The War Horse: Nonprofit journalism about military service

Her Willingness to Speak Truth in Spite of Fear Left a Lasting Impression

I still remember the day when my mentor said, “We gotta go see about a chick who was banging the baseball coach while her husband was away.”

DILLON FISHMAN

Life Marches On and Only a Few Hold Onto the Echoes of History

Are we granted quick glances through windows to our pasts? Do we dare allow these things to reach us in this life?

STEVE ALPERT

Her Willingness to Speak Truth in Spite of Fear Left a Lasting Impression

I still remember the day when my mentor said, “We gotta go see about a chick who was banging the baseball coach while her husband was away.”

DILLON FISHMAN

Life Marches On and Only a Few Hold Onto the Echoes of History

Are we granted quick glances through windows to our pasts? Do we dare allow these things to reach us in this life?

STEVE ALPERT

The Veterans Will Tell Their Stories—Shaping the Narrative of the Forever Wars

They already tell the tales, stories that will need to be sorted into something we can bear, that will help us heal.

KELLY KENNEDY

Stolen Valor Is So Grubby—Stolen for What? To Impress Who?

Why would he need to claim even my tiny war? That insignificant skirmish? He’d already claimed a Purple Heart—did he need Grenada? Panama?

NATHAN WEBSTER

Playing on the Edges of Empire: Special Operations Forces Faces Uncertain Future

SOF exists to fight in uncertainty, but with the war in Afghanistan officially over, it’s about to enter a world of competitors and state actors looking for an adjusted world order.

KEVIN MAURER

Now When I Think About Valentine’s Day, I Think About Grenades

Unlike the movies, the scene doesn’t cut away after a tragedy. You can’t flash forward to a better time.

KACY TELLESSEN

“How Would We Know When It Was Over?”–Perspective Is Power in Forever Wars

Since leaving the military, I’ve searched my soul for answers. Did I spend three years of my life fighting a lost cause?

MORGAN LERETTE

“People Are Relying on Us”—National Guard Evolves to Fight Wars, Secure Homefront

“Whatever the mission—combat deployments, Covid, wildfires, civil disturbances, or severe storms—the National Guard answered every call.”

SONNER KEHRT

When I Hear a Far-off Boom, I Imagine the Worst

“I knew I wasn’t in Afghanistan. I knew soldiers weren’t dying in the distance. But in reality, that knowledge didn’t matter.”

MAURICE NAYLON

“The Enemy Is Lurking in Our Bodies”—Women Veterans Say Toxic Exposure Caused Breast Cancer

As the last troops leave the “forever wars,” doctors say they’re seeing more women veterans with breast cancer—younger than the national average.

KELLY KENNEDY

A Veteran’s Odyssey After Hanging up the Uniform in an America He Doesn’t Recognize

“The story of Odysseus is the story of the day after—what happens when the battle is done? … My service wasn’t an accomplishment. It was a liability.”

JOHN THAMPI

Life Marches On and Only a Few Hold Onto the Echoes of History

November 17, 2021|in Reflections | Steve Alpert

Are we granted quick glances through windows to our pasts? Do we dare allow these things to reach us in this life?

A U.S. Marine mourns at a memorial service in September for the 13 service members who were killed in action in Kabul, Afghanistan, at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan. Photo by Cpl. Brennan J. Beauton, courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Veterans Will Tell Their Stories—Shaping the Narrative of the Forever Wars

November 11, 2021|in Newsroom | Kelly Kennedy

They already tell the tales, stories that will need to be sorted into something we can bear, that will help us heal.

David Rich, left, takes a selfie with his son, Noah Rich. Photo courtesy of the author.

“War Is Indefinable”–For Some, War Is Combat. But It’s Not That Simple.

November 11, 2021|in Reflections | Noah Rich

For a long time, I thought military service fit on one of two sides of a coin. It was either war, meaning combat and fighting, or it wasn’t.

THE LATEST

All/Explainer/Features/Investigations/Newsroom/Reflections

November 11, 2021

I Finally Understood That This Thing We Call War Is Real and Hurts People

November 11, 2021

I Had Never Seen the Impact of War Until I Spoke With Those Who Waged It

November 11, 2021

I Asked Him About the Best Part of His Service–“Everybody Looked Out for Each Other.”

November 10, 2021

Stolen Valor Is So Grubby—Stolen for What? To Impress Who?

November 4, 2021

Playing on the Edges of Empire: Special Operations Forces Face Uncertain Future

July 26, 2017

She Found Solace in Art and Artifacts During War, and When She Came Home.

July 26, 2017

Cooking Quieted Her Mind and Helped Rachael Harris Find Peace After Military Service

July 25, 2017

Forging Purpose And Community One Mile At A Time

November 11, 2016

Rebuilding Honor: How Kyle Carpenter Came Back From The Brink Of Death

June 1, 2016

Echoes Project: Javier Ortiz Rivera

June 17, 2021

From Death Threats to a French Dandy, Afghan Contractors Abandoned by the U.S. Struggle to Find Asylum Abroad

June 3, 2021

“They’re Like Sitting Ducks” — Treasury Renews Controversial VA Banking Service Amid Proceedings, Allegations of Defrauded Veterans

May 20, 2021

“Nearly All” VA Claims for Gulf War Illness “Improperly Denied”

April 8, 2021

Gulf War Illness Treatments Discovered. Will Veterans Affairs Officials Listen Now?

February 4, 2021

Senior Marine Corps Counsel Ridicules Sexual Assault Survivor at Court-Martial Hearing

September 23, 2021

“I Never Left Anybody”—Fighting for Veterans Left Behind by the Country They Served

September 8, 2021

Point of Impact: An Untold Story of Escape From the Pentagon on 9/11 and the Forever Wars That Followed

August 27, 2021

Past Pandemics Devastated the U.S. Military, Teaching Lethal Lessons

August 12, 2021

Exposed: Burn Pits May Force the Military to Acknowledge Generations of Poisoned Veterans

July 15, 2021

The Five Essentials of Storytelling. A Survivor’s (Excerpt) Guide to Writing about Trauma

November 11, 2021

I Had Never Seen the Impact of War Until I Spoke With Those Who Waged It

November 11, 2021

I Asked Him About the Best Part of His Service–“Everybody Looked Out for Each Other.”

November 10, 2021

Stolen Valor Is So Grubby—Stolen for What? To Impress Who?

November 3, 2021

Now When I Think About Valentine’s Day, I Think About Grenades

October 27, 2021

“How Would We Know When It Was Over?”–Perspective Is Power in Forever Wars

Award-Winning Journalism in Your Inbox

FROM OUR FELLOWS

Hoppin chatting with cadets at the Air Force Academy before a Board of Visitors meeting.

Forced Pivots and Finding Purpose as a Military Spouse

September 4, 2019|in Reflections | Sue Hoppin

How the founder of the National Military Spouse Network reignited her career after years out of the workforce

FROM THE ARCHIVES

After coming out, the author trained for and ran the 2015 40th Marine Corps Marathon to celebrate her 60th birthday. Photo by Annie Sutherland, courtesy of the author.

After the “Witch Hunt” of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a Decade of Pride

June 23, 2021|in Reflections | Deb Sinness

Every time my small inner voice gave me a nudge to the rainbow side of life, my socialized side said, “Don’t be ridiculous, you’re happily married.”

Cooking Quieted Her Mind and Helped Rachael Harris Find Peace After Military Service

July 26, 2017|in Features, Newsroom | Michael Gaynor

When she joined the Navy, Rachael Harris brought her grandfather’s recipe for sour cream cornbread, but she left active duty lost and confused. Rediscovering her love for food helped her find her way home.

