Our Veterans
Winners, Losers, Friends, and Enemies on the New Terrain of Veterans Affairs
"This chilling account ... takes a critical look at the many players involved in shaping veteran life in the United States." —The New York Times Book Review
In Our Veterans, Suzanne Gordon, Steve Early, and Jasper Craven explore the physical, emotional, social, economic, and psychological impact of military service and the problems that veterans face when they return to civilian life. The authors critically examine the role of advocacy organizations, philanthropies, corporations, and politicians who purport to be “pro-veteran.” They describe the ongoing debate about the cost, quality, and effectiveness of healthcare provided or out-sourced by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). They also examine generational divisions and political tensions among veterans, as revealed in the tumultuous events of 2020, from Black Lives Matter protests to the Trump-Biden presidential contest. Frank and revealing, Our Veterans proposes a new agenda for veterans affairs linking service provision to veterans to the quest for broader social programs benefiting all Americans.
Meet the authors of Our Veterans

Suzanne Gordon

Steve Early

Jasper Craven
Praise for Our Veterans
2026 Events Schedule

Evergreen Cafe | Berkeley, CA | Sept 9, 2026

Rutgers Labor Center Conference | New Brunswick, NJ | June 4-5, 2026

Casey’s Tavern | Somerville, MA | June 8, 2026

Pilsen Community Books | Chicago, IL | June 9, 2026

UIC’s Moss Auditorium | Chicago, IL | June 11, 2026

Labor Notes Conference | Chicago, IL | June 12-14, 2026
Book tabling, book-and-author event, and book-related workshop on veterans in labor and saving the VA at 2026 Labor Notes Conference. For conference schedule, see labornotes.org/2026
Events Archive

Rotary Club | Novato, CA | August 23, 2022
N.Y. Health Foundation | Zoom | August 23, 2022
Veterans For Peace 2022 National Convention | Zoom | August 26, 2022

Book Party and Fundraiser | Richmond, CA | August 31, 2022
KPFA Author Series Event | San Francisco, CA | September 7, 2022
Still North Books & Bar | Hanover, NH | September 12, 2022
Phoenix Books | Burlington, VT | September 13, 2022
Porter Square Books | Cambridge, MA | September 21, 2022

Rotary Club | Richmond, CA | September 30, 2022

Rotary Club | Napa, CA | October 12, 2022
Physicians for a National Health Program | Boston, MA | November 4-5, 2022
American Prospect | Washington, DC | November 14, 2022

Rotary Club | Napa, CA | December 1, 2022

Rotary Club | El Cerrito, CA | January 5, 2023

Rotary Club | Pinole, CA | January 12, 2023

San Jose Peace & Justice Center | San Jose, CA | January 28, 2023

West County Forum | San Pablo, CA | February 9, 2023

Veterans For Peace | Albuquerque, NM | February 9, 2023
facebook.com/VFP063

First Unitarian Church | Portland, OR | March 29, 2023

Webinar: Save Our VA | March 16, 2023

Washington State Labor Council | Seattle, WA | March 28, 2023

Labor Notes TroubleMaker School |Oakland, CA | April 8, 2023
VHPI Forum on “Disadvantaging the VA” |Online | April 11, 2023

NFFE Forum on "The Future of VA Healthcare” | Online & San Francisco, CA | April 27, 2023

Green Apple Books | San Francisco, CA | May 1, 2023
San Francisco, CA, 94122. Details, when available, can be found at :
https://www.greenapplebooks.com/event

Columbus Book Festival | Columbus, OH | July 15-16, 2023
Veterans For Peace Convention | Online | August 25-27, 2023

Vermont AFL-CIO Convention | Jay Peak, VT | September 9-10, 2023

Autumn Leaves Bookstore | Ithaca, NY | September 13, 2023

Rotary Club | Brentwood, CA | November 6, 2023

Howard Zinn Book Festival San Francisco, CA | December 3, 2023

Veterans For Peace 2024 National Convention | Zoom | August 16, 2024
12:45 to I:30 pm/PT: Suzanne appears on a book related panel, with Arlys Harem, Bruce Carruthers, and other VFP members involved in its Save Our VA (SOVA) campaign. To register for the convention so you can listen in, use this link: https://www.vfpconvention.org/registration.

