Starting WWII Research Webinar

Webinar recorded 15 December 2018 as part of the Holland Genealogy Group meeting.

World War II research is surrounded by stories and myths which often give people the perception they cannot obtain any information about military service.

• Have you heard, ‘All the records burned!’
• Have you read on a website that you must be the next-of-kin to receive information?
• Do you think sending in one form to request records gives you everything available?
• Do you know there are additional records at NPRC, that staff will not search for you, that are required for Army and Army Air Forces research?
• Do you think starting your search in unit records will provide all the answers?

In this introductory course, you will learn everything you need to know to locate and document as much information as possible before you start requesting military records. This is especially important if your service member was in the Army or the Army Air Forces. Using WWII as a foundation, we will bust myths, tell stories that explain what is available and how you can get started on your own at home.

What People Are Saying .......

My name is Megan Heyl and I am the President of the Genealogy Study Group located in West Michigan.  I have a suggestion box available at each meeting for members to request topics for presentations.  I have received many requests about how to research military records, and I needed to contact an expert in the field who could guide and direct my group.

I found Jennifer Holik, and the World War II Research and Writing Center website and reached out asking for her help to present a basic military webinar to my group.  After a few calls to set the date, time, and other details that needed to be worked out, we scheduled December 15, 2018 for her presentation.  I had informed her that the majority of my group had very little or no experience in military research, so a basic introductory course would fit the bill.

The presentation was titled:  Finding the Answers - Starting WWII Research

Jennifer had asked me to gather a few questions from the group, and send them to her in advance of the presentation, which I did.  Jennifer in turn sent me a PDF file to distribute to my group as a syllabus handout on the webinar.  By the time the date was here, everything was in order and ready to go.

My group thoroughly enjoyed this course, had all of their questions answered, and she also had a brief Q & A session that answered the questions that were sent into her in advance.  By the time the session was over, my group immediately asked for her to return.  They left the class being able to locate records, what information do you need to acquire these records, tips on where to send away for this data and what to expect and when to expect items.  She dispelled the myths and misgivings of this specialty research, and boosted the confidence in the attendees.  Throughout the next few days, I received more emails from my group thanking me for arranging for her to speak, for the excellent handouts, and the opportunity to have a professional researcher lead them in the right direction.

One thing is for certain, anyone who hires Jennifer Holik to speak at their meeting will not be disappointed.  She is now called our “Go To Girl” for military research.  Her passion and experiences in this field of study are unsurpassed by no one else.