Bullets and Bandaids is a collaborative storytelling project that brings together veterans, writers, and artists to create work based on real human experiences. Each piece begins with a story, is shaped into a written narrative, and is then interpreted visually by an artist.

Our mission is to use storytelling and art to bridge the divide between veterans and civilians by focusing on the individual human experience.

The project began through a series of early exhibitions in 2012 and 2016, and was formally established as its own nonprofit organization in 2019.

Bullets and Bandaids was founded by Marine Corps veteran Robert LeHeup. The project grew out of a desire to create a space where veterans could share their experiences in a way that felt human, honest, and free from expectation or exploitation—while also allowing others to engage with those stories beyond surface-level understanding.

Yes. Bullets and Bandaids is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Bullets and Bandaids is based in Columbia, South Carolina, with work and collaborators extending across the United States and internationally.

Most veteran organizations focus on services, advocacy, or policy.

Bullets and Bandaids reinforces the dignity of individual lived experiences by allowing stories to be carried forward through writing and art, rather than reduced to assumptions, politics, or stereotypes.

For veterans, that means being seen beyond assumptions or labels.
For supporters, it means directly helping create and share stories that continue to reach people.

We are not trying to speak for veterans.

We are creating space for people to encounter them as fully realized human beings.

No. Though most of our interviewees are veterans, the work itself is not limited to military experiences. It reflects a wide range of human perspectives and themes that extend beyond service. We do this to reinforce the shared human experiences that make meaningful dialogue possible.

Bullets and Bandaids is rooted in working with American combat veterans. That foundation comes from lived experience, access, and a commitment to telling stories with accuracy and care.

At the same time, the work is not limited to combat or even to military service. As the project grows, it includes a broader range of voices, including non-combat veterans and civilians, when those stories align with the intent of the work.

The focus is not on category.
It’s on the individual human experience.

There is no set type of story. Participants have shared experiences related to identity, humor, trauma, relationships, culture, loss, growth, and everyday life. Human dignity is not determined by spectacle.

We don’t restrict subject matter. Our interviewees are free to share what they feel is important. The only expectation is that the resulting work does not intentionally promote harm or degrade groups of people.

Participants come through outreach, referrals, and direct interest. We look for individuals who are willing to engage honestly with the process, rather than fitting a specific background or narrative.