Ethnographer Anthropologist

Thanks to the help of Vietnam Veteran friends, I began interviewing Lao American veterans of the Secret War in Laos and meeting US Veterans who operated in Laos. The first-hand stories and the tight-knit network of Lao and US veterans that extends throughout USA convinced me these voices were too important not to document and preserve. Relying on my training in ethnography and cultural anthropology, I understood the necessity to show how the Secret War Laos extended further than only the Hmong ethnic group, but was heavily supported by the Royal Lao Government, Lowland Lao and more ethnic groups. These interviews established the first "Lao Special Guerrilla Unit & Royal Lao Army Collection" of interviews archived at the Library of Congress under direction of Ryan Wolfson-Ford, Southeast Asia expert with the Library of Congress Asian Division.  

There are too few veterans living who have important first-hand experience inside Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. I encourage anyone who knows a family member of friend who came to the USA as a direct result of the Vietnam War - Secret War Laos, to learn how to properly record and document their story for archival preservation. 

Thomas L. Briggs, CIA & US Army (left), Ryan Wolfson-Ford, PhD, (center) and James Bruton, US Army MACV (right) remain invaluable resources to me and my work to elevate voices of Lao allied veterans from the Secret War.

I recommend reading CASH ON DELIVERY: CIA SPECIAL OPERATIONS by Thomas Leo Briggs, CIA Case Officer - Pakse, Laos.

Voices of Valor is a radio program dedicated to sharing the narratives of U.S. military veterans featured in the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.  Through this program, listeners hear powerful first-person accounts from veterans of all branches and eras, shedding light on their experiences, challenges and triumphs.  Episodes feature interviews, best practices for interviewing the veteran in your life and curated stories from the Veterans History Project archive, preserving and honoring the legacy of those who served. 

Join us 2-3pm EST the first Monday each month for a journey through history, as told by the veterans who lived it, on Voices of Valor.  

After working with the US Forest Service in Alaska in 2017, I was fortunately hired by the National Park Service to apply my experience as an ethnographer to interview veterans from WWII to present and share their stories to help young students better understand the life of a soldier. Established my connection with the Library of Congress - Veterans History Project

Peruvians living in the highlands have a distinct cultural history dating long before the Incas and the Spanish colonization. Today, young indigenous educators with professional degrees are maintaining their culture and Quechuan (runa simi) language. Sustainability, to them, is a way of life where one respects nature, family and community.

Working as an interpretive ranger for the U.S. Forest Service in Juneau, Alaska. Mendenhall Glacier visitor area offers a natural outdoor classroom where one can literally point out evidence of climate change, succession. Close-up encounters with female black bears and their cubs, spawning salmon, migratory birds and  people from all over the world.