Scontras Labor Center | Portland, ME |November 13, 2024
Right after Veterans Day, Steve and Suzanne will be doing two events in Portland on the topic of “How the Labor Movement Can Support Veterans and VA Healthcare.” On Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m., they will be speaking, along with Common Defense Director Jose Vasquez, at Teamsters Local 340 Hall, 27 Main St., South Portland, ME. 04106, with sponsorship from area unions and the Scontras Labor Center. Earlier that same day, all three will be speaking from noon to 1 P.M. at the University of Southern Maine, Portland Campus, at a forum sponsored by two student veteran groups. Event details here.

Casey’s Tavern | Somerville, MA | June 8, 2026

Rutgers Labor Center Conference | New Brunswick, NJ | June 4-5, 2026
Events Archive

Rotary Club | Novato, CA | August 23, 2022
N.Y. Health Foundation | Zoom | August 23, 2022
Veterans For Peace 2022 National Convention | Zoom | August 26, 2022

Book Party and Fundraiser | Richmond, CA | August 31, 2022
KPFA Author Series Event | San Francisco, CA | September 7, 2022
Still North Books & Bar | Hanover, NH | September 12, 2022
Phoenix Books | Burlington, VT | September 13, 2022
Porter Square Books | Cambridge, MA | September 21, 2022

Rotary Club | Richmond, CA | September 30, 2022

Rotary Club | Napa, CA | October 12, 2022
Physicians for a National Health Program | Boston, MA | November 4-5, 2022
American Prospect | Washington, DC | November 14, 2022

Rotary Club | Napa, CA | December 1, 2022

Rotary Club | El Cerrito, CA | January 5, 2023

Rotary Club | Pinole, CA | January 12, 2023

San Jose Peace & Justice Center | San Jose, CA | January 28, 2023

West County Forum | San Pablo, CA | February 9, 2023

Veterans For Peace | Albuquerque, NM | February 9, 2023
facebook.com/VFP063

First Unitarian Church | Portland, OR | March 29, 2023

Webinar: Save Our VA | March 16, 2023

Washington State Labor Council | Seattle, WA | March 28, 2023

Labor Notes TroubleMaker School |Oakland, CA | April 8, 2023
VHPI Forum on “Disadvantaging the VA” |Online | April 11, 2023

NFFE Forum on "The Future of VA Healthcare” | Online & San Francisco, CA | April 27, 2023

Green Apple Books | San Francisco, CA | May 1, 2023
San Francisco, CA, 94122. Details, when available, can be found at :
https://www.greenapplebooks.com/event

Columbus Book Festival | Columbus, OH | July 15-16, 2023
Veterans For Peace Convention | Online | August 25-27, 2023

Vermont AFL-CIO Convention | Jay Peak, VT | September 9-10, 2023

Autumn Leaves Bookstore | Ithaca, NY | September 13, 2023

Rotary Club | Brentwood, CA | November 6, 2023

Howard Zinn Book Festival San Francisco, CA | December 3, 2023

Veterans For Peace 2024 National Convention | Zoom | August 16, 2024
12:45 to I:30 pm/PT: Suzanne appears on a book related panel, with Arlys Harem, Bruce Carruthers, and other VFP members involved in its Save Our VA (SOVA) campaign. To register for the convention so you can listen in, use this link: https://www.vfpconvention.org/registration.

Scontras Labor Center | Portland, ME |November 13, 2024
Right after Veterans Day, Steve and Suzanne will be doing two events in Portland on the topic of “How the Labor Movement Can Support Veterans and VA Healthcare.” On Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m., they will be speaking, along with Common Defense Director Jose Vasquez, at Teamsters Local 340 Hall, 27 Main St., South Portland, ME. 04106, with sponsorship from area unions and the Scontras Labor Center. Earlier that same day, all three will be speaking from noon to 1 P.M. at the University of Southern Maine, Portland Campus, at a forum sponsored by two student veteran groups. Event details here.









