Across the United States, thousands of Veterans carry stories of service, courage, sacrifice, and personal survival that history may never hear unless someone takes the time to preserve them - and sadly, the majority of those stories are simply fading into silence, to be lost forever.
Hi. My name is Brandon Bateman. I am a United States Marine Corps Infantry Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom II and a lifelong student of history. In my post-service career, I have had the privilege to serve as a curriculum developer for the National Museum of the Marine Corps’ Professional Military Education program, where I helped bring the artifacts and experiences of Marines to life for the American public and for those currently serving.
Having shared my story, and while recording Oral Histories at the Museum and across Northern Virginia, I have seen the invaluable relief that the telling of one's story can offer for veterans.
I am now seeking your support for this mission that is deeply important to me and to the preservation of our nation’s shared historical record - and for the benefit of all veterans.
Our Honored Archives is dedicated to recording and preserving the firsthand accounts of United States military service members and veterans. Through professionally conducted oral history interviews, we ensure that the voices of those who served are documented, respected, and permanently archived.
Each interview is carefully recorded and preserved for future generations through permanent donation to the archival collections of the veteran’s respective service branch, the United States National Archives, and the United States Library of Congress.
We believe that no service to our country is insignificant. Every veteran’s experience forms part of the larger story of our nation, and each deserves to be preserved with dignity.
The act of telling one’s story also carries meaningful personal value. Research in neuroscience demonstrates that narrative processing allows individuals to organize and integrate difficult memories into coherent accounts. This process helps reduce the burden of unresolved experiences and supports emotional regulation. For many veterans, sharing their story in a respectful, structured, peer-to-peer setting offers a powerful form of relief and affirmation.
The impact reaches even further. When veterans are invited to tell their stories, they receive a powerful message that their experiences matter and that their sacrifices hold lasting significance. Listening carefully and preserving those accounts at the highest archival level reinforces dignity, belonging, and recognition. It says to the veteran: You are seen. You are remembered. You are valued. And above all, you are honored.
In many cases, these recorded histories also provide practical assistance. Veterans (myself included) often face challenges documenting service related experiences when pursuing disability claims through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
For many veterans of my generation, we experienced war in the ‘analog-to-digital’ era of record keeping practices, and unfortunately, many records were not just lost - they were never even recorded. We have more robust records of the operations of Marines in the American Revolution than we do for those of us who served in the Global War on Terror. Professionally recorded oral histories can serve as credible narrative records that may support future claims or appeals for veterans and our peers.
Families also benefit deeply from these recordings. For veterans’ loved ones, these interviews become lasting heirlooms that carry the voice, perspective, and lived experience of someone they love. Often these conversations reveal stories that were too difficult to share in everyday life, if ever shared at all.
Through this effort, we enable a better understanding of veterans and our challenges, while strengthening the bonds between family members that might otherwise continue to fade due to social isolation.
Our Honored Archives exists to safeguard the voices of those who served while restoring dignity, honoring legacy, and ensuring that their experiences remain part of the enduring story of the United States.
To enhance this work, I am seeking support to procure a modest but professional recording setup including a high quality camera, microphones, portable lighting, tripods, and secure storage media. These tools will allow me to travel to veterans, conduct respectful interviews, and preserve their stories at the highest archival quality possible. Any surplus funds will directly support the mission’s logistics and administrative workload.
Any contribution, large or small, directly helps ensure that the voices of American veterans are preserved for future generations.
Each interview recorded becomes a permanent historical record. Each preserved story strengthens our national memory.
If this mission speaks to you, I humbly invite you to stand with us and help ensure that the voices of those who served will never be lost.
Thank you, most sincerely, for honoring our veterans through your support.
Semper Fidelis,
Brandon C. Bateman