“I’ve never shared that with anyone before.”

It is responses like these that peak Dustin Rice’s interested in veterans; not just the wars they fought but the lives they lead and the times they lived through. He collects World War II memorabilia and learns from speaking with servicemen from yesteryear.

Dustin has stayed in touch with the veterans he has encountered through letters, visits, and outings. He participated in Honor Flight Michigan, a program that flies veterans of World War II to Washington, D.C. to witness a special memorial to their service. Last November he curated a presentation at the local American Legion to honor veteran’s day.

“They’ve become family, very close to me. It means a lot to them to have someone from my generation’s interest,” Rice said.

“I find it fascinating how open they are with me; they don’t hold back”, Rice said about how he often strikes a personal chord in his conversations with veterans. “After telling me a story they will say, ‘I’ve never told it to anyone else’, or ‘I haven’t thought about that since the war’, or ‘I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone else’. I don’t understand it myself.”

Meeting with veterans of past wars has aided Rice in understanding the history of his country and gives him an elevated view of the world around him.

“A Vietnam War veteran put things in perspective for me,” Rice said. “In his time, World War I was 50 years ago. In my generation, in the 2000s, Vietnam was 50 years ago.”

Rice would like others to experience what he has had the privilege to experience.

“I encourage people to have the opportunity to talk to our veterans, to document and learn who they were and what they did. It is something that should not be forgotten.”