Tester Helps Preserve and Promote Stories about Montana Veterans

Senator Votes to Expand the Veterans History Project

(U.S. Senate)-Senator Jon Tester today helped expand the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project to better preserve and promote the stories of Montana veterans who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Tester supported the bipartisan bill on the Senate floor, which will allow the family members of fallen service members to participate in the Veterans History Project to ensure the stories of their loved ones are collected and stored at the Library of Congress.

“The folks who served this nation have deployed around the globe to topple oppression and promote freedom,” Tester said. “It is critical that future generations understand the bravery and selflessness of our veterans and their families.”

The Veterans History Project was created in 2000 to collect and catalog the stories of American war veterans. In 2010, Tester launched an effort to help recruit Montana veterans to participate in the Veterans History Project and preserve their firsthand stories of their service for future generations.

The project currently only includes firsthand narratives in its collection but the bill Tester helped pass today would allow the families of fallen service members to share the stories of those who died or went missing in action during their service.

The Veterans History Project has collected the records of nearly 100,000 veterans to date, including firsthand accounts of veterans serving in all U.S. military engagements since World War I.

To submit a recording to the Veterans History Project, veterans or family members can download a field kit HERE.