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When “GIF” was named word of the year in 2012, Oxford Dictionaries U.S.A. credited Tumblr for pushing the word.
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MWSA Interview with Ryan McDermott
Date of interview: 16 June 2025 Ryan P. McDermott is a decorated U.S. Army veteran, former senior Pentagon official, and national security executive. A graduate of West Point, he led a mechanized infantry platoon with the 3rd Infantry Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Ranger Tab, and Combat Infantryman Badge. After leaving the military in 2006, McDermott joined Lehman Brothers, where he experienced the 2008 financial collapse firsthand. Blending national security expertise, financial industry insight, and lived experience with post-traumatic stress, McDermott brings a rare voice to the genre of war and recovery memoirs. He holds an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and an M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet is his debut book and a Literary Titan Book Award winner. MWSA: How long have you been associated with MWSA? Ryan McDermott: I’ve been a member for a few months since publishing my book. MWSA: What inspired you to write Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet? Ryan McDermott: After years of silence, writing became my lifeline. I started journaling to process combat memories and personal struggles, not knowing it would turn into a book. Downriver wasn’t born out of a desire to publish—it was born out of necessity. I needed to understand what had happened in Iraq, on Wall Street, and in the quiet unraveling afterward. Eventually, I realized the story might resonate with others carrying invisible burdens. I felt compelled to publish after learning of a suicide by someone I’d served with years ago. MWSA: Your memoir blends prose and poetry. Why did you choose that format? Ryan McDermott: Poetry gave me a language for the things that didn’t fit neatly into narrative—grief, guilt, even beauty. The poetic sections aren’t interruptions; they’re revelations and they reflect the emotion of the moment they were written in a way that prose cannot. In war, in trauma, in healing, sometimes a single stanza can hold more truth than a chapter. I wanted to reflect the fractured, nonlinear nature of memory and recovery. MWSA: What was the most difficult chapter for you to write? Ryan McDermott: There were several difficult chapters to write. Probably the one where I confront the emotional aftermath of a home invasion. It wasn’t just about physical fear—it was the final breach of safety after war, after financial collapse. But more than that, it was the realization in writing that chapter that the traumas throughout my life had led to that moment. And I needed to break the pattern. That chapter forced me to grapple with vulnerability in ways the battlefield never did.
MWSA: How has your military experience shaped your writing? Ryan McDermott: Being a platoon leader taught me to observe under pressure. You learn to understand people, to anticipate scenarios and potential chaos, to act with conviction. That mindset informed the writing, but so did the guilt and responsibility that come with combat. Writing became a form of after-action review—not of tactics, but of the soul. There is no experience like war and nothing that can adequately simulate the emotions you feel when your life, and the lives of those around you, is on the line. MWSA: What message do you hope readers take away from Downriver? Ryan McDermott: That healing is possible, even if it takes years. That strength doesn’t mean silence. And that trauma isn’t limited to soldiers. Many people—parents, teachers, first responders—carry invisible wounds. If this book gives even one person the courage to speak or seek help, it will have done its job. I hope everyone who reads it will reflect on their own life and assess how they can lead a better life. MWSA: What role did your faith or inner beliefs play in this journey? Ryan McDermott: A significant one. My story reflects a spiritual journey. I don’t push religion in the book, but faith shows up—sometimes quietly, sometimes in anguish. There were moments when prayer felt like the only thing left. And poetry, in its own way, became a form of prayer for me. Writing helped me rediscover meaning and purpose beyond achievement or status. MWSA: How do you define the term “warrior poet”? Ryan McDermott: To me, it’s someone who has experience trauma but chooses not to perpetuate it. They see deeper meaning in situations of adversity and translate their emotions into artistic creation. Someone who carries deep strength but isn’t afraid to speak truth through vulnerability. The world doesn’t need more brashness—it needs depth, discernment, and those who can walk through fire and return with wisdom. MWSA: What’s next for you? Ryan McDermott: I’m continuing to speak and write about themes of reintegration, mental health, and moral leadership. I’d love to see Downriver adapted for screen someday—not because of ego, but because visual storytelling could bring these issues to broader audiences. I’d love to help more veterans write and bring their stories to life for others.
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The Military Writers Society of America 2025 Anthology is Now Available!
Military Writers Society of America’s (MWSA’s) 2025 anthology, Reflections: Service to our Country, has been published and is available for purchase.
Anthology Chair and Senior Editor Bob Doerr said, “Every few years, MWSA provides an opportunity for members to be published in one of our anthologies. Reflections: Service to our Country includes poems, articles, and stories. Some will make you laugh. Others you will find enlightening. You may even shed a tear.”
