This week I had the opportunity to talk about the work of the Veterans Museum at the Historic Naval Ship Symposium with my good friends from the USS Orleck Naval Museum. We started our mission with interviews from Sailors who served onboard the Orleck and their stories are featured on the ship in the first touchscreen kiosk we completed. I was asked what made the Veterans Museum different from all the other organizations that are interviewing Veterans for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. That is a great question!
It’s not that we capture the stories with excellent lighting, sound and video. It’s not that we create a safe space for Veterans to remember what happened 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or even 80 years ago. It’s not that we ask insightful questions during the interview. It’s not that we pull compelling stories from the narrative and then share them with the public. It’s not that we have a national reach and can interview Veterans wherever they are. There are many great organizations that do all of that. Our touchscreen kiosks set us apart as an amazing way to share the stories with the public, but that is just the beginning. We want to hear from all Veterans: Not just combat Veterans. Not just Veterans from a specific war or era. Not just Veterans who deployed. We want to find and preserve the stories of all Veterans.
We believe that every Veteran deserves the respect and recognition for their service. We want to continue to prove to all Veterans that their story matters, their service matters.
Thank you for your continued support of the Veterans Museum mission!
Scott Mythen
Chief Executive Officer
On September 10th, the Veterans Museum marked a major milestone with the opening of its new in-person interview studio at its office in downtown Jacksonville, Florida.
Previously, in-person interviews were conducted off-site at the Jacksonville Public Library. Now, the Museum can record Veterans’ stories on-site in a dedicated interview space designed to help Veterans feel comfortable sharing their experiences.
Lead videographer and editor Mike Galski spearheaded the design of the studio, which features high-quality cameras, professional lighting and sound equipment, and warm, inviting décor. At the center of the studio sits a vintage leather chair flanked by an American flag and the military service flag for the Veteran being interviewed.
More than just a part of the set, the light-blue wingback is a piece of the Museum’s history. It once belonged to William Hicklin, a World War II Veteran whose posthumously discovered D-Day journal inspired his family to establish the Veterans Museum for the purpose of preserving firsthand accounts of military service before they are lost.
Fernandina Beach resident Dawn Huffman, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1981 to 1996, became the first Veteran to sit in Hicklin’s chair for an interview. She recounted her memories of bootcamp, her experience as part of the first wave of women serving aboard U.S. Navy ships, her 35-year marriage, and her current volunteer work with Veteran organizations in northeast Florida.
Videographer Jordan Fletcher, who has been with the Museum since its first interview in 2024, had this to say: “Today we finally got to see our studio come to life with our first interview, and it was an absolute success.”
We look forward to preserving the stories of many more Jacksonville-area Veterans in our new studio. Contact us for more information at info@vetsmuseum.org.
September 11, 2026 marks 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.
Those attacks inspired the service of more than 3.5 million American veterans.
Visit a Veterans Museum kiosk to hear the firsthand stories of post-9/11 veterans who answered the call to serve.
September 12 – A Veterans Museum kiosk will be on display at the Military Museum of North Florida in Green Cove Springs, FL, for the 2nd annual “No Man’s Land Chili Challenge and Flea Market.” For more information visit: https://themilitarymuseumofnorthflorida.com/.
Sept 14-17 – The Veterans Museum will deploy a kiosk to the 2026 Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA) Symposium in Evansville, IN. On Friday afternoon, Veterans Museum CEO Scott Mythen will speak about our “Oral History Partnership” with the USS Orleck museum ship. For more information visit: https://www.hnsa.org/annual-symposium-and-registration
Sept 21 – Veterans Museum CEO Scott Mythen will be a guest speaker at the monthly gathering of the Tri-County Women Veterans, Inc. at the Rohan Recreation Center in the Villages, FL, and will offer a demonstration of one of our interactive touchscreen kiosks.
Sept 23-26 – The Veterans Museum will be participating in the 2026 Military Influencer Conference (MIC) at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street in Tampa, FL. Visit our booth to speak with a representative and interact with a touchscreen kiosk. For more information visit: https://militaryinfluencer.com
Display our interactive flat-screen kiosk in your museum, school district, city library, state building, or public space! Please contact us to discuss cost, delivery, and the seamless remote updates associated with our kiosk at info@vetsmuseum.org. Let’s bring these stories to more communities. Learn more here about our kiosks.
Your story matters. Whether you served at home or abroad, during times of peace or conflict, your experience is a vital part of America’s history. When you share your story, you preserve your legacy – not just for your family and community, but for future generations who need to understand the real meaning of service.
