn't survive, and it’s something that needs to be preserved as a tool to learn and grow as individuals and as a nation. 

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Submitted by Rebecca Zimmerman

We’ve seen all the artwork that’s been sent in, much of it we haven't posted yet, and there are some amazing and extraordinary talents among the military community and beyond.  The memorials that have been created, murals, little signs, the list goes on and on, and to imagine the incredible works of art that might get trashed like yesterday’s news is heart wrenching.  Some of these took a lot of time and I can only imagine that’s not something easy to come by while dat war.  I would think that the families of the fallen would love to see photos of artwork that was done in  remembrance of their loved one by the men and women who knew them in a way no other did.  Then there are the random pieces of art that express the uncensored emotions of war, the “words of wisdom”, slogans, rhymes, poems, and spontaneously jotted down by those of you who lived it and many who died because of it.  It’s our responsibility to document them before they are forever lost.

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Submitted by Luis Jurado, Jr.

In addition, there is the fact that this art can be studied as a reference tool for the development of art therapy that is geared toward veterans and service members.  Documenting the images of this art is a joint goal of ours; we want to get art therapy out there as a more readily available treatment for those veterans and service members returning with the invisible wounds of war not just the visible.  We want those who are interested in these alternative means of healing to be able to use their painting, writing, singing, or dancing to express themselves, to heal, to grow, to find a sense of stability and peace in their lives.  With our partners we want to focus on bringing the community into the picture, and use your art to help our society better understand what you went through.  We want to showcase your art for the world to see, and perhaps even help develop it into forms of income for those veterans struggling financially out there.  The number of veterans who are homeless and living paycheck to paycheck are staggering, and if this could not only help these veterans heal, but also create opportunities for them to provide for themselves and their families, it’s worth our focus.  I hope that any of you that are deployed and reading this can find time to snap a few photos for something that is a duty of ours as a nation to take care of our veterans, it’s a great cause, but more importantly… it’s your story! 

This story is your story and needs to be told, not by politicians or policy makers, but by those who survived and by the brothers and sisters-in-arms of those who didn't.  It is up to US to ensure what has been created, will not be lost by the sands of time, but will be here for future generations to learn from and to be inspired by.

Melissa "Mel" Parsons

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Melissa “Mel” Parsons is a co-founder of the Graffiti of War Project and the executive director of the Graffiti of War Foundation.  She will be sharing her thoughts and experiences as a military wife and spouse of a combat veteran in the hopes of shedding some light on the issues facing military and veteran families. 

Have specific issues or questions that you would like addressed?  Email Mel at mel@graffitiofwar.com or post your comments  on this blog or through our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/graffitiofwar

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