What a Small Gift From a Civilian Means for This Army Veteran

What do a vial of lipgloss and an abaya have in common? For Army Veteran Clara Driscoll, both are reminders of making connections across cultures. Early on in her career, Driscoll met a civilian woman while she was deployed in Kosovo. They didn't speak the same language, so they couldn't communicate, but the woman gave her a vial of lipgloss — something Driscoll has held onto for all these years. Years later, while in Afghanistan, Driscoll wore an abaya, a piece of clothing worn by some women in Muslim countries, to show respect for the culture she was immersed in. American Veteran: Keep It Close tells the stories of U.S. military veterans and the special objects they carried during deployment and beyond. These objects, ranging from a pebble to a vial of lip gloss, have provided everyday comfort and hope to the veterans — and offer civilians a window into the veteran experience. Although the stories are unique to the individual veterans and their military service, the concept of mementos and the emotions they can generate are universal. What object that you understand to represent the veteran experience? Join our “Keep It Close” social media campaign by sharing a photo or describing an item, person, or place that makes you understand what veterans experience or have experienced. Add the hashtag #AmericanVeteranPBS to join the campaign. // Subscribe to PBS Voices so you never miss an episode! https://bit.ly/PBSVoices Watch the four-part PBS broadcast “American Veteran” starting October 26 (check your local listings), and listen to the podcast “American Veteran: Unforgettable Stories” wherever you get your podcasts. Check your local listings: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/american-veteran/ PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/american-veteran/ Keep up with PBS Digital Studios Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PBSDigitalStudios Twitter: https://twitter.com/pbsds Instagram: https://instagram.com/pbsds #veterans #military #AmericanVeteranPBS


View on YouTube.