Kelly Kennedy: Breaking the Burn Pits Story

The day after President Biden signed the PACT Act into law, managing editor Kelly Kennedy tells us what it was like to first report on burn pits.

SONNER KEHRT

No One Promised Tomorrow so We Lived for Today. But Before Victory Came, I Flamed Out.

Another day of training in the books—and another night spent letting loose the inner beast.

TOM WYATT

Kelly Kennedy: Breaking the Burn Pits Story

The day after President Biden signed the PACT Act into law, managing editor Kelly Kennedy tells us what it was like to first report on burn pits.

SONNER KEHRT

No One Promised Tomorrow so We Lived for Today. But Before Victory Came, I Flamed Out.

Another day of training in the books—and another night spent letting loose the inner beast.

TOM WYATT

Airman 1st Class Mary Amstead, 23rd Wing judge advocate general law paralegal, poses with an assortment of alcohol bottles at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Illustration by Airman 1st Class Daniel Snider, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

No One Promised Tomorrow so We Lived for Today. But Before Victory Came, I Flamed Out.

August 10, 2022|in Reflections | Tom Wyatt

Another day of training in the books—and another night spent letting loose the inner beast.

I Had Seen What ‘Lock and Load’ Meant to This Drunk and Rowdy Rabble, and I Wanted Out

August 3, 2022|in Reflections | Captain R. Van

This was “Old Navy,” with its emphasis on secrecy, drinking, and sexually disparaging language and acts. But it sure was fun.

Information Is a Weapon, Same as a Gun. We Can Measure the Value of Both in Blood.

July 27, 2022|in Reflections | Nathan Webster

What kind of inconvenience does getting shot by Americans measure out to be for an Iraqi shepherd?

“Quietly Heroic”—Journalist Returns to Ukraine with American Veterans to Help Her People

July 13, 2022

We Didn’t Just Fold a Flag. We Delivered the Gratitude of a Nation to Our Hero.

July 7, 2022

As Troops Face Mounting Demands to Serve in Crises, Civilian Employers Are Firing Them

July 6, 2022

They Want to Know the World Cares and That They Are Not Alone

June 30, 2022

“It’s Scary as Hell”—PFAS Exposure a “Widespread” Problem for Troops, Families Nationwide

Award-Winning Journalism in Your Inbox

FROM OUR FELLOWS

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

July 4, 2018|in Reflections | Brendan O 'Byrne

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.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

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

October 1, 2017|in Investigations, Newsroom | Thomas J. Brennan

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

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

July 7, 2017|in Reflections | Nina Semczuk

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?

Lt. Gen Robert Cone (right), III Corps commanding general, and the corps’ senior noncommissioned officer, Command Sgt. Maj. Arthur L. Coleman Jr., receive a briefing from Fort Hood law enforcement officers, including Eric Tangeman (center), outside the shooting site at Fort Hood. Thirteen people died and 30 more were wounded in the 2009 incident.

“My Streaming Service”—Soldier Relives Traumas Like Reruns on Journey to Heal

September 29, 2021|in Reflections | Eric Tangeman

“Although the shows have been canceled, many of us don’t have the ability to press stop—to stop watching and find something new.”

EXPLORE TOPICS

GENDER

“Proudly She Served”–Their Tragedies and Triumphs Taught Me What True Courage Is

June 8, 2022|in Reflections | Steve Alpert

Hearing their stories and then telling their stories in paint made me stand a little taller and gave me confidence to take on more challenging projects.

HEALTHCARE

Soldiers at Camp Funston, Kansas, are quarantined while recovering from the Spanish flu in 1918. The flu infected about 500 million people around the world. Photo courtesy National Archives.

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

August 27, 2021|in Newsroom | David Goldstein

It was an opportunistic disease. It chose no side in the conflict. The military had a public health emergency on its hands with few tools to fight it.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Joe Simboli holds a picture of himself in a tank. Photo courtesy of Michele DeMarco.

We Trudged Through an Unknown, Unexperienced Evil—Unaware How That Evil Took Hold in Us

May 11, 2022|in Reflections | Joseph Simbol Jr.

