Dan Loyson

Since 2012, The Harlem Veteran Project has dedicated their time to recording and preserving the stories of American Veterans. Through this process the students have learned the long term impact of war on individuals and the community. In 2016, the Harlem Veteran Project students took an extended look into the impact war had on veterans, Jim Thew and Alex Feggestad. During this journey the students learned the reality of war and Jim and Alex experienced the power of healing through oral history.

The Vietnam War, like any war, is a collection of many stories that come together to form a single narrative for those who experienced it. These thoughts, emotions, and struggles all come together to create the picture that we have of the war today. “Making of a Soldier” follows Vietnam veterans’ experiences. Each story is unique and is a piece of a bigger picture. Together, it provides us a look at how everyone in the country was affected by the war, how they came home and readjusted to civilian life, and how the war continues to reach them to this day. .