Researching our military veteran ancestors is a common pursuit for genealogists. Have you wanted to share those stories with family or the general public, but you have no or very few photos of your veteran ancestor? Want to build more historical and geographic context around their individual service history in those stories? Are you interested in creating digital interactive versions of these stories?
If you and answered yes or even just maybe to any of these questions, you do not want to miss my upcoming presentation “Visual Sources and Digital Tools for Telling Your U.S. Veteran’s Military Story” for the National Genealogical Society Family History Conference in May 2026. Can’t attend the conference in person? You can attend their virtual option.
My Presentation
Visual Sources and Digital Tools for Telling Your U.S. Veteran’s Military Story
Thursday, May 28, 2026 (2:30 – 3:30 pm EST)
After years of research reconstructing the World War I U.S. Army military service of Private Patrick Flanagan, whose Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) was destroyed by a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center, his great-granddaughter set out to write and share his WWI story in an engaging visual manner. A burned file meant his great-granddaughter did not have the wealth of files normally found in an OMPF that pertain specifically to an individual soldier or sailor, like she could for Patrick’s WWII U.S. Navy son. A disheartening added challenge is that no known photo of Patrick exists. Yet his great-granddaughter has created visually engaging stories that bring Private Flanagan’s WWI story to life. Learn how to find visual digital media that does not infringe upon copyright and how to weave in unit-based records and histories. See examples of digital multimedia storytelling platforms that lend themselves well to military history stories and walk away with resources for learning how to use these tools.
Although this case study focuses on a U.S. WWI Army soldier, the types of sources and methods covered can be applied as storytelling tools about any veteran ancestor of any war, and to family history storytelling in general.
I use these same digital tools and strategies for all of my family history storytelling. You can see some of my multimedia digital stories here
The Conference
The NGS 2026 Family History Conference will be held 27-30 May in Fort Wayne, Indiana. All regular sessions will be video recorded. A virtual option is being offered as well for those who need or prefer the convenience of watching these learning opportunities from home. Both in-person and virtual registrants will have access to the session recordings in the Whoa platform through 15 July 2026.
Discounted early bird registration rates apply through 28 February for both in-person and virtual registrants. So save yourself some money by visiting the NGS conference website to register today!
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