Retired Lt. Colonel, and former US Army Green Beret, author, and playwright Scott Mann
Scott Mann on Storytelling, Moral Injury, and the Art of Service | The American Soldier Podcast
By Douglas Taurel, Actor, Producer, and Writer of The American Soldier, Landing Home
I had the honor of having Scott on The American Soldier podcast, and we discussed his new play, "11 Days," adapted from his book "Operation Pineapple Express," and he opened up about the challenges veterans face after service, the importance of keeping promises, and the healing power of storytelling.
For many veterans, art and healing go hand in hand. Scott’s journey from the battlefield to the stage is not just a tale of personal reinvention; it’s a testament to the power of storytelling as a form of healing and connection. Living fully takes on a different meaning when you've lost teammates. For him, there's no waiting for inspiration. No perfect conditions. He attacks the blank page with the same intensity he brought to mission planning for war.
Mission Planning Meets Creative Storytelling
After years in Special Forces, Scott found himself unable to sit still, haunted not by the specter of war, but by the need to honor the friends who didn’t make it home. “I want to live for buddies of mine that didn’t come home and not take anything for granted,” he shares. For him, creativity isn’t an escape from demons—it’s a way to run toward something meaningful, to “skid the car in sideways” for those who no longer can.
He reflects on the importance of taking action, of not waiting for the phone to ring or for permission to create. “If you wait for the phone to ring, you’re committing theatrical suicide,” he warns. The lesson is clear: the world rarely hands us opportunities. More often, we must elbow our way into the room, fueled by a sense of mission and a willingness to “suck” in the beginning.
Both of us grapple with the weight of legacy—of fathers lost, of sons who choose to serve, of promises made and kept. They ask hard questions: What does a promise mean in America today? How far would you go to honor it? These are not abstract musings, but lived realities for those who have seen the cost of broken promises up close.
Raw Truth: Art, Veterans, and the Promise of Service
Scott’s new play, “11 Days,” is framed as a testimony—not just to Congress, but to the nation—about the moral injuries borne by those who kept their word when institutions failed. Yet, the conversation is not mired in bitterness. Instead, it is a call to action for artists, veterans, and anyone who feels the urge to create. “Stories are told in the service of others,” Scott reminds us.
The act of creation is not about self-aggrandizement, but about generosity—about giving voice to those who cannot speak, about building social capital and trust in a fractured world. There is also a warning here: the world is changing, and not always for the better.
Perhaps the most powerful lesson is this: you do not need permission to tell your story. Whether you are a soldier, an artist, or simply someone with a truth to share, the mandate is the same—move, create, connect. “Work begets work,” The gods of art, it seems, reward those who show up, who do the work, who risk failure in pursuit of something greater. In the end, the stories we tell—and the courage it takes to tell them—are what bind us together.
They remind us that even in the darkest times, we have the power to create meaning, to honor promises, and to keep the voices of the fallen alive.
Don't wait for permission. Don't wait for perfect conditions. Don't wait for someone to save you. Take initiative. Build trust in your community. Develop skills needed in chaos..
His story isn’t just about war — it’s about promises kept, resilience forged, and creativity used in service of something greater. For Scott Mann and myselfl, storytelling is the bridge between veterans and civilians — one story, one performance, one act of remembrance at a time.
