With more than 102,000 veterans living in Montana, the state has one of the highest percentage of veterans by population, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

It is against the backdrop that U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-MT, announced that he will bring the American Folklife Center’s Veterans History Project (VHP) to Montana to collect and preserve the stories of Montana’s wartime veterans in the Library of Congress.

Montana veterans who served in the U.S. military during wartime in any capacity from World War I through the present and are no longer serving, as well as civilians who served in support of a U.S. war effort in a professional capacity, are eligible to participate, according to a news release.

“The Veterans History Project’s mission is to collect, preserve and make accessible the personal accounts of American wartime veterans, resulting in an incredible resource for researchers, educators and future generations to hear directly from veterans and to better understand the realities of past wars,” Daines said in a prepared statement. “The recordings and documents that are collected ensure that Montana veterans’ stories are preserved for future generations. If you are a veteran and are willing to tell your wartime story, or if you know a veteran whose story should be told, I encourage you to participate in this important project.”

Congress created the Veterans History Project (VHP) in 2000 as part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

Daines, in conjunction with the American Folklife Center, will hold a kickoff event and training for veterans and volunteers on Oct. 10 in Helena.

Training will be held at the Joint Forces Headquarters Building Auditorium at Fort Harrison, 1956 Mt. Majo St.

Daines will offer opening remarks at noon followed by volunteer training from 12:45 p.m. to 4 p.m. by the American Folklife Center

The kickoff event and training is open to the public.

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