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Category: Iraq War

a man in a camouflage uniform

Three Days

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Travis Bickford, head of programs and communications at The Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP). On August 28, 2005, it was 111 degrees in Baghdad. That kind of heat makes you conspiratorial, like “nah, this ain’t real” kind of heat. I’d only been in country a …

Mitch Friesenborg standing in front of a tree on the campus

Arkansas: Home to Good Sweet Tea, Southern Hospitality and Amazing Veterans

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Mitch Friesenborg, a summer intern in the office of U.S. Senator John Boozman (AR). He attends Harding University, and is a member of the Arkansas National Guard. In the year 2021, the United States is in relative peace. No teenager today is anxious at the chance they …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

VHP’s Newest Online Feature: ‘First, Serve: Athletes in Uniform’

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest post by Matt McCrady, a Digital Conversion Specialist for the Library of Congress. Particularly during wartime, joining the military often means putting on hold important aspects of one’s life, such as college or marriage. Similarly, the unexpected draft notice can mean the end of a promising college athlete’s hope for …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Which One Do You Love Most?

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

It’s Valentine’s Day. It seems everyone has love on their minds today—at least half of us, anyway. Last year, the National Retail Federation predicted that 54.7% of the United States adult population was planning to celebrate the holiday with their significant others, friends or pets to the tune of nearly $20 billion. Yes, billion with …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

An Unexpected Opportunity

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Brandon Lithalangsy, a student at the University of Central Arkansas, and former intern in the office of Senator John Boozman (AR). Being in the military, there are times we forget about those who have left the service.  It is important to remember their stories and the lessons …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Female Firsts: Pioneering Women Veterans through the Years

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Andrew Huber, a Liaison Specialist for the Veterans History Project (VHP). This is the third post in a six-part series highlighting women veterans’ collections from the VHP archive in recognition of Women’s History Month. The story of women in the military is a story of firsts. Women …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Blazing Trails and Taking Names: Women in the Military

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is the second post in a six-part series highlighting women veterans’ collections from the Veterans History Project (VHP) archive in recognition of Women’s History Month. (Note: Due to the closure of all DC-area Federal Government buildings on March 2, 2018, the Women’s History Month book talk  featuring Liza Mundy  has been canceled. Stay …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

What is a Veteran?

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Kerry Ward, Liaison Specialist for the Veterans History Project (VHP). As this Veterans Day approaches, I find myself really pondering the word “veteran,” and all it encompasses. If you ask most people to describe what they visualize as “veteran” comes up, chances are many will envision a white-haired, Caucasian …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Happy Birthday to our U.S. Navy!

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Kerry Ward, a liaison specialist for the Veterans History Project (VHP). Predating even the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Navy was commissioned in 1775 by the Continental Congress.  Starting with a small anti-piracy force with two ships [i], the U.S. Navy now is the largest navy in …