Benjamin Abel and Eric Ellingson, his brother-in-law, prior to a parachute jump at Raeford West Drop Zone in North Carolina, in 1998. Photo courtesy of the author.

“You Either Went to War or You Didn’t”—How Deployments Divide the Veteran Community

November 25, 2020|in Reflections | Benjamin Abel

A former soldier reflects on the differences between veterans who deployed to combat and those who didn’t. “Taps will rip out your heart every time.”

EXPLORE TOPICS

GENDER

Janell Hanf and Marines from her unit celebrate at the end of the Camp Pendleton Mud Run. Photo courtesy of the author.

“I’m Not a Sir”—Dearth of Women Causes Marines to Expect Male Leadership

January 6, 2021|in Reflections | Janell Hanf

Women have served in the Corps for more than 100 years, but are still treated like a novelty, stunting the transition to an inclusive military culture.

HEALTHCARE

U.S. service members were intentionally exposed to toxic agents, such as nitrogen mustard, during World War II. Photo courtesy of the Naval Research Laboratory.

Exposed: Burn Pits May Force the Military to Acknowledge Generations of Poisoned Veterans

August 12, 2021|in Investigations, Newsroom | Sonner Kehrt

Since World War II, the military has poisoned countless service members through toxic exposures and secret testing.

HUMAN RIGHTS

My Afghan Interpreter Earned His U.S. Citizenship. Then He Left.

August 19, 2021|in Reflections | Thomas J. Brennan

He served with Marines and earned U.S. citizenship. His wife’s was denied. Now, they wait in Kabul, for the Taliban or her visa—whichever arrives first.

INVESTIGATIONS

Soldiers deploying to the Gulf War make their way to a plane in 1990 at Volk Field, Wisconsin, on Jan. 1, 1991. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army.

“Nearly All” VA Claims for Gulf War Illness “Improperly Denied”

May 20, 2021|in Investigations, Newsroom | David Goldstein

A VA official said the department is “working diligently” to gather information and “remains fully committed” to the concerns of Gulf War veterans.

MILITARY FAMILIES

Caption: The Silent Drill Platoon performs at Quantico’s Lejeune Hall. According to the Corps, the platoon “exemplifies the professionalism associated with the United States Marine Corps.” Photograph by Gunnery Sgt. Ezekiel Kitandwe

Senior Marine Corps Counsel Ridicules Sexual Assault Survivor at Court-Martial Hearing

February 4, 2021|in Investigations, Newsroom | Thomas J. Brennan

Defense attorneys alleged unlawful command influence, that Marines denied the defendant due process. Judge described Corps’ behavior as “a step too far.”

SCIENCE & TECH

“Pulling the Crazy Card”—Choosing to Show Empathy for a Suicidal Sailor

September 30, 2020|in Reflections | Thibaut Delloue

Thibaut Delloue rushed a suicidal sailor to shore after he asked for help on deployment only to see his shipmate ostracized and labeled a malinger.

POLICY

Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 3rd Class Emette Kim and Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Jonathan Howland, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6, discuss rescue communications with Air Force Staff Sgt. Troy Koontz, a survival, evasion, resistance, and escape specialist assigned to Air Education and Training Command, Fairchild Air Force Base, during a daylong survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) refresher training at the Marine Corps Training Area Bellows in 2016. Photo by Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Benjamin A. Lewis, courtesy of the U.S. Navy.

SERE School: Where Military-Grade Hide-and-Seek Meets a Life-and-Death Struggle

July 21, 2021|in Reflections | Joshua Plummer

By the time we were “captured,” we were so exhausted from the cold, little sleep, the lack of food, and the countless miles that we lost all sense of time.

Me, Also. A Cobra Pilot’s Story of Military Sexual Assault

July 31, 2019

After years of silence, a Cobra pilot opens up about her fight to bring her accused rapist to justice.

Brother, Forgive Me. “I Cannot Carry the Consequences of This War Alone.”

February 21, 2018

In Joe, Drew Pham found a supportive peer and guide. One careless act threatened their relationship, forcing Drew to really consider what Joe means to him.

Fixed Bayonets—Paratroopers and Banzai at Grubbs Ravine

December 17, 2020

In this excerpt from Kevin Maurer’s 2020 book, Rock Force, paratroopers are almost overrun by a banzai charge aimed at pushing them off the high ground.

Ignore The Awful Times, And Concentrate On The Good Ones

September 11, 2016

Michael Penney ran through the halls of his high school when 9/11 first happened. On the tenth anniversary he ran through fields and canals in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Marine Corps Publishes, Then Deletes, Name Of First Woman Infantry Officer

October 1, 2017

Corps mistakenly outs first woman grunt, then denies multiple interview requests, citing her privacy concerns. Veterans call for transparency, celebration.

Echoes Project: Javier Ortiz Rivera

June 1, 2016

After she heard that her husband had died, Veronica remembers screaming for the Marines and chaplain to leave, but they wouldn’t.

First Lieutenant Harry Whitlockin a HMMWV near Tallil Air Base, Iraq, March 1991.

Anger Management and the Old Man—”I’m Relieved That I Tossed It Away.”

February 5, 2020

A former medical platoon leader spent years resenting his commander, until he realized what his pent-up rage truly meant.

Louisiana National Guard 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers distribute food and water to citizens after Hurricane Ida, at Mahalia Jackson Theater, New Orleans, Louisiana, in September. Photo by Sgt. Renee Seruntine, courtesy U.S. Army National Guard.

“People Are Relying on Us”—National Guard Evolves to Fight Wars, Secure Homefront

October 21, 2021

"Whatever the mission—combat deployments, Covid, wildfires, civil disturbances, or severe storms—the National Guard answered every call."

Members of the Fort Hood and Killeen community gathered in July for a candlelight vivil for Spc. Vanessa Guillen and her family. Photo by Army Spc. Lesha Little, courtesy of U.S. Army.

I Am Vanessa Guillen

July 15, 2020

A veteran relives her trauma through the headlines.

A Coast Guard Officer Runs Home After A Marathon Of Funerals

May 23, 2018

Sarah Holzhalb endured a marathon of funerals shortly after separating from the Coast Guard. All these years later, the month of March still sucks.

How One Man Found Peace in Free Fall

February 15, 2017

BASE jumping helped Brian Donnelly release anxiety and reset during his Army career. But if he talked openly about it, he risked everything.

U.S. Marine Corps drill instructors with the 4th Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. Photo by Lance Cpl. Vincent White, courtesy of U.S. Marine Corps.

Without Birth Control Help, Marines’ Readiness Suffers

June 11, 2020

Declining access to birth control services and education at boot camp are linked to increased birth rates in the first two years of military service.

“Lost Trust and Confidence” — How the Military Covers Up Officer Misconduct and Why That’s Harmful to Democracy

April 28, 2021

A revered infantry officer was fired after a “credible” investigation of domestic violence. Marine generals forced a military spokesman to cover it up.

Barnhill said that sometimes military families look like pinups, but more often than not there is more to the story. She believes the entire family serves, not just the service member. Photo courtesy of Jean Jacobs.

A Military Spouse’s Journey From Annoyance to Advocacy

May 6, 2020

A military spouse seeks to change an antiquated narrative.

Rebuilding Honor: How Kyle Carpenter Came Back From The Brink Of Death

November 11, 2016

Seven years ago this month Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter suffered grievous wounds after shielding another Marine from a grenade blast in Afghanistan. Somehow, he survived. This is the story of his remarkable recovery.

Thae Ohu stands on a railroad track during Dec. 2018. Courtesy of Michael Hinesley.Courtesy of Michael Hinesley.

Gag Order: How Marine Corps Culture Silenced a Victim of Sexual Assault

December 1, 2020

A rape victim asked the military for help. Then her fellow Marines turned against her. Now she’s battling mental illness and an attempted murder charge.

