Will Aubrey discusses his time in the Kentucky National Guard. In particular, Aubrey traces his journey to enlistment after a knee injury, his reasons for joining, his deployment experiences, the comforts of home he missed while deployed, and his feelings on being in country.
White Daniel discusses his time in the miltary, and the return to civilian life. In particular, Daniel comments on his choice to enlist rather than be drafted, his postion in personel management, his transition back home, and his opinions on how the Vietnam War has been protrayed.
Tyler Bare discusses his time in the United States Marine Corps., his training and deployment to Afghanistan, what it's like to live through combat, and how he coped with witnessing fellow Marines die in combat.
Timothy J. Gaffney Jr. recounts his time in the Air National Guard. In particular, Gaffney comments on his enlistment path, basic training in Texas, and his job in fire protection. He also detilas the rigours of training continuously, the travel that came with it, as well as his reasons for re-enlisting. He also covers the effects his service has…
Timothy Gruber details his time in the United States Army. In particular, Gruber comments on his deployments to Iraq and Kuwait, being injured and awarded a Purple Heart, as well as coming home and dealing with PTSD. He also comments on being honorably discharged because on the complications he experienced with PTSD.
Tim Anderson discusses his time in the United States Army, and his life afterwards. In particular, Anderson comments on basic training and being deployed to Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. He also discusses his education after the Army, his path to becoming a teacher, teaching high school, and his use of military styled classes.
Terry L. Spurlock discusses his time in the United States Navy. In particular, Spurlock comments on his choice to enlist in the Navy rather than be drafted into the Army. He also shares stories from his time in boot camp and his travels to the Philipines and Vietnam.
Talbert G. Turner discusses his choice to enlist in the United States Navy and the experiences that helped him transition back into civilian life. In particular, Turner shares his methods for staying calm under stress, the free time in the evenings that his postion granted him, his advice for people thinking of joining, and his thoughts on how the…
Tabatha Flynn details her childhood in a small town and her choice to enlist in the Army. In particular, Flynn comments on basic training, her combat medic experiences, and the moral and mental struggles of combat. Flynn also discusses her return to civilian life, starting a family, and her major take aways from military service.
Ryan Adkins discusses his combat experiences in the Army. In particular, he details his experiences in combat, how his views of combat changed over time, and the friendships he created. Adkins also comments on the accountability they depended on, the struggles of seeing danger in every situation, the difference in gender roles in combat, and being…
Robert Lee Quisenberry details his time in the Air Force. In particular, Quisenberry details his childhood, enlisting in the military, his training, being stationed across the world but not facing combat, his cilvilian life, and his experiences with Veteran Affairs.
Robert Howard discusses his time in the National Guard, his choice to go to basic training before senior year of high school, and his deployment to Iraq. In particular, Howard comments on the politics of being in Iraq and his views on Isolationsim. He also discusses the return to civilian life, the local VFW, and the privatization of the VA. Howard…
Robert Burgess discusses his time in the Navy. In particular, Burgess comments on his Naval responsibilities, the benefits of serving in the Navy, his personal religious beliefs, the GI Bill and his education, and the state of the Veteran healthcare system.
Richard K. Rogers details his career in the United States Air Force and his reentry into civilian life. In particular, Rogers, a fuel specialist, discusses his choice to enlist rather than be drafted, the coping mechanisms he used to get through boot camp and the challenges he faced when he was discharged. Rogers also comments on inequalities in VA…
SFC Rebecca E. Wood discusses her career in both the Army Reserves and National Guard. In particular, Wood details her decision to enlist at seventeen, being bullied out of joining the AIr Force, being offered a nursing position in the Navy, and her eventual decision to join the Army instead. Wood also commments on Basic Training in South Carolina,…
SFC Raney Wiseman details his career in the United States Army, and his varied assignments throughout his time in the service. In particular, Wiseman comments on his deployments to Iraq during Operation New Dawn, as well as his work with border control agents and other interdepartmental organzations like the State Police and ATF. He also discusses…
Ret. Lt. Col. Randy Singleton details is 36 year career in the United States Army. In particular, Singleton details his reasons for enlisting, the many places he visited, working with NATO forces during the Cold War, living away from his family, the people he served with, and his return to civilian life once he retired.
Ralph Dinn details his experiences in the United States Army. In particular, he discusses his basic training experiences, the skills he was taught, coping with homesickness, his involvement in the VFW and the American Legion and the good they do for Veterans.
Patrica Stevens recounts her time in the U.S. Navy as a Corpsman. In particular, Stevens comments on her time in basic training, her first impressions of the Naval base in Whidbey Island, Washington, and what it was like to participate in the revovery effort after the San Francisco Earthquake in 1990.
Nicole Keller details her time in the United States Navy. In particular, she discusses her decision to enlist on a whim, her reasons for choosing the Navy, her experiences in boot camp, the countries she visited, and life on a naval vessel. She also discusses her decision to leave service for the sake of her son and her use of the GI Bill to get…
Monique Johnson details her time in the United States Navy, and the hardships of being deployed. In particular, she comments on what it was like to ship out, the difficulties of Basic, the struggles of being on her own, and what it was like to be a woman in a position of power in the Navy. Johnson also discuesses her transition back into civilian…
Michael Williams details his time in the United States Navy. In particular, Williams discusses his upbringing, his decision to join the Navy, his transition into basic training, and his combat experiences. He also discusses reintergation into cilvilan life and shares his advice for people who are getting ready to retire from the service.
