Iowa Reveiw Veterans Features

The Iowa Review 45.1 features winners and runners-up of their second Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans writing contest, judged by Anthony Swofford, author of Jarhead and former U.S. Marine. This creative writing contest for U.S. military veterans and active duty personnel is hosted by The Iowa Review and made possible by a gift from the family of Jeff Sharlet (1942–69), a Vietnam veteran and antiwar writer and activist. The contest is open to veterans and active duty personnel writing in any genre and about any subject matter.

First Place ($1000)
Katherine Schifani, “Pistol Whip” (nonfiction)

Second Place ($750)
Brian Van Reet, “The Chaff” (fiction)

Runners-up ($500)
Terry Hertzler (poetry)
M.E. Hope (poetry)
James Walley (fiction)

The issue also includes two photo essay features, Stacy L. Pearsall Veterans Portrait Project and Mary F. Calvert The Battle Within: Sexual Assault in America’s Military. Both are exceptional contributions to our culture’s understanding of military community and the effects of foreign war and domestic violence.