The Veterans' Voices Project is a combined effort by Wright State University’s Veteran and Military Center and local NPR station WYSO. Wright State Veteran students record video interviews of Veterans ranging from World War II to the current conflicts. These interviews are then stored in both The Library of Congress and Wright State University archives. All of the interviews are available for viewing at the Library of Congress and Wright State archives. Some of these interviews will be viewable on The Library of Congress website.
Another aspect to this project is our partnership with the local NPR affiliate WYSO. WYSO will be airing pieces for the national project known as “Veterans Coming Home.” These pieces will be about transitions and struggles that Veterans in the Dayton area have faced and overcome.
This project is conducted by Veterans, for Veterans. Many military service members have never told their story, this is their chance to do it. Recording and archiving these stories preserves them for future generations.
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Sanchez Le'Flore Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Sanchez Le'Flore, David L. Morse, and Jeniffer Seavey
Sanchez Le'Flore (DOB: August 4, 1979) enlisted in the United States Army on May 31, 2006. Le'Flore served at Ft. Lewis, Washington, Ft. Hood, Texas, and was deployed to Iraq in which he participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He worked as a Multichannel Transmission Systems Operator (31R) and as an Information Systems Specialist (25B). Le'Flore served with the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion and the 500th Military Intelligence Brigade. He was discharged from the Army on May 30, 2009 at the rank of Specialist (E-4).
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Daniel Lephart Jr. Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Daniel H. Lephart, Amber Meyer, and Ericka Carter
Daniel H. Lephart Jr. (DOB: August 22, 1926) enlisted in the United States Army Air Force in February 1945. Mr. Lephart served as a mechanic at Toulon Field in Vienna Austria during World War II. Mr. Lephart was at Toulon when the nuclear bomb was dropped in Hiroshima ending World War II. He left military service in November 1946 as Private First Class.
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Daniel Lopez Interview for Veterans' Voices
Daniel Lopez and David Berry
Daniel L. Lopez (DOB: May 1, 1979) enlisted in the United States Army in October 1997. Mr. Lopez served in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. He left the Army in July 2012 as an E-5 Sergeant.
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Dogs Help Veterans Cope With PTSD
Allison M. Loy and Will Davis
Approximately 300,000 Post-9/11 veterans are identified as having post-traumatic stress disorder in this country but it’s estimated that only 1 in 3 asks for help. For those who do, different kinds of therapy can help to manage the after effects of trauma. Many veterans find comfort from pets.
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From the Air Force to Ice Cream, Navigating a Transition out of the Service
Allison M. Loy and Will Davis
US Air Force Lieutenant Bobby Walker created Fronana, a dairy-free ice cream made out of bananas. In August of 2014 Bobby found out he is being involuntarily separated from the Air Force because his career field is over manned. Walker is using Fronana as a way to transition to civilian life.
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Military Sexual Assault Survivors Find Healing In Therapy, Education and Service
Allison M. Loy and Will Davis
According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, one in four women in the military report being sexually assaulted during their service. The numbers are even higher when unreported cases are considered. Life after Military Sexual Trauma, known as MST, can be challenging, but healing can come from finding ways to help others.
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Montgomery County's Veterans Treatment Court Offers Opportunity For A Second Chance
Allison M. Loy and Will Davis
For veterans, reintegration back into civilian life after military service can be traumatic. Many vets make this transition successfully, but for others it’s very difficult, and some even commit crimes as a result of service-related trauma. Rather than let these men and women get lost in the criminal justice system, the Veterans Treatment Court was created – and courts like these are happening more around the country.
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Rolla Malan Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Rolla E. Malan, Jeniffer Seavey, and William R. Corkum
Rolla E. Malan (DOB: July 4, 1920) enlisted in the United States Navy in April 1939. Malan served during World War II in the Pacific Theatre on the USS Preble, a minelayer. He was in Pearl Harbor during the December 7, 1941 attack. For his service, Malan was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal. Malan was discharged from the Navy in 1946 at the rank of Machinist's Mate First Class (MM1c).
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Cheryl Malone Interview for Veterans' Voices
Cheryl Malone, Jeremy L. Tkach, and Ericka Carter
Cheryl Lynne Malone (DOB: September 12, 1963) was commissioned into the United States Air Force in May 1985. She was stationed at the Pentagon from 1997 to 2001. Ms. Malone served as Mission Support Squadron Commander during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. She also served at Misawa Air Base in Japan. She retired in June 2006 having achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
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Michael Maloney Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Michael Maloney and Adrian Hill
Michael Maloney (DOB: December 16, 1965) enlisted in the United States Army on August 9, 1984. Maloney served in several locations including Fort McClellan, Alabama, Fort Knox, Kentucky, Korea, Germany, Fort Hood, Texas, and Iraq. He served in the Operation Desert Shield and the Operation Desert Storm as a Military Policeman guarding Prisoners of War (POWs). Maloney left the Army on August 31, 1984 after achieving the rank of Sergeant First Class (E7).
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Calvin Martin Interview for Veterans' Voices
Calvin Martin and David Berry
Calvin Martin (DOB: March 19, 1939) was commissioned into the United States Air Force after serving in the ROTC at North Carolina A&T State University as an undergraduate. Mr. Martin served four years beginning in 1961 at Edwards Air Force Base in the Rocket Propulsion Laboratory. After leaving the Air Force he enjoyed a successful career in environmental protection.
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Christopher Martin Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Christopher Martin and Jeremy L. Tkach
Christopher Martin (DOB: March 26, 1972) enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1993. He is a graduate of the Defense Language Institute (Korean). He furthered his education in intelligence at Goodfellow Air Force Base. He was stationed in Korea, Hawaii, and California. He retired from the Marines in 2006.
