"we as humans so often choose to look away from what we have endured. i truly believe that if we take the time to stare down what has once tormented us and embrace it, we can move forward with a healthier and more positive lifestyle. since jumping on board with the combat paper project in august of 2007, i have learned that finding ways to numb ourselves into not recognizing trauma, we tend to drive ourselves down the wrong path making it more difficult to unearth ourselves in the downward spiral in which we have placed ourselves. the cpp has helped force my mind and body in knowing that in order to come to terms with what happened, we must find several doors that will lead us in different directions, circulating through our psyche and healing each and every torn fiber that we are made up of. we as veterans have walked a line that many will not, we have seen things that most will never see and we have played a part in the war that we have created. it is up to us to re-weave the fabric that makes us whole. with the first cut of my uniform on a warm summer night in vermont, my outlook on the current events drasticly changed, sending me down the path that i was meant to walk. since then i have been able to express my feelings, my thoughts, my experiences in ways i never would have imagined of doing. when one sets out with the intention to heal, they are taking on a task that is very difficult at hand for we must relive these events, look at them from different points of view and then mend together what was once broken, the end result being a more optomistic point of view of themselves, society and the world in which we live. it took more courage to go back to these times than it did when they actually happened. it becomes easy to shut down, it becomes easy to walk away but if we keep running from what took place then we can never truly be at peace. the combat paper project is only a single tool on the shelf. it is up to us to venture out in search of our calling and find for ourselves how we must fit into society for the greatest good, but a helping hand along the way is always a good thing. so we must pass along this knowledge to all beings even if they do not share the same belief because eventually they might just understand where we come from. and for those that do, i truly hope that in time, we can all have a happier lifestyle."
Jon Michael Turner
November 2009
Jon also has a portfolio of images made on combat paper. In addition, he has self-published a book of poetry, Eat the Apple comprised of 29 personal poems relating to war. Both are available for sale directly from the artist. He is also in the process of establishing his own press and web site to feature his unique work.
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