She Awoke to a Different World

September 11, 2017

Jenny Pacanowski burst with love of country when the planes hit, and that day awoke in her a new era of her life filled with compassion and rage.

All Time Is All Time. It Does Not Change.

September 11, 2016

Christopher Thomas never served in the military, but the attacks on 9/11 had a lasting impact. He reflects on the lessons he hopes America has learned over the last 15 years.

Letters To My Country That She Will Never Read, Part 4

September 14, 2018

Drew Pham writes about his experiences going to war as a migrant after September 11th in this four part series for The War House. This is 4 of 4.

Becoming A Veteran Without War

August 16, 2016

How do some veterans feel about killing? Do they want to kill? Nathan Eckman shares his story on what it means to be a veteran without the experiences of combat.

The “Dirty Bastards” quick reaction force, made up of both American and Italian soldiers, poses at Forward Operating Base Lavaredo in Afghanistan in 2012. Photo courtesy of Nate Tilton.

How Being “In on the [Racist] Joke” Silences Service Members

July 22, 2020

Service members often feel compelled to laugh along at racist jokes and comments.

Some Journeys Home From War End With a Bullet

September 27, 2017

William Gehrung was a veteran who'd written for The War Horse. In late August 2017, he killed himself. Fellow War Horse writer Nate Eckman remembers his friend.

A Veteran’s Odyssey After Hanging up the Uniform in an America He Doesn’t Recognize

October 13, 2021

“The story of Odysseus is the story of the day after—what happens when the battle is done? … My service wasn’t an accomplishment. It was a liability.”

“My Eyes Welled up”—When the Purple Heart Weighs Heavy

October 18, 2017

Elizabeth O'Herrin handed the groggy patient his Purple Heart. Immediately, she worried she'd made a mistake, giving it to him so soon after his amputation.

Capt. Dave Kenney, Headquarter Support Battalion platoon leader (right), 1-37 Field Artillery, prepares to send a squad in to clear the objective during a training exercise at Forward Operating Base Endurance. Mosul, Sept. 9, 2004. Photo courtesy of Staff Sergeant Gretel Weiskopf

The Stories I Share as a Woman Veteran

December 18, 2019

A former Army photojournalist and combat medic grapples with how much people should know about war.

Master Sgt. Darryl Sterling, 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron equipment manager, throws trash into a burn pit at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, in 2008. Photo by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter, courtesy U.S. Air Force.

“It’s so inaccurate”—How the VA Is Failing to Track Veterans Burn Pit Claims

August 7, 2020

VA figures show an astonishingly low rate of approval of burn pit claims: Of the 10,588 claims, 2,360 veterans had their benefits granted and 8,228 were denied.

The Day I Held My Fire

October 19, 2016

Eric Chandler vividly remembers dropping bombs and spraying bullets on the brown mountains of Afghanistan. The time he didn't shoot haunts him the most.

Point of Impact: An Untold Story of Escape From the Pentagon on 9/11 and the Forever Wars That Followed

September 8, 2021

When Flight 77 hit the Pentagon, the Marine Corps and Defense Department prepared for war. Two decades later, this is that story of service and sacrifice.

Rule No. 1 of U.S. Navy Submarines: Don’t Crash the Submarine

January 17, 2018

Rule #2 of Submarines: Don’t Crash the Fucking Submarine.

“The Distance Between You Grows”—the Many Difficult Truths of Military Family Homecomings

February 10, 2021

Back-to-back deployments and explosions were “a recipe for disaster,” writes a military spouse. “For my family, reintegration lasted years.”

“One Stinking, Terrifying Hell”—When Soldiers and Butterflies Go to War

April 18, 2018

Elizabeth O’Herrin found solace in writing about her war, and she wonders and wishes she could ask her grandfather if he felt relief in writing about his.

Twelve Marines, Dress Blues, and Triple C’s

June 14, 2018

Scott Reel learned quickly that he could resist the Corps' structure and suffer, or he could play the part of the good Marine, do his time, and then leave.

When Life as a Military Spouse Got Hard, Amber Was Always There

July 4, 2017

Liesel Kershul felt isolated and struggled to make friends when she and her Marine moved to Germany. Their adopted dog Amber helped change that.

“Big Bombs. Boom.”—a Pistol, the Smart Girl, and a Tragedy

August 1, 2018

Michael Carson talked philosophy and tragedy in a Mosul coffee shop. Back in the U.S. he’s still asking questions for which there are no answers.

At Basic Training, Dad Was Sent to an Iron Chamber. It Was Filled with Mustard Gas

August 11, 2021

A secret testing program sent an entire trainee company to the hospital.

A Military Child Learns What It Means to Be an American. By Leaving

April 21, 2021

“So, where are you from?” The question used to throw me whenever…

Misfire. “My Friends Are Dying. And I Can’t Save Them.”

October 18, 2017

Dustin Jones misfired as Marines fell around him. Today, living stateside, he sometimes struggles to separate reality from dreams.

Because This Moment Simply Is

September 11, 2016

Kyle Carpenter, a Marine veteran of Afghanistan and Medal of Honor recipient, reflects on the need for hope, humility, and thankfulness on the 15th anniversary of 9/11.

“I Hope She’s Scarred for Life” — Recalling My Time as a Blackwater Mercenary

October 21, 2020

Blackwater employees were “integral” to rebuilding Iraq, but with limited oversight, contractors had “no ethical obligation” to the country’s citizens.

Jen Burch with a boy who had lost his leg after being hit with an improvised explosive device and the boy’s father at a military hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of the author.

The Sorrow and Defeat of Watching the Taliban Reclaim Afghanistan

August 18, 2021

While deployed, she thought she’d seen the worst of war. Now, as the Taliban reclaims Afghanistan, she worries about the children living under their rule.

Remembering the Day I Parked Our Stryker on Top of an IED

April 25, 2018

Augusto Giacoman parked his Stryker under the streetlights and then the bomb exploded. What happened next is a hazy mixture of memory and nightmare.

The al-Shaymeh Education Complex for Girls after it was struck by missiles fired by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition. Hodeidah, Yemen. November 9, 2015. Photo Courtesy Amnesty International

“No One Is Winning”—U.S. War in Yemen “Fundamentally a Stalemate”

December 4, 2019

Tangled alliances with allies and their foes make this one messy war.

Hunter Lu, back toward camera, shares a toast with his mother, father, and grandfather. Photo courtesy of the author.

An Army Interrogator, His Grandfather, and a Bond Across Two Wars

October 7, 2020

“My parents, like most Chinese immigrants, valued education as the ultimate achievement,” writes veteran Hunter Lu. “The military was for dumb people.”

“My Creativity Was Paralyzed”—Baggage and the Bridge of Empathy

June 19, 2019

Can artwork depicting the Syrian refugee crisis build empathy for an American audience? One writer hopes so.

Facing It. “The Harder I Held on, the Further I Felt From Home.”

January 3, 2018

Drew Pham grieves for the family of the man he killed at war. His peers and commanders told him it was a good kill, but how can a kill be “good”?

Learning the Power of Connection and Companionship

February 7, 2018

David Chrisinger grapples with his guilt about not having served and draws on his own experience of feeling powerless to connect with a friend who did.

Russell Worth Parker with then-three-year-old daughter having a Christmas tea party with her dad by Skype while he was deployed.

Three Disparate Events. Three Subsequent Days. And an Unresolved Dissonance.

August 4, 2021

As troops withdraw from Afghanistan and the Taliban regains power, a retired Marine reflects on his career in the military and what comes next.

