20 Years of Service: Post-9/11 Veterans

With this presentation, we invite you to listen as post-9/11 veterans tell their own stories through oral histories, photographs, memoirs, and artwork. 2021 marks the twenty-year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, and in the two decades that have passed, the Veterans History Project has archived thousands of narratives from veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the Middle East during the War on Terror. The collections highlighted here provide insight into the personal and individual experiences of American service members during an era defined by memories of 9/11, multiple overseas deployments, and the constant struggle to adapt technology and techniques to uncertain environments. Every veteran has their own unique story to share, and we encourage post-9/11 veterans to add their perspectives to our archive by participating in the Veterans History Project.

View the blog post related to this online presentation.

View a Research Guide related to Post-9/11 veterans’ photo collections.

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    personal narrative
    Elliot Leedom Ackerman Collection Marine Corps, Iraq War, 2003-2011 - Iraq. Captain, Marine Corps, Afghan War, 2001- - Kunar Province, Afghanistan; Herat Province, Afghanistan; Paktika Province, Afghanistan; Farah Province, Afghanistan.
  • personal narrative
    Dean Baratta Collection Sergeant First Class, Army, Afghan War, 2001- - Fort Dix, New Jersey; Mainz, Germany; Bagram, Afghanistan.
    • Contributor: National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey (Center for US War Veterans Oral Histories) - Fowler, Carol R. - Baratta, Dean
    • Date: 1986
  • personal narrative
    Joseph Arden Beimfohr Collection Staff Sergeant, Army, Iraq War, 2003-2011 - Fort Riley, Kansas; Iraq.
    • Contributor: Beimfohr, Joseph Arden - Pricewaterhousecoopers, Llp - Porter, Kristin - Bobbin, Michael
    • Date: 1995
  • personal narrative
    Stephen M. Collins, Jr. Collection Staff Sergeant, Marine Corps, Afghan War, 2001- - Fort Knox, Kentucky; Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan. Staff Sergeant, Marine Corps, Iraq War, 2003-2011 - San Diego, California; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Fort Knox, Kentucky; Nasiriyah,…
    • Contributor: U.S. Senate/Richard Lugar - Huffman, Emmy - Lugar, Richard - Collins Jr., Stephen M.
    • Date: 2011
  • personal narrative
    Rupa Dainer Collection Commander, Navy, Afghan War, 2001- - Rhode Island; Bethesda, Maryland; Washington, DC; Camp Pendleton, California; Afghanistan.
  • personal narrative
    Shilo A. Harris Collection Staff Sergeant, Army, Iraq War, 2003-2011 - Schweinfurt, Germany; Iraq; Fort Drum, New York; Fort Knox, Kentucky; Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas.
    • Contributor: Harris, Shilo A. - Library of Congress - Veterans History Project - Ward, Kerry
    • Date: 2002
  • personal narrative
    Lee Ingrid Lane Collection Chief Warrant Officer 2, Army, Iraq War, 2003-2011 - Chicago, Illinois; Balad, Iraq.
    • Contributor: U.S. Senate/Richard Lugar - Lugar, Richard - Lane, Lee Ingrid - Koss, Tyler
    • Date: 1991
  • personal narrative
    Joachin Jefferson Marchand Collection E-5, Army, Afghan War, 2001- - Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Germany; Madrid, Spain; Ireland; Saudi Arabia; Kuwait; Turkmenistan; Afghanistan. Army, Iraq War, 2003-2011 - Iraq.
  • personal narrative
    Kimberly M. Mitchell Collection Lieutenant Commander, Navy, War on Terrorism, 2001-2009 - Norfolk, Virginia; Washington, DC; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Bahrain.
    • Contributor: Library of Congress - Veterans History Project - Mitchell, Kimberly M. - Ward, Kerry
    • Date: 1995
  • personal narrative
    William J. Muhm Collection Commander, Navy, Iraq War, 2003-2011 - Anbar Province, Iraq.
  • personal narrative
    Veasna Roeun Collection Staff Sergeant, Army, Afghan War, 2001- - Bosnia; Laghman Province, Afghanistan; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Benning, Georgia.
    • Contributor: Central Connecticut State University - Christie, Jeanne Marie - McGuckin, Briana - Roeun, Veasna
    • Date: 1998
  • personal narrative
    William Dean Smock Collection Lieutenant Colonel, Army, Iraq War, 2003-2011 - Indiana; Iraq.
    • Contributor: U.S. Senate/Richard Lugar - Smock, William Dean - Lugar, Richard - Brouillette, Susan
    • Date: 1971