WC Wisconsin News

As Nov. 11 marked Veterans Day, it only seems fitting that the following day, Rep. Ron Kind (D-LaCrosse) tweeted about the birth of The Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP).

Established in 2000, the Veterans History Project was established to preserve the accounts of military veterans so that future generations can hear them directly. The VHP collects interviews regardless of the veteran’s age, rank, branch, etc., according to a press release published in PR Web.

“It was an honor to speak with @HiringAmericaTV about how the Veterans History Project was created," Kind said in the Nov. 12 tweet. "The VHP has preserved more than 110,000 firsthand interviews from veterans at the Library of Congress, ensuring their service and sacrifice are never forgotten. I encourage everyone to take the time to interview a loved one about their service and record their stories for the Veterans History Project.”

The VHP website encourages those interested in participating to follow the instructions on the Library of Congress’s website. The website includes forms to fill out, guidelines on preparing for and conducting the interview and instructions on how to submit the completed form.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are currently 18 million veterans living in the United States and Women's Health reports that 10% of all veterans are women.

The VHP is laser-focused on honoring female veterans in the month of November and beyond and says "there’s no need to wait until Mother’s Day or Women’s History Month to celebrate women veterans," per the release.

“Women who served in the military are a valuable part of our history, and their stories deserve to be preserved for future generations,” acting director of the Veterans History Project Monica Mohindra said, according to the release.

For additional information on how to submit a story to VHP, click here.