Ellis County Historical Society in Hays will host “A New Generation of Veterans: Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan,” a presentation and discussion by Murl Riedel on Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at 100 W. Seventh, downtown Hays. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program.
Contact ECHS at 785-628-2624 for more information. The program is made possible by Humanities Kansas.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan gave rise to a new generation of veterans. They challenged society’s traditional notions of military services and raised questions about the role of the US in global conflicts. Soldiers from Kansas were some of the first deployed to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.
They returned again and again, yet their stories remain largely untold. Modern communication platforms connected these veterans to family and friends instantaneously but left little written record for future generations.
This talk reviews key events of America’s longest war to date and discusses methods to collect and share these stories from American veterans.
Murl is a fiscal analyst and a retired major from the Kansas Army National Guard.
“A New Generation of Veterans: Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan” is part of Humanities Kansas's Speakers Bureau and “21st Century Civics,” a collection of resources that invite Kansans to participate in community discussions and learn more about the history of American democracy and the shared responsibilities of citizenship. “21st Century Civics” is made possible with support from “A More Perfect Union: America at 250,” an initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information about “A New Generation of Veterans: Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan” in Hays contact the Ellis County Historical Society at 785-628-2624 or visit www.echshays.org.
About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit leading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with our partners and supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.