Stories of Service

After serving in Vietnam, many veterans had difficulty returning home. Acclimating to life after combat was not what they’d expected, and some of them still feel traumatized and alienated by their experiences in the war.

In 1966, nine young men from the mining town of Morenci, Ariz. joined the Marine Corps together. Though the odds of their dying in Vietnam were less than 10 percent, only three of them came back alive. What happened to these Marines and their community?

As the war continued in Vietnam, Chicano protestors began organizing at home. Thousands marched to end the war and speak out against what they saw as injustice on the part of their country and communities. One activist, Delia Alvarez, was at political odds with her own brother, a POW in Hanoi.

Find out how North Warren Regional School District in New Jersey is helping its students to forge deeper and more meaningful connections to history through the “Voices of Veterans” program. This segment from NJEA’s Classroom Close-up highlights conversations with students, teachers, and veterans as they share their personal connections to the past.

Army Staff Sergeant Leo Gruba and his wife Serena talk about his six deployments to Iraq and how he has learned over time to share more about his experiences there with his family. Leo and Serena also discuss how their life in the Army has changed since the birth of their son LJ — and how it will likely change again soon when their second child, Austin, is born.

Army Specialist Samantha Van Fossen says goodbye to her parents and sisters as she prepares to leave the small town of Lodi, Wisconsin, for her first overseas deployment to the Middle East. Although Samantha is prepared and excited for her mission, she struggles with leaving her family. Later, senior military leaders and experts discuss the experiences of military families in the post-9/11 era.

View intimate portraits of America’s military families, with unprecedented access to soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen and women in the all-volunteer military. The revealing documentary tells stories of pride and patriotism, sacrifice and resilience.

Army Colonel Jeffrey French describes the months leading up to his deployment to Afghanistan in 2009, when he was ordered to take command of an infantry unit on very short notice. His children, Kyle, Sarah and Annemarie, talk about how difficult it was to prepare for a long and dangerous deployment without much warning.

Marine Gunnery Sergeant Ramiro Gonzales is welcomed home from an 8-month deployment on the USS Boxer by his wife, Misty, and their three children, Alex, Lillie, and Hunter — who was born during this deployment and who Ramiro is meeting for the first time. After their joyful reunion, Ram and Misty face the challenges of reintegration as they readjust to family life.

Navy Command Master Chief Petty Officer Veronica Holliday describes the role of her husband, Michael, in raising their three children. Michael talks about the satisfaction he takes in being a father and how proud he is of Veronica’s achievements in the Navy — which have been made possible in part by his role as a stay-at-home dad.

America’s place on the world stage has always depended on its military might, and its military might has always depended on the draft. But the draft has stirred up controversy since America’s founding, throughout its history, and continues to do so today. What does it mean to serve one’s country in a time of war? What do you owe your fellow Americans?

In the tumult of the Vietnam War protests, Congress declared destroying draft cards a federal crime. Tom Cornell and David McReynolds took their chances with civil disobedience, and were among the organizers of a legendary draft card burning in Union Square. Protestors and counter-protestors clashed as draft cards went up in flames.