USVAA

While the overall population of U.S. veterans is declining, many issues persist within the veteran community.

Transitioning from the military to civilian life is one thing that many struggle with.

On this week’s “In Focus SoCal,” host Tanya McRae meets with the female veterans who are part of an organization called the U.S. Veterans’ Artists Alliance, which is bringing veterans in the arts and entertainment industries together and helping them find job opportunities.

“Being a veteran is a very unique thing,” said Jennifer Conway, who served in the Army as a logistics officer and is now a full-time painter. “I think that it’s something in your past that definitely is part of who you are in the everyday.”

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We will embark on an easy to moderate 2 mile group hike in Topanga Canyon State Park. Along the way, the group will be led in a few art exercises intended to connect with different creative callings and ways of expression.

The discussion, led by best-selling author, Ken Pisani, will focus on the publication of Top Cow Comics new comic book, SOLDIER STORIES. The discussion panel features military veterans Jalysa Conway, Megan Ferrell Burke, and Brian Anthony along with Matt Hawkins, the publisher of Top Cow Comics.

SOLDIER STORIES features four compelling tales of military conflict, all written by veterans who served from the Vietnam era to Afghanistan. These first-person accounts of real-life warfare have been reimagined across a variety of genres, from sci-fi to horror to personal memoirs. What’s it like to wait out a chemical attack? How does it feel to abandon your allies? In a world of push-button warfare, has killing gotten too easy? How do you go on when the war is over, but the struggle is not? These are personal stories, compelling stories, stories that will haunt and surprise you. Because every soldier has a story.

Programming begins with Adelante Lab inaugural directing fellow Nicole Mejia’s debut feature, A Place in the Field, which tells the story of an Afghanistan war veteran processing and mourning the death of his best friend. The film “tackles the issue of PTSD in veterans through the vessel of magical realism and the lens of female-filmmakers,” says Mejia. The block opens with short film Til It Blooms, a beautiful meditation on grief from Writer-Director Wendy Xu.

The evening’s finale is InFocus: Veteran Cinema Shorts, which spotlights the talent of military veterans in front of and behind the camera in a program covering diverse stories and filmmaking styles in genres that span across sci-fi, drama, thriller, and experimental!

Jeffrey Nachmanoff – Jeffrey Nachmanoff is a writer, producer, and director. Born in Arlington, VA, he spent his high school years overseas, attending the American School of London. He’s known for Traitor, The Day After Tomorrow, and Replicas. Other writing credits include: Chicago P.D., Legends, Hostages. His directing credits include Lovecraft Country, Replicas, and The Brace.

Timothy Wurtz is a screenwriter, a USVAA Colleague and the Publisher at Onward Press, an imprint of USVAA.

Bianca Sams – Bianca Sams is a Writer-Producer-Actor. Her writing credits include: Charmed, Don’t Look Deeper, Titans, The Originals and Training Day. She is Co-Executive Producer of Illegal Aliens, a new show in pre-production. Bianca graduated from New York University’s Tisch School with a BFA in Acting & Dramatic Writing. She also studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and has an MFA in Playwriting from Ohio University.

Timothy Wurtz is a screenwriter, a USVAA Colleague and the Publisher at Onward Press, an imprint of USVAA.

Ed Bernero – Ed Bernero is a writer-producer known for CRIMINAL MINDS, THIRD WATCH, BROOKLYN SOUTH, CROSSING LINES, among others. Prior to becoming a writer, Ed spent ten years as a night beat cop with the Chicago Police Department.

Timothy Wurtz is a screenwriter, a USVAA Colleague and the Publisher at Onward Press, an imprint of USVAA.

Karen Struck – Prior to screenwriting, Karen Struck worked as an RN in the intensive care unit and as a national healthcare risk management consultant. She has written both television films and episodic dramas, including MONDAY MORNINGS, THE NIGHT SHIFT, THE GOOD DOCTOR, and most recently, on Hank Steinberg/Fifty Cent’s drama FOR LIFE.

She is a two-time Humanitas Prize finalist. For an episode of MONDAY MORNINGS co-written with David E. Kelley, and for her Hallmark film, CHARLIE AND ME.

Karen lives in Westlake Village, CA.

