StoryCorps, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping us believe in each other by illuminating the humanity and possibility in us all, one story at a time, announced on January 30 its 2025 Military Voices Initiative (MVI) tour, which honors veterans and members of the military community by recording and preserving their stories. MVI works in partnership with veteran service organizations across the country and is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
Active service members, veterans and their loved ones are all encouraged to record conversations with a trained StoryCorps facilitator as part of this year’s MVI tour, which includes stops in Indianapolis, Indiana, in partnership with WFYI; Tampa, in partnership with WUSF; and Newark, New Jersey, in partnership with WBGO. Virtual recording options will also be available throughout Indiana, Florida and New Jersey on select days during the tour. In September, virtual recording days will be open to participants across the country. (Advance reservations are required.)
Millions of Americans have worked in the armed forces, and the military community knows well the pride and honor of service, in addition to its unique challenges. Yet few civilians have had an opportunity to hear from service members directly about their experience. MVI illuminates these experiences and contributes to StoryCorps’ free archive by recording and preserving the stories of veterans of all wars, service members and military families — in their own words. Since its launch in 2013, the initiative has collected more than 3,500 interviews with current and former service members from all over the country.
StoryCorps CEO Sandra Clark, the daughter of a career soldier, said, “While members of the armed forces and their loved ones make enormous personal sacrifices for the nation, their service is invisible to most Americans. The Military Voices Initiative aims to let them know how much their service matters, and to give the American public a greater appreciation of those who have stood up to serve.”
“The powerful stories of those who have served our country document the leadership and sacrifice it takes to protect and preserve our freedoms and democracy,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “CPB is committed to supporting StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative, which ensures that these stories will be accessible to future generations.”
Recordings from MVI, like all StoryCorps interviews, are preserved for posterity in StoryCorps’ online archive, where most are accessible to the public, and at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
The partner station in each tour city will create special programs such as virtual and local listening events that give civilians opportunities to engage with veterans and service members in their communities. With participant permission, these stations will air a selection of the MVI interviews recorded in their state. StoryCorps and its partners will also kick off each stop with a ‘Lunch & Learn’ session to give community members and potential participants an opportunity to learn more about the Initiative.
2025 MVI Tour Schedule:
- Indianapolis: Lunch & Learn on Wednesday, March 26; in-person recordings from Thursday through Monday, May 1-5; and virtual recordings from Thursday through Monday, May 8-12.
- Tampa: Lunch & Learn on Tuesday, April 15; in-person recordings from Sunday through Thursday, May 18-22; and virtual recordings from Wednesday, May 28, through Sunday, June 1.
- Newark: Lunch & Learn on Wednesday, June 25; in-person recordings from Wednesday, July 30, through Sunday, August 3; and virtual recordings from Wednesday through Sunday, August 6-10.
2025 MVI Open Virtual Recording Days:
- Friday through Monday, September 12-15.
- Tuesday through Saturday, September 23-27.
Reservations can be made online at https://storycorps.org/discover/military-voices/.
StoryCorps may share edited versions of interviews collected throughout the tour via its podcast, animated shorts, NPR broadcasts and other digital platforms.
Since 2003, StoryCorps has fostered an environment of comfort and intimacy for its interviews, with a trained facilitator guiding participants throughout the process. For those who choose to record virtually, the interview process and experience will be conducted via StoryCorps Virtual, a browser-based platform that allows both participants to see and hear one another during their conversation, which is guided remotely by a facilitator. A few weeks after the free, 40-minute recording session, participants receive an email with a link to StoryCorps’ online archive and their interview. A second copy is archived at the Library of Congress with the participant’s permission.
Special thanks to the dedicated and trusted Dignity Memorial® providers for their sponsorship of the Military Voices Initiative broadcast on NPR in 2025.
