Great Genealogical Guidance from Craig Scott!

What books and periodicals would you recommend for military researchers? Are there any lesser-known texts you advise?

In order to be a good researcher you have to understand the war, the types of units that a person could belong to and the records that were created before and after the war. So a good war history is important. Unit histories are also important. More important though are the finding aids created to assist in finding the records. The best example is PI 17, The Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, RG 94 which describes records about people in the Army.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a genealogical educator? What advice would you give for those who would follow in your footsteps?

The most rewarding part of being a genealogical educator happens when a student comes to you after the fact and says that they applied what they learned with success. According to some people it takes 10,000 to 15,000 hours to master something. You have to start down that road in some direction sometime. Three things need to be learned, the war, the units, the records and then putting it all together to create a research strategy. Put yourself on the spot. Be a person that people know they can get the right answer from, even if it is not immediate. Never stop learning or reading.

Will you share something with us that students may not know about you? Perhaps a non-genealogical hobby?

I am pretty much an open book and wear my life on my sleeve. So if you know me at all you probably know all there is to know. I really don’t have time for anything other than genealogy and reading history. The one thing that I want to do is write. I don’t have as much time as I would like to focus on writing. I try to write every day, but the projects are huge.

Any parting thoughts or advice?
Create an education plan for yourself. Don’t forget conferences and institutes. Learn to be happy as a lecturer. Teach yourself to be patient enough to not only see what a record says, but to hear what it has to say also.

Don't miss a great opportunity to learn about military records from the experts! To find out more about Craig's course, go to http://www.ugagenealogy.org/cpage.php?pt=339. The registration page can be found at http://www.infouga.org/aem.php?lv=r&eid=12. 

Register today as early-bird registration ends on October 31st.