My Doughboy's Story

WWI Army Research: Go Beyond the Basics

This is a pre-recorded program.

Ready to dig deeper into your WWI Army veteran’s service? This class will take you beyond the basic records and show you where to look, what to search for, and how to connect the clues.

I’ll first walk you through my 2-part research strategy for approaching WWI Army research. You will learn a time saving path to follow instead of searching randomly and hoping you find something. I'll also teach you how to build the absolutely necessary military timeline of service.

From there, we'll explore where you can find records. You’ll learn how to use the FamilySearch VA Index and the Enlisted and Muster Rolls. We'll take a look at Fold3 Army Morning Reports, Ancestry's USAT ship manifests, NARA Catalog collections, and other online resources to uncover details about a soldier’s military experience.

Whether you’re researching a family member, writing a veteran’s story, or simply want to understand WWI Army records better, this class will give you new tools, resources, and strategies to move your research forward.

Students receive one-year access to the program plus extensive workbooks. Program also includes a Certificate of Completion.

It’s time to go beyond the obvious records and uncover the story hiding in the details.

Purchase Access

Pre-Recorded My Doughboy's Story

$50

This is a pre-recorded program to help you navigate the 2-part strategy and find World War I Army records online and offline, through a variety of sources.

One year access to program, materials, and workbooks. Certificate of Completion.

Meet Your Coach

Jennifer Holik

More than 10 years ago, I developed a 2-part military research strategy that makes it possible to discover the story of any veteran from WWI through Vietnam — even if the records burned. This grew out of a journey I began nearly 30 years ago, guided by my military ancestors. What started as genealogy quickly expanded into a full military research, writing, and speaking business shared through the WWII Research & Writing Center and later, here at the Ancestral Souls Wisdom School.

My work is rooted in both fact and spirit. I’ve walked battlefields, stood at graves, and listened to the echoes of soldiers and families whose stories still long to be told. Living between Chicago and the Netherlands, I absorbed history, culture, and the weight of inherited war trauma. My own path through PTSD and ancestral healing deepened my ability to see repeating patterns, connect dots across generations, and help others uncover truths hidden beneath silence and loss.

At the Ancestral Souls Wisdom School and WWII Research & Writing Center, I bring together research and soul work, helping you not only recover your family’s military history but also transform the patterns and pain it left behind. This is where history, healing, and story meet.