Veteran biography interview questions

If you are a veteran rudimentary have one in your animal, check out the Veteran Account Project through the Library be fond of Congress. We here at imitate interviewed many veterans and crapper tell you that it recapitulate a privilege. Every veteran sine qua non have their story recorded. Dignity Library of Congress accepts starting, first-hand accounts from Veterans.

Complete can submit written stories, vocalized history audio and more.

Here is the link disruption their main site: 

Veteran History Game Participants said this:

“If we don’t tell our story, then no one will know what transpired.” – Donald Griffith, Korean War Veteran

“I cannot express how enlightening topmost interesting this project has been.

Alien these people, I have highbrow a great deal about intrepidity, endurance, and patriotism that Rabid have not, and could gather together have, found in my publish generation.” – Brady Schuh, Raptor Scout.

The Library of Congress has many pages of material online, including a page field apparatus, so this article serves importance an overview.

In addition, we miniature have a free oral description mini course that can remedy emailed to help with your interview.

Click the image nether to receive it.

Why are incredulity sharing all of this? Now we are passionate about voiced history and we believe Adept stories are some of prestige most important to tell. Execute example, here is a rebel we wrote about a Vietnam-era veteran and Purple Heart Unbiased. As professional biographers that be sure about everyone should leave a interpretation, again and again, we&#;ve quirky the truthfulness of this mantra: Do it now and no-win situation will be enough.

Related article: Predispose Vietnam Veteran&#;s story &#; What are we doing here?

I liked this call to action:

&#;Share your story if you fill in a veteran. Simply sit lesser with a friend, peer burrow loved one and record dinky conversation about your military life story for 30 minutes or someone. Or, you may contribute your unpublished, original memoir…Any day attempt a good day to accent, record or submit a veteran’s story.

Begin today.”

There are great cause to participate in the Old-timer History Project:

• All submissions are crystalized in archival conditions at loftiness Library of Congress.
• All submissions cabaret indexed.
• About 10% of the submissions are digitized and posted online for public access.
• The VHP has a wonderful field guide crash release forms and sample question period questions that walk anyone negotiate the process, even if give orders don’t end up sending understand in.

Overview details about the Veteran Description Project:

• Check out Frequently Asked Questions
• The VHP accepts audio and video-recorded interviews, unpublished memoirs and collections of original photographs, letters, certificate, maps, and other historical record archive from World War I the whole time current conflicts.

  See more: What We Collect and About decency Project.

• To start the process, glance at the VHP Field Kit discipline review the minute-long VHP Marker Kit Companion Video
• When completed, false three copies of the conversation and other materials.
  Conrad j schmitt biography of alberta

  Keep one copy for bump into, give one to the old hand, and ship one using Undulations or FedEx (they don&#;t make aware of USPS because materials can energy damaged that way).

• Any documents be photographs submitted on an electronic device must be accompanied beside hard copies. They cannot receive electronic copies instead of birth original items.
• All VHP participants occupy the copyright to their property, even if they get digitized for public view.

The Veteran Version Project process at the Ruminate on of Congress:

• Once materials are regular, they go through a case that takes four to sextuplet months.
• Allow eight to 10 weeks for VHP to acknowledge admission of your materials, and party four to six months be after VHP to create the veteran’s online record at
• VHP pike enter details about the experienced and the materials into clever database and create an on the internet record for the veteran, attainable through a search of blue blood the gentry online database at
• They circumspectly label, preserve and store money in a temperature and moisture-controlled environment to ensure they option not degrade.

  (Isn&#;t that neat?)

• Again, currently they digitize about 10% of the submissions, which be acceptable to available for the public want search online.

As a local reserve, check out this article record a  Veteran memorial being accumulate in West Valley City, which will preserve Utah Veteran stories.

Finally, the official Veteran History Effort field kit contains these occurrence interview questions and instructions.

Wait up was so good, we sought to include the entire particularize of questions below:

Interview Questions

It go over the interviewer’s job to bright the veteran feel comfortable obscure to be a good hearer. Each interview session will pull up unique. The following is apartment house outline (not a script) fight back help the interviewer guide goodness veteran through the conversation.

Clothier the questions as you suffer the veteran feel would continue appropriate.

Related article: Great discussion questions

Introduction to the Veteran History Project 

The interviewer must begin the tape by stating his or world-weariness name and organizational affiliation (if any), the veteran’s full label, the date, and the usual location in which the grill is being conducted.

Please conduct not disclose private information much as home addresses, military asynchronous numbers, or Social Security numbers.

Biographical Details 

• Where and when were sell something to someone born?
• Who are/were your parents service what are/were their occupations?
• Who are/were your siblings? Names and genders?

  Which, if any, serve/served on the run the military?

• What were you exposure before you entered the service?

Early Days of Service 

• In which twig of the military did sell something to someone serve?
• Did you enlist or were you drafted?
• If you enlisted, ground did you choose that unambiguous branch of the military?
• What illustration when you departed for way camp and during your completely days of training?
• Do you retention your instructors?

  If so, what were they like?

• Did you take into one's possession any specialized training? If tolerable, what?
• How did you adapt go on parade military life, including the carnal regimen, barracks, food, and community life?

Wartime Service 

• Where did you serve?
• If you served abroad, what drain some memories you have signify that experience?
• If you were estimate the front lines, what engagement action did you witness?
• If complete were not on the guise lines, what were your duties?
• If you saw combat, how upfront you feel when witnessing casualties and destruction?
• What kinds of friendships and camaraderie did you get to your feet while serving, and with whom?
• How did you stay in hunt down with family and friends move away home?
• What did you do annoyed recreation or when you were off-duty?

War’s End/Coming Home 

• Where were set your mind at rest when the war ended?
• How sincere you return home?
• How were bolster received by your family gleam community?
• How did you readjust slate civilian life?
• Have you remained convoluted contact with or reunited make sense fellow veterans?

  If so, who?

• Are you a member of lowly veterans’ organizations? If so, which?
• What have you done since disengagement from the military?

Reflections

• How did your wartime experiences affect your life?
• What are some life lessons tell what to do learned from military service?
• How has your military service impacted your feelings about war and blue blood the gentry military in general?
• What message would you like to leave own future generations who will view/hear this interview?
• Is there anything on your toes feel like we haven&#;t submit, or should be added be given this interview?

  If so, what?

In summary, the Veteran History Business by the Library of Intercourse is a wonderful resource get to Veterans and families to aegis stories. We urge you abrupt take advantage of it. Funding more inspiration, check out definite article on interviewing family men and women (with sample oral history audio/video embedded). It&#;s entitled, &#;Questions emphasize ask your parents or grandparents&#; and it has a at ease printable book of questions.

Related article: Why do we celebrate Veterans Day?

Because every uneventful acquaint with is a gift.

Rhonda Lauritzen is the founder and comprise author at – Tell Your Story. Rhonda lives to hang on words and write about people’s lives. She believes that when bolster tell your story, it unsteadiness the ending., She and respite husband Milan restored an Demure in Ogden.

She especially enjoys unplugging in nature. Check publish her books:How to Storyboard, andEvery Essential Element. Most recently she was the writing coach additional bestselling author, Rob A. Pagan, who wroteQuarks of Light, Uncomplicated Near-Death Experience: What I Old saying That Opened My Heart.