This was the first year MWSA published its anthology under its own publication entity with Military Writers Society of America as the publisher. MWSA thanks the 31 member contributors for sharing their words and our volunteer editors for giving their time. We’d also like to thank our layout and design professional, Andrea Reider of Reiderbooks.com, for her extraordinary efforts and patience in working with the MWSA team under this new process.
All 31 contributors will receive their paperback courtesy copies in the next few weeks.
We hope you enjoy our reflections in keeping with MWSA’s mission of “Saving History One Story at a Time.” You can purchase paperback and eBook copies here: 2025: Reflections, Service to our Country — Military Writers Society of America.
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The Intus Invasion by James Rosone
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
The stars held more than humanity’s future…
…they revealed an alien menace that could end it all.
First contact wasn’t peaceful. The Zodarks, brutal and unrelenting, tore into the Republic’s defenses. Armed with cunning and unquenchable bloodthirst, the four-armed warriors dominated over every adversary.
Caught off guard as the Republic stumbled into an interstellar war it wasn’t ready to fight—against an adversary born from nightmares. Mankind clung to hope as it healed divisions, forged new alliances, and prepared for the war thrusted upon it.
Amid the chaos, Ripley Willis Lee, a young officer with a brilliant mind for strategy, rose to face the challenge. His courage and determination inspired those around him, but the burden of leadership grew heavier with every battle. During the invasion of Intus, his decisions would mean the difference between survival and annihilation.
The battle for Intus would decide more than victory.
Would humanity survive the trials of the stars—or succumb to them?
The Intus Invasion is the gripping first entry in a new series set in the Rise of the Republic universe. If you crave high-stakes battles, dark revelations, and the fight for humanity’s survival, this is your next great read.
Grab your copy today and step into the fight.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Number of Pages: 394
Word Count: 125,339
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Monroe Doctrine: A Post-War Novel by James Rosone
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
Jade Dragon had been crushed…
…China was forced to relent…
…but picking up the pieces had only just begun.
After years of conflict, the Allies emerged victorious on the battlefield. However, the World was left bruised and battle-worn. American President Maria Delgado had her hands full with the recovery efforts.
Blain Wilson would be pulled in…
…deeper down the rabbit hole than he intended.
Trying to avoid mistakes of the past, the United States limited its peacekeeping force and relied on allies. General Song appeared to be a leader the people of China could rally behind.
Would reconstruction efforts be enough to avoid a future war?
Soldiers who had become accustomed to war now had to readjust to peace—a return to life in a world they barely recognized. Many struggled greatly with this transition, medicating themselves with alcohol or by other means.
Who would find the strength to pull through?
What nations would be the ones to rise from the ashes of war?
Find out what happened after the war ended. You’ll love this exciting continuation of the Monroe Doctrine series because the characters’ fates are not always what they seem.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller/Crime
Number of Pages: 274
Word Count: 90,271
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Never a Dull Moment: The 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion in World War II by Arthur "Ben" Powers
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
Most modern books and films glamorize World War II airborne soldiers as troopers leaping into the night to descend by parachute into combat. Much less often considered is the role of glider forces. Glider troops lacked the panache and special distinctions of paratroopers, despite their critical role in airborne warfare. Likewise, World War II ground combat is characterized as a combined arms fight of infantry and armor, backed up with field artillery; by comparison the role played by specialized, supporting arms has received scant attention.
The 80th AAA Battalion was a glider outfit, providing antiaircraft defense and antitank capability to the division’s three infantry regiments as battlefield conditions dictated. Elements of the battalion fought in Italy, Normandy, Holland and the Battle of the Bulge, making combat glider assaults during both Operation Neptune and Operation Market Garden. The exploits of the men of the 80th tend to be obscured as commanders maneuvered the batteries wherever their special skills were needed on the battlefield, with no regiment to call a permanent home.
The 80th AAA battalion was a hybrid unit. While its members were considered Coast Artillery (the branch responsible for defending ground formations from air attack during WWII), they fought alongside parachute and glider infantry, most often providing direct fire, anti-armor support with 57mm/6 pounder cannons. While field artillery, both parachute and glider, established their gunlines some distance behind infantry units to provide indirect fire support, the men of the 80th fought face to face with the enemy, alongside their infantry brothers.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 264
Word Count: 62,985
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MWSA Writers Education Series, Write Your Story (Part 3) Video Available
Our latest Writers Education, Write Your Story Zoom Session, is available for viewing. To watch the video, click on the image below.