“Stay in Place”—a D.C. Guardsman Reflects on Military Orders to “Do Nothing” During the Siege on the U.S. Capitol

January 27, 2021

During the Jan. 6 terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol, D.C. Guardsmen were missing in action, ordered to “stay in place” and “do nothing.”

“How Would We Know When It Was Over?”–Perspective Is Power in Forever Wars

October 27, 2021

Since leaving the military, I’ve searched my soul for answers. Did I spend three years of my life fighting a lost cause?

“They let us talk. They listened.” Adapting to Survive a War I Never Understood

May 5, 2021

“Elders questioned our motives, what we wanted, when we would leave,” writes a veteran of Afghanistan. “They let us talk. They listened.”

Letters To My Country That She Will Never Read, Part 1

September 11, 2018

Drew Pham writes about his experiences going to war as a migrant after September 11th in this four part series for The War House. This is 1 of 4.

U.S. Army veteran Tom Bomke takes a selfie with Jon Stewart at the DoD Warrior Games opening ceremony, June 22, 2019, at Amalie Arena in Tampa during the Department of Defense Warrior Games. Photo by Spec. Seara Marcsis, courtesy of the U.S. Army.

“We’re Better Than This”—Jon Stewart, Veterans Advocates Rally for Bipartisan Burn Pit Legislation

November 3, 2020

Burn pits have poisoned service members for years. Policy is lacking and defense contractors are not liable for decisions that might harm soldiers at war.

The Frog’s Revenge Came in the Form of Iraqi Rockets

January 31, 2018

Augusto Giacoman’s humanity was reduced to instinct as the rockets began to hit, and he understood how the frog he’d encountered as a child must have felt.

She Needs a Background Check and a Day Pass to Visit Her Father’s Grave, Part 1

September 19, 2018

Kelly McHugh-Stewart lost her military ID when she turned 21, and in turn, the ability to easily visit her father’s grave at Fort Leavenworth.

Shedding the Shame of Being Called a Military “Dependa”

August 29, 2018

Liesel Kershul faced crushing shame feeling that being a military spouse has kept her from fulfilling her potential. After 15 years, she’s found peace.

Farewell, Hello, Farewell, Hello.

September 11, 2016

David Palacio wanted to defeat the enemy so he joined the Marine Corps after the 9/11 attacks. Six combat deployments later, the endless war continues on.

Lyman Abbott's Order to Report Letter from the U.S. Army, 1940.

My Father Died Over 60 Years Ago. I Feel That I‘m Just Now Meeting Him

September 18, 2019

His father served in World War II and remade his life, one that a son is finally discovering.

From Death Threats to a French Dandy, Afghan Contractors Abandoned by the U.S. Struggle to Find Asylum Abroad

June 17, 2021

The Taliban wants him dead. Because he worked for the Americans. But he didn’t ask for help from the people he saved by throwing away everything he had.

Can the Pentagon Lead the Tech Sector Again?

April 30, 2020

Silicon Valley was built on defense dollars, but bureaucracy and a rise of Big Tech and startups have left the U.S. military behind in defense acquisitions.

Portrait of a woman Triptych, by Artist Steve Albert

A Calling Through Art, Decades After Choosing Not to Serve

December 30, 2020

“My name should be on that wall.” A civilian reflects on choosing not to join the military during the Vietnam War and his journey to create art about war.

My Heart, a Fallow Field. A Letter to My Unborn Daughter.

March 28, 2018

War poisoned his body and threatened his life. To survive, Drew Pham had to lose all chance of fathering a child.

Letters From War and Drawing “The Line Between Respect and Caution”

October 16, 2019

A former Army soldier grapples with an unresolved confessional to her late mother.

Letters To My Country That She Will Never Read, Part 3

September 13, 2018

Drew Pham writes about his experiences going to war as a migrant after September 11th in this four part series for The War House. This is 3 of 4.

“I Thought I Was Going to Die”—Explosions and an Easter Sunday Service in Iraq

April 1, 2020

A combat Army officer reflects on what it means to be at war for your country and search for spiritual meaning.

Finding Peace in Lederhosen

June 10, 2020

A jaded Gulf War veteran needed a break, and found it in a small Bavarian town. A reflection by Dave Boe

“I Thought You’d Be Bigger”—a Soldier and Irish Mist Adrift in the Fog of War

July 4, 2018

Brendan O’Byrne returned home from the Korengal to a chorus of civilians calling him a hero. For years he’s struggled to define that word for himself.

The Newest Military Branch—the Space Force

May 28, 2020

Despite a bumpy launch, the Space Force seeks to modernize U.S. defense in outer space.

An Early Morning Helicopter Crash and a Lost Feeling of Invincibility

May 26, 2021

“You may have noticed that only one of the birds came back last night. Sometime in the early hours of the morning, there was a crash. Everybody is gone.”

Taking Unresponsive Leadership To Task as a Black Woman Army Officer

July 28, 2021

During her military career, she felt alone. As a Black woman. An officer. As a survivor of sexual assaults. Alone to battle mental illness.

Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Clanin and a platoon sergeant with Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, lead their soldiers on a patrol through the Jamila neighborhood of Sadr City in 2008. Photo by Sgt. Michael Pryor, courtesy of the U.S. Army.

Hellfires and “Half-Smashed Bugs” in Sadr City

July 1, 2020

As a platoon searched for bombs, the enemy tried to attack them. It didn’t end well.

Nothing Prepares You For War

November 2, 2016

Noah Smith witnessed the transformation of Afghan cities while serving as Army Special Forces. He learns that war economy can't stabilize like community can.

Two voters in Kirkuk in Iraq’s first election of a democratic government since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 display their ink-stained fingers in 2005. Photo courtesy of the Defense Department.

“I Still Find Hope”—Purple Fingers, Steel Rain, and Getting “Messy” in a Combat Zone

October 28, 2020

Service members have voted by mail since World War II. “My nation trusted me,” writes Joshua Manning, who cast ballots while deployed to several countries.

Gulf War Illness Treatments Discovered. Will Veterans Affairs Officials Listen Now?

April 8, 2021

“That’s what made them sick.” Scientists say toxic exposures and anti-nerve agent pills, paired with DEET, poisoned veterans during the Gulf War.

Hold My Housing Until I’m Ok—”I Don’t Trust Myself”

October 31, 2018

David Chrisinger learned to treat a writer’s words with the proper care before publication after a student veteran was pushed to the brink of suicide.

A Centuries-Long Battle to the Ambiguity of War

October 31, 2016

Read how George Heath examines the questions surrounding the definition of a crime during wartime, which are largely unsettled. In modern warfare combatants dress as civilians and war is waged more covertly than ever.

Marines United: New Symptom. Old Problem.

July 14, 2017

Sexual assault and harassment in the military are nothing new, but the advent of the internet has kicked the enduring impact on victims up a notch.

Sgt. Josh Wilkinson, a military police soldier with the 29th Military Police Company, Maryland Army National Guard, conducts a simulated shoplifting search during a Joint Multinational Readiness Center exercise rotation in Hohenfels, Germany, on Nov. 2. The soldiers are preparing to deploy to Kosovo. Photo by Sgt. Zachary M. Zippe, courtesy of the U.S. Army National Guard.

“Everybody We Deal With Is Trained to Kill”—Why Don’t We See Widespread Police Brutality in the Military?

November 6, 2020

Police brutality on military bases is rare but reports show that veterans are 2.9 times more likely to fire their weapons than civilian law enforcement.

Less Than a Year After 9/11, She Fell in Love With a Marine

August 11, 2017

Liesel Kershul and her now-husband had been together only a few months when he was ordered to deploy. In their 15 years together, they've known only war.

He Craved Normalcy, But He Could Think Only of Getting Back to War

August 23, 2017

As a veteran, Drew Pham understands craving both normalcy and war, but as his kid brother struggles with the same push and pull, Drew feels lost to help.

