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For many military veterans, it can take years, even decades, to deal with the emotional trauma incurred during their service.

A new program is helping them put their experiences into words and down on paper. Not just any paper - these sheets are made from their old military fatigues.

Theresa Ash and Tim Rooney pull sheets of paper at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts

, was inspired by the work of Drew Matott and Drew Cameron, who brought their "

Over the past several weeks, a half-dozen veterans of the first Gulf and Vietnam wars cut their uniforms down into small squares, placed them in what's called a "beater" with water and literally beat the fatigues to a pulp.

Layne Beckman served as a combat flight nurse in the first Gulf war. She said cutting up such a potent souvenir of her service was an emotional experience:

Former combat flight nurse Layne Beckman shows off the two journals she's made with her old fatigue pants.

This papermaking workshop is just one of several classes offered by 

 which collaborates with Twin Cities arts institutions such as the MCBA, 

Veterans in the Arts President Suzanne Asher (U.S. Air Force, 1979-1983) says all military veterans residing in Minnesota qualify to participate in the program, although classes are currently limited to the Twin Cities metro area.

Asher says the long term goal is to have a community of veterans 	doing art, supporting one another and hosting an annual exhibition.

Theresa Ash and her husband Michael both served in the military, as did their daughter Amanda and son Jake. The parents have used the workshop to make paper from each of their four uniforms. Ash says she and her daughter never saw combat, but her husband and son did. When asked how that affects the quality of the paper, she responds, "On a physical or an emotional level?"

Chante Wolf agrees. A veteran of the Air Force, she says: "If you want to see me go ballistic - mess with my paper."

Wolf sits on the board of Veterans in the Arts, and is participating in the "Combat Paper" course for the second time. "It's cheaper than therapy," she quips.

Most of the veterans in this class are using their paper to create journals, in which they will write about their experiences in the military, in combat and here at home. For Layne Beckman, it's an exciting time.

As for Theresa Ash, she says her family's journals will be "history books that politicians can't rewrite."

While the course is obviously popular with the veterans who have participated in it, enrollment in the overall program hasn't been that high. Some think it may be due to a lack of awareness of the program, which is relatively new and funded by Minnesota's Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment.

Or perhaps it's a matter of people being ready to confront and process the lasting impact of their service. The veterans in this class served 20 years ago or more, yet for many of them the wounds are still fresh.

Arts and Culture

State of the Arts Blog

Marianne Combs

Author

Minnesota veterans are turning their old military fatigues into paper, and journaling their memories of service.

Combat Paper: finding new life in the garments of war

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