WASHINGTON, April 23 (UPI) -- The National Endowment for the Arts said Thursday it is setting up writing workshops to encourage veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan to pen their war experiences.
The program, titled "Operation Homecoming," already has obtained the services of such outstanding authors as Tom Clancy and Jeff Shaara, including some who themselves are veterans, according to Dana Gioia, chairman of the endowment. The workshops are being set up with the cooperation of the Department of Defense and the sponsorship of the Boeing Company, Gioia said.
The NEA hopes to turn veterans' memories into memoirs, novels, short stories, verse, and essays. Some of the workshops will be held at military bases overseas, yet to be announced. The best results from the workshops will be published in 2005 in an anthology to be made available to military installations, schools, and libraries, and sold in bookstores.
Gioia said the project will accept submissions through Dec. 31.