Michael Weir discusses his service in the United States Navy. In particular, Weir comments on continuing the family tradition of Naval service, his time in basic training, being away from his family, his positions as a corpsman and a resuce swimmer, and the cultural differences he experienced with each deployment.
Michael Navalta Jr. recounts his time in the United States Army. In particular, Navalta comments on his specialized education, infantry training, and pushing his limits. He also discusses his deployments, the dangers that came with them, SERE training, and the medals he was awarded.
Micheal Jones details his time the Air Force during Vietnam. In particular, Jones comments on his struggle between serving or moving to Canada, his reluctance to go overseas, being stationed in the states, and the impacts of seeing his friends suffer PTSD and chemical injuries. He continues by explaining his easy transition back into civilian life,…
Micheal C. Roy details his time in the United States Naval Reserves duing the Vietnam War. In particular, Roy covers his reasons for joining the Navy, being stationed on a WWII destroyer and the state the ship was in upon arriving, being an engineer on the USS Kitty Hawk, as well as being in he Gulf of Tonkin during the conflict. Roy also discusses…
Matthew Kenney details his childhood and his time in the United States Army. In particular, Kenney discusses his childhood mentors, enlisting, basic training in Oklahoma, being stationed in Djibouti, the friendships he made, and how the men would pass the downtime. Kenney concludes with his thoughts on reintergrating after a deployment.
Matthew Hodge discusses his time in the United States Navy. He comments on his childhood, enlisting in the Military to stay out of trouble, and choosing the Navy because of family. He also discusses being stationed in Conneticut, what is was like to be a machinist on a submarine, his deployment to the Persian Gulf, and his transtion back into…
Martin Baumgardner recounts his time with the National Guard. In particular, Baumgardner comments on the difficulties of being away from family, his choice in the National Guard, the high expectations of his leaders, being a member of Airborne, his position as a combat engineer, and his transition back into civilian life after the service.
Mark Measel enlisted in the Navy in 1980, at the age of 18. His journey as a submarine radioman in the Navy spanned multiple continents and countless countries. As a submariner, he was stationed on both coasts of the United States. Measel's service ended in 1986, at the age of 24.
Ret. Lt. Col. Marcel T. Schmidt details his twenty-three year career in the Air Force. In particular, Lt. Col. Schmidt recalls memories of his father in Vietnam as a child, and comments on getting a masters degree before enlisting and his experiences while serving in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Schmidt also comments on staying in…
LTC Brian Sweeney recounts his impressive career in the United State Army. In particular, Sweeney comments on his Special Forces training and breaking his ankle at Ft. Benning, which led to a switch to the Infantry. He also comments on not being picked for Delta Forces, training ROTC students at University of Kentucky, and being deployed to Bosnia…
Lester Baker discusses his childhood, and his time in the Navy. In particular, he details his responsiblities while enlisted, going to A school, and the places he was stationed.
Kenneth Sterns Jr. discusses his time in the United States Army, the difficulties of basic traning, what the service taught him, and his opinions on the current military.
Keith Dinsmore discusses his time in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. In particular, he comments on his being drafted, his time in basic training, and the politics of war.
Katie Gilley discusses her life in the Marine Corps, her basic training experiences, and her work in broadcasting and print media. In particular, Gilley discusses the people she met while working in Vietnam, female Marines, discrimination in the Marines, and life after the military. She also comments on the GI Bill, starting a family, and shares…
Joshua Walker discusses his time in the Marine Corps., his experiences and the losses he endured. In particular, Walker comments on the impacts of losing soldiers to IEDs, the meaning of brotherhood, his work ethic, his thoughts on the healthcare system for veterans, and, he provides advice to potential soldiers wanting to enlist.
Jon Ralls details his childhood, attending basic training in Illinois, survival training, the loneliness of deployment, his thoughts on the VA, and his time as a firefighter.
John H. Spaulding discusses his time in the Army, his intial try out for the Marine Corps. and his eventual deployment to Vietnam. In particular, Spaulding addresses the horrors of war, his unfriendly welcome home to the United States, and his reintegration back into civilian life.
John Barnett details his time in the United States Army. In particular, he comments on his decison to enlist, basic training, adapting to military life, and his deployments. Barnett also discusses his return to civilian life and his thoughts on Veteran benefits.
Joel Hennings discusses his time in the Air Force, including his experiences during basic and pilot training and his eventual retirement from military service.
Joe Jenkins recounts his time in the United States Army. In particular, Jenkins recounts his time as a Staff Sergeant, basic training, his deployment to Iraq, his work with interpreters, and the hardships of combat. He also discussed his reentry into clivilian life, and his thoughts on people who are currently joining the military.
Jimmy Thanh Doan details his time in United States Marine Corps. In particular, Doan comments on being a first generation immigrant, his parent's reaction to his enlistment, his time in basic training, and how he developed a service oriented mindset to adapt.
Jim Distler discusses his enlistment in the United States Marine Corps. In particular, Distler details his experiences during basic training, his reasons for enlisting, his occupation as a radio operator, and his life after the service. He also gives his opinions on the military and civilian life after enlistment.
Jesse D. Allen discusses growing up around the military, his decision to join the Army and his experiences while enlisted. In particular, Allen details his time in the Middle East while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Allen discusses the good and bad expereinces of war, the scars he brought home with him, and how he has worked to live with…
Jesse Clark discusses his childhood, and his time in the Air Force. In particular, Clark comments on his role models as child, his reasons for enlisting, and his experiences while enlisted.
Jennifer Chapman, is a Jefferson County, KY native and a member of the National Guard. In this interview she discusses the reason she joined the military. She also describes her experience and her attitudes of women in the military.