Connecting Across Veteran Experiences

Veterans in Jefferson Community College's *Dialogues on the Experience of War* program visited Washington, D.C. Image courtesy of JCC. — Veterans in Jefferson Community College’s *Dialogues on the Experience of War* program visited Washington, D.C. Image courtesy of JCC.

With funding from the NEH, faculty at Jefferson Community College (JCC) designed a course for veteran students that would offer them the chance to build camaraderie and reflect on their military experiences. Dialogues of Honor and Sacrifice: Soldiers’ Experiences in the Civil War and the Vietnam War, part of the Dialogues on the Experience of War program, was offered to 15 students in 2018. Veterans took a trip to Washington, D.C., then read works about the Civil and Vietnam Wars, and discussed themes of honor and sacrifice. Ultimately, this Dialogues program offered veterans a much-desired opportunity to connect with and learn from others, while fostering self-reflection.

Facts & Figures

100%

of veteran participants agreed that the course helped them consider perspectives and experiences of service members that were different from their own.

Facts & Figures

100%

of veteran participants would like to keep in touch with people they met through the program.

The course fostered camaraderie and friendship among the participants and gave them a new perspective on the faculty at their college—classes were taught by professors from across the university. The trip to Washington, D.C., was free for participants and began the course with a communal atmosphere while giving them the chance to visit memorials throughout the city. One student especially appreciated the way the trip brought the participants together, “The trip itself reminded me of basic training—all of us with our bags, waiting to figure it out.” Others expressed gratitude for a space that gave them the chance to discuss their personal experiences while challenging them to consider the motivations and experiences of others.

“The areas that we covered all touched home in some way. I was glad this [course] wasn’t about remembering dates. This touched me deeply … The course hit different topics, and all of them takes me back to my time in service.”

–Veteran participant

Over the course of the semester, participants engaged with works ranging from Colonel Robert Shaw’s personal letters and the 1989 film Glory, depicting his experiences with the first African-American unit to fight in the Civil War, to The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. Veterans appreciated the chance to use these works as a starting point for self-reflection. As one participant stated, “I have put off journaling for a very long time … [T]his course gave me the drive to start again. It is a great way to help when no one is around.” Another veteran expressed appreciation for the chance to think about other perspectives: “There were so many topics and through this course, I viewed topics in a different perspective and that was very rewarding.”