Veterans Day is Nov. 11, and court reporters around the country will be participating in Veterans History Project events to help capture and preserve the stories of those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. If you have a loved one who has served, or know someone who has, consider helping to preserve their story this Veterans Day story by learning more about their experiences and submitting their story to the U.S. Library of Congress as part of its Veterans History Project (VHP) program.
To help members learn more about the VHP program, including how to host a successful event, download the National Court Reporters Foundation Veterans History Project Event Tool Kit, which features a catalog of downloadable resources including tips on how to plan and host a successful VHP event, valuable links, media advisory and business card templates, and more. These support materials have all been successfully used in previous VHP events hosted by NCRA and NCRF and have been packed into one tool kit to assist members in continuing this effort to preserve history.
The VHP program is part of NCRF’s Oral Histories Program and is one of its most popular. Established in October 2000 by U.S. Rep. Ron Kind from Wisconsin, the VHP program preserves and makes accessible to the public firsthand accounts of the service of American war veterans that are archived at the Library of Congress. To date NCRA members have recorded and transcribed the moving stories of more than 5,000 U.S. war veterans, helping to build a lasting legacy of the diverse group of men and women who have served our nation during wartime.
“Our longstanding partnership of NCRF and the Library of Congress is so valuable. Not only are our record-making skills utilized to preserve memories for posterity, but the veterans are able to share their experiences with interviewers, videographers, and stenographers — our members who are changed by hearing the military lives of these servants,” said NCRF Chair Doug Friend, FAPR, RDR, CRR (Ret.), a past president of NCRA from Vancouver, Wash.
NCRF and NCRA encourage members to share their stories about participating in VHP events as well as any tips they would like to share with others. Submit your VHP stories and ideas to pr@ncra.org. Contact NCRF Director Jill Parker Landsman at jlandsman@ncra.org for more information about the VHP and all of the Foundation’s programs.
Going to Bellevue, Wash., in 2026?
NCRF is seeking family members and friends of NCRA members in the Bellevue, Wash., area who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and are interested in sharing their wartime experiences during a special VHP event happening at the 2026 NCRA Conference & Expo taking place July 16-18, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue. The VHP event will take place July 16, 2026.
For more information, contact NCRF Director Jill Parker Landsman at jlandsman@ncra.org.
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