(UC Berkeley photo by Brittany Hosea-Small)
When veteran Trésor Bunker first came to UC Berkeley last year, he didn't mention that he'd served in the military. 'There are so many stereotypes,' said Bunker in an article on the Bancroft Library's website. 'For a lot of vets, once you leave the military, you want to put it behind you, not keep talking about it.' That's why army veteran and Berkeley alumnus Jason Deitch co-founded War Ink, a project that uses tattoos to inspire civilians to learn more about veterans' experiences. 'The project aims to undermine the usual stereotypes - that a veteran is either a hero or a ticking time bomb of PTSD - and create real recognition, from one human being to another,' says Deitch. The War Ink project - a documentary film, digital series and exhibit - highlights stories of combat veterans through memorial tattoos. The exhibit - striking, floor-to-ceiling portraits of men and women veterans displaying their tattoos - is a powerful representation of the effect combat has on veterans. In one image, Mike Ergo, who served in the Marines and earned his bachelor's and graduate degrees from Berkeley, stands with his hands on his hips, displaying a striking tattoo across his chest.
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