Joseph Simboli Jr., of the 89th Infantry Division, helped liberate Ohrdruf, the first Nazi concentration camp discovered by American forces in April 1945.

INVESTIGATIONS

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

June 3, 2021|in Investigations | Courtney Mabeus

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

MILITARY FAMILIES

Sean Paul, left, and his gunner charcoaled their faces as Iraq launched scud missiles just after U.S. troops crossed the border. Troops used charcoal as a way to absorb any chemical agents as they donned their gas masks. Photo courtesy of the author.

Note to Self: When They Come for You in the Night, Don’t Give Up. Fight Back.

July 20, 2022|in Reflections | Sean Paul

Through it all—the good and the bad—always remember you will achieve your goal. Keep your chin up, endure, and always remember: It will be OK.

SCIENCE & TECH

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.

POLICY

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

April 8, 2021|in Investigations, Newsroom | Kelly Kennedy

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

Learning How to Talk About War Helped Their Family Heal

August 16, 2017

You can't hide anything from your children, John Sims learned. When their family began talking openly about his three decades of service, the healing began.

“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.

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

November 11, 2021

Realizing war causes pain and suffering to those brave enough to face it, I felt shock and empathy for all those in service.

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

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.

“Come on, You Sons of Bitches, Do You Want to Live Forever?”– A Hero Rises Among Heroes

March 2, 2022

In a room full of Medal of Honor recipients, Dan Daly provides inspiration.

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.

Members of the New Jersey National Guard’s A Troop and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 102nd Cavalry Division, converse with U.S. Capitol Police before performing a roving patrol at the U.S. Capitol, where just hours later a vehicle rammed a police barricade and a suspect killed one USCP officer and sent another to the hospital. The troops pulled patrol at the Capitol after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Hughes, courtesy of the U.S. Army.

He Liked the Pro-America, Pro-Constitution Vibe. But He Liked the Rage, Too.

June 23, 2022

The KKK is shifting toward a more militia-style environment, targeting veterans for recruitment, valuing their skills and preying on their patriotism.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

“It Would Be a Mistake to Underestimate Russia”: The New Cold War That’s Emerging in the Arctic

November 19, 2020

As Arctic ice shrinks, and climate change makes routes easier to traverse, a military struggle for control looms. Russia is already trying to claim it.

You Don’t Know, and I Don’t Wanna Tell Ya

February 8, 2017

Civilians are always asking what war is like. Dustin Jones wonders what to tell them about his deployment, or if he even should.

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.

Navy LT Stephen Thompson, the author’s son, in Afghanistan, 2013. Photo courtesy Sarah Colby

When It’s Hard to Be a Military Mom

April 22, 2020

It was one thing to be a military spouse during peacetime. It was quite another to have a spouse and eventually a child serve during a war.

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.

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.

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.

James Donzella worked, for a while, as a colonel’s driver in Pleiku, Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the author.

Pedal to the Metal in a White-Knuckled Race Against Time

June 15, 2022

As I brought the jeep to a screeching halt in front of the terminal entrance, I noticed the colonel’s face had drained of color.

The Marine Corps’ Fight to ‘Degrade and Defeat ISIS’ Using ‘Reagan-Flavored’ Kool-Aid

March 31, 2021

“We spend a lot of our time wondering, mostly alone, sometimes aloud,” writes a Marine officer, “if what we’re doing makes any difference, to anyone.”

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.

An ammunition specialist carries a 105 mm armor-piercing, discarding sabot round, to be used in an M1 Abrams tank, during Desert Shield. Photo by Sgt. Brain Cumper, courtesy of U.S. Army.

Fighting to Go Home: Operation Desert Storm, 30 Years Later

February 25, 2021

The Pentagon expected roughly 40% of Americans would be wounded or killed but “the Iraqi army wasn’t nearly as formidable as everyone made them out to be.”

An Iraqi man out on patrol with U.S. soldiers takes a break beneath a bridge. Photo by Nathan S. Webster.

