Levi Bollinger, a graduate student at Southeast Missouri State University, and other veterans contributed to an anthology released on Veterans Day called "Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors."

Bollinger said Dr. Susan Swartwout, publisher of the anthology and a professor at Southeast, approached him in the spring about contributing to the collection.

Bollinger wrote three poems that were published in the anthology, "Distant Seitz," "Blind" and "SPC Browning Speaks."

"I do enjoy writing, but I never can tell how others are going to see something I've written," Bollinger said.

He attended a reading on Nov. 27 at the Focal Point in St. Louis, where he read his poetry aloud to an audience.

"Overwhelmingly, they are thrilled with the book and excited to be part of the project," Swartwout said.

Veterans from all areas of the country who contributed to the collection also attended the reading event. They read to a crowd that had standing room only.

"It's been a fascinating experience, and I'm thankful to have this opportunity to participate in the project," Bollinger said.

Bollinger served in the Army Reserve and spent a year at the Baghdad International Airport and the surrounding area.

"I have taken a new interest in writing about the war since Dr. Swartwout mentioned the anthology to me last spring," Bollinger said.

He also is writing a series of short stories that he wishes to turn into a book about soldiers' experiences in the war, framed by a narrator -- a soldier.

The work was the first anthology published through a collaboration between the Southeast Missouri State University Press, Missouri Humanities Council and Warrior Arts Alliance.

Plans are to release an anthology every year on Veterans Day.

There also are plans in the near future to publish novels relating to the military, Swartwout said.

Geoff Giglierano, the executive director of the Missouri Humanities Council, and Deborah Marshall, the executive director of the Warriors Arts Alliance, approached Swartwout about editing the anthology.

"I said 'Yes, as long as our university press got to publish it,'" Swartwout said.

Veterans who are interested in being published in the anthology have until Aug. 1 to submit pieces.

Swartwout said next year's submissions will include the genre of interview. Non-writer veterans who want their stories told can be interviewed by a writer, either a veteran or a non-veteran, who will then submit the interview for possible publication.

"As Geoff Giglierano says, this writing represents not only the history of the writers but of us all, as a nation," Swartwout said.

Jeremy McBroom, the director of the Office of Military and Veterans Services at Southeast, said that by publishing the book, members of the military both past and present are able to express themselves.

McBroom said it's important for Southeast, as well as the community, because it shows the support that is being provided to veterans and current military members, which reflects the Missouri Humanities Council's goal as well.

"The anthology offers a diverse collection of stories and poetry that engages multi-generational audiences -- both veteran and non-veteran," McBroom said.

In the praise section at the beginning of the book, an anonymous Vietnam veteran said reading the anthology made him feel less lonely.

"Now that it's out, I find myself looking back through it again and again to see what and how others of my generation are writing about the war," Bollinger said.