The veterans portrait project on va. Gov | veterans affairs

The Veterans Portrait Project was started by retired Air Force Staff Sergeant and Aerial Combat Photojournalist Stacy Pearsall as a means of honoring her fellow Veterans. Pearsall has

photographed more than 7,500 Veterans so far, and hopes to capture portraits of Veterans in every state and province the U.S. Department of Defense recruits from. She got the idea for the

project after being injured in combat. “After spending hours in VA waiting rooms surrounded by Veterans from every generation and branch of service,” she says, “I was compelled to honor and

thank them in the only way I know how: photography.” Learn more about the Veterans featured on VA.gov Learn more about Stacy Pearsall, founder of the Veterans Portrait Project FEATURED

VETERANS VA.GOV CURRENTLY FEATURES PEARSALL’S IMAGES OF THESE VETERANS: DR. SANKARAN B. Army Physician (Radiologist) May 1969 to August 1994 Vietnam War THEODORE B. Marine Corps (Active

Duty, Reserve) Admin., Intelligence, U.S. Ambassador January 1944 to May 1951 WWII MARILYN C. Marine Corps Artist June 1951 to December 1952 Korean War JOHNNY C. Army Artillery Forward

Observer March 1966 to September 1969 Vietnam War JOHN D. Navy Naval Flight Officer May 1998 to the present OEF, OSW BOBBY H. Army 88M Truck Driver May 1991 to June 2011 Desert Shield, OIF

NICOLE L. Air Force Emergency Management February 2004 to the present OEF, OIF RICK P. Air Force Weapons Technician, Gunner (spectre) September 1971 to March 1975 Vietnam War SHARON S. Army

Nurse December 1985 to December 2010 Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Enduring Freedom MORE ABOUT STACY PEARSALL, FOUNDER OF THE VETERANS PORTRAIT PROJECT Stacy L. Pearsall got her start as

an Air Force photographer at age 17. During her time in service, she traveled to over 41 countries and attended the Military Photojournalism Program at S.I. Newhouse School of Public

Communications at Syracuse University. During 3 combat tours, she earned the Bronze Star Medal and Air Force Commendation with Valor for combat actions in Iraq. Though combat disabled and

retired from military service, Pearsall continues to work around the world. With her service animal, America’s VetDogs Charlie, by her side, she works as an independent photographer

represented by Aurora Photos. Her photographs have been exhibited at the Woodruff Arts Center, the Pentagon, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the National Veterans Memorial and

Museum, and many other galleries and venues. In addition to her photography, Pearsall is also an author, educator, military consultant, BRAVO748 public speaker, and founder of the Veterans

Portrait Project. She also serves as a Nikon and Manfrotto Ambassador and Ilford Master. Pearsall is one of only 2 women to win the National Press Photographers Association’s (NPPA) Military

Photographer of the Year competition, and is the only woman to have won it twice. Her additional honors include the Hill Vets 100 award, the Daughters of the American Revolution Margaret

Cochran Corbin award, the White House’s Champion of Change designation, and an honorary doctorate degree from The Citadel. Pearsall has served as a nominating juror for the Pulitzer Prize 

and as a presidential-appointed board member for the NPPA. Pearsall started the Photo District News (PDN) “Personal Project” award-winning Veterans Portrait Project series in 2008 while she

rehabilitated from combat injuries sustained in Iraq. Spending hours in VA waiting rooms surrounded by Veterans from every generation and branch of service, she felt compelled to honor and

thank them in the only way she knows how: through photography. Since then she has documented roughly 7,500 Veterans in over 125 engagements. Between her photography, teaching, and speaking

engagements, Pearsall completed her first photography book, “Shooter: Combat from Behind the Camera.” The book received worldwide praise and was hailed as “a book of the highest levels in

the annals of combat journalism.” Her second book, “A Photojournalist’s Field Guide: In the Trenches with Combat Photographer Stacy Pearsall,” was called “a must have for every aspiring

photographer,” with critics noting that “even pros can pick up a few new tricks to help them become better photographers.” LEARN MORE ABOUT PEARSALL AND THE VETERANS PORTRAIT PROJECT: NOTE: 

The Department of Veterans Affairs provides links to these external sites because they may contain information of interest to you. These links do NOT constitute an endorsement by VA of any

information, products, or services on these external sites. Visit Pearsall’s website Visit the Veterans Portrait Project website