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

A Coast Guard Officer Runs Home After A Marathon Of Funerals

May 23, 2018|in Reflections | Sarah Holzhalb

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

FROM THE ARCHIVES

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

February 19, 2020|in Reflections | Maggie Seymour

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

Echoes Project: The Replacement

April 23, 2018|in Newsroom | Thomas J. Brennan

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.

His Closest Brush With Combat Was a Dramatic Helicopter Landing

August 30, 2017|in Reflections | Sam Gisselman

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.

EXPLORE TOPICS

GENDER

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

March 24, 2021|in Reflections | Bettina Hindes

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.

HEALTHCARE

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|in Newsroom | David Chrisinger

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.”

HUMAN RIGHTS

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|in Reflections | Ruthy Muñoz

A veteran relives her trauma through the headlines.

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

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|in Reflections | Lisa Torem

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.

SCIENCE & TECH

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|in Investigations, Newsroom | Kelly Kennedy

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

POLICY

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.

“Better Than Sex?”–Germans, SEALs, JSOC, and One Soldier’s First Jump

April 20, 2022

“You know how lucky you are, right? It’s Valentine’s Day, your last name is Valentine, this is your [first] jump, and you’re getting German jump wings?”

“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.

Being Hunted by the Sadr City Sniper

July 24, 2019

There are many moments in war—the surprises, the close calls. A former infantry officer reflects on one that had both.

“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.”

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.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough, and former Sen. Elizabeth Dole arrive at an event celebrating children of military and veteran caregiving families in the East Room of the White House, Nov. 10. Photo by Air Force Sgt. Jack Sanders, courtesy of the Defense Department.

While Americans See an End to 20 Years of War, VA’s Job Has Just Begun

December 2, 2021

Veterans have immediate, life-or-death needs and want better care. They want it for yesterday’s veterans, too.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

Tom Smoot upgrades HMMWV GPS transceivers in Iraq’s Diyala Province in December 2006. Photo courtesy of the author.

Excuses and a Recurring Nightmare, Brought to an End by Medals and Heroism

July 7, 2021

Six months after a soldier returned from Iraq, his nightmares of being shot ended after he heard that others were wounded and killed in the same alley.

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.”

“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.

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.

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

April 29, 2020

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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

November 11, 2021

We went into the basement and he broke out old boxes and uniforms. As he went through them with me, he talked.

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.

“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.

Spilt Milk, Giggling Girls, and No Use Crying

May 9, 2018

Jackie Munn spilled hot chai on her lap and the girls giggled. They danced, smiled, asked why she had blue eyes. Then came the whip.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Guns, Booze, and Suicide: How “Stupid” Saved A Life

September 21, 2016

He couldn't kill himself before tee time with his father. He put the pistol down. David Chrisinger describes a Veteran's struggle with thoughts of suicide.

Amanda Huffman, left, and other cadets from Detachment 035 work on team building through the low course at California State University, Fresno. Photo courtesy of the author.

The Military Pushed Me to Listen and My Worldview Shattered. Now, I Can Rebuild.

June 22, 2022

I assumed seeing the world and meeting new people would reinforce what I already believed. Instead, I have seen my convictions slowly crack and crumble.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

Rage and the Manger

December 25, 2019

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Joshua Plummer, then a first lieutenant, on his first deployment to Iraq in 2006 with 2nd Bn., 4th Marines. Photo courtesy of the author.

“Which One Is the Real Me?”—A Veteran’s Transition and Identity Crisis

January 5, 2022

Am I an uncivilized Marine who pretends to be a civilized man or a civilized man who pretends to be an uncivilized Marine when I don’t have to be cultured?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Zach Bernat, an aviation ordnanceman, demonstrates proper handling and safety procedures of the M240B machine gun before sailors qualify to operate the weapon during a gun shoot in 2010. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Rebekah Adler.

They Are the Good Guys With Guns. After Another Mass Shooting, Veterans Want Change.

June 2, 2022

On most military bases, service members aren’t allowed to carry weapons. “We don’t just have guys walk around posts with guns—because it’s stupid.”

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

A Marine’s Dilemma: Who Bears Responsibility for War?

March 9, 2022

I never fought in combat and never killed. And if I am honest with myself, I am a little bit ashamed of that.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

“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.”

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.

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 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’

“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.

New York City’s lower Manhattan skyline and the newly completed One World Trade Center Building are illuminated by two beams of light representing the remembrance of the American citizens lost Sept. 11, 2001. Photo by David Tucker, courtesy of U.S. Air Force.

Reflecting on the 20th Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks

September 8, 2021

“Good things happened after the bad,” writes Eric Chandler. But 20 years on, there is a painful contrast to the national unity that followed the attacks.

“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.

Removing My Armor

June 12, 2019

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

C.J. Pfutzner, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory mechanical engineer, runs to get on station to man the fire hose as Steven Tuttle, NRL combustion and reacting transport section head, adjusts the NRL-developed emulsified crude oil burner system’s airflow to administer emissions testing for the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the NRL Chesapeake Bay Detachment in 2019. Photo by Nicholas Pasquini, courtesy of the Naval Research Laboratory.

“We Must Do Our Part to Mitigate Climate Change”—The Military’s Pollution Problem

January 6, 2022

The military may be taking the threat of climate change seriously, but without reporting requirements, there’s a lack of transparency and accountability.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Answering the Call for Veterans and Military Families ‘Suffering in Silence’

August 14, 2019

Vets4Warriors, a mostly donations-based phone support program, seeks to end the stigma of vets getting help and the shame of asking for it.

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.