Diving Shipwrecks of Futures Past During Navy Dive School

October 3, 2018

Tenley Lozano dove the retired aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, encountering great barracuda and memories of the ship she’d been serving on six months prior.

Remembering the Service and Sacrifice of Muslim Veterans Among the Crescents and Stars of Arlington National Cemetery

June 2, 2021

During a trip to Arlington to honor Muslim veterans, an Air Force officer reflects on how her career of military service began as a Pakistani immigrant.

My Battle Buddy Was Always Smiling Before Losing His War to Suicide

November 7, 2018

J.P. Lawrence thought he knew his happy-go-lucky friend from deployment until he learned that Belland had struggled with addiction and died by overdose.

War Trauma Spread Through His Family Like a Virus

June 21, 2017

Colonels shouldn't appear to be traumatized, John Sims was told. But after decades of war he needed help if he and his family were going to survive.

I’ve Never Looked More Dignified on a Hike

March 26, 2019

After Sweden enacted gender-neutral conscription in early 2018, Teresa Fazio traveled there to ask how it works and what the U.S. can learn.

She Found Solace in Art and Artifacts During War, and When She Came Home.

July 26, 2017

Lyndsey Anderson uses the lessons she learned as a young woman at war to connect through art and mentorship with civilians both young and old.

An Attack From Within: Male Marines Ambush Women In Uniform

March 4, 2017

The Defense Department is investigating the orchestrated stalking and the deliberate collection, and distribution of photographs of active duty and veteran women. Dozens of victims were identified by their name, rank, and duty station. Our exclusive investigation.

As Afghan War Nears its End, a Marine’s Guilt Intensifies

May 19, 2021

“My mind won’t let go,” writes a Marine veteran of Afghanistan. “The farther I get from those days, the heavier my guilt.”

Stephen Caldwell hugs his father, the namesake of his newborn son, after returning home from Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of the author.

‘I Daydreamed About Being a Hero’

August 23, 2021

For years, he waited to go to Afghanistan, to use his training, to prove himself. Now he tries to define ‘why.’

Putting Down Our Guns and Ammo for a Tray of Hummus

August 8, 2018

Nathan and his unit traveled to Oman in 2013 to train with its military. Quickly, training evolved into an experience the Corps had not prepared them for.

A War That Began As Children

July 14, 2016

How easy is it for military families to discuss experiences at war? Derrick Perkins shares his story as a journalist reporting on military affairs while his own brother deployed overseas and the nonexistent conversations that followed.

No Really, How Are You Doing? Asking Important Questions About Military Suicide

January 15, 2020

A Marine Corps officer’s story of pain, stress, and a call to action to start honest conversations about mental health

Trapped in the Amber of this Moment

September 11, 2016

David Chrisinger felt the urge to serve his country in the Marines during the Iraq War. He reflects on his choices on the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11.

A burn pit in Balad, Iraq. Photo courtesy of Dan Clare

Burn Pits—The Military’s Next Agent Orange

October 23, 2019

Burn pits have been poisoning soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan for the last 11 years. But Veterans Affairs seems reluctant to do anything about it.

An Afghan National Army commando with the 6th Special Operations Kandak guards a rooftop during morning operations in Tagab District, Kapisa Province, Afghanistan, in February 2013. Photo by Pfc. James K. McCann, courtesy of U.S. Army.

“Why Are You Leaving Now?”—a Rookie Afghan Policeman, a Combat Veteran, and a Shared Loss of Naivety

April 14, 2021

“The look of fear on the faces of these local policemen as we left our position is something I will never forget,” writes an Army veteran of Afghanistan.

The Air Force Was Hard, Finding a Soul Sister After Returning Home Was Harder

July 3, 2017

Elizabeth O'Herrin searched for human connection after deciding not to reenlist. When she returned to church after a decades-long absence, O'Herrin found a soul sister.

Brandon Alt, right, was one of at least six Marines and Navy corpsmen who deployed from Camp Pendleton, California, to Afghanistan in 2010 who later developed seizures or seizure-like episodes. Photo courtesy of Brandon Alt.

Mystery Seizures Haunt Marine Units a Decade after Deployment

September 29, 2020

Seizures among veterans are surging. Some blame PTS and TBI. Others blame toxic exposures.

Johnnie Gilpen, left, works in the emergency room for children at Oklahoma University’s Health Sciences Center with Dr. Ryan Brown. Photo courtesy of the author.

Corpsman-Turned-Covid-19 Frontliner: Delta Isn’t a “Political Stunt”

September 15, 2021

"Why did you fall asleep at the wheel?” My answer: It’s a pitfall of being a juggler in the largest ongoing circus in the world—the Covid-19 pandemic.

Military Suicide a Different Kind of Plague

May 1, 2019

After two men from the same unit killed themselves, maddening questions about life take their place for those who remain.

A Fake Raid, A Fake Village, and a Sinking Track

July 29, 2020

"We’re piled on top of each other at 15, sometimes 20 at a time, in a vehicle built for 12." A Marine reflects on a narrow escape at sea.

Echoes Project: The Replacement

April 23, 2018

After Javier’s funeral at Arlington Cemetery, the Marines who were still in Afghanistan tried their best to stay positive for the rest of their deployment.

The first AV-8B Harrier jet from Marine Attack Squadron 211 lands at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, in 2012. Lt. Col. Chris Raible, a Pittsburgh native, landed the jet. Photo by Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot, courtesy U.S. Marine Corps.

I Took the Last Picture of a Good Man

August 20, 2021

As a Marine’s Grieved in Afghanistan, She Helped Another Family Process a Loss

Moving Again. And Again. My Experience as a Military Spouse.

July 8, 2020

It’s not easy to start over in a new place, and few people understand this better than a military spouse.

Letters To My Country That She Will Never Read, Part 2

September 12, 2018

Drew Pham writes about his experiences going to war as a migrant after September 11th in this four part series for The War House. This is 2 of 4.

Pumpkin Head and the Horror Show

May 29, 2019

A former infantry officer contemplates the numbing effects of war and inhumanity.

Lee Herron, left, and David Nelson are commissioned as second lieutenants on June 7, 1967, after graduating from Texas Tech University. Photo courtesy of the author.

A Veteran’s 30-Year Journey to Learn About a Friend Killed During the Vietnam War

February 17, 2021

For decades, he searched for information about a friend killed during in Vietnam, a journey that ended visiting the gravesite with the Marine’s mother.

The Dangers of the Marine Corps’ Complacency About Covid-19

May 14, 2020

Is the Marine Corps taking the Covid-19 pandemic seriously enough?

An Army Officer and the Wounded Girl in the Little Blue Jumper

October 10, 2018

Melissa Thomas held the little girl in her lap as their Humvee sped to meet the helicopter, uttering “English-nonsense” to keep the child from passing out.

Pop Bangers, “Barbie Girl,” and IED Explosions

November 14, 2018

Augusto Giacoman danced to Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” as his convoy patrolled Mosul, Iraq. And then the IED exploded.

Alex Perez, far right, with his shipmates on the USS Samuel B. Roberts in 1988. Photo courtesy of the author.

“Hold on to something!”—A Moment that Shifted the Fate of the USS Samuel B. Roberts Crew

September 22, 2021

“The explosion created a 20-foot hole along the bottom of the ship’s hull. I saw a ball of flame and felt a rush of hot air on my face and arms.”

Roy and Andrew van Wey in Husaybah, Iraq. Photo courtesy of the author.

“They Didn’t Make It?”—When Your Brother’s Homecoming Starts in a Burn Ward

August 12, 2020

After an IED exploded in Iraq, a badly burned Marine asks his brother if his teammates survived. “He knows I won’t lie to him. We are both warriors.”

