Top of page

Collection Veterans History Project Collection

Impact of Service

Military service impacts the lives of all veterans, but some grapple with the lasting effects of their time in uniform long after their discharge papers are signed. The following curated presentations spotlight veterans whose collections illuminate the long-term consequences of military service.

Our Research Guides, StoryMaps, and blog posts provide additional ways to explore the collections.

Disabled Veterans For disabled veterans, their wounds of war are daily facts of life. They are obstacles or impediments, but for the men and woman in these stories, they are not roadblocks. All say they don’t want special consideration for their disabilities, only fair and humane treatment--from the government they served and from the communities in which they live.
The GI Bill: 75 Years of Opportunity Officially titled the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, it came to be known as the GI Bill of Rights, and it would go on to change the lives of countless veterans. In the 75 years since it was created, the GI Bill has undergone a few changes, but it has continued to provide newly-minted veterans with the means to achieve higher education.
In Memoriam: Honoring the Fallen Most of the veterans represented within the Veterans History Project survived their time in the military, returning home safely to be reunited with their friends and family. But some collections tell different stories—of lives lost too early and loved ones left to cope with these tragic losses. Here, we present 15 collections of fallen servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
PTSD: A Lasting Impact of War The effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be severe, and long lasting. Though understanding of PTSD began to grow after World War II, and expanded significantly beginning in the 1980s, many veterans describe being diagnosed only recently, having lived for years with symptoms such as nightmares, anxiety, anger and difficulty maintaining personal and professional relationships.