A Journalist’s Favorite Image Mirrors a Loss

September 23, 2020

A journalist learns of death that paralleled the moment he took his favorite picture.

Mohammed Nazir, far left, and Will Martin, far right, attend a post-deployment function with other members of the 49th Military Police Brigade in Fairfield, California, in 2010, shortly after a yearlong tour in Iraq. Photo courtesy of the author.

As Much Soldier as Muslim, More Patriot Than Believer

January 26, 2022

I can’t grasp how anyone can eat, sleep, and fight alongside the stunning diversity of the U.S. military and emerge more entrenched in their echo chambers.

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.

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

November 17, 2021

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

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

Relics Of War And The Stories They Share

August 6, 2016

Brandon Lingle explores war through relics, battlefields and monuments. He shares violence of the past by finding - and understanding - war artifacts.

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Charles Dane adds weight to the bar during a 2018 Defense Department Warrior Games powerlifting practice at Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Dane was medically retired from the military after a 19-year career. Photo by Cpl. Juan Madrigal, courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Your Kidneys Are Failing and Your Doctor Has Just Deployed. Now What?

July 9, 2020

An overhaul of the Army, Air Force, and Navy’s medical services doesn’t appear to be going to plan, with 10 kidney transplant recipients left in the lurch.

Sharky’s and “The Golden Boy”—Military Justice Abandons the Vulnerable to Protect the Powerful

April 28, 2022

The Marine Corps has hidden the track records of attorneys whose misconduct and disregard for the rule of law has jeopardized the welfare of Marines.

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

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

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.

U.S. Army Pfc. Alexis York, left, and Spc. Zekia Heath, both cannon crew members with Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion 107th Field Artillery Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, stand watch near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, March 3, after the events of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class R.J. Lannom Jr., courtesy of U.S. Army.

“Our Backgrounds Are Not Monolithic”—a Look Inside the Military’s Conversation About Extremism in Uniform

April 7, 2021

“There are a lot of Three Percenters on base, one soldier said.” Another asked “why we weren't talking about Black Lives Matter or Antifa” in uniform?

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.

Sailing the Atlantic Ocean – 2005

April 19, 2017

Tenley Lozano watched the Barque Eagle's bow cut through the Atlantic Ocean's night waters, which swelled with bioluminescence and dolphins.

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

July 26, 2017

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.

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.

Balancing Authority and Understanding as a Young Lieutenant

September 6, 2017

Nina Semczuk struggled to walk the line between being "that guy" and a pushover when she became a new officer. One private's lunch paid the price.

How the Marine Corps Struck Gold in a Trash Heap During the Defense Department’s Fight Against Climate Change

June 30, 2021

The DOD treats climate change as a catastrophic threat to national security. “A shrinking polar ice cap doesn’t just mean thinking about polar bears.”

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.’

A Marine assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit calms down an infant at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan, on Aug. 28. Photo by Cpl. Davis Harris, courtesy of U.S. Marine Corps.

“The War Is Over. Cheers.”–Where Do Veterans Land When the Fighting Is Done?

March 16, 2022

War was a distant part of our lives and we just moved on with the day. What did it mean to me that the war was ending in chaos?

Learning to Listen on Denali

February 1, 2017

Margaux Mange helped teach Pat Gault to seek out war stories of all stripes. Their chance meeting on Denali changed his life.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

Morgan Lerette stands in front of a mural of Saddam Hussein during the ground offensive in 2003.

Falling out of love with war: It could never live up to my expectations.

February 23, 2022

Both of us wanted to be together, war and I, but ultimately realized the relationship was unsalvageable as we clung to it hoping things would change.

“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?

“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.

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 Dangers of the Marine Corps’ Complacency About Covid-19

May 14, 2020

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

Marines from Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, take five on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in northern Laos, in February 1969, as part of Operation Dewey Canyon. Photo courtesy of the author.

Baptism by Fire: Becoming a Marine in Practice as Well as by Name

December 22, 2021

In that instant, for the first time, I truly felt like a member of the Marine air/ground team.

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.

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.

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.

Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Sam Castro; his wife, Liz; and their two sons, Enrique and Vicente. Photo by Trish Alegre-Smith, courtesy of SoYourLife Photography.

“Don’t Go Here. They’ll Kill You.”—LGBTQ Troops, Families Face Mounting Discrimination With New Laws

June 9, 2022

“Service members should not have to choose between serving their country and protecting and serving their family.”

His Closest Brush With Combat Was a Dramatic Helicopter Landing

August 30, 2017

Sam Gisselman's prided himself on his marksmanship and wanted to see what he was capable of doing during combat. But he was never chosen for combat patrol.

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.

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.

Opening The Window And Making Love To The World

September 11, 2016

Adrian Bonenberger served as an Army infantry officer in Afghanistan. He draws parallels between his own service in Afghanistan and wars of yesteryear - the Cold War and Operation Desert Storm.

Marines perform during a sunset parade on July 10, 2018. Photo by Lance Cpl. James Bourgeois, courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps.

How “Sugar Daddy Deals” and a “Black Book” Deny Service Members Justice

April 7, 2022

“At some level, the knowledge that your system is unjust can lead units to fracture. It can directly harm readiness.”

The Lore of Uncle Wally Leads a Family From Bagram to Meuse-Argonne

September 16, 2020

Uncle Wally’s service was lore. And the monument—erected in France—loomed in her imagination. A military spouse traces her family’s generations at war.

A Long-Awaited Reunion for Two Black Veterans

November 27, 2019

An older incarcerated veteran gets a visit from a former combat infantryman that he served with in Vietnam.

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

April 21, 2021

A Military Child Learns What It Means to Be an American. By Leaving - “So, where are you from?”... I didn’t know where I was from.

Even Democracy Requires Constant Vigilance From Corrosive Attacks Within

January 19, 2022

It was a typical day for the guardsmen already used to “weird and crazy” things happening outside the protective bubble they formed around the Capitol.

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.

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.

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.

I Leave Out the Part Where We Catch the Man

May 31, 2017

Drew Pham told civilians stories of trauma when he first returned. He soon learned that it was easier to tell them a funny story about a goat.

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.

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.

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.

The sun rises over Forward Operating Base Bermel, Paktika province, Afghanistan, in 2006. Photo courtesy of the author.

The Countryside Is as Much a Place of Peace as War

June 1, 2022

The Afghan countryside is where the white-hot heart of the Taliban has always beaten strongest.

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.

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.”

Sonner Kehrt on Healy’s flying bridge, far above the Arctic Circle. Photo courtesy of author.

Becoming a Lobster and Surviving the Monotony of a Coast Guard Deployment to the Arctic Circle

January 20, 2021

When the Covid-19 lockdowns began, a Coast Guard officer reflected on her military deployment to the Arctic Circle and the familiar feeling of isolation.

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.

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.

“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.

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

November 4, 2021

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.

Briana Céspedes, blue dress, center, and other service members rally at a U.S. military base in Korea in support of Cuban protesters in July. Photo courtesy of the author.

“We Were So Hungry We Ate Our Fear”–Those Without Freedom Risk Their Lives For Change

May 4, 2022

What could we do as our brothers and sisters risked their lives back home? Nothing except yell from across the ocean and tell them we stand with them.

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.”

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.

“It Is Cancer”—Reflecting on My Husband’s Diagnosis After Going to War

November 28, 2018

In the VA’s emergency room, Molly Pearl and her husband made the imperceptible shift between soldier and patient, wife and caregiver.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

“They Weren’t Supposed to Die”—Losing a Soldier to Mishap at the Army National Training Center

March 14, 2018

Nina Semczuk arrived at the National Training Center in California prepared to train; she wasn’t prepared for a fellow soldier to die.

Brian Thompson laughs near local children while on patrol in Afghanistan in 2007. Photo courtesy of the author.

Movies Don’t Prepare You for What Happens When the Action Dies Down

January 12, 2022

This is the part that movies didn’t prepare me for. Sometimes, that memory comes up unexpectedly, like when I see a group of kids running.

