For the past 11 years, a project enacted by former president Bill Clinton has aimed at preserving the history of those who have fought in the U.S.’s foreign wars.

The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center (VHP), a branch of the Library of Congress, is an ongoing project that collects and preserves the stories of America’s war veterans.

Last week, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) announced that in an effort to continue the program for local veterans, his office staff will be conducting in-person interviews at his four district offices.

“This year, I want to make sure that veterans in my district have the opportunity to share their story so that those important historical accounts will be preserved for generations to come,” McCaul said.

Veteran interviews will be held at McCaul’s Tomball office, located at 990 Village Square, Ste. B, on Wednesday, June 15.

McCaul’s staff will also conduct interviews at his offices in Austin on Tuesday, June 7, in Brenham on Tuesday, June 14 and in Giddings on Wednesday, June 15.

The congresssman’s staff said the interviews will be about 30 minutes long and will be conducted by his district staff.

The completed interviews will be added to the Veterans History Project’s archives for use by researchers and to the public at the Library of Congress and online via the VHP website.

The Project includes a collection of first-hand accounts of U.S. veterans from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Veterans History Project does not conduct the interviews itself. According to the project’s website, the “VHP relies on volunteers throughout the nation to collect veterans’ stories on behalf of the Library of Congress.”

Veterans who cannot attend the interviews at McCaul’s offices may also interview themselves or have a friend or relative perform and conduct the interview. The project’s website has a “field kit” that contains “tools” to help with the interview process. The collection may also be registered online.

Veterans interested in being part of the Project should contact Monique Wright in McCaul’s Austin district office at 512-473-2357. For more information about the Veterans History Project, visit loc.gov/vets/.

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