The Mighty Pen Project

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Is the pen truly mightier than the sword? This group thinks so. (L-R) M.E. “Mike” Malandro,CEO of Prince George Electric Cooperative (PGEC); Denya Hankerson, PGEC board memberand Army veteran; David Robbins, Mighty Pen Project founder; Rachel Landsee, Mighty PenProject executive director; and Dr. Clay Mountcastle, director of the Virginia War Memorial.

During class, participants learn creativewriting skills spanning multiple genres,including personal memoir, fiction andpoetry. At the conclusion of each classsession, the Virginia War Memorial hosts apublic event where students read selectionsof their written work. Selections from the

session are also bound andpreserved for future generationsin the Memorial’s ResearchLibrary. “We’re proud to supportthe Mighty Pen Project. It fitsinto our mission of educating thepublic, serving veterans andpreserving history,” says Dr. ClayMountcastle, director of theVirginia War Memorial. The writing classes involve

more than learning how toeloquently weave words together.Participants share of themselves.They reveal the humanity thatdrives them, cultivating theability to express thoughts andfeelings through the writtenword. For veterans, this canmean baring their souls anddelving deep to put into words the emotions, observations and

experiences that may otherwise be toopainful to remember. Oftentimes, thissteps beyond telling a story. Participants inthese classes learn to own their stories.The effect is profound, poignant,

provocative. Denya Hankerson, Prince George

Electric Cooperative (PGEC) boardmember and former Army supply sergeant,has two decades of military experienceunder her belt. “Throughout my life, I’vewritten hundreds of research papers. Butwhen it comes to trying to tell your ownstory on paper, it’s really difficult,” she says. It’s the reason Hankerson looks forward

to attending the writing classes. “It’ssomething I really want to do — toeffectively write my story and own it. I’mthankful for the Mighty Pen Project, a placewhere veterans come together to learn towrite in a safe, trusting environment.”

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CoverStory | Story and Photos by Laura Emery, Field Editor

Every veteran has a story ... and when warriors write, the effect is profound, poignant and provocativeIs the pen, as the timeless adage insists,

mightier than the sword? For a groupof Virginia’s military veterans learning

to write creatively, it just might be.The Mighty Pen Project, brainchild

of best-selling author and educator DavidL. Robbins, recognizes that every veteranhas a unique story and that thosewarriors who have wielded the“sword” may very well benefitfrom the power of the pen. Through the non-profit

initiative, former militaryservicemen and servicewomenare offered semester-length,collegiate-level creative writingclasses free of charge. Classes aretaught by university writingprofessors and held in aclassroom at the Virginia WarMemorial in Richmond.The goal is to create a living

history of military servicethrough writing: to generate,preserve, share and honor storieswritten by military veterans andtheir supporters. In short, saysRobbins, “We want to serve thosewho have served.”The writing classes aren’t just for

former military members. The Mighty Pen Project, in partnership with theVirginia War Memorial Foundation,provides classroom writing instruction to any military veteran or immediatefamily member, as well as military support personnel. “There are only 15 spots in each class,

so we encourage people to apply early,”notes Robbins, who teaches creativewriting at Virginia CommonwealthUniversity’s Honors College. As a boardmember and founder of the Mighty PenProject, Robbins has been teaching thewriting classes since the organization’sinception in 2014. Robert Hodierne, chair of the

Department of Journalism at theUniversity of Richmond, is the instructorfor January’s writing class. Hodierne began

his 40-year journalism career as a freelancephotographer covering the Vietnam War.“I’ve spent a good part of my professionallife as a journalist covering war (three sofar) and folks in the military. The MightyPen Project seems like a good way to keepworking at that,” he says.

Mighty Pen Project founder, David Robbins, and executivedirector, Rachel Landsee, greet Prince George ElectricCooperative CEO Mike Malandro (right).

‘When Prince George Electric

Cooperative was asked to

help sponsor publication of

the Mighty Pen Project

Anthology & Archive, we were

happy to partner up with Fort

Lee Federal Credit Union and

support a program that helps

those who have sacrificed and

served,’ says Malandro.

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The veterans and their supporterswho sign up for the class come fromall walks of life. “The stories they writeare varied and fascinating,” saysRobbins. It’s not all tales of bravadoand bravery, either. There’s much moreto real-life military heroes. “It’swhatever they choose to put ontopaper. Many of them write aboutcombat or other experiences whileserving, but others simply choose towrite about family and hobbies,”Robbins explains. For those veterans who choose to

lay down old combat burdens to pickup the pen, writing has the power toheal. Gail Chatfield of Veterans’ Voicesdescribed this when she said, “Westand naked, exposed and unmaskedby the presence of our words on apiece of paper. It is at that intersectionof vulnerability and insightfulness thatthe journey of self-discovery throughwriting begins.” What’s more, writing can boost the

immune system, and reduce stress,anxiety and depression. In a worldwhere veterans are often plagued bymental health issues and high suiciderates, picking up a pen couldpotentially stop a tortured veteranfrom picking up a gun. According tothe Veterans Health Administration,the suicide rate among male andfemale veterans and military servicemembers exceeds the national rate forthe general population. Additionally,many service members are diagnosedwith post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) or depression. “While our goal isn’t to provide