She was set— a Marine Corps officer enrolled in a PhD program and headed to a new duty station on the West Coast. But then she woke up in a jail cell with her world falling apart.

A Marine Officer, an Uber, and the Arrest

June 26, 2019

She was set— a Marine Corps officer enrolled in a PhD program and headed to a new duty station on the West Coast. But then she woke up in a jail cell with her world falling apart.

“You Sound Like a Pervert”—Getting Lucky With Meatybob

September 2, 2020

The student grabbed the joystick bolted between her legs and took control of the training helicopter. “Some pilots are naturals,” the instructor said. “You aren’t.”

Soldier bounds down a 40 ft tower during a training exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wa. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Kohrs.

Moral Waivers for War—”I Was Shocked, but We Needed Men.”

March 4, 2020

Not everyone is fit for the Army, but a loophole overlooks that.

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.

One Marine’s Struggle to Find Purpose After Military Service

November 1, 2017

Nearly two years after separating from the Marine Corps, Nathan Eckman struggles to define "service" and understand how to serve as a civilian.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lisa Torem’s father played in the U.S. Army band. Photo courtesy of the author.

After Dad Died, I Cleaned Out the Garage. That’s When I Saw the Rusty Metal Box.

December 1, 2021

Inside the box, I found a folded-up, yellowed newspaper with a headline in bold print that read, “The War is Over!” and a set of dog tags.

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.”

Family, friends, and loved ones visit gravesites in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia, on Memorial Day in 2019. Every year over Memorial Day weekend, more than 142,000 visitors come to Arlington National Cemetery. Photo by Elizabeth Fraser, courtesy of the U.S. Army.

I Have a Future Because of Those at Arlington, Where the Ground Is Sown With Tears

May 25, 2022

They rest together, these disparate generations, due to a lack of available space: Arlington is running out of it.

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.

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.”

Infil: Where Two-Dimensional PowerPoints and Rock Talk Meet “Visceral Lethality”

March 10, 2021

“Reality sank in as we donned our combat gear in the ready room,” writes a former Army infantry officer. “In combat, do you ever really have control?”

“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.

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.

Everything Is Supposed To Be Quiet After A Massacre

September 11, 2016

Army PFC JP Lawrence deployed to Iraq after the 2006 Sunni Awakening. He shares stories of the Post-9/11 Iraq invasion & reflects on false narratives of war.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Rage and the Manger

December 25, 2019

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

“Halt, or I’ll Shoot”—an Army Veteran Reflects on Operation Desert Storm

February 3, 2021

Thirty years ago, Operation Desert Storm began. The so-called 100-hour war went rather quickly and smoothly. But the memories never ended.

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.

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.

Advocates Activated by Marines United Are Gathering Strength

July 21, 2017

Marines United has resurfaced the Defense Department's "silent epidemic." Advocates are determined not to let the conversation die again.

Recall and Regress, Battling to Redefine Identity When Military Service Ends

May 2, 2018

Nathan Eckman wonders what a recall to service would mean for the life he’s built since exiting active duty, and if he’d answer that call.

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.

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.

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.

Kacy Tellesen and Kyle Huth on a sweep-and-clear mission in Haqlaniyah, Iraq. Photo courtesy of the author.

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

November 3, 2021

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

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 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.

The Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell “Changed Everything”

September 27, 2017

Dan Misch spent nights on the Naval Academy bleachers crying and struggling to decide if he should leave or continue serving under Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Emily Miller celebrates National Coming Out Day at Harvard Business School with the school’s LGBT student association.

Gay Veteran Sees Racism as a Tougher Fight

June 24, 2020

All movements must include the fight against racism—and that looks different from other protests.

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.

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.

Aperol Spritzes and Dreams of Post-Pandemic Biergartens in Lindau

March 17, 2021

Marriage counseling alongside soldiers from Special Operations Command was not what a military spouse imagined for her first trip to Europe.

An all-Afghan crew prepares to launch on a medevac mission in Helmand province in 2019. Photo courtesy of the author.