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Louis J. Martin Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Louis J. Martin, Eric Wiete, and Adrian Hill
Louis J. Martin (DOB: March 18, 1934) enlisted in the Air Force in October of 1954. He served with the 310th Air Commandos. Martin served in several locations: Lackland AFB in Texas, Newfoundland, Greenland, Randolph AFB in Texas, Brooks Field in Texas, Nha Trang in Vietnam, Gwangju in South Korea, Stuttgart in Germany, Grissom AFB in Indiana, Norton AFB in California, and Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio. Some of his duties included the transport of VIPs during his time at Randolph AFB and the transport of the deceased in Vietnam. Martin was awarded 20 air medals for his service. He retired in October 1974 as a Master Sergeant.
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Wayne Massey Interview for Veterans' Voices
Wayne Massey and David L. Morse
Wayne Massey (DOB: August 28, 1974) enlisted in the United States Marines in July 2001. He was deployed to Iraq in 2004 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mr. Massey also served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Mr. Massey left military service in 2013 as a Sergeant.
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Robert Maxwell Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Robert A. Maxwell and Keturah Edwards
Robert Maxwell (DOB: May 29, 1991) enlisted in the United States Air Force in July of 2010. He served at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota in the 705th Munitions Squadron. He left military service with the rank of E-4 in July 2016 to pursue a college degree in Computer Engineering.
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Shawn Silverman Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Shawn Maxwell and Jeniffer Seavey
Shawn Silverman (DOB: April 24, 1968) was commissioned into the United States Air Force in October 1989. He served as a Special Operations Helicopter Pilot. He served in Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and North Africa during Operation Joint Force, Operation Joint Endeavor, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He was awarded 2 bronze stars and 5 meritorious service medals. He retired from the Air Force in July 2014 with the rank of Colonel.
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Paul McClain Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Paul McClain, James C. Mitchell, and Jeffrey D. Briggs
Paul McClain (DOB: December 15, 1925) enlisted in the United States Navy in December 1943. He served in Idaho, Madison, Wisconsin, Solomons, Maryland, Massachusetts, and in throughout the Pacific on an LSC(L)-113 as a radio operator, and participated in the Battle of Okinawa. McClain was discharged in May 1946 after achieving the rank of Radioman 2nd Class.
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James L. McCoy Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
James Lewis McCoy, Adrian Hill, and Jeniffer Seavey
James Lewis McCoy (DOB: February 13, 1930) joined the United States Air Force as a commissioned officer in June 1952. He served with the 374th Troop Carrier Group in Tachikawa, Japan, during the Korean War Conflict. He left active duty in June 1954 at the rank of Captain, but continued to serve in the Reserves for another eight years.
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Brendyn Melugin Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Brendyn Melugin and Lucas Schroeder
Brendyn Melugin (DOB: October 8, 1992) enlisted in the United States Army in 2013. He served at Fort Bragg in California and Fort Benning in Georgia. Melugin was part of the 503rd Military Police Battalion. During his time in the Army he received the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Adjutant General's Corp Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. Melugin was discharged with the rank of E-4.
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Fred Henry Meyer Jr. Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Fred H. Meyer Jr. and David Morse
Fred Henry Meyer Jr. (DOB: January 15, 1926) was drafted into the United States Army in January 1946 and was discharged in July 1947. He joined the Air Force ROTC while at the University of Cincinnati in 1947 and was commissioned to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in 1949. During his long career he worked on many space program projects including the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar program and the Space Shuttle.
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Joseph Minnich Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
Joseph Minnich, Anne Moore, and Bradley Wang
Joseph Minnich (DOB: February 16, 1932) enlisted in the United States Air Force in March 1951. He served with the 374th Troop Carrier Wing in Japan during the Korean War conflict. For his service, Minnich was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the UN Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Occupation Japan Medal, and the Korean War Veteran Medal. Joseph was discharged in March 1955 at the rank of Airman First Class.
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James C. Mitchell, Jr. Interview for the Veterans Voices Project
James C. Mitchell, Adrian Hill, and John Brown
James C. Mitchell, Jr. (DOB: December 8, 1950) enlisted in the Air Force on September 8, 1968. He served in Vietnam from 1969-1972 and 1975, in Desert Storm, and during the Cold War. Mitchell was stationed in several locations: Vietnam, Korea, Guam, the Philippines, Germany, McGuire AFB NJ, Scott AFB IL, Keesler AFB MS, Travis AFB CA, and Wright-Patterson AFB. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Airman's Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Air Force Achievement Medal. He was also named the 375th AAW NCO of the Year and the Keesler Medical Center NCO of the Year. Mitchell retired from the Air Force on October 1, 1992 as a Master Sergeant (E-7).
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From the Air Force to Ice Cream: One Year Later
Anne Moore and Will Davis
Bobby Walker was involuntarily separated from the Air Force, and so he decided to pursue a dream and start a business. This is a follow-up to the story, "From Air Force to Ice Cream, Navigating a Transition out of the Service," which aired on December 10, 2014. The first story can be found at http://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/wyso_veterans_voices/12/.
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William Moore Interview for the Veterans' Voices Project
William R. Moore and Jeniffer Seavey
William R. Moore (DOB: December 9, 1922) was commissioned by the United States Army Air Corps. He served in the D-Day Invasion of Normandy in World War II. Moore was shot down on his tenth combat mission. He received the Air Medal and was discharged as a 2nd Lieutenant.
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John Moran Interview for Veterans' Voices
John Moran and David Berry
John F. Moran (DOB: August 28, 1943) was commissioned into The United States Army in April 1965. Mr. Moran served as an executive officer and as an Artillery Battery Commander. He served in the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He left the Army in 1973 having achieved the rank of Captain.