LARAMIE (WNE) — Understanding veterans and their experiences can be tough to comprehend for most who have not served in the military.

The Patton Veterans Project has been helping veterans, especially those with post-traumatic stress disorder, while strengthening family and community bonds through the creation of short films that express a veteran’s experience.

Founded in 2011, the Patton Veterans Project (PVP) is making its way to Wyoming and the region by hosting free film workshops for veterans Dec. 1-3 at the University of Wyoming. 

The workshops will be led by the organization’s founder Benjamin Patton alongside his team of professional film instructors. Benjamin Patton is a grandson of General George S. Patton, whose career was most notable during World War II.

“I am a filmmaker and psychologist, and for the last 12 years, I have been running filmmaking workshops,” Patton said during an interview with the Boomerang. “They are three-day workshops on a weekend for veterans, specifically those who are not connected with mental health resources. They come together, with the help of other veterans and professional film instructors, to make short films that express service experiences.”

The free film workshops will be at the University of Wyoming student union, starting at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1, and continuing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, and Sunday, Dec. 3. There are only 15 open spaces, and participants must attend all three days. Meals will be provided.

A voluntary screening of the films will follow the three-day workshops so the veterans can share their experiences with members of the community. The screening for first film workshops will be at 6 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2024.

For more information or to register, contact Mike Leeman by calling 970-657-5500, send an email to workshops@pattonveteransproject.org or visit online at pattonveteransproject.org.