John Launius joined the staff at Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site (NHS) as an interpretive park guide in March 2016. John brings with him a passion for researching and discussing American history, two traits that will serve him well as he embarks upon a new career with the National Park Service.

John was born in Newport News, Virginia, in 1991, but was raised in Arkansas. Shortly after his ninth birthday, his family moved to Wisconsin. John graduated from Waukesha South High School (WI) in 2009, and afterward enlisted with the Wisconsin National Guard. After completing Basic Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he entered the University of Wisconsin, Platteville. John initially majored in mechanical engineering; however, he realized quickly that he lacked both the passion and interest to pursue this degree program, so he switched majors to his real passion, history.

In 2014, John’s college studies were abruptly interrupted, when his National Guard Unit was deployed to Afghanistan. John’s unit spent nine months providing artillery support for US and Coalition forces. After completing his combat tour in Afghanistan, John returned home and began an intern at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park in Virginia. Over the next three months, John fell in love with the mission of the National Park Service and historical interpretation. Once his internship at Fredericksburg ended, he returned to Wisconsin for his final semester of college. John graduated in December 2015, with a Bachelor’s Degree in History. Shortly afterward, he was hired at the Sand Creek Massacre NHS, moved to Eads, and began what he hopes to be a long and purposeful career with the National Park Service.