You can also view the video directly using one of the links below:
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmd3nDpmWAY
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MWSA.MembersPublic/videos/673666208987988
To watch any of our prior Writers Education videos and to see what we have scheduled in the future, visit our Writers Education page: https://www.mwsadispatches.com/writers-education#wys
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The Other Side of War...Faces of Vietnam by Charlie Hughes
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
Author's Synopsis: Six months into my Army tour in Vietnam 1967-68 I was re-assigned to S-5 at Headquarters at 23rd Artillery Group in Phu Loi because of my abilities as a photographer and darkroom experience. I flew several times a week with Col. Robert Koch to base camps and fire support bases in III and IV Corps where units of the five battalions of artillery he commanded were located. While in Vietnam, because I was not assigned to the infantry, I also took many photos of US soldiers and the Vietnamese people in different settings. The photos in this book are among some of my favorites.
Format(s) for review: Paper Only
Review Genre: Other—Anthology/Collection
Number of Pages: 110
Word Count: 5,875
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Goodbye Charlie: Recollections of Vietnam by Charlie Hughes
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
The story of my year in Vietnam 1967-68 assigned as artillery surveyor with HHB 1st Battalion 27th Artillery, then assigned half-way through my tour as a photographer in S-5 at Headquarters 23rd Artillery Group in Phu Loi. The book takes the reader through basic, training as a battalion in Fort Sill, traveling by ship to Vietnam and the day-to-day struggles of a non-infantry soldier dealing with mortar attacks, the heat, long days, perimeter duties, loneliness, numerous helicopter trips to fire support bases and the Tet Offensive.
Format(s) for review: Paper Only
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 275
Word Count: 82,006
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🚀 Our New MWSA Store is Now Open – Shop and Celebrate with Us! 🎉
The moment we’ve been waiting for is here – our new merch store has launched and is officially open! 🎉
We’ve created a special place where you can shop for all our exclusive branded merchandise and some awesome products that show off what makes MWSA unique. It’s all here—designed with you in mind!
Everything You Need!
With a wide variety of stylish apparel, we’ve got something for everyone. Show off your organizational pride!
How to Get Started
Visit the store here: https://yourmpstore.com/mwsa or navigate your way to the last item on our MWSA Resources page
Create an account using your [email address] and [password]
Start exploring and enjoy shopping!
Get Involved
We’d love to hear what you think about the store! After you’ve checked it out, feel free to share your feedback with us at [email protected]. Is there something you’d like to see? Anything we can improve? Your input will help us make the store even better.
Thank you again for all your support. We’re excited to share this with you and can’t wait to see you wearing our gear. As a bonus, our supplier is a veteran owned business!
Let’s celebrate the launch and show off our MWSA camaraderie together! 💥
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Independence: Dancing with Time by Taylor Curtis
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
Staffordshire, a village of 2000 on an inland bay of a North Carolina river, attempts to continue the fifty-year-old tradition of a July 4 block party. Some think a celebration that usually focuses on past achievement should emphasize future service. The military veterans in the community feel contribution to the national good means sacrifice, especially in the aftermath of 9/11.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 255
Word Count: 66,370
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Finally Home by Cortney Cino
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
FEEL THE ANTICIPATION AND JOY OF ONE INCREDIBLE DAY!
The butterflies in Sara's belly are fluttering fast. Her family is reuniting today after more than six months apart.
But the hours drag on, testing her patience. The crowds in the hangar finally learn that the planes will land soon.
Which one is Daddy's? Will I recognize him? Sara wonders as she watches the tiny gray dots finally come into view.
Sara chronicles the day's events, highlighting the unbreakable bonds of family. Military families, aviation lovers, and anyone interested in witnessing an incredible family reunion will enjoy this story.
Format(s) for review: Paper only
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 32
Word Count: 500
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What the Silent Say by Emerson Ford
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
Inspired by a remarkable true story and brought to life in cinematic detail, an unforgettable tale of courage, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bonds of family.
Florence, South Carolina 1944: Lieutenant Raymond Sellers bids farewell to his brother Jimmie, the weight of what lies ahead hanging heavy in the air. The brothers have always been inseparable—Raymond, the steady protector, Jimmie, the wild-hearted dreamer. But as Raymond embraces his pregnant wife Evelyn one last time, war is about to test the bonds of family in ways they never imagined.
As a summer storm shakes the windows, Evelyn brings her baby into a world at war. Across the vast Pacific theater, Raymond leads his men through brutal combat while Jimmie fights in the skies. One battle forces Raymond to choose between the family he promised to protect and the brothers he swore to never leave behind. Eighteen years later, a daughter finds a cache of letters in her father's desk and is shocked to find that some acts of courage echo across generations.