For an “Afghan Hand,” Explosions and Crashes Echo Loss and “a Romanticized Idea of Adventure”

May 12, 2021

“His story is so much the story of Afghanistan: youth destroyed violently while fighting for a better home,” writes reserve Naval Officer Jack McCain.

Reliving Military Sexual Trauma on Her Last Day of Active Duty

July 28, 2017

Joy Craig hadn't wanted to spend her last morning of active duty reliving sexual assaults, but there she sat in the base NCIS office, talking with an agent.

Go In For A Military Haircut, Leave With A Beating

August 15, 2018

Augusto Giacoman went in for a haircut, high and tight. Then things went terribly wrong.

Learning to Breathe Through the Journey of Addiction and PTSD

July 6, 2017

Heroin allowed Jenny Pacanowski to escape her PTSD in small doses. To get sober she had to deal with her trauma head-on, or accept that she would die.

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

August 19, 2021

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.

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.

Things Are Going to Get Hot Before Long. I Hope and Pray I Come Out of It All Right.

April 13, 2022

I know I am forever grateful for what Ernest Pugh has given me, and he will live in my heart as he did in Dad’s.

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.

Camouflaged as Polling Workers, National Guard Presence During Primaries Fuels Worries of Militarized Presidential Election

October 14, 2020

“Our goal was to make sure that you couldn’t tell whether it was a Guardsman or a volunteer,” said a spokesperson, of the deployments to polling stations.

The Unknown Legacy of Military Mental Health Programs

October 2, 2019

After 9/11, the U.S. military created hundreds of mental health programs, and many did not closely track spending or record their outcomes.

Losing the Fear That He Abandoned His Men

January 18, 2017

War stories can sometimes read like confessionals. David Chrisinger encourages a student Marine Veteran to confide in the reader instead.

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.

Soldiers, sailors, airmen, a Coast Guardsman, and an Army veteran raise their right hands as they recite the oath of allegiance during a naturalization ceremony aboard USS Constitution in June. “The United States is and will forever be a nation of immigrants,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said during the ceremony. “Your stories—and the cultures, customs, and traditions you bring to America—exemplify that we have more to unite us than to divide us.” Photo by Mass Communication Spec. 1st Class Raymond D. Diaz III, courtesy of U.S. Navy.

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

September 23, 2021

Veterans mustered resources to swiftly bring home stranded Afghan allies and are working together to do the same for deported U.S. veterans.

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.

The Grieving for Afghanistan Must be Done as a Community

August 24, 2021

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

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.

“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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Drown Proofing, Khaki Shorts. Some Things About Dive School Don’t Change

July 5, 2017

Tenley Lozano jumped at the chance to become a Coast Guard diver, proudly passing the tests every prospective diver undergoes. Water knows no gender.

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”?

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.

“We Owned the Night”—a Midnight Raid in Iraq With Screaming Banshees

March 21, 2018

Augusto Giacoman almost jumped for joy when he was assigned his first midnight raid, but what he saw that night quickly changed his mind.

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.

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.

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.

“Hellraisers,” Tinder Dates, and the Curse of the White Cloud

April 29, 2020

All he wanted was to see combat. Fortunately, he missed out.

There Is Love Enough In This World For Everybody, If People Will Just Look.

September 11, 2016

Human conflict is as old as humanity, so why have these last 15 years felt so particularly dark and divided? Katie Hansen reflects on growing up and beginning a family in a post-9/11 world.

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 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.

Second Suicide Battalion: Where Military Justice Weaponizes Mental Health

April 15, 2022

Rampant disregard for the rights of the accused is not just commonplace, it is deeply entrenched in the military justice system.

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 air traffic controller uses binoculars to look for birds or other hazards that can damage aircraft. Photo credit: Airman 1st Class Nathaniel Hudson

Losing “Pretty Girl” To “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

May 20, 2020

An investigation into an air traffic controller’s personal life in the era of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell felt like a rippling current of judgement.

In The Absence Of Trust And Confidence

November 30, 2016

He lost respect, trust, and confidence in his Marine leaders. William Gehrung describes the misdiagnoses and maltreatment of injuries in the military.