Timothy Wurtz is a screenwriter, a USVAA Colleague and the Publisher at Onward Press, an imprint of USVAA.

Marc Klein has written many well-known screenplays, including the romantic comedy classic Serendipity, as well as A Good Year, directed by Ridley Scott. His upcoming film,The In Between, stars Joey King and is based on his novel of the same name. Klein resides in Los Angeles.

Timothy Wurtz is a screenwriter, a USVAA Colleague and the Publisher at Onward Press, an imprint of USVAA.

Marc Klein (left) and Timothy Wurtz (right)

For more information and tickets, please visit: https://www.newfilmmakersla.com/events/event/october-16th-2021-monthly-film-festival-infocus-veteran-cinema/

Michelle Kholos Brooks is an award-winning playwright. Her awards and distinctions include the Susan Glaspell Award for Hitler’s Tasters, the Reva Shiner Comedy Award for Kalamazoo, co-written by Kelly Younger. Hitler’s Tasters was also named ‘Best of Fringe’ at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by The Stage UK. The filmed stage version of Hitler’s Tasters was listed as a Must-Watch by the LA Times and selected for The Kilroys: The List 2020. Hostage was a finalist for the Woodward/Newman Drama Award, The Fratti-Newman Political Play Contest and a Showcase finalist for the National New Play Network. Chair received second place in the Firehouse Theatre Festival of New American Plays.

Plays have been produced and/or developed at a number of theaters including Arena Stage, the Skylight Theatre (World Premiere, Hostage) Centenary Stage (World Premiere, Hitler’s Tasters), Pacific Resident Theatre, Adirondack Theatre Festival, Bloomington Playwright’s Project (Rolling World Premiere, Kalamazoo), The Colony Theatre (World Premiere, Family Planning), Boston Court Theatre, The Road Theatre Company, Wordsmyth Theatre, Venue 9 Theatre, Laurel Grove Theatre Company, 59E59th St. Theatre, Olive Theatre; Greenside at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and The Electric Lodge.

Publications include Dramatists Play Service, Room literary magazine and The Daily Beast. Brooks earned a B.A. from Emerson College and an M.F.A. in Fiction from Otis College of Art and Design. She is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America, The Playwright’s Center and Pacific Resident Theatre. In addition, she is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.

Sam Wolfson is a playwright and screenwriter. His many credits include TALL GIRL I and II and JEWTOPIA. He is a USVAA Colleague and USVAA/Onward Press Veteran Writers Workshop Mentor.

Michelle Kholos Brooks (left) and Sam Wolfson (right)

Miska, a leading advocate for Afghan and Iraqi Military Interpreters and author of the new memoir “Baghdad Underground Railroad” (Onward Press) speaks with CNN’s Michael Holmes about the Kabul airport attack and continuing to evacuate wartime allies from Afghanistan.

Click on the blue play button on the embedded Tweet to watch the video. 

The #Kabul attack has put even more pressure on efforts to get #SIV wartime allies out of #Afghanistan, says Col (ret) @SteveMiska. Veterans are hearing harrowing stories from translators and others who fear they’re being left behind to be killed by the #Taliban pic.twitter.com/qITzFggo8A

— Michael Holmes (@holmescnn) August 27, 2021

A coalition of veterans and nonprofit organizations are helping not only U.S. citizens get out of Afghanistan, but also the people of Afghanistan who helped us troops carry out their mission for the past 20 years and their families.

Retired Army Col. Steve Miska, who served three combat tours in Iraq, is at the helm of the Evacuate Our Allies operation center in downtown L.A. He ran a similar underground mission to get interpreters and their families out of Iraq.

“As veterans, and these are somebody who went on patrol with us every day, we feel we owe them. They saved our lives, we’re going to take them with us,” Miska said.

Aaron Carew is a writer and television producer.

In the military, Aaron served in the Army for seven years, most of which was at Fort Campbell. Go Screaming Eagles! He completed two tours in Iraq and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant in 2009.

Soon thereafter, Aaron made the transition into screenwriting. A graduate of USC Film School’s Peter Stark Producing Program, Aaron was personally chosen byMichael Mann to work with on his most recent feature for Universal Pictures.

