It's important for the civilian population to know the challenges servicemembers, veterans and their families face on a daily basis, and Goodwill Industries recently teamed up with StoryCorps to help make sure that happens. The two organizations have partnered together to record stories as part of the StoryCorps Military Voices Initiative, which aims to record the experiences of 700 post-9/11 veterans, servicemembers and their loved ones.
The program is slated to kick off in Houston on March 14 and 15, when 12 veterans will share their stories. The interviews will be conducted by a friend or family member and will seek to uncover what challenges each participant faced when he or she transitioned back to civilian life. StoryCorps officials say the initiative may not only be therapeutic for each servicemember, but will also help highlight the often difficult road they travel so others can learn about their experiences.
"The Military Voices Initiative will not only provide military families with a national platform to share their stories of service in their own voices, but will also enable civilians to understand more clearly the complex challenges of their bravery and sacrifice," said StoryCorps' president Dave Isay.
Programs such as the StoryCorps Military Voice Initiative are especially important now as the war in Afghanistan draws to a close. Around 34,000 troops will return home by the end of 2013, with the remaining forces expected home by the end of 2014.