Veterans Day 2015: How Journalism Made Me More Grateful

Last semester, during the spring of 2014, I was involved in a a project the local WILL/Illinois Public Media was doing on Vietnam veterans. My entire multimedia reporting class helped WILL interview Vietnam veterans living in downstate Illinois and compile their oral histories. As part of the project, I photographed, filmed, interviewed and recorded sound relating to one veteran and his story, applying the skills I was learning in my multimedia class. (The photos featured here are part of that class and project.)

The veteran I was assigned to was Paul. He was drafted and ended up being a radio operator in Vietnam. Before working on this project, I didn't realize that the military is  much more than soldiers in combat. I didn't realize the effect the draft had and how people even went to Canada to avoid it. I didn't realize that there were people my age who were leaving everything they knew and loved to go to a completely foreign country -- some even forced by the draft -- to fight for their country.

Me with Paul during the Polish Legion's pancake breakfast, one of the fundraisers held to provide scholarships for kids at Tuscola High School

It's hard for me to believe the draft ever happened. As someone who's around the age of those who were drafted, it's even harder. People my age nowadays are worried about school, friends, and jobs and are getting nervous about entering "the real world," not being shipped off to a foreign country to possibly go into combat.

These Vietnam veterans are home, and some of them -- even after already doing a great service for their country -- are continuing to help those around them by being active in their community. Paul is part of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, and they help raise money to help fellow veterans and children or grandchildren of veterans. I never would have known or thought about all of this if it weren't for my multimedia class.

A helmet full of red poppies and donations during the Polish Legion's annual poppy fundraiser. Poppies are a symbol of remembrance, especially in terms of  veterans, because they were the first flowers to grow on the European battlefields of World War I.

I'd like to thank all of the veterans who have served in the military. I'd like to thank them for risking their lives, for spending time in the military -- time that can't be taken back -- and for continuing to help the U.S. people through the community work they do. I am especially grateful that, thanks to veterans, I can worry about school and money and my friends instead of whether or not I or anyone I know is going to be drafted or living in fear about an attack on the country.

While working on this journalism project was stressful for a variety of reasons, I'm glad I got to be part of it. I never would have thought I'd get an opportunity to help tell a veteran's story or become more thankful because of a journalism class.