Wednesday, May 29 2024 at 7:00 p.m. CDT

Webinar – Research a Veteran. Exploring the Basics of Military Research

All the records DID NOT burn. Answers can be found and stories written no matter what anyone tells you. There is a strategy to correctly research 20th century military service, regardless of branch. In this session you will learn: 

• Where to begin your research at home.
• What questions to ask.
• The first part of the research strategy to learn any veteran's story from any 20th century war and and military branch.
• What records you need to establish the foundation and where to locate them.
• How to create a timeline of service.
• How to begin writing the story.

I use storytelling along with the records to help you understand the deeper impacts of service. You might want a tissue for the story at the end of this session.

Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. CDT

Webinar – The Greatest Generation. Adding Context to the Veteran's Story

Contextual records are everywhere, not just the National Archives! Once you have established what units your service member was in and where they served, it is time to explore unit-level records.

In this program you’ll explore:

• The second part of the research strategy to piece together your veteran's story.
• How to add to your timeline of service and expand the narrative.
• Explore various histories, journals, photos, and maps for all the military branches.
• You will learn about the most valuable foundational records to put your service member into context and write a richer story everyone will want to read.

These records help you write the narrative to your stories. They will also help you understand why your veteran was who they were after service, and probably bring up more questions for you to consider.

Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. CDT

Webinar – Virtual Vaults of Valor: Exploring WWII Service Records Online

Many of the records you need, especially at an individual level, are not online. However, all is not lost! There are rich records and databases available to help put puzzle pieces together. In some cases, you might even hit the jackpot on digitized records to help tell your service member's story.

In this program you’ll explore:

• You will get a taste of what can be found online for World War I and World War II.  New collections are being added all the time.
• Tips for using Fold3 and other similar databases.
• Where to find unit-level context to better understand your veteran's experience.

After we explore some online sources you may not have considered, to demonstrate the vastness of online military records, we will take a live walk-through of Fold3. Using Case Studies I will show you were to find the gold and what to be aware of as you search. All tips provided apply to any database you search online.

Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. CDT

Webinar - WWII Sacrifice. Researching the Prisoners, Missing & Dead of World War II.

Discover the history of the American Graves Registration Service and the records they created for our honored war dead. 

In this program you’ll learn:

• What records were created by the American Grave Registration Service for World War I & World War II. How to access those records and tell your veteran's story.
• You will learn about online resources for locating information.
• We will explore POW records.
• I'll share a case study on James Privoznik who was Killed in Action 11 January 1945. Through our research, writing, and travel journey, I'll tell you his story and how I found information when most would say it is impossible.
• You will have access to some death records to peruse at your leisure.

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. CDT

Words That Heal

As we embark on the journey of a new year, let's make 2024 a year of profound transformation by honoring the heroes who fought in World War II. As we approach the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings on June 6, it's time to capture and share the stories of bravery, sacrifice, and resilience.

This program includes:

75-Minute Webinar

   - Gain insights and inspiration during an engaging live webinar that guides you through the art of crafting compelling veteran stories.

500+ Writing Prompts Book

   - Unleash your creativity with a comprehensive book of over 500 writing prompts tailored specifically for capturing the essence of veteran and civilian experiences.

PDF Guides

 - Navigate the writing process seamlessly with our detailed PDF guide, packed with tips, Do’s and Don’ts, writing themes, outlines, and more.

 - Military Service Questionnaire.

 - A guide on the emotional toll of research and writing.

30-Minute Private Coaching Session

$70 value. Participants receive a 30-minute private coaching session. This session must be used within six weeks of the start of the program or you lose it. Detail will be sent out via email on how to schedule coaching session a few days before the first webinar day.

Bonus Webinar

$50 value. Participants have access to the webinar and workbook for My Doughboy's Story. This program is about researching WWI Army service online to reconstruct service, even if the personnel file didn't burn.