A collection of photo illustrated war and post war vignettes, short stories, war nightmares, war poetry and travel writing by a Vietnam combat medic. Site includes war related videos and documents. There is some harsh language.
Medic’s friend Tom Laaser, an Army vet, served with the 10th Mountain Division as a field artilleryman in Afghanistan. He was severely wounded and turned to writing to aid in his recovery.
A senior at Salem State University, in Salem, MA, he majors in English and education, and will soon complete an internship with Congressman Seth Moulton. Among his honors, Tom received the SSU 2017 First Year Writing Award, a 2017 Summer Artistic Development Grant from the Center for Arts, and was a 2018 Creative Award for Writing. He has received scholarships to attend the William Joiner Institute, and other prominent writer’s workshops. In addition, Tom also leads the Salem Veteran’s Writer’s Group, and is an editor on Soundings East, the university literary magazine. Tom’s writing has been published in Military Experience and the Arts, As You Were: A Military Literary Journal, and Consequences. He is currently working on a novel about his platoon’s deployment to Khost, Afghanistan.
On 4 May 2018, Salem State held a staged reading of Tom’s remarkable ten minute drama, Waiting Together. Directed by Julie Kiernan, performed by Equity actors, the play has received attention and praise, by veteran’s and non veteran’s alike. In November 2018 Robert Pinsky, Brian Turner, and Tom were interview on Boston radio station WBUR. The show was titled Exploring the Poetry of War.
Viewer discretion advised. The program contains strong language. Video by BevCam.
Waiting Together, a play by Tom Laaser
A senior at Salem State University, in Salem, MA, he majors in English and education, and will soon complete an internship with Congressman Seth Moulton. Among his honors, Tom received the SSU 2017 First Year Writing Award, a 2017 Summer Artistic Development Grant from the Center for Arts, and was a 2018 Creative Award for Writing. He has received scholarships to attend the William Joiner Institute, and other prominent writer’s workshops. In addition, Tom also leads the Salem Veteran’s Writer’s Group, and is an editor on Soundings East, the university literary magazine. Tom’s writing has been published in Military Experience and the Arts, As You Were: A Military Literary Journal, and Consequences. He is currently working on a novel about his platoon’s deployment to Khost, Afghanistan.
On 4 May 2018, Salem State held a staged reading of Tom’s remarkable ten minute drama, Waiting Together. Directed by Julie Kiernan, performed by Equity actors, the play has received attention and praise, by veteran’s and non veteran’s alike. In November 2018 Robert Pinsky, Brian Turner, and Tom were interview on Boston radio station WBUR. The show was titled Exploring the Poetry of War.
Viewer discretion advised. The program contains strong language. Video by BevCam.