Aaron was a writer on Fox’s Lethal Weapon, Taken, Dirty John (for which he was nominated for a Writers Guild Award), L.A.’s Finest, the upcoming Power spinoff, FORCE and is currently a writer/supervising producer on Walker, the CW reboot of
Walker, Texas Ranger.

Aaron completed the Veterans Writing Project retreat in 2011 and has since continued to be deeply involved in the veteran/writing community. He’s also a new dad to baby, Maya!

Timothy Wurtz is a screenwriter, USVAA Colleague, a co-founder, and the Publisher of Onward Press, an imprint of USVAA.

Aaron Carew (left) and Timothy Wurtz (right)

Help support the most bipartisan issue on the hill concerning veterans: the effort to exfiltrate thousands of translators and their families from Afghanistan before their inevitable slaughter. These Afghan allies have laid their lives down for our sons and daughters and it’s time we support them with a safe haven. To withdraw with dignity, respecting the military’s ethos of leave no one behind. For more information on what you can do, purchase Baghdad Underground Railroad, the debut memoir from veteran author Col. Steve Miska (ret.). Baghdad Underground Railroad is available for purchase on Amazon and was published by Onward Press, the publishing imprint of USVAA.

Steve Miska is the Director of the nonprofit First Amendment Voice. Since retiring as a Colonel after 25 years of service in the military and three combat tours in Iraq, Steve founded Servant Leader Citizen Consulting, Inc. which helps clients understand national security and counterterrorism issues in an increasingly global environment. Previously, he served in the White House as a Director for Iraq on the National Security Council. In 2007, he led a team that established an underground railroad for dozens of interpreters from Baghdad to Amman to the United States. He earned top academic honors as a Counterterrorism Fellow at the College of International Security Affairs and has taught national security at Marine Corps War College.

Maria Ferrari is the Executive Producer/Creator of the hit CBS series UNITED STATES OF AL.

Maria began her career as a script coordinator for the television series “Blue Collar TV” and “How I Met Your Mother,” on the Network. She went on to write multiple scripts for both shows before joining “The Bill Engvall Show” as a staff writer.

Next, Ferrari joined “The Big Bang Theory,” on the Network, where she rose to executive producer and was nominated for three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series. Additional television credits include “Young Sheldon,” also on the Network.

Ferrari is a graduate of Northwestern University and resides in Los Angeles.

Timothy Wurtz is a screenwriter, USVAA Colleague, a co-founder, and the Publisher of Onward Press, an imprint of USVAA.

Maria Ferrari (left) and Timothy Wurtz (right)

Monday, June 28 at 9:00am ET

The longest war in U.S. history is coming to an end with the planned withdrawal from Afghanistan. But what and whom will America be leaving behind?

Join Washington Post Live on Monday, June 28 at 9:00am ET, when columnist David Ignatius interviews General David Petraeus (Ret.), the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Col. Steve Miska, author of “Baghdad Underground Railroad: Saving American Allies in Iraq” (Onward Press/USVAA) and Fraidoon Akhtari about the withdrawal and his concerns regarding the personal safety of Afghans who helped America on the ground for much of the past two decades. Petraeus will lay out his fear of an “indelible stain” on the U.S. unless we take care of those who helped us, including interpreters and contract workers.

To Register for this event please visit Washington Post Live.

Miska, a leading advocate for Afghan and Iraqi Military Interpreters and author of the new memoir “Baghdad Underground Railroad” (Onward Press) speaks with CNN’s Michael Holmes about what the United States owes its allies in-country allies in Afghanistan ahead of U.S. withdrawal.

Click on the blue play button on the embedded Tweet to watch the video. 

The lives of #translators who worked for the US military in #Iraq and #Afghanistan are on the line – and they feel abandoned by the US govt. Many have already died because of their service. Colonel (ret) @SteveMiska is one of many fighting to get them out before it’s too late. pic.twitter.com/CVhKLzWyK3

— Michael Holmes (@holmescnn) May 23, 2021

We may never know the full toll of the post-9/11 wars. The staggering cost of the two-decade-long conflict, and its future consequences, are only just beginning to be understood as the United States prepares to fully withdraw troops from Afghanistan and Iraq before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. As the final chapter of America’s longest war nears, what are the biggest problems facing veterans returning home? What does it mean to be a military vet in the U.S. today? And what does the U.S. government owe local allies, such as the translators and interpreters who served alongside American forces?

