For military veterans suffering from the long-term trauma of warfare, arts and crafts become much more than the fabrication of relics; they can literally save the spirit. Dialogue and interaction between the veterans, volunteers, and staff are crucial to the success of veterans' arts and crafts program. The purpose of this research was threefold. First, to show art educators and preservice students that art education can be integrated from a community of veterans and learn from those groups who are generally disenfranchised. Second, to dispel negative stereotypes ascribed to the veterans, and show that the arts and crafts room nurtures a compassionate and empathetic environment through situated learning. Last, to demonstrate that veterans who make arts and crafts from a reciprocal learning relationship will develop lifelong learning. This article stems from a previous pilot study where the author volunteered with veterans and observed that their relationships developed a motivation for lifelong learning. (Contains 4 figures.)