From the flowering dogwoods of South Carolina to the chilling trenches of Okinawa, What the Silent Say reminds us that even in our darkest hours, the human spirit has the capacity to endure. If you love anything by Kristin Hannah, Amy Harmon, or were moved by Band of Brothers, this book is a must-read.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 388
Word Count: 103766
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Shipmate by Eileen Clancy Biegel
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
The Bear has recently joined the United States Coast Guard, and his first duty assignment is the United States Coast Guard Cutter Southwind. Eager to learn all that he can about his new job as a Quartermaster onboard the “Polar Prowler,” the Bear is lucky enough to meet his new boss who turns out to be his mentor as well.
The Southwind embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime journey around the world. The Bear and the crew rise to the challenges that life aboard an icebreaker may bring.
The Bear pays it forward and mentors other young “Coasties” during his career. The repercussions of sharing one’s gifts and talents are felt for generations to come.
Format(s) for review: Paper Only
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 36
Word Count: 710
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Vietman, The Memoir of a Sandlot Soldier by W. Thomas Burns
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
In late December of 1968, a nineteen-year-old Marine was lying in a hospital bed after having spent eight months engaged with the enemy in the jungles of the mountains of Vietnam. During his recovery, he began writing about his war experiences. He returned to his combat unit, and later was among those wounded in action and medevaced to a military hospital in the United States. As he recovered, he continued to record his experiences "in country". Those writings form the main part of this Memoir some fifty years later---battles, heroes, everyday bravery, losing the friend right beside you, and larger than life leaders-----told simply and forthrightly of valor and patriotism.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 96
Word Count: 9446
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Finding His Own Way, A Marine Novel by Gerald Gillis
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
On the eve of World War II, Dylan Rafferty is a troubled young man who runs afoul of the law and is given the choice of either the county jail or the U.S. Marine Corps. Dylan chooses the Marines, whereupon he begins a journey that will dramatically change the trajectory of his life. As the war unfolds, Dylan joins the 2nd Marine Division in time enough to participate in the invasion of Tarawa where, through the exigencies of war, he suddenly finds himself in a role as a small-unit leader.
Dylan also sees action in the battles at Saipan and Okinawa. He suffers wounds, loses buddies, and does his part in the brutal, bloody Pacific war.
Along the way, Dylan finds a Marine officer who takes an interest in him, and who mentors and challenges him into becoming a better Marine. That same officer convinces Dylan that he can grow and achieve far more than he otherwise thought possible.
Finding His Own Way, A Marine Novel, is an inspiring story of a young man who discovers much about himself in the dire circumstances of war, together with the support of his fellow Marines and a young lady back home. Dylan joins a long line of Rafferty men who have distinguished themselves in the service of their country.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 283
Word Count: 101,500
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Why Vietnam: Reflections on the Effect of War by Margaret Colbert Brown
MWSA Review Pending
Author's Synopsis
Why Vietnam delves into the myriad reasons for US involvement, examining theories that date back to 1918 through to LBJ's full commitment to undeclared war, which restrained the military to a defensive role in protecting South Vietnam instead of an offensive one that would send troops across the DMZ and into Laos and Cambodia. (new paragraph) The question of why the USA became involved, whether their involvement was justified, and if the war was ever winnable have been fiercely debated for over 50 years. This book seeks to address these 'whys' by providing a thorough examination of all contributing factors, from presidential actions to foreign policy, and the social and political climates of the war eras.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 293
Word Count: 105,008
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The Nightmare of the Mekong by Terry M. Sater
Author's Synopsis
The Nightmare of the Mekong" is a gritty account of the Vietnam War, from a sailor who manned automatic weapons in intense combat, on the rivers, streams and canals of the Mekong Delta. It is profoundly personal, with diary entries, and letters to and from home. It includes summaries of official "Operations Reports" and military historical records. The interwoven references to music and news of the day provides a vivid picture of the culture and politics of the times. It is a true story of love, family, war, life and death.Some of this story will bring a smile to your face and warm your heart. Much of it will surprise you. Some of it will give you nightmares. Terry Sater takes the reader through the difficult training of being a "River Rat," fighting the Viet Cong on the dark and dangerous rivers, streams and canals of enemy infested territory. The men of the Mobile Riverine Force go through the legendary "S.E.R.E." (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) training, followed by boat handling and weapons training, by Army, Navy, and Marine instructors. Following the training, Sater takes the reader to the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, where death awaits around every bend in the river, or a careless step into the muddy Mekong River, "The River of Nine Dragons." Coming home, Sater sheds light on the terrible price our Vietnam veterans paid for serving their country, both in their treatment by the antiwar protestors, and the nightmares and flashbacks that came home with them. If you can only read one book to learn about the Vietnam War, this is the one. You will feel you are there.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 290
Word Count: 169,944
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