Veterans Conquering Cultural Fronts

Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash

The intersection of military service and entertainment has reached a peak in recent years. From the first-ever Military & Veterans Entertainment Awards to a number of newsworthy war films and documentaries, veterans are being acknowledged for their storytelling abilities. They’re stepping behind the camera, earning awards, and creating their own cultural footprint.

Honoring Service Through Storytelling

On May 24, 2025, Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills hosted the first ever Military & Veterans Entertainment Awards (MVA Awards). The MVA Awards celebrate veterans’ and active-duty service members’ contributions to entertainment, whether as actors, those who work behind the camera, or in the media. The awards were conferred by the National Entertainment Awards Academy for Military and Veterans (NEAAMV) and recognized people who shifted from military service to some remarkable work and contributions within film, television, and media.

Honorees included screenwriters, directors, and consultants who captured military stories from a place, location or perspective not often seen in mainstream verbs. Ryan Gangl and Rhonda Gulliver took home top acting honors for Life After Oblivion (2020) and Back by Monday (2024), respectively. Other winners included Voices of Valor: World War II Heroes in Their Own Words (2025) for Best Documentary by a Non-Veteran, A Place of Honor (2024) for Best Vietnam Film, and Code Specter (2023), which won Simone Silva the Best Writer award.

Returning to civilian life brings to life a powerful creative impulse for many veterans. Some of the most well-known and appreciated storytellers, authors, and artists have derived directly from their military careers. Think about J. R. R. Tolkien, who served in World War I and ultimately filled The Lord of the Rings with the emotional gravity of being in a battle and helped underpin epic heroic friendship. Or, Oliver Stone, who served in Vietnam and used his experience to create award-winning films such as Platoon (1986) and Born on the Fourth of July (1989).

The MVA awards exemplified the necessity of allowing authentic representation of military experience in entertainment. By representing stories created by military individuals, the event illustrated how powerful storytelling can bridge sections of military and civilian communities. To celebrate the creativity of veterans isn’t just to honor their achievements, but to empower future generations of servicemen to view service-marked culture as an evolving part of popular media.

Source: Pixabay

A New Wave of Military Entertainment

Over the years, we have witnessed significant developments in military-themed films and documentaries that have delved deeper into the complexity and effects of service. In 2025, one stark example is America’s Veterans: The War Within (2025), a British documentary directed by Deeyah Khan.

The documentary premiered on ITV and takes a look at the challenges experienced by U.S. veterans of military conflicts in the early-to-mid-2000s. The personal stories from veterans feature some intimate interviews, allowing veterans to share their process towards healing and the reintegration into civilian life. Khan’s direction gives the documentaries a very personal quality, aimed at establishing connections to audiences of all backgrounds.

Warfare by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza is yet another relevant example. Based on the real-life experiences of Navy SEALs, it offers an intimate and intense vision of modern combat and what it means on a human level to be in combat support. Garland, who is known for cerebral sci-fi hits like Ex Machina, brings his characteristic intensity to a story about military affairs. Mendoza – a Navy veteran himself – is well-versed in the craft of drama and storytelling and maintains a high standard for authenticity in the language, environment and experience of combat in this story.
Because of their popularity, streaming platforms Netflix and Amazon have moved into the production of military-based documentaries and series as well. This push matches a growing eagerness of audiences to consume purposeful media that speaks to authenticity, grounded living, and the lived reality of military experience.

Tactical Thinking Beyond the Battlefield

It’s not just about how veterans are represented, but also about the kinds of entertainment they enjoy themselves. Structured games including bingo, poker, and chess have also long been popular in veteran-based communities. Organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in the United States and the Royal British Legion in the UK continue to promote bingo nights, poker tournaments and other structured games.

For example, VFW Posts across the United States regularly hold weekly bingo games and allow both members and the public to participate. VFW Post 1503 holds bingo nights every Thursday and Saturday and uses the money made to pay for veteran support programs and for the maintenance of the facility itself. The continued appeal of games like bingo largely stems from the ever-growing popularity of online bingo games. These often incorporate other popular entertainment offerings, like Deal or No Deal Bingo, or Britain’s Got Talent bingo, showing how they capitalize on themes, speed, and time-limited jackpots. Though, bingo remains as popular in person, seen in the continued participation of veterans in these organized events.

In a broader sense, the progression of how the military is represented in the arts indicates the importance of storytelling and being able to tell stories from different perspectives. As more and more veterans involve themselves within the arts and tell their own stories, whether in film, television, or interactive avenues, society is better able to contextualize their experience and facilitate understanding.