Breaking Bread with Heroes: The 2010 Military Writers Society of America Awards Banquet

Me with author and Iwo Jima veteran Tom McGraham (right)

During the recent annual convention of the of Military Writers Society of America, I was very grateful for the opportunity to spend some time with a few of America's most prolific military writers, many of whom are veterans of our nation's wars.

Attending the banquet was certainly rewarding just because my book, My Last War, received the first place gold medal in the "memoir" category. Meeting such an extraordinary group of authors and American warriors was the icing on the cake.

The picture above shows me with Tom McGraham, Marine veteran of Iwo Jima, who received his own award for his non-fiction book, The Road to Iwo Jima, an emotional journey through one of the deadliest battles ever fought by the Marines.

Seated at our table was another extraordinary man and fellow award winner, Navy Chaplain Father Ron Moses Camarda, a veteran of the 2004 battles in Fallujah. Father Camarda has immortalized his tour in his book, Tear in the Desert, which tells the stories of the soldiers and Marines with whom he shared the strength and power of God.

Everyone who attended this event was a veteran, family member of a veteran, or a proud supporter of America's veterans. The three-day convention in Pittsburgh was a walk through history that was expertly executed by the officers and staff of the Military Writers Society of America.  You can check out their website here.

Charles M. Grist
http://www.mylastwar.com/