As May unfurls, so does a time dedicated to honoring the brave souls of those who’ve served: Military Appreciation Month. At the beginning of this month, we had the distinct privilege of 92-year-old Veteran Duane Hoffman of Huntsville, Ala. joining us on campus for a Travel Photography session. 

At just 18, Hoffman served in the Korean War, enlisting in 1951 to become an aerial photographer. For the past five years, he has embarked on a heartfelt journey, ticking off places from his bucket list and preserving them through his lens, a path which eventually led through the welcoming doors of the Folk School. 

While at airman school in Jacksonville, Fla., Hoffman discovered a passion for making images. He dedicated extra time to master aerial photography, captivated by the art of composing, capturing, and refining images, especially interested in the darkroom techniques of burning and dodging. 

“If you had a crash somewhere whether you were on land or out at sea, the easiest way to go out and film would be climb on a helicopter, go out and shoot the crash scene, and even land and take pictures of the crash itself. The aerial photographer was there in case you had to do that. I participated in that a couple of times,” Hoffman said. 

Beyond his love for photography, Hoffman is a proud member of the Patriot Guard Riders, uniting with fellow motorcyclists to honor fallen U.S. military members and first responders at their funerals. 

 “It’s our honor to honor, and so that that helps me along and burns up a little bit of energy for me anyway,” Hoffman said. 

“I don’t know how many times I had a woman, or a woman and her family, little kids would come up and say, ‘thank you for being a vet during the Korean War.’ I had a couple of them, it brought tears to my eyes, even now. The woman would tell me, ‘I wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for you vets.’ That gets to you, but it’s well worth it, cause it’s a memory I’ll never forget,” Hoffman said. 

During his time in service, Hoffman spent most of his time on aircraft carriers, a period he fondly recalls as, “shooting tailhooks.” Nowadays, he channels his artistic interests into photographing his passions as he travels, cherishing the creation of physical photo albums and experimenting with unique layouts. 

“I was never really good at putting them in order that made sense of my trip. So, the title of this course here is: “How to Tell a Story with Photography,” and after two days here, I could have gone home and been totally satisfied that I came. This is just frosting on a cake, these extra two days, and seeing how we put the story together and everything,” Hoffman said. 

Adding to his diverse talents, Hoffman finds joy in carving, using a Dremel tool to bring sculptures and designs to life. His first time on campus was February of this year, attending “Wood Spirits and Wizards” with Marvin Daniels and John Frye, a type of carving he had been drawn to.  

“Putting these old man’s faces on cottonwood bark, I really enjoyed that. I made about five different pieces while I was here,” Hoffman said. “My wood carving instructors, these instructors I have here are great, topnotch and I appreciate that. They take the time to answer your questions and show you how to do things.” 

His zest for life and continual pursuit of new skills may serve as inspiration to us all. Hoffman embodies the spirit of exploration and creativity, while his artistic pursuits in photography and carving showcase a lifelong commitment to learning and self-expression. 

“I’m 92, and I have people every and now and then say, ‘well, how come you’re living so long and so good?’ And I say, for one thing, I’m God blessed. and that’s the ‘biggie.’ The other thing I’ve found is you always have to have an objective you want to go to. Whether it’s a place you want to travel to, it’s a book you want to write, or the photo you want to take. Always have an objective—it doesn’t matter whether you ever achieve that objective, but on your way to that objective, you might find something else that interests you,” Hoffman said. 

Hoffman’s journey is a testament to an enriched life lived with passion and purpose. From his early days as an aerial photographer, to his current adventures capturing the world through his lens, his story reminds us, it’s never too late to pursue our dreams and every chapter of life can be filled with meaning and beauty.