Veteran Writer

Being There

In Being There, Vietnam War and Other Stories, Rod Carlson writes that the Marine pilots he flew with were the best men he’d ever know. His stories strap you into a helicopter pilot’s seat, take you into combat the way only the “fortunate few” have ever seen war and why flying with those heroic men made it the best of times and their deaths made it the worst of times.

His other stories focus on surviving officer training, going to war and still others on veterans grappling with civilian life. While veterans typically keep Vietnam to themselves; “You had to be there to understand,” they say, being there is what these stories are all about … they’ll take you there and let you see for yourself.