News Highlights

Traveling exhibit tells veterans’ stories

Through March 30

“Warrior to Citizen" exhibit tells the stories of recently returned war veterans, through Monday, March 30, in Centennial Student Union.

2009-03-26
By Robb Murray, Free Press Staff Writer [published in The Free Press, Mankato, MN, 3/26/2009]

There are stories aplenty about Vietnam veterans coming back from combat to a nation that wanted nothing to do with hearing their stories.

Those stories in many cases had to wait years to be told. In some cases, they were never told.

For soldiers returning today from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the reception back home has been much more welcom­ing. And a new exhibit touring the state is helping share stories of some of the men and women who fought for their country.

“Warrior to Citizen: Stories of Minnesota’s Most Recent Veterans” is a grass-roots effort to get those stories out to the public now instead of having them wait. It opened this week in Minnesota State University’s Intercultural Student Center and runs weekdays until Monday.

It was organized by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Democracy and Citizenship.

“Warrior to Citizen” is a multimedia exhibit. It consists of tall placards with poignant quotations from soldiers, a dis­play case, and, perhaps most importantly, three video stations where users can view videos of soldiers talking about their experience.

The firsthand accounts are all from Minnesota veterans, and each talks about their return home.
Psychology instructor Peter Linnerooth, an Iraq war veteran who was part of a panel of speakers on the exhibi­t’s opening day, said the exhibit is a great educator.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “A big part of coming home is being able to tell their stories about what they did, what they went through.”

Linnerooth said that while working as a psychologist while in Iraq, he learned that many of the soldiers want to talk about what they’ve been through.

He remembers talking with one woman who’d been through 400 missions through combat-like conditions. During the course of Linnerooth’s year in Iraq, he figures he counseled 5,000 troops.

He understands that telling stories matters a great deal, and that’s why he supports the “ Warrior to Citizen” project.

“And it’s cool that it’s Minnesotans,” he said.

“It’s the neighbor’s kid. It’s one of us.”

Amy Mukamuri, direc­tor of the Institutional Diversity department’s English Institute, said the exhibit was initially pitched to go in the library. But the library had security concerns involv­ing the miniature video players, and so it was offered to the Intercultural Student Center.

Traffic has been rela­tively light so far except for opening day.

Mukamuri and Linnerooth hope it picks up and that members of the public come to check it out.

“I don’t think people quite know what to do with it yet,” she said.

Those interested in more information about the campus exhibit may contact Amy Mukamuri at (507) 389-5594 or amy.mukamuri@mnsu.edu. More information about the campaign is at www.publicwork.org.

If You Go:

What: “Warrior to Citizen: Stories of Minnesota’s Most Recent Veterans.” A multimedia exhibit that includes video stations where users can view videos of soldiers talking about their experience.

Where: Room 269, Minnesota State University’s Centennial Student Union.

When: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays through Monday

Cost: Free
 

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