Steve Miska, a United States Army veteran who retired as a Colonel after 25 years in the Army, led the “Baghdad Underground Railroad” that helped dozens of interpreters escape sectarian violence in 2007. The author of a new book chronicling that experience, Baghdad Underground Railroad: Saving American Allies in Iraq, he is currently the executive director of First Amendment Voice, and conducts pro bono work to support nonprofits that help former interpreters. Miska visits Zócalo to discuss the cost of war.

Steve Miska (left) and Emma Sky (right)

USA TODAY – As U.S. troops exit Afghanistan, ‘leave no one behind’ must include military interpreters

In Iraq, I witnessed our former interpreters, their families, and other allies in a fight for their lives.

San Clemente Times – Local Veteran Publishes Book on Operation to Save Foreign Allies

Jalysa Conway spent five years working as a Cyber Warfare Officer in the U.S. Air Force, and has been read into things that’d make you want to crap your pants. Since then, she’s traded in her Top Secret Clearance for a career as a professional television writer. She has written for GREY’S ANATOMY and POWER BOOK IV: INFLUENCE, a short-lived spinoff of Starz’s top drama. She currently writes for Fox’s #1 new drama, 9-1-1: LONE STAR. But true to her inner nerdy self, she has also freelanced for LAST KIDS ON EARTH, an animated Netflix zombie series for kids, and has written a futuristic action short for SOLDIER STORIES, a Top Cow military veteran-themed comic anthology. Her life’s goals are world domination and to bring fresh, diverse, and inclusive tales to genre television.

Timothy Wurtz is a screenwriter, USVAA Colleague, and the Publisher of Onward Press, a publishing imprint of USVAA.

Jalysa Conway (left) and Timothy Wurtz (right)

USVAA’s publishing imprint, Onward Press, is proud to present our latest book, Baghdad Underground Railroad by Steve Miska. In this compelling memoir that illustrates humanity and compassion in the midst of war, Steve Miska highlights the plight of local allies, who are essential to the American cause in foreign wars but are often left behind. He also offers an insider’s look at the complex and frustrating political reality of Iraq facing U.S. commanders and policymakers following the downfall of Saddam Hussein.

You can read more about the book and purchase it on Amazon.

Tony Camerino is a writer known for his work on all five seasons of the hit CBS drama Person of Interest. He has written on three other television dramas (A.P.B, Taken, and The Enemy Within), and developed original projects for Netflix, Amazon, and Fox. His feature script Landslide (co-written with Will Staples), based on his military memoir How to Break a Terrorist, made the 2015 Blacklist. He also authored Kill or Capture (St. Martin’s Press).

Camerino is a combat veteran (Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq) and retired with 20 years of service in the Air Force and Air Force Reserves. As a senior military interrogator for a Special Operations Task Force in Iraq, he personally conducted or supervised over 1,300 interrogations. Camerino was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his achievements, including leading the interrogations that located Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, the notorious Al Qaeda leader and ISIS founder, who was killed in a subsequent airstrike. An outspoken critic of torture, he frequently appears as an interrogations expert on television and radio and has published Op-Eds in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and a cover story, “Martyrdom, Interrupted,” in The National Interest. Camerino has trained U.S. Army interrogators, US Marshals, and foreign interrogators from 15 countries. He is also a Fellow at UCLA’s Burkle Center for International Relations.

Sam Wolfson is an established screenwriter, playwright, and actor. He’s the co-creator of JEWTOPIA, one of the longest running and fastest recouping productions in Off-Broadway history. Wolfson co-penned the book based on the play, Jewtopia: The Chosen Book for the Chosen People, and co-wrote the screenplay for the 2012 JEWTOPIA movie adaptation starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Wolfson’s second original comedy play, PLAYDATES, ran for over a year in Los Angeles to sold-out crowds. He wrote for all three seasons of the hit MTV drama “Finding Carter.” He served as both writer and co-producer all for three seasons of the groundbreaking Disney Channel comedy “Andi Mack,” which introduced the first gay character in Disney Channel history.

For any questions please contact Keith Jeffreys at keith.jeffreys@usvaa.org

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