Stacy Pearsall created the Veterans Portrait Project in 2008. Since that time she has traveled the nation taking formal portraits of thousands of veterans in whatever style those veterans choose to present themselves. The Veterans Portrait Project, which Pearsall admits was at first a healing tool for her own PTSD, has now become a national phenomenon, offering Americans a glimpse into the hearts of veterans. Pearsall deeply understands that “What unites them all is their service. It’s a bond that cannot be broken, and I am proud to be one of them.” The project is now marking its 10th anniversary.
Pearsall is an Air Force veteran who served three tours in Iraq, enlisted at age 17 and became a combat photographer traveling to 41 countries and capturing over 500,000 images, many of which were distributed around the world. She is the first woman to twice be named Military Photographer of the Year. She is also a 2004 graduate of the military photojournalism program at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Pearsall’s career came to an abrupt halt when she was injured in Iraq and later decorated with the Bronze Star and the Air Force Commendation with Valor. As she lay in the hospital and spent hours in waiting rooms listening to the war stories of veterans from every generation, every branch of service and every conflict, she realized she could use her photography to honor these veterans in a very personal way.
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While a grand opening celebration in April 2020 was sidelined due to the pandemic, the University’s National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC) at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building will be officially dedicated on Wednesday, Nov. 3. The campus community is…
James Lyons ’03, one of the first Syracuse University alumni killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, was inducted into the University’s National Veterans Resource Center’s Hall of Honor on Oct. 15. He was also recognized as the “Hometown Hero” during halftime…
The National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC) will host its first-ever military-themed Living Library on Nov. 15 from noon-5 p.m. Military-connected volunteers from across the campus and community will act as “living books,” representing a range of cultural backgrounds, talents and…
The incoming chair of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) Advisory Board, Richard M. (Rich) Jones ’92, G’95, L’95, believes that President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address provides us with a call to action. He says that the…
The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) Student Veteran Undergraduate Internship Award is open for applications from Oct. 1 to May 31. This award provides up to $5,000 in financial assistance to undergraduate student veterans who are attending Syracuse…
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