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Honoring Ancestors in the Military
by Gwynn Asbury
(May 31, 2012)
I come from a family that has had at least one member from each generation serve in every major war that the U.S. has been involved in since the Civil War. As that is the case, I have a strong sense of patriotism, but also heartfelt gratitude for what it means to be in the military. One of the most difficult topics to scrapbook is military ancestry or topics dealing with military service in general. I thought it might be fun to take a look at the gallery to see what has been done, and conclude with some ideas of my own for military-themed scrapbook layouts. The Gallery The awesome gallery here at Scrapjazz has a section that is specifically for military-themed layouts. When you are struggling for ideas on what to do or the types of things to document, this is definitely a place to go for ideas, inspiration, and knowledge about products out there available for your military-themed layouts. Hooah by Porkchops_Mom - This is a beautiful and simple digital layout. It documents one of the most pivotal points in military career, the graduation from AIT (or Army Infantry Training). WWII (Left) and WWII (Right) by Lauri D - This is a wonderful two-page layout created about the artist's grandfather's service in World War II. She has included scans of the original paperwork for his Enlistment and Discharge from the military. Paperwork is a huge part of the military, and I try to include it when I can. It not only provides you with a timeline, but you get a sense of what it was like during that time. Proud to Serve by Janice Nelson - This inspiring layout captures what it means to be in the military for most military members. Janice has documented two generations of service in this lovely layout. This is a great idea, particularly if you have multiple generations that have served in the military.
My Dad 1 by Meeky-Moo - This layout incorporates a map of where her father worked while in the military. If you can, include a map of the areas where your military member was stationed, served, etc. Saying Goodbye by Scrappinem - Here is a layout about one of the hardest things military families face: deployment and separation. It captures the feeling of how difficult it is to be separated while at the same time emphasizing the pride they feel in being part of the military. Additional Ideas Create an album detailing each generation that has served in the military in your family. Include scans of documents such as enlistment cards, duty station orders, and discharge papers. Document your own feelings about coming from a heritage of service. How has this shaped your life? What has it taught you? Was your military ancestor a good record keeper? If so, he or she may have already had a scrapbook of the photos taken while he or she served. You may want to restore it. Keep with the theme the original creator had done, but maybe take the time to have the photos scanned for digital keeping, replace the paper the photos are on, etc.
If your military ancestor was not a great record keeper, organizing the photos and documents and placing them in a nice and simple album can also be a great way to pay homage. Create some cards for the current troops. I found that my father in particular always found a way to appreciate the current military. Create cards to donate to organizations such as Operation Write Home or Cards for Troops. If your ancestor has died and was buried in a military cemetery, scrapbook the place of burial. Burial in a military cemetery is often a high honor and says something about his or her service. Document history in the making. If you are currently in the military or have a member in the military, there are several topics you can document. Here are some examples:
Hopefully, this has given you some ideas on military-themed topics to scrapbook for both current and past military members. The most important thing to remember is that although you want these photos in particular to be well cared for and paid the proper respect, the fact that you are taking time to organize, share, and document can mean a lot to our military members, past and present. |
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