Explore the U.S. Army’s Treasure-Filled Warehouse | National Geographic

I can document those things that a

I can document those things that a photographer might miss because in the

photographer might miss because in the

photographer might miss because in the heat of the battlefield there’s 10,000

heat of the battlefield there’s 10,000

heat of the battlefield there’s 10,000 things going on and he’s got a lens

things going on and he’s got a lens

things going on and he’s got a lens pointed in one direction I just think

pointed in one direction I just think

pointed in one direction I just think there’s something that an artist can

there’s something that an artist can

there’s something that an artist can bring to history that’s an emotionally

bring to history that’s an emotionally

bring to history that’s an emotionally charged piece when I go back into the

charged piece when I go back into the

charged piece when I go back into the collection and look at that art pieces

collection and look at that art pieces

collection and look at that art pieces there are things right there

there are things right there

there are things right there they give me goosebumps and I just feel

they give me goosebumps and I just feel

they give me goosebumps and I just feel like that is an important part of

like that is an important part of

like that is an important part of military history that you don’t want to

military history that you don’t want to

military history that you don’t want to miss the army art program started in

miss the army art program started in

miss the army art program started in World War one a back then the u.s.

World War one a back then the u.s.

World War one a back then the u.s. followed Europe’s lead and a sent some

followed Europe’s lead and a sent some

followed Europe’s lead and a sent some artists into the field to document the

artists into the field to document the

artists into the field to document the war and we’ve been doing it ever since

war and we’ve been doing it ever since

war and we’ve been doing it ever since every artist in any period is a product

every artist in any period is a product

every artist in any period is a product of their time so they often bring you

of their time so they often bring you

of their time so they often bring you know social aspects to their work

know social aspects to their work

know social aspects to their work without even knowing it I think it I

without even knowing it I think it I

without even knowing it I think it I think is gonna go away I was a high

think is gonna go away I was a high

think is gonna go away I was a high school art teacher during the 9/11 and I

school art teacher during the 9/11 and I

school art teacher during the 9/11 and I watched 9/11 happened the events of that

watched 9/11 happened the events of that

watched 9/11 happened the events of that in the classroom for high school art

in the classroom for high school art

in the classroom for high school art students and I knew that day that the

students and I knew that day that the

students and I knew that day that the concert my community was larger than a

concert my community was larger than a

concert my community was larger than a local community and I pretty much went

local community and I pretty much went

local community and I pretty much went straight to a recruiters office and

straight to a recruiters office and

straight to a recruiters office and joined the army

this position is a normal tour of duty

this position is a normal tour of duty for a soldier so it’s a three to four

for a soldier so it’s a three to four

for a soldier so it’s a three to four year position like I would love to stay

year position like I would love to stay

year position like I would love to stay and never leave but it’s nice that we

and never leave but it’s nice that we

and never leave but it’s nice that we have a changing perspective on what the

have a changing perspective on what the

have a changing perspective on what the army does every three or four years I

army does every three or four years I

army does every three or four years I think that is a incredibly smart thing

think that is a incredibly smart thing

think that is a incredibly smart thing to do the Army has an obligation to the

to do the Army has an obligation to the

to do the Army has an obligation to the American people to preserve this artwork

American people to preserve this artwork

American people to preserve this artwork this is a national collection it’s

this is a national collection it’s

this is a national collection it’s considered to be the same as a

considered to be the same as a

considered to be the same as a Smithsonian

has a lot of meaning to be working and

has a lot of meaning to be working and handling these kind of items that have

handling these kind of items that have

handling these kind of items that have been used in conflicts over such a great

been used in conflicts over such a great

been used in conflicts over such a great period of time in our country the

period of time in our country the

period of time in our country the understanding that you can get from what

understanding that you can get from what

understanding that you can get from what was involved in what they were doing in

was involved in what they were doing in

was involved in what they were doing in serving their country I think is much

serving their country I think is much

serving their country I think is much more profound than as an armchair

more profound than as an armchair

more profound than as an armchair historian of some kind these items that

historian of some kind these items that

historian of some kind these items that are here will be here until the end of

are here will be here until the end of

are here will be here until the end of time and it’s important that they’re

time and it’s important that they’re

time and it’s important that they’re cared for carefully and when you start

cared for carefully and when you start

cared for carefully and when you start looking at the requirements on how to

looking at the requirements on how to

looking at the requirements on how to preserve items that’s what this facility

preserve items that’s what this facility

preserve items that’s what this facility focuses on we have 16,000 pieces in the

focuses on we have 16,000 pieces in the

focuses on we have 16,000 pieces in the Army art collection and it’s growing

Army art collection and it’s growing

Army art collection and it’s growing every day the Nazi propaganda art was

every day the Nazi propaganda art was

every day the Nazi propaganda art was collected by the US Army at the end of

collected by the US Army at the end of

collected by the US Army at the end of World War two and that was because of

World War two and that was because of

World War two and that was because of the Potsdam agreement which was enacted

the Potsdam agreement which was enacted

the Potsdam agreement which was enacted in order to make sure that the Nazi

in order to make sure that the Nazi

in order to make sure that the Nazi Party never started up again the reason

Party never started up again the reason

Party never started up again the reason why it was collected rather than

why it was collected rather than

why it was collected rather than destroyed is because it’s part of the

destroyed is because it’s part of the

destroyed is because it’s part of the world’s history and if we destroyed it

world’s history and if we destroyed it

world’s history and if we destroyed it are we really going to learn from it

it’s pretty intense to know that I am

it’s pretty intense to know that I am the creator or document in this moment

the creator or document in this moment

the creator or document in this moment in time for the history this close out

in time for the history this close out

in time for the history this close out of the Global War on Terror is my legacy

of the Global War on Terror is my legacy

of the Global War on Terror is my legacy as the artist in residence for me you

as the artist in residence for me you

as the artist in residence for me you know each artists have painted this

know each artists have painted this

know each artists have painted this little snippet of history but I feel

little snippet of history but I feel

little snippet of history but I feel incredibly proud to know that the

incredibly proud to know that the

incredibly proud to know that the closeout of this war is the story that I

closeout of this war is the story that I

closeout of this war is the story that I get to tell