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

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

Josiah Koleosho an hour before the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, March 2003. Courtesy Josiah Koleosho.

Finding My Calling While Treating a Casualty Inside Friendly Lines

January 22, 2020

He saw gore and death, but he also saved lives. There are certain things a former corpsman will never forget or take for granted.

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.

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.

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.

The Two Hundred and Fiftieth—a Military Spouse Loses a Student to Gun Violence

August 21, 2019

Joanna Guldin-Noll, a fellow of the War Horse's 2018 Writing Seminar for Military Spouses, reflects on losing a student to gun violence as a former teacher.

Circumstances, Misfortunes or Fortunes

May 17, 2017

Teresa Fazio hid her beer beneath a tissue - polite women didn't drink. She received prasad, like communion, and searched for salvation amidst memories of Iraq.

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.

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.

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.

Sherman Gillums speaks with Marine Sgt. Alphonso Lee Lopez during a ward visit to the San Diego VA Spinal Cord Injury unit in 2005. Photo courtesy of the author.

“Heroes Also Need Heroes”–Robbed of a Chance at Combat, Marine Joins Another Fight

February 9, 2022

The reality that my time in uniform had ended took over every waking thought I had. How close I'd come to living my dream became part of the torture.

Operation Straggler: Their War May Have Ended, but They Weren’t Prepared for Surrender

February 16, 2022

We were going to drive them out of their hiding places, round them up, and ship them back to their families. At least that was the plan.

Pumpkin Head and the Horror Show

May 29, 2019

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

“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.

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.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Richard Carmichael with the Warfighter Exchange Service Team, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, disposes of trash at the burn pit in Forward Operating Base Zeebrudge, Helmand province, Afghanistan, in 2013. Photo by Sgt. Anthony L. Ortiz, courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Kelly Kennedy: Breaking the Burn Pits Story

August 11, 2022

The day after President Biden signed the PACT Act into law, managing editor Kelly Kennedy tells us what it was like to first report on burn pits.

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.

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.

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.

“Unwavering, Staggering” Military Spouse Unemployment Could Change After Pandemic

January 20, 2022

For military spouses, employers’ acknowledgment that workers can be just as productive from home could put an end to giving up careers for the military.

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Kelly Kennedy: Breaking the Burn Pits Story

SONNER KEHRT

No One Promised Tomorrow so We Lived for Today. But Before Victory Came, I Flamed Out.

TOM WYATT

Kelly Kennedy: Breaking the Burn Pits Story

SONNER KEHRT

No One Promised Tomorrow so We Lived for Today. But Before Victory Came, I Flamed Out.

TOM WYATT

No One Promised Tomorrow so We Lived for Today. But Before Victory Came, I Flamed Out.

I Had Seen What ‘Lock and Load’ Meant to This Drunk and Rowdy Rabble, and I Wanted Out

Information Is a Weapon, Same as a Gun. We Can Measure the Value of Both in Blood.

THE LATEST

“Quietly Heroic”—Journalist Returns to Ukraine with American Veterans to Help Her People

We Didn’t Just Fold a Flag. We Delivered the Gratitude of a Nation to Our Hero.

As Troops Face Mounting Demands to Serve in Crises, Civilian Employers Are Firing Them

They Want to Know the World Cares and That They Are Not Alone

“It’s Scary as Hell”—PFAS Exposure a “Widespread” Problem for Troops, Families Nationwide

Award-Winning Journalism in Your Inbox

FROM OUR FELLOWS

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

FROM THE ARCHIVES

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

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

“My Streaming Service”—Soldier Relives Traumas Like Reruns on Journey to Heal

EXPLORE TOPICS

GENDER

“Proudly She Served”–Their Tragedies and Triumphs Taught Me What True Courage Is

HEALTHCARE

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

HUMAN RIGHTS

We Trudged Through an Unknown, Unexperienced Evil—Unaware How That Evil Took Hold in Us

INVESTIGATIONS

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

MILITARY FAMILIES

Note to Self: When They Come for You in the Night, Don’t Give Up. Fight Back.

SCIENCE & TECH

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

POLICY

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

TRENDING