American Red Cross Trained HOPe Africa on Conducting & Preserving Interviews of US Veterans for The Library Congress.

By HOPe AfricA

The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. The authorizing legislation (Public Law 106-380), sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, received unanimous support and was signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000.

The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. The Veterans History Project is made possible by the generous support of the United States Congress.

The Library of Congress's Veterans History Project is committed to honoring veterans and collecting their stories. Commemorative dates can provide opportunities throughout the year to plan activities to honor veterans, spotlight your organization, and build the Veterans History Project collection of stories of veterans and others who served in World War I, World War II, the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars, and the Iraq-Afghanistan conflicts.

A participant may be a veteran, an interviewer, or person donating a veteran’s collection. It is the interviewer’s job to make the interviewee feel comfortable and to be a good listener. Make sure each interview lasts at least 30 minutes. Send recorded interviews and collection materials to Veterans History Project, Library of Congress Washington, DC through commercial services such as Fed Ex, UPS, or DHL, or deliver them in person if you live nearby.

L-R: The Trainee Interviewer Mr. Francis John of HOPe Africa asking Interviewee Mr. Will Sission of American Red Cross Questions.

Mr. Will Sisson is a veteran and the Service to the Armed Forces Specialist, International Specialist of The American Red Cross of Western Missouri.In the training, conducting and preserving interviews of US veterans for the library congress with Mr. Sisson at # 211 W Armour Boulevard, Kansas City, the trainee - Mr. Francis John addressed all prescribed questions in approximately 30 minutes:

  1. Interviewer Introduced self;
  2. Asked the interviewee to provide basic biographical details;
  3. Asked the interviewee to discuss his or her experiences;
  4. Imbibed steadfastness, patient and follow the rules.

Mr. John is a freelance journalist for over 25 years, he hopes to replicate same in Africa in conjunction with American Red Cross and donor agencies after being certified. Interview outcome from US Veterans for The Library Congress takes between 8 – 10 weeks.Afterwards, Red Cross will provide Mr. John with audio and video recording gadgets to conduct interviews with veterans across United States.

He is of the opinion the African program will reconnect thousands of idle veterans with the past, to the beneficially of the present. Resolving impeding insecurity in the continent and inculcatingformidable armed forces. HOPe Africa West African Regional Coordinator, Mr. Maji Peterx has been instructed to start a preliminary survey in this regard.

Mr. John concluded by saying, this is a perfect learning curve, expressed gratitude to Mr. Will Sission for this training, recommendation to Restoring Family Links Instructor Training in Atlanta, GA. Wednesday, October 28 – Friday, October 30, 2015 and look forward to more cooperation with American Red Cross.

William John
HOPe Africa UK
E. [email protected]
W.S. https://hopeafrica.wixsite.com/africa