Trina Mioner
Trina Mioner, a proud veteran of the U.S. Army who participates in a writer’s support group at the V.A. in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has been being published multiple times in Veterans’ Voices Magazine and winning two awards for her submissions. Writing is a form of relaxation and reflection for Trina.
Brant Parker III
Brant Parker III, is a writer, retired soldier, and father of three. He is the author of two stories, recently published in Veterans’ Voices and won the Larry Chambers Spirit Award. Brant served in the US Army with 25 yrs of distinction and a combat veteran of the Gulf War. He served with the 1st Calvary “Task Force Iron Horse” as a combat medic. His other duties included Career Counselor and US Army Recruiter. He enjoys writing, riding his motorcycle, and restoring a truck that belonged to his Grandfather. He resides in Trenton, Ohio.
Lisa Williams
Lisa Williams, is a disabled United States Marine Corps Veteran. She participates in the Women’s Writing Class at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center. While serving in the early 1970’s, during the Vietnam Era, Lisa’s duties included Communications and Administration. Her degrees include a Master of Organizational Leadership (MSOL) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA).
Richard McFarland
Richard served in the US Navy from 1972 to 1975. He served aboard the USS John F. Kennedy as an Aviation Ordnanceman.
William Stokes
William Stokes is retired U.S. Army Reserve Soldier who served for 27 years from August, 1993 until July 2020. Fourteen of those years as on Active Guard & Reserve (AGR) status. William served two tours in South West Asia during OEF/OIF earning him the status of Combat Veteran. During his time in the service, William earned three MOS’s Still Documentation/ Video Production Specialist, Cable/Wire System Installer and Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic, and served in several key leadership roles such as Cable Team Leader, Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant and Motor Sergeant. William and his wife Alisha have been together for 27 years and have four children and three grandchildren.
Sharon Portell
I am a disabled Air Force veteran attending the Woman’s Writers Group at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center. I retired at the age of 38 back in 2006 as a Master Sergeant. I was among the first Airmen to wear the Maternity Battle Dress Uniform back in the 1990’s. Military service was the greatest joy and trauma of my lifetime.
Pete Steciow, Jr.
Pete served in the US Army from 1968 until 1970, leaving with the rank of Staff Sergeant after NCOC Infantry School at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He did is Basic Training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky and completed Advanced Individual Training Infantry at Ft. Polk, Louisiana. In Vietnam, he was a member of III Corps, stationed at the remote fire base, Mole City and Tay Ninh. Pete was part of the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment and 25th Infantry Division at Chu Chi. Pete continues to serve working as a volunteer in several veteran based service organizations.
DeAnna Erdmann
DeAnna Erdmann was born and raised in California. She joined the Army in October 2003 and served faithfully for seven years. DeAnna deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. An armament repairer by MOS, she was also a member of her units’ convoy security detachment and spent much of her deployments pulling security as different neighborhoods were built around Baghdad.
DeAnna is married to Josh and they have three beautiful daughters. She is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University with a Bachelors in Integrative Studies.
Elizabeth (Beth) Meyer
Beth retired from the Air Force after serving for twenty years 1985-2005. She grew up in Mt. Washington, a suburb outside of Cincinnati, Ohio and currently lives in a suburb between Cincinnati and Dayton. She is married to Philip and they share two children. After her military service, Beth started a new career in the banking industry.
Susan Brooks
Susan was born in Germany and moved extensively as her father’s career in the Air Force took him all over the world. They ended up in Dayton, Ohio at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Susan graduated from the University of Dayton with a degree in Communications. She and her best friend, decided on a whim to join the military after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. After ten years of service, she left the Air Force when her husband David retired from active duty. They live in Centerville Ohio and both she and David work in civilian jobs at Wright Patterson.
Diane Tolliver
Diane served as an Army nurse in Vietnam. Using her military benefits, she earned both a Bachelors’ and Masters’ degree in Education. She taught English, Literature and Creative Writing at the high-school level and then moved on to the college level. Now a tenured professor Diane lives in suburban Virginia, with her husband and their two Labradors, Scott and Daisy. Diane has always been a fan of the written word and supports the VA’s efforts to treat veterans service-related mental health issues with therapeutic writing programs.