Betrayal, Sedatives, and the Long Road Home

March 11, 2020

The Army had been her life until it turned into her enemy. A former combat medic reflects on the ultimate betrayal of giving her all in service and feeling abandoned in return.

The Experience of Army Basic Training

May 22, 2019

How a new recruit learned what being in the Army truly meant and where he eventually found his way, sort of.

From One Battle to Another. “A New Fight I Never Expected.”

November 13, 2019

A gunnery sergeant grapples with his love of deployments during a time when his family needs him at home.

Echoes Project: The Homecoming

April 23, 2018

Veronica didn’t want to be at the airport when the Marines returned home from Afghanistan in April 2011.

Echoes Project: A World and a Lifetime Ago

April 23, 2018

The explosion woke Second Lt. Jason Blydell, and he jumped off his cot as his patrol base shook violently. The radio crackled: “Stand by, casualty report... We have one urgent surgical.” Then silence.

Armed Only With Colored Flags, He and His Fellow Marines Combed the Wreckage Site

August 9, 2017

When two aircraft collided in midair above North Carolina, Adam Stone and dozens of fellow Marines were tasked with identifying bits of the wreckage, including their brothers.

“Wars Are Real, Bullets Can Kill.”—Recalling the Death of My Invincibility

November 6, 2019

A Marine officer reflects on his youthful fearlessness—and its end.

Thinking Brainlessly With Their Spinal Cords

September 11, 2016

Tim Patterson was attending the Naval Academy when the 9/11 attacks happened. He deployed on submarines and to Afghanistan. Now he wonders if it was all for naught.

Photographing Innocence Amidst The Chaos And Silence Of War

April 12, 2017

Dan Bellis' memories from war swirl among the grains of sand he shared with civilians. He describes his wordless interaction with Afghan children.

Unclear All-clear And A Requisite For Air

June 13, 2018

One night stuck in a shipping container during an air raid drill is enough to make anyone claustrophobic. Problem is, Yvette Pino already was.

A Military Spouse Lies Awake, Praying The “Widow Maker” Will Land Safely Tonight

January 24, 2018

Liesel Kershul used to worry about her Marine pilot husband only when he deployed. Now, with flight hours down and aircraft crashes up, she worries about him when he goes to work.

A Marine Corps weapons company section sets up their mortar to take communist positions under fire near Chosin Reservoir. Photo by Katie Lange, courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps.

“War Never Changes”—a Marine, a “Hardcore Warrior,” and a Connection Across Generations in Uniform

November 11, 2020

A World War II soldier and a Marine walk into a bar. Over drinks, the two veterans discuss how to truly return home after war: Never stop serving others.

Rage and the Manger

December 25, 2019

Back from a deployment and triggered by the mundane, a former infantry officer discovers his unprovoked rage.

The Army She Knew Wasn’t Orderly or Disciplined. It Was Filled With Messy Humanity

July 7, 2017

Nina Semczuk oversaw 25 soldiers and all the human mess that goes along with that. But would a civilian executive see the value in her experience?

The Impact of Our Reporting About Marines United

March 4, 2017

The War Horse and Reveal broke the Marines United nude photo scandal March 4, 2017. The U.S. Marines Corps and Navy leadership and Congressional politicians responded quickly to the scandal in the weeks following publication.

It's time for the US military to track white nationalism within its ranks by The War Horse

White Supremacy in the Military “Like a Drop of Cyanide in Your Drink”

March 18, 2020

Since 9/11, there have been documented instances of white nationalism in the U.S. military, but the Defense Department won’t track the numbers.

She Needs a Background Check and a Day Pass to Visit Her Father’s Grave, Part 2

September 26, 2018

Kelly McHugh-Stewart picked up her ritual black coffee and red carnations, one for each member of her growing family, to lay at her father’s gravesite.

Years Later, Loss at War Resonates at Home

June 11, 2016

Our global community is and continues to be ever more affected by war. Responsible and constructive conversation is more important than ever.

The author, Jackie Munn, and her husband celebrate their wedding. Courtesy of Visionari Photography

Crossing the Line of Departure as a Woman in Special Operations

October 24, 2018

Jackie Munn and her husband quietly said their last goodbyes before she boarded the C-17 headed to Afghanistan and her Cultural Support Team assignment.

Following Service in Afghanistan, Parallels Emerge as a Military Spouse Battles Covid-19

January 13, 2021

A military veteran is reminded of his service in Afghanistan after seeing his spouse struggle mentally during the health care battle against Covid-19.

Going Back To The Slaughterhouse For Souvenirs Of The War

September 11, 2016

Pete Lucier missed the fighting days of the Iraq & Afghanistan Wars. He describes the lack of strategy plaguing this era of war on the anniversary of 9/11.

The Army Medic in the Hole

August 26, 2020

“I can’t believe this is how I’m going to die,” thought an Army medic after falling down a well. “We’re in the middle of nowhere. No one is going to rescue us.”

The Circus Is Coming to Town

March 25, 2020

As the United States grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, a former corpsman trained in infectious disease epidemiology understands what’s at stake.

YOKOSUKA, Japan (Oct. 8, 2013) Sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) fight a fire during a basic shipboard firefighting course at Surface Warfare Officer School Engineering Learning Site Yokosuka. The site provides education and training in support of surface Navy requirements that prepare officer and enlisted engineers to serve at sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Abby Rader/Released)

A Sailor Signs Up to Escape Poverty, Finds Terror Instead

August 5, 2020

His blue shirt was not enough to hold back that much water.

Officials Scramble to Punish Marines Responsible for Nude Photo Scandal

April 16, 2017

This piece originally appeared on Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting.

“He Tried to Kill Me in His Sleep”—a Military Spouse Learns How Gridlock Gets You Killed

May 16, 2018

As traffic slowed to a stop and the color drained from his face, Liesel Kershul began to see that Tom had changed. Then he tried to kill her in his sleep.

Like Roses And Mustard Gas

September 11, 2016

Gerardo Mena left active duty with the Navy ten years ago. Friends died at war overseas and continue to die at home by suicide. On the 15th anniversary of 9/11, he recalls a eulogy for a friend.

“They’re Like Sitting Ducks” — Treasury Renews Controversial VA Banking Service Amid Proceedings, Allegations of Defrauded Veterans

June 3, 2021

The thieves stole nearly $460,000. Then the Treasury awarded them another five-year contract, despite IG audits revealing alleged fraud and mismanagement.

The Grieving for Afghanistan Must be Done as a Community

August 24, 2021

Like an aircraft struggling to move the weight of two decades’…

Care Packages a Powerful Symbol of the Military-Civilian Divide

December 16, 2020

Many care packages included notes calling troops “heroes,” and gratitude for “protecting America’s freedom.” These, to many of us, rang hollow.

Future Marines from Marine Corps Recruiting Station Fort Worth get a taste of what recruit training will be like during the station’s Annual Pool Function in 2019.

“What Had We Done to Jeffery?”–Marine Relives Role in Hazing

September 1, 2021

"I’ll never forget his screams echoing off the block walls of the barracks. No one came to investigate. No one ever came to investigate."

She Couldn’t Imagine The Fear. She Could Imagine Walking Barefoot, Carrying Her Heels

September 11, 2017

Annie Erling felt like an interloper when she worked at the Holocaust Museum and again at the 9/11 Museum. Then she came upon a pair of bloodied heels.

Naylon on an operation in a village outside of Bagram, Afghanistan, 2014. Photo credit: Spc. Jamill Ford for U.S. Army

Leaders Are Forged as a Rocket Falls

June 17, 2020

In a time of crisis, initiative trumps authority when authority fails to lead.

