Here are some tips based on my experiences editing the writing of military veterans. These represent my own opinions and reflect scenarios I’ve often come across. Sharing in case they help any veterans refine and improve their storytelling:

1) DON’T exaggerate or lie about your accomplishments and experiences. As an editor, I’ve seen veterans present Hollywood movie scenes, plagiarized quotes from historical figures, and false pieces of information as their own stories for an ego boost. Making things up does not go well with editors or other veterans, who are quick to spot baloney. Don’t write fairy tales. Let facts stand on their own.

2) DON’T drown out your voice with jargon or procedural words. This is a big pitfall for practitioners who regularly use acronyms and/or who are used to writing reports. Sometimes acronyms are needed, but using too many should be avoided. If used, they should be provided with context or a glossary for general readers. Procedural language also can dry out a story. In many cases, it’s better to write as if you are simply speaking out loud, and start from there.

Example: “The enemy advanced towards me out of the bushes and I responded by discharging my weapon immediately. I observed him fall and it was evident that he had been eliminated.”

Improvement: “The enemy came towards me out of the bushes and I fired at him immediately. I saw him fall dead.”

3) DON’T censor out cuss words. Cussing is part of military life. Some veterans are perfectly happy to swear like Blackbeard in writing while others try to erase all cussing out of embarrassment. Self-censorship can result in verbal acrobatics and odd phrases. In my opinion it is better (and more fun) to err on the side of Blackbeard. Otherwise you risk watering your story down.

Example: “As we came under heavy fire, I realized my subordinate was leaving the area. I was not happy and asked him where he was off to.”  

Improvement: “As we came under heavy fire, I saw my subordinate running to the rear for cover. Furious, I yelled, “Where the hell do you think you’re going, you rat bastard? Get your ass back over here!” 

Perhaps not language you’d use at a tea party, but your profession is not a tea party. Embrace the storm. Leave it in!

4) DON’T make racy and/or sexual content too explicit. Another typical part of military life consists of dudes being ornery and committing random acts of dudeliness, which can include, but is not limited to, going to strip clubs, brothels or picking up various girls. It’s good for veterans to share these types of stories; I’ve read many that are well-written and funny, and other guys tend to relate. Some gentlemen, however, succeed in annoying editors and other veteran readers by trying to show off – usually by sharing graphic anatomical details or trying to broadcast their (alleged) charms with women in a manner that most people, including other vets, do not wish to read. Advice: share stories in a way you would with a male colleague you’d go for drinks with outside work, but who is not a close buddy yet. If you think it would make a good bar story without overwhelming the guy, it’s fine. If you think something is a little bit too much, it probably is.

5) DON’T brush aside or leave out pranks or funny stories. Sometimes veterans skip or barely mention humorous stories because they think those stories are not important or irrelevant to larger events or topics. Humor, in my opinion, is one of the very best things about military writing! Also, a wide variety of readers appreciate it. So, if you decided to improve your buddy’s eyebrows with a Sharpie while he was passed out drunk, hid someone’s laundry as an evil prank, got superglued to your bed, or recorded yourself breakdancing in full combat gear somewhere, please tell us, and let us in on the fun.

Many of the problems that come up in military writing stem from exaggeration, or alternatively, from suppression and censoring oneself. Being candid and true to yourself is the best approach.