I share my journey—from Marine Corps officer to an award-winning writer and filmmaker and father. How my background and upbringing has impacted and informed that journey—being raised by a Marine pilot father (307 missions in Vietnam, shot down), 80s high school football captain, the Naval Academy, Marines, Gulf War, my father's death from Agent Orange at age 56—and my own fatherhood—and how that ties together regarding the modern 'mythologies' we all share as Navy and Marine Corps officers and as Americans, and how my writing hopefully sheds light/meaning on the choices/sacrifices we've made in service of those institutions. Then I'd read two stories aloud from my Veterans' Writing Award winning book 'Surrender'. Followed by a Q&A session would follow, probably another 20-25 minutes. 45 minutes - 1 hour total. (Can be adjusted to suit.) Book signing afterwards. Additionally, we might be able to screen 'The Cannon Shot' (www.cannonshotdoc.com) , my feature documentary on the Annapolis Cup, the annual Navy-St. John's College croquet match. We can also screen 'Rizoo', the short (16 minute) Farsi-language film I produced, currently streaming by 'The New Yorker'. It will not be boring!

Brian O’Hare is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, former Marine officer and Gulf War
combat veteran. His career began in a Baltimore bar, where legendary director John Waters cast him as a
convict for his film Cry Baby. Currently, he’s an award-winning writer and filmmaker living in
Los Angeles. Most recently, National Book Award winner (and Marine) Phil Klay awarded Brian
Syracuse University Press' 2021 Veterans Writing Award for Surrender—his book of short stories
published in November 2022 by Syracuse University Press. Along with literary/veteran icons
Tobias Wolff, Tim O’Brien and Richard Bausch, Surrender was read as part of WORDTheater
LA's event commemorating the 50th anniversary of end of the Vietnam war. His film 'Rizoo',
about an 8yo girl deciding whether to wear the hijab for a class picture, was released in January
2025 by 'The New Yorker'. His feature documentary 'The Cannon Shot' about the world's largest
croquet match between the US Naval Academy and across the street neighbors St. John's
College, will premiere in 2027. He just completed his debut novel, 'A Gathering of Vultures'.