My Therapy Dog’s Name Is Fern And She Taught Me Gratitude

April 11, 2018

Anxiety over the military sexual trauma she withstood plagued Rachael Harris when she came home. Her adopted dog, Fern, barreled through those walls.

‘I Decided to Become the Safe Place that I so Desperately Needed’

August 19, 2020

A chief petty officer stays in the Navy after she’s sexually assaulted so she can help other women, inspire culture change

After 30 Years and Four Wars, One Explosion Opened the Floodgates

June 14, 2017

"Colonels don't bleed," John Sims' friend said before Sims deployed to Afghanistan. Shortly after, a suicide car bomber blew up the first SUV in Sims' convoy.

An Airman assigned to the 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron sets parking chalks on an MQ-9 Reaper on the flightline of Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, June 10. Photo by Senior Airman Kevin Tanenbaum, courtesy of U.S. Air Force.

The Surge Nobody’s Talking About: The U.S. War in Somalia

June 25, 2020

America has engaged in military operations against terrorists in East Africa for years, but a lack of transparency about civilian casualties is causing concern.

U.S. Marine sniper scouts use surveillance equipment to study the surrounding territory. Photo courtesy of U.S. National Archives.

A Two-Decade Journey of Close Calls From Lebanon to Kuwait and Iraq

June 16, 2021

When a Marine officer transferred to the reserves, he believed he’d only be activated for “something with a clear purpose.” Then he was deployed to Iraq.

The body of Ernie Pyle was laid to final rest in the new Punchbowl Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Oahu July 19, 1949

‘I Have Had All I Can Take’ — the Final Months of Legendary War Reporter Ernie Pyle

July 23, 2020

‘The Hurt Has Finally Become Too Great’

When I Think About Losing My Son

April 17, 2019

David Chrisinger found the words to express a devastating personal loss after teaching a military veteran how to write about her own feelings of sadness and uncertainty.

After Becoming Homeless, Finding My Home and Purpose in the Marine Corps

October 25, 2017

Joy Craig's childhood was anything but stable. After graduating high school, foster care forced her out, and she was homeless. Until she enlisted.

“I Was Still Pretending”—a Road Trip and Worry for a Little Boy

May 8, 2019

Searching for closure, a former Army Infantry officer travels to the gravesite of his platoon sergeant.

Afghan Peace Process Puts Life in Limbo for Generations of U.S. Allies, Former U.S. Interpreters

December 23, 2020

“My scarred body represents just a small sacrifice for our country, a country we have built without the Taliban,” said the father of a U.S. interpreter.

She Swallowed Hard, Shed Some Tears

September 11, 2016

Anna Hiatt remembers, but not how she once hoped she would. For her the anniversary of 9/11 brings memories of her grandfather, Fight Club, anthrax and when she noticed Washington D.C. — a once open city — shrink.

War Memorials, a Honeymoon, and the Conflict of Life

November 21, 2018

Liz O’Herrin Lee finds peace in an unknown future in the presence of Australia’s living memorial built by and for the country’s World War I veterans.

Peacekeepers, A “Teeming Mob,” and A “New Excuse for War”

October 17, 2018

M. L. Doyle deployed to Bosnia, in 1997, two years into the NATO peacekeeping mission. Today, she reads about “widening ethnic cracks” and wonders when conflict ends.

Marines’ Wives Are All the Same, She Thought. And Then She Met Liesel

July 17, 2017

Joy Craig writes in an open letter about the chasm between Marines' wives and female Marines, and about a budding friendship that has softened her distrust.

Soldiers, including the author (far right back row), from the 17th Signal Battalion pose in MOPP gear during the ground war.

Chemicals. Chemicals. And More Chemicals. A Veteran Reflects on Her Time in Desert Storm

February 24, 2021

For decades, the U.S. has poisoned service members with toxic chemicals. Lotions. Pills. Testing. Burn pits. And then there’s the enemy’s chemical weapons.

She Stayed Quiet When Marines’ Wives Called Female Marines “Sluts.” Then She Met Joy

July 18, 2017

Liesel Kershul had forgotten life on the painful outskirts of the wives' "sorority." A friendship with a female Marine has Liesel determined to change that.

Brett and Whitney Foley on their wedding day. Photo courtesy of the author.

The Five Essentials of Storytelling. A Survivor’s (Excerpt) Guide to Writing about Trauma

July 15, 2021

David Chrisinger teaches The War Horse’s writing seminars, the preeminent professional development program for veterans and military spouse writers.

When Everything Was Beautiful And Nothing Hurt

September 11, 2016

Following 9/11, Matthew Hefti left college to serve in the Air Force. Hefti reflects on his promises to remember and all the things he chooses to forget.

The Quandary Of Perception Versus Reality

November 16, 2016

She refused to believe that perception was reality. She thought she could change perceptions. Tenley Lozano writes about stereotypes in the military.

When the Stress of Combat Hits You in a High School Classroom

October 9, 2019

A former infantry officer realized the impact of war lingers longer than he’d thought.

A Marine Officer Visits a Helicopter Crash Site. Nepal Tried to Claim Her Too.

April 4, 2018

Two years after a helicopter carrying Marines crashed in the Nepali mountains, Marine veteran Teresa Fazio encountered the wilderness that had claimed them.

How The Marines United Investigation and Scandal Unfolded

July 11, 2017

Our story begins one day late in January 2017 when a Google Drive containing photographs of service women in various stages of undress was posted in the Facebook group Marines United.

Soldiers who died together in Egypt during World War II fighting in North Africa in what is seen as one of the most decisive battles of the war. Photo courtesy of the author.

A Global Crossroads of Military History Buried in an Egyptian Desert

October 6, 2021

Egypt’s deserts have long demanded the attention of men like my husband, working in the name of Western governments locked in power competition.

Members from the 15th Medical Group host an open house for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in 2018. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Heather Redman, courtesy U.S. Air Force.

“The Enemy Is Lurking in Our Bodies”—Women Veterans Say Toxic Exposure Caused Breast Cancer

October 14, 2021

As the last troops leave the “forever wars,” doctors say they’re seeing more women veterans with breast cancer—younger than the national average.

Really I’m OK

September 11, 2016

Thomas Brennan reflects on what selfless service at Ground Zero and an endless war against ideals has taught him—and how it's come to be that a new generation fights the same war that began 15 years ago.

Sunflowers and Steel Rain

December 7, 2016

Elizabeth O'Herrin describes picking flowers and catching ladybugs as a kid. While deployed in the Middle East, sunflowers hid mortars and the land turned gray.

Service, Sexuality, and Stereotypes Of A Female Veteran

September 28, 2016

Tenley Lozano, a disabled female Veteran, describes the stereotypes and daily traumas of her service - sexual harassment, chronic migraines and PTS.

Anne Boaden, her daughter, and her son in May. Photo courtesy of the author.

From Deployment to Homecoming. And a Pregnancy During Lockdown.

August 25, 2021

Four days after he returned home from deployment, our first lockdown in England began. We went from extreme separation to extreme togetherness.

The Military Funeral—”Taps Doesn’t Harden You. It Breaks You.”

February 19, 2020

When it’s time to bury a Marine, feelings of pride and admiration can’t always supersede the other emotions that can topple everything.

As a West Point Cadet, I Volunteered to Be “The Hot Sauce Man”

August 22, 2018

A midnight raid on a West Point dorm in which Augusto Giacoman was armed with hot sauce prepared him for war better than West Point’s rigid rules.

One Small Mistake, a Helicopter Crash, and a Combat Memorial

May 13, 2020

One small mistake causes the unnecessary death of a Cobra pilot in a combat zone.

