Military veterans at San Quentin reflected on moments of personal tragedy, their time in the military, and life after service. They did so in writing.
The War Horse, an online publication focused on veterans’ issues, brought its writing seminar to San Quentin with the support of the nonprofit Pollen Initiative.
“There’s not enough military reporting around the world,” said Thomas Brennan, who founded The War Horse in 2016. “There’s a real need to increase represen- tation of veterans and military families in the media.”
These participants’ cumulative time in service totaled 126 years. Since their discharge, they have served 407 years in prison. They represented a growing number of veterans missing in action at home, disappeared due to incarceration at San Quentin. There, they took part in a four-day writing workshop — the first for SQ̕s incarcerated veterans — to learn to tell their stories.
The name “War Horse” came from a unit in the military. “I stumbled on it and liked it,” said Brennan. Ernie Pyle, a foreign correspondent, killed in action during the Second World War, used the term “war horsing,” according to Brennan.
“The War Horse provides an outlet for veterans to talk about their intersection between their service, struggles after, and their incarceration,” said Jesse Vasquez, executive director of the Pollen Initiative. “Every segment of the incarcerated needs a voice. I thought it would be a great opportunity for the veterans at San Quentin.” He called the prison administration “very supportive” of the project to highlight the Veterans Group San Quentin and to build a bigger community.
“If you see something in the world that doesn’t ring true, that’s a story,” said Karen Stabiner, who for 10 years worked as a features writing professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.
“Our mission is to make sure to bridge the civil and military divide,” said Samantha Daniels, The War Horse’s director of operations.
Randee Howard, The War Horse program manager, introduced the idea to hold a veterans’ workshop in prison. She served four years in the Navy as petty officer, third class. After leaving the military, she met a formerly incarcerated person with whom she exchanged stories about prison and the military. She noticed similar difficulties making transitions from the two institutions to civilian life.
Shoshana Walter visited from The Marshall Project, her first time inside of a prison. “I feel like I learned more from the guys talking, more than I imparted,” she said. “People bring different experiences to their time here.”
“I think it’s important… any time we can empower people to tell their stories,” said Anne Marshall-Chalmers, an investigative reporter with The War Horse. “Journalists can’t capture every story that’s out there.”
Dave Chrisinger, professor of public policy writing at the University of Chicago, worked as the director of the writing seminar.
The Veterans Group of San Quentin ranks as the largest veterans’ organization inside the CDCR prison system. Many of them take great pains to endure their punishment, deplor- able living conditions, and efforts toward rehabilitation.
Most of the vets read stories that made listeners laugh and cry. Randy Sherman wrote about the time he fell off the top bunk, and went to the prison hospital where he said a nurse asked him, “How did you walk in here with all those injuries?” Sherman said, “I was in the Marines.”
Noah Winchester, who served four years in the Marines, has chaired the VGSQ since 2023. He said, “The Corps was my first real family after my family broke.”
“Being ex-military, I was trained to endure this,” said Mark Stanley, who recounted his first days in prison. He served six months in the Air Force.
“Thirty years after my jet-flying days, I landed in San Quentin State Prison,” said Todd Winkler. He flew F-16 fighter jets in the Air Force for eight years. Upon his arrival in prison, he said, “I needed to find some purpose, a reason to be.” Since 2022, he has worked as a peer mentor to other prisoners.
“We were all United States Navy,” said Michael Hartley, who served 10 years, “and we had each others’ backs.”
These veterans wrote compelling and honest stories about bravery, triumph, and loss. They showed their vulnerability. Some wept. None offered any excuses for their past transgressions. They simply stood proud to have served and still held onto their service rivalries.
Now serving time in prison, these veterans still looked out for each other and always observed their mantra “I got your six.”