Week One: Introductions

Get to know me!

Hello! My name is Carson Maschmeier and I am a senior this year at the University Central Florida. I'm studying History with a minor in Anthropology with hopes to enter the field of Intelligence and Analytics. I dual enrolled in high school pushing me two years ahead in credits; After experiencing my first year in college I am now experiencing my last year of my bachelors! When I'm not studying or researching, I enjoy playing almost an instrument with strings and creating original compositions. 

Public History and Veterans Affairs

Veterans History has always been of interest to me in both importance and historical understanding. I remember as a child always begging my parents to take me to local battle sites or military graveyards whenever we were on family vacations simply because of my interest in American military history. I spent one winter in Washington D.C. truly changed my life; Arlington and its endless rows of tombstones gave me a sense of American pride that I've held onto without struggle since then. I've taken multiple classes on public history ranging to extensive focus on developments of the American military from it's creation to present day. With that, I've also focused on the relationship between war and society and how factors of culture and regional distribution affect the battlefield. Without realizing it, I've spent a majority of credits here on classes pertaining to the history of war and its evolution (and sometimes devolution). I spent a semester working on the Olustee Project with Dr. Gannon as a head researcher for the 8th USCT and their regiment present at the Battle of Olustee when I was asked to join the team officially as an intern. With my interest in Intelligence, Public History plays a large role in the analysis and understanding of human culture and patterns in regional societies. Specifically, understanding the history and evolution of the American veteran and their role in American society undoubtedly affects how we study American culture, politics, and systems. Apart from my research interests, this project is semi personal to me. I come from a heavy military family with a brother in the Air Force during the early 2000s and a grandfather in the Navy during Korea allotting me first hand sources and understanding of military affairs from a young age. I cannot think of a group of individuals who truly deserve more than veterans. 

What to expect

 After being recommended by Dr. Gannon for this internship following my participation in the Olustee project, I truly cannot express how honored I was to be selected for this position. With this work, I hope to grasp a deeper understanding of Veterans history in a broader sense, but also a deeper understanding of how to effectively use public history in a dissecting and critical manner to understand human relation. I currently have no set direction that I will embark on for this project, but I am leaning towards a continuation of my role in the Olustee Project as a researcher and source handler. Regardless of where I go, I would like my work to promote those who valiantly fought and suffered for my country. I hope readers will find my content not only educational and important, but also entertaining and enjoyable. Thank you!