therapy through writing, it happens onits own. It’s not our destination, but astop along the way,” Robbins explains.By shaping and reshaping negativeexperiences and memories through thewritten word, they can ultimately betransformed into memories that nolonger hurt. Says Malik Hodari,Mighty Pen Project graduate, “Ilearned technical aspects of writingthat enabled me to catharticallyexpress my experiences and 42 yearsof repressed pain. Learning with like-minded souls enables honest,free-flowing discourse.” The benefits of the class also include

the ability to help veterans feel less

alienated by sharing traumatic eventsand other experiences with othermilitary veterans. “The classcomposition allows us — and theparticipants — to see lives of serviceand world events through a diversityof lenses, encompassing veterans,spouses, family members and friendsspanning every military uniformthrough eras of conflict and times ofpeace,” Robbins explains. As Mighty Pen Project writers open

up about their military experiences,they do so in an environment ofunderstanding and compassion. Thethread that weaves together this groupof men and women of diversebackgrounds is a deep understandingof service to country, of war, and of lifefollowing military service. It’s anunderstanding that extends beyondwhat can be put onto paper, a deeperacknowledgment of emotions thatoften go unspoken. When M.E. “Mike” Malandro, Army

veteran and Prince George ElectricCooperative CEO, first heard Robbins’presentation about the program at alocal Rotary Club meeting, he wasimmediately on board. “Mike walked up and said, ‘I love

what you’re doing. How can I help?’”recalls Robbins. “Rarely do I meetanybody who grasps so quickly — andwith such enthusiasm — what we aredoing with the Mighty Pen Project asMike Malandro did. Mike, and PrinceGeorge Electric Cooperative, havebeen very supportive from very earlyon in our history. It’s gratifying to getthat level of support.”For Malandro, it was all about

honoring the seventh cooperativeprinciple, “Concern for Community.”He says, “As a co-op, it’s reallyimportant for us to give back to thecommunity. When Prince GeorgeElectric Cooperative was asked to help sponsor publication of the MightyPen Project Anthology & Archive, acollection of writings from Mighty PenProject participants, we were happy topartner up with Fort Lee FederalCredit Union and support a programthat helps those who have sacrificedand served.” The poignant 73-pageanthology includes some of the bestpieces of the class’s written work for

“Every veteran has a story, whether they know it ornot,” says Prince George Electric Cooperative boardmember and Army veteran, Denya Hankerson. “Thiswriting program is invaluable to helping veterans learnto write their own stories — and I very much lookforward to taking the class.”

Hankerson looks forward to learning towrite her own

story.

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FOR MORE INFORMATIONMighty Pen Projectwww.themightypenproject.orgwww.facebook.com/mightypenproject/

the year. Additional Mighty Pen Projectjournals are planned for each year.It’s crucial for veterans to have a creative

outlet, a liberating way to expressthemselves. Malandro would like to seemore veterans get involved in the project.“Raising awareness about this writingprogram is really important,” he says. It’s so important that Rachel Landsee, a

former class participant, is now at thehelm of the organization as its executivedirector. “It was an interesting twist ofevents,” says the mother of two whoserved on active duty for eight years as amilitary attorney. Landsee first heard aboutthe Mighty Pen Project through an errantlydelivered newspaper on her doorstep. Intrigued by the program, Landsee soon

found herself immersed in the Mighty PenProject writing class. She looked forwardto each class, anxiously anticipating thewriting instruction, the camaraderie withfellow participants, and hearing the variedstories. It wasn’t long before Landseerealized she could play an important rolein the organization. “I became more involved in the

organization because I was interested increating systems to ensure the program’ssustainability and access, to includegrowing the program in areas outside of

David Robbins (center) leads the Mighty Pen Project writing class in the Schumann Conference Room of the Paul & Phyllis Galanti Center at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond. The thread that weaves together this group of men and women of diverse backgrounds is a deepunderstanding of service to country, of war, and of life following military service.

‘While our goal isn’t to

provide therapy through

writing, it happens on its

own. It’s not our

destination, but a stop

along the way,’ Robbins

explains. By shaping and

reshaping negative

experiences and memories

through the written word,

they can ultimately be

transformed into memories

that no longer hurt.

Richmond. Veterans, and veteran supporters,who want to write should have thestructure and guidance that they need towrite, a precept at the forefront of each ofour organizational decisions,” she explains. To donate to the Mighty Pen Project,

visit www.themightypenproject.org/donate.All donations are tax deductible. “Thevoice of a veteran, or veteran supporter, isunique to understanding our collectivehistory. Our writers’ insight regarding warand military service is genuine andevocative. When several stories are readtogether, the voices encourage aconversation important to our culture andnational dialogue,” explains Landsee. Robbins echoes the sentiment. “It’s

powerful stuff,” he says. “When these veteranstake a memory and turn it into a narrative,they turn the infinite into the finite. It’ssomething they can share. Then it becomesa burden that many hands can makelighter. That’s what we’re doing here.” �