This past week, I had the honor to assist at the  2nd National Military Experience and the Arts Symposium, held at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma. Jason Poudrier, an United States Army Veteran, Author, and University Professor, was inspired to bring the work of MEA, a national non-profit organization, to Lawton, Oklahoma. 
          Why Lawton? Lawton, Oklahoma is the city that surrounds Ft. Sill.  Ft. Sill is one of the larger military installations in the Midwest. It is also a hub for training, and thus is host to many young and new military members. 

The symposium lasted four days and offered over 70 workshops to help veterans and their families using the therapeutic benefits gained from expression through the arts. Some of the topics that were covered included fiction and nonfiction writing, poetry, film-making, visual arts, comic book design, flute-making, and art as therapy.  
             One of my favorite workshops was about publishing, and was taught by famed military blogger and journalist, Randy "Charlie Sherpa" Brown of redbullrising.com.  In the workshop, Charlie Sherpa discussed how to survive as a freelancer,  how to gain a credible voice, and how to develop and maintain a focus.  In addition to the wealth of free knowledge and mentoring, participants had access to veterans organizations such as the DAV and the Vet Center- a free counseling service offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Participants also had the opportunity to record oral history, access a Women Veterans Retreat Room, One-on-One Consulting, and help for survivors of military sexual trauma ( MST) . 
Which reminds me, have you seen the movie Invisible War?  A former military police officer in the Air Force and a survivor of MST who appeared in that movie,  Dr. Miatte Wells , held a discussion to share her experience and create dialogue for solutions.

As if the informative workshops and free food were not enough, once the sun set, entertaining and Broadway style performances emerged for the benefit of communal healing. Exit 12 , a dance company  founded by a Marine veteran and professional classical ballet dancer, told the stories of romance, sacrifice, helplessness, and hope by illustrating the life of two brothers deploying to war, returning home, adjustment with PTSD, and reconciliation with Middle Eastern children.