A Man of Destiny, Molded by Fate: Lloyd Austin Leads in Time of Tremendous Potential

December 8, 2021

His actions seem to say he has the morale of the troops as his primary consideration. Far too many in those positions haven’t.

His Torch Beckoned Like a Searchlight

February 22, 2017

Ryan Mallek jumped at every chance to leave the wire. One night during a welding assignment in Fallujah changed that.

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.

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

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

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.”

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.

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.

Kayla and Brian on their wedding day in August, 2005. Photo courtesy of the author.

The “Toxic” Legacy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and Its Lingering Effects on Veterans and Military Families

November 4, 2020

“My orientation isn't a phase, and I’m not willing to leave a vital part of my identity hidden.” “Don’t ask, don’t tell” lingers for LQBTQ veterans.

“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.”

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.

“It’s All Bullshit”: Broken Military Justice System Jeopardizes Trust and Puts Service Members at Risk

May 6, 2022

Rather than push reform, the Marine Corps closes ranks, girds up to protect a culture that is, itself, its legal system’s worst enemy.

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.

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.

“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.

She Struggled With Alcohol Abuse. Now This Sailor Wants to End the Stigma of Seeking Help.

February 2, 2022

It should have been one of the most memorable nights of my career but I destroyed it because I couldn’t control my drinking.

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.

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.

The author on bridge watch as the Officer of the Deck, 2007-2009. Photo courtesy of Alison Maruca

Minding the Ship During a Storm of Poor Leadership

May 27, 2020

Even with sound decision-making by a capable and loyal team, the wrong leader can make any mission feel doomed.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

September 30, 2020

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.

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.

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?

“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.

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.’

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.

Larry Freeland stands in front of his CH-47 Chinook during the Vietnam War. Photo courtesy of the author.

“I’m Lucky to Be Alive Tonight”–Journals of War and Peace From Two Sides of the World

March 30, 2022

I didn’t want to unduly burden my family. Journalizing late into my evenings helped me to occasionally relax and release some stress.

“The Electric Hurricane”—My Panic Attacks After War Started Slowly

October 4, 2017

Peter Lucier's first panic attack came on like an electric hurricane, blowing him back years to an IED blast site in Afghanistan.

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.

Navy Fire Control Technician 1st Class Quincy Miller embraces his family after the fast-attack submarine USS Texas arrived home after a seven-month deployment. Photo by Chief Mass Communication Spc. Amanda Gray, photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy.

The Threat of War Is Shifting, and We Intend to Win. But It Will Come at a Cost.

May 18, 2022

The costs will be time. We will have precious little of it with our sailors. The costs are real people and real families.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

“A Crisis of Confidence”—After Decades of Failures, VA Sec Seeks “Game-changers”

February 3, 2022

“I’m not asking anybody to believe me on anything,” the VA secretary says. “I’m saying I’m here to be held accountable.”

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

June 8, 2022

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.

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.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin listens to Col. Chris Jones, Task Force Liberty J4 commander, during a visit to Liberty Village at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, Sept. 27, 2021. The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees. Photo by Staff Sgt. Jake Carter, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

Is the Cure for America’s “Next War-itis” a Military Culture Shift?

December 16, 2021

Just as with the end of the Vietnam War, scandals and battle fatigue will likely impact military recruitment efforts—not just in numbers, but in quality.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Grieving for Afghanistan Must be Done as a Community

August 24, 2021

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

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 author on a field exercise at The Basic School at Quantico, Virginia in 2006. Courtesy of Anne Boaden

“This Is What Closure Feels Like”—the Aftermath of Miscarriage While Your Spouse Is Deployed

January 8, 2020

A Marine reservist recounts an unexplained loss while her husband is deployed.

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.

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.

My Afghan Friend Could Be Murdered Soon

September 7, 2016

Tim Patterson is contacted by his Afghan friend, Zabi, who is in danger of being executed by the Taliban. Will Zabi and his family ever find safety?

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.”

writing-seminars - war-horse-seminar-4-1400x934.jpg

The Redemptive Power Of Lying

July 25, 2016

David Chrisinger teaches a writing course for veterans at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. His students tell him their stories—some are true, some are lies, and some are worse.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

Time Stood Still That Morning on Parris Island

September 11, 2017

Joy Craig walked into the base's coffee shop and found people huddled around the TV. Then the second plane hit.

Ensign Cierra Swiney, from Georgia, assigned to amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, uses a sound-powered telephone in the starboard bridge wing. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Zachary D. Behrend, courtesy of the U.S. Navy.

No Shortage of Bad Leaders: Sailor Recalls Hostile Captain Who Set a Toxic Tone

December 15, 2021

There's nothing wrong with a captain giving officers a good chewing out. But it was hard to respect a leader who saw only the worst in others.

“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.

“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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

A Lesser-Known Group At Risk of Suicide—Children of Servicemembers

April 15, 2020

Military kids can suffer from emotional stressors that left unaddressed can increase their risk of taking their own lives.

Review: “Fight Like a Girl” By Kate Germano With Kelly Kennedy

September 5, 2018

Teresa Fazio reviews Kate Germano’s new memoir, in which the retired lieutenant colonel makes the case for the reforms she made at Parris Island.

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.

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.

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

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FROM OUR FELLOWS

A Coast Guard Officer Runs Home After A Marathon Of Funerals

FROM THE ARCHIVES

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

Echoes Project: The Replacement

His Closest Brush With Combat Was a Dramatic Helicopter Landing

EXPLORE TOPICS

GENDER

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

HEALTHCARE

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

HUMAN RIGHTS

I Am Vanessa Guillen

INVESTIGATIONS

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

MILITARY FAMILIES

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

SCIENCE & TECH

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

POLICY

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

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