The “Voices of Veterans” program seeks to record the stories of Texas Veterans through their time in service and after returning home from combat. The Oral History program seeks to record the stories of Texas Veterans and archive their stories in the Texas General Land Office for future researchers, historians, genealogists and the general public. Voices of Veterans ensures these stories of courage and service can inspire Texans for generations to come.
Voices of Veterans represents the first time a state agency has ventured into the field of Veterans' oral histories. The Veterans Land Board is a natural host for the program, managing nine existing Texas State Veterans Homes. The homes currently provide long-term care for about 900 senior Veterans, many of whom are eager to tell their story.
The Voices of Veterans program joins the ranks of other successful oral history programs, such as the Vietnam Archive Oral History Project at Texas Tech University and the Oral History Program at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg. While these programs focus on specific conflicts, the Voices of Veterans program is open to any Texas Veteran who served in the Armed Forces, from World War II to the War on Terror.
Veteran interviews are permanently archived in the Office of Veterans Records at the Texas General Land Office, where they join the historic documents of other Texas heroes such as Sam Houston, Davey Crockett, Jim Bowie and William Barret Travis. The archives are made available to researchers, historians, genealogists and the public to inspire future generations and remind us of our Veterans' sacrifices.
Any Veteran interested in including his or her story in the Voices of Veterans oral history program should contact the Veterans Land Board at 512-475-1248 or send an e-mail to voicesofveterans@glo.texas.gov. Oral history interviews can be conducted in person at the Veterans Land Board in Austin, or by telephone from anywhere in Texas. Interviews usually last from one to two hours.