Ballast Books releases Vietnam veteran Marc Lawrence memoir Still Standing

Ballast Books has published Still Standing, a memoir by decorated Vietnam veteran Marc Lawrence about combat, resilience, and rebuilding life after war. The book traces Lawrence’s path from the Plei Trap Valley to a decades-long career in geology and applied geophysics, including a return to Vietnam years later as a civilian.

Why it matters: - Still Standing adds a veteran’s firsthand account of Vietnam that focuses on what came after the war as much as combat itself. - The memoir connects battlefield experience to leadership, resilience, and career recovery, giving the book appeal beyond military readers.

What happened: - Ballast Books announced the publication of Still Standing, a new memoir by decorated Vietnam veteran Marc Lawrence. - Lawrence served in Vietnam as an artillery officer assigned to an infantry unit from 1968 to 1969. - The memoir centers on war, resilience, and the challenge of finding purpose after combat.

The details: - Lawrence left college at 22 and joined the US Army before deploying to Vietnam with little sense of what to expect. - He spent weeks on the front lines in the Plei Trap Valley directing artillery fire against North Vietnamese forces. - He returned home with the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart, an Air Medal, and other military honors. - After the war, Lawrence returned to the University of Florida and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology. - He built a 40-year career in applied geophysics that took him to more than 40 countries. - Lawrence later held senior leadership roles in the industry. - His career eventually took him back to Vietnam as a civilian, in a full-circle return to the country that shaped his early life. - The memoir explores how lessons from war continued to shape Lawrence’s approach to setbacks, leadership, opportunity, and perseverance. - Lawrence was born in Columbus, Ohio, moved to Florida at age 9, entered the University of Florida in 1964, dropped out after academic struggles, and then joined the Army. - He later became senior vice president and a board member at Fairfield Industries, worked with Global Geophysical, and founded RosettaStone Exploration Consulting in 2014. - Lawrence also held leadership roles with the National Ocean Industries Association and the International Association of Geophysical Contractors, where he served as chairman of the board for two years.

Between the lines: - The memoir is framed less as a war story than as a story about survival, reinvention, and long-term identity after trauma. - Lawrence’s return to Vietnam as a civilian gives the book a cyclical structure that underscores how combat can shape a life long after deployment ends. - Ballast Books is positioning the title within its nonfiction and memoir lineup, which fits the publisher’s focus on personal narratives with broader public resonance.

What's next: - Still Standing is now available through Ballast Books. - Lawrence’s story may resonate with readers looking for memoirs about service, recovery, and postwar purpose. - Ballast Books promoted the release alongside its social media channels, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

The bottom line: - Still Standing presents Marc Lawrence’s life as a case study in moving forward after war, not just surviving it.