Hello folks,
I just wanted to introduce myself as a new member. My name is Geoff Gentilini and I'm kind of a military history nerd(in a good way I like to think:) living in MO.I love to research individual veterans, which is actually what I do full time at the National Archives here. I participate in a number of WWII related forums on the web for both hobby and work and I am looking forward to contributing and learning from other forum members.
Geoff
Welcome to the forum Geoff. We will look forward to chatting with you and certainly discussing ways you can assist our fellow forum members.
How long have you worked at the Archives?
Thanks Marion! I've been working at it full time for about a year now, but I've spent several years learning my way around the archives. Initially I worked on projects for either myself or just to help out people who needed someone to research a relative. A couple of years ago I began working on my M.A. in Military History at which point my research at NARA really intensified. After graduation I realized that nothing would be more rewarding than helping folks to unravel the mysteries surrounding their relative's service. As you know, the daily unit records allow us to gain a better understanding of the experiences of individual soldiers(a process that is really essential because of the fire). I feel really privileged to be able to work with these records every day and it really gives me a sense of awe and respect for what our heroic veterans went through.
It's easy to get that BUG! Once you start you simply can't quit. You find that first tidbit and then a little more and then it grabs hold of you.
Thanks for all you do.