Baseball Games in Tokyo and a White House Tour—“I Bet It Never Smells Like Fart in There”

December 2, 2020

When the Secret Service let a member of the Air Force into the vice president’s vehicle, he thought to himself, “I bet it never smells like fart in there.”

Dillon Fishman looks through binoculars aboard the USS Tortuga during amphibious training in southeast Asia when he served as the executive officer of the landing force. Photo courtesy of the author.

Her Willingness to Speak Truth in Spite of Fear Left a Lasting Impression

November 24, 2021

I still remember the day when my mentor said, “We gotta go see about a chick who was banging the baseball coach while her husband was away.”

Fate In What I Cannot Fear

September 11, 2016

Nate Eckman believed he remembered the events of 9/11 correctly. He was wrong. A teacher from his past helped him realize the flaws in his own memories.

Zero Tolerance: The Defense Department’s Decades-Long Failure To End Sex Crimes In Uniform

April 11, 2018

Scandal after scandal, sexual predators in the military continue to harass and assault with impunity. Military brass pay lip service to eradicating the problem. Explore how the Defense Department has skirted accountability for nearly 40 years.

A Military Family’s Love Thrives or Dies Thanks to the Marine Corps

February 14, 2018

Nathan Eckman wrote off the idea of having a relationship while he was in the Marine Corps. When he met Emily, the Corps helped forge their relationship.

‘Time Heals Old Wounds. So Does a Bottle of Rum’

September 9, 2020

A father reconnects with his ex-wife during their son’s graduation from Army basic training. “I told her she was a good mother.”

The F/A-18 Hornet Mark Fox flew when he faced a MiG during Operation Desert Storm being restored to display at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. Photo courtesy of Fox.

30 Years On, Veterans Recall the Desert Storm Air War

January 21, 2021

People tend to remember Desert Storm as a short, easy war. Compared with the “forever” wars, that makes sense: a 100-hour blip in the annals of history.

The Coast Guard, a Rubber Dinghy, and Plucking “Fleeing Souls”

July 18, 2018

Sarah Holzhalb wonders if the migrants she and her Coast Guard boat scooped out of the water are alive today, and what lives they returned to.

Removing My Armor

June 12, 2019

How a former Army videographer learned to cope with trauma and rebuild her life.

The Man with Half a Head

July 13, 2016

Who helps wounded veterans? Adele Levine shares her experience working with military amputees as a physical therapist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Strong Responses Follow News of Nude Photos Shared by Marines

April 13, 2017

There have been strong responses from the top of the military hierarchy to the Marines United scandal involving marines sharing nude photos without consent.

Soldiers with C Co. 1/12th Cavalry Regiment prepare to deploy near Bong Son, in Vietnam, in 1966. Photo courtesy of the author.

Remembering Journalist Sam Castan and His Deadly Ride with Crazy Horse

June 30, 2021

“Memories of Sam’s death haunted me for decades,” writes a former Army public affairs officer about the death of a journalist during the Vietnam War.

Nathan Lowry says he attempted to practice his Arabic with anyone willing to listen during his first deployment, including this hefty Barbary macaque. Photo courtesy of Nathan Lowry.

To Prepare for War, Dubbed Disney Classics and a Detour to the “Wild West”

December 9, 2020

“Guess it’s time to find The Lion King in Pashto.” A Marine studies Disney classics in Arabic to prepare for the Iraq war only to be sent to Afghanistan.

Becoming a Veteran After Choosing to Forget My Military Service at Fort Hood

March 24, 2021

As a woman, I never knew if a soldier was approaching me to correct a crooked beret or to ask for my number,” writes an Army veteran of Fort Hood.

A Tramadol Overdose, Delivered by Mail. “I Was Addicted. It Was Easy to Get Them.”

June 9, 2021

The drug abuse began when the military prescribed Tramadol for back pain. Then the VA mailed him bottles of pills. Until he overdosed in front of his kids.

“Like Iron-Filled Tears”—My First Time Seeing a Dead Body in a Combat Zone

June 27, 2018

He bore his son’s body to the Americans’ base and let the blood drip and congeal on the wooden deck. And then he left, and left the blood behind.

A Marine Loses Trust in the Military Branch He’d Pledged to Serve

March 28, 2018

Waiting in the lobby of the mental health unit, Francisco Martínezcuello wonders when, in his then-17-year career, he stopped trusting the Navy.

“Patriotism Was in”—Enlisting in the Military to Become a U.S. Army Ranger

September 10, 2018

Ross Cohen was trekking across Asia when the Twin Towers were attacked. When the call for war began, he cut short his planned year-long trip to sign up.

The Suicide Bombing of December 21 and What Came After

December 11, 2019

A reporter’s journey through war, trauma and healing

Losing Sense Of Self One Suicide At A Time

July 27, 2016

Gerardo Mena reunites with his Marine brethren to remember another brother lost to suicide. They tell him goodbye — losing one more part of themselves, knowing it could have been one of them.

When I Hear a Far-off Boom, I Imagine the Worst

October 20, 2021

“I knew I wasn’t in Afghanistan. I knew soldiers weren’t dying in the distance. But in reality, that knowledge didn’t matter.”

An Army Brat and a Gold Star On Graduation Day

June 20, 2018

Kelly McHugh-Stewart’s father died in Afghanistan on May 18, 2010. Since then she’s had two separate graduations—both were on the anniversary of his death.

Children from a nearby village pose for a photograph in Zharay district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, in 2012. Photo by Spc. Jason Nolte, courtesy of U.S. Army.

“I Screamed Into My Radio to Ignore the Order”—Pardoned Soldier’s Comrade Still Lives With Guilt of Murdered Civilians

November 18, 2020

When Clint Lorance ordered his men to kill innocent civilians in Afghanistan, the soldiers came home and struggled to assuage their feelings of guilt.

Sailors hand out food to local families during a community relations event at a Salvation Army site in Philadelphia in 2019. Community relations events could help lessen the military-civilian divide.

Are Service Members Heroes, Victims, or Villains? You decide.

July 14, 2021

“My West Point siblings are neither convenient scapegoats nor two-dimensional nerd-warriors. They are first and foremost my siblings.”

A squad leader gives a radio update behind a smoke screen. Photo courtesy of the author.

“What Is There to Say?” Shared Experiences and “an Epic War-Porn Trailer”

March 3, 2021

“We heard a distinct thud and soon heard the report on the radio,” writes a veteran of Sangin, Afghanistan. “A Marine had stepped on an IED.”

“I Drew the Line at Lying to Reporters”—a Military Spokesman Calls for Increased Accountability and Transparency

April 28, 2021

“These issues will continue to plague our military if both uniformed and civilian leadership don’t stand up” and demand “real accountability.”

The Army Made Me Religious—Even Though I Still Don’t Believe in God

April 8, 2020

A love of community and military values became a former army sergeant’s faith.

Talking With a 9/11 Witness Helped Him Connect With History

September 11, 2017

David Chrisinger wondered if he was intruding on sacred ground when he visited the museum at Ground Zero. A conversation with a witness changed that.

The Military Gave Her a Shared Sense of Purpose, but the Navy Was Not a Home

January 10, 2018

Andrea N. Goldstein lost her sense of home when she left home for college and the military. Moving to New York City, she learned to come home to herself.

The Afghan Girls I Couldn’t Save

July 24, 2016

Rape and police beatings occurred in Afghan prisons. Tim Patterson recounts police violence in Afghanistan—and the memories that continue to haunt him.

DILLON FISHMAN

STEVE ALPERT

DILLON FISHMAN

STEVE ALPERT

KELLY KENNEDY

NATHAN WEBSTER

KEVIN MAURER

KACY TELLESSEN

MORGAN LERETTE

SONNER KEHRT

MAURICE NAYLON

KELLY KENNEDY

JOHN THAMPI

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