‘Embrace the Suck’–Life as a Gold Star Child is a Race With No Finish Line

I can’t accept that he’s a few feet away from me, waiting to join a sea of white stones and perfectly cut green grass. I don’t want to walk away.

BAILEY DONAHUE

‘Embrace the Suck’–Life as a Gold Star Child is a Race With No Finish Line

I can’t accept that he’s a few feet away from me, waiting to join a sea of white stones and perfectly cut green grass. I don’t want to walk away.

BAILEY DONAHUE

Far Along on the Road That Doesn’t Come Back—Retracing the Steps of War Journalist Ernie Pyle

May 25, 2023|in Newsroom, Reflections | David Chrisinger

You just sort of exist, either standing up working or lying down asleep. There is no pleasant in-between. The velvet is all gone from the living.

Air Force Col. Timothy LaBarge, right, commander of the 105th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard, salutes Master Sgt. Todd Lobraico Sr., assigned to the 105th Security Forces Squadron, during burial services for his son, Staff Sgt. Todd J. “T.J.” Lobraico Jr. Lobraico was a security forces specialist with the 105th Security Forces Squadron who was killed in action outside Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, on Sept. 5, 2013. Photo by Tech Sgt. Michael O’Halloran, courtesy of the Air National Guard.

The True Consequence of War Demands Generations of Profound Loss

May 23, 2023|in Reflections | Dan Woodward

In an instantaneous flash of violence, the hopes and dreams they’d woven vanished in the dirt 5,000 miles from home.

‘Please Come and Apply’—The PACT Act Is the Largest Expansion of Veteran Benefits in Decades

May 18, 2023|in Newsroom | Ishan Thakore

“We think that there are, roughly, a little over 6.2 million veterans who, we believe, qualify for the PACT Act,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said.

Special Forces Soldiers Reveal First Details of Battle With Russian Mercenaries in Syria

May 10, 2023

I Expected to Miss Him When He Deployed. Then There Were the Things That Snuck Up on Me.

May 3, 2023

A Chunk of My Life Was Taken From Me. You Could Say I Had a Bad Attitude.

April 26, 2023

It’s Every Young Marine’s Dream. But I Don’t Like This Story.

April 19, 2023

‘I’ll Be Your Wingman’–I Was a Pilot. They Were My Brothers. I Can Still Feel Them.

Award-Winning Journalism in Your Inbox

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

April 18, 2018|in Reflections | Liz O'Herrin Lee

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

FROM THE ARCHIVES

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|in Reflections | Domenique Cino

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

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

March 9, 2022|in Reflections | Paul Schaffner

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

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|in Reflections | Sarah Colby

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.

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

September 8, 2021|in Newsroom | Thomas J. Brennan

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

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

January 15, 2020|in Reflections | Janell Hanf

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

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

April 7, 2022|in Newsroom | Thomas J. Brennan

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

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

July 9, 2020|in Investigations | Kelly Kennedy

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.

War Horse Symposium Sheds Light on Vital Role of Military Journalism for Democracy, National Security

April 13, 2023|in Our Impact | Sonner Kehrt

“We have to connect [the military] better to society. People need to understand the service,” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said.

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.

Economic Insecurity for Military Families Predates Pandemic, Inflation

March 2, 2023|in Newsroom | Sonner Kehrt

The instability of military families is an economic burden, from lack of support networks to the struggle for spouses to find work in new duty stations.

They Were Supposed to be Fighting a War. Instead They Picked Up Gravel

June 7, 2017

When their tent filled with clumps of mud during the rainy season, Dustin Jones' unit found a solution. But some jobs are too absurd to be taken seriously.

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.

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.”

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.

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 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.

“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.”

“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.

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.

Can the Pentagon Lead the Tech Sector Again?

April 30, 2020

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

Officials Scramble to Punish Marines Responsible for Nude Photo Scandal

April 16, 2017

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

Can I Be Like the Hummingbirds, With the Strength to Fight Another Day?

August 31, 2022

My backyard is where I come to clear my head. It’s the place I come to reconcile memories before they become thoughts that feel painfully real.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

September 1, 2021

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

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 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.

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.

Sarah and Mike Flores before Mike left for Iraq. Photo courtesy of the author.

The War Doesn’t End. But as Long as He Keeps Fighting, I’ll Fight for Him, Too.

March 1, 2023

Hunched over the table, he speaks of regrets, failures, and thoughts of suicide. It’s good that he can talk to me. He used to keep these thoughts secret.

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.

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.

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.

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, overlook a range before squad rehearsals during Exercise Sea Breeze 21 in Ukraine in July. Exercise Sea Breeze is an annual event that brings together military units from several countries to enhance war-fighting capabilities and build strong relationships. Photo by Lance Cpl. Jacqueline Parsons, courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps.

I Don’t Want to Banter or Intellectualize About Ukraine’s Future. I Want to Help.

April 27, 2022

Part of me wonders about scenarios being crafted now for future military students, how Russian tactics are being updated based on the invasion of Ukraine.

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.

“Beaten Joints”—A Marine Officer Finds Herself On A Cross-Country Run

July 11, 2018

Maggie Seymour set out on a cross-country run to reconnect with herself and find the ground under her feet. Along the way she found a sense of home.

Learning the Power of Connection and Companionship

February 7, 2018

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

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

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

July 22, 2020

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

The Grieving for Afghanistan Must be Done as a Community

August 24, 2021

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

Two Afghan boys play outside a local shura meeting in Shah Wali Kot District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of the author.

An Afghan Boy Saved Lives Helping American Soldiers. It Could Have Cost Him His.

April 6, 2022

We began to hope that Bashir was the first of many young Afghans to see the benefits of supporting the coalition and the Afghan government by extension.

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?

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.

Becoming A Veteran Without War

August 16, 2016

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

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.

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.

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.”

Derek Nadalini played guitar as a hobby for years before handing himself over to the Global War on Terror. Photo courtesy of the author.

I See My Life in Music, So I Used It to Find My Freedom and Peace After Years of War

September 28, 2022

It was three in the morning. I was entirely alone. A long career of looking adversity in the eye and daring it to stop me didn’t prepare me for this.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

September 9, 2020

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Military experts constantly warn service members about social media scams that can affect them and their families. Graphic by Regina Ali, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Preying on Patriots—Scams More Likely to Target Troops, Vets

August 18, 2022

A steady income and benefits, a desire to help, frequent moves and deployments, and more make military members and families particular targets of scammers.

The Virginia Air National Guard’s Virginia Beach-based 203rd Red Horse Squadron holds a memorial service March 3, 2014, at Camp Pendleton to honor 18 unit members and three Florida Army Guard aviators killed on that day in 2001 when the C-23 Sherpa they were flying in crashed in a cotton field near Unadilla, Georgia. The 203rd members were returning home after completing a two-week military construction project at Hurlburt Field, Florida. Photo by Master Sgt. A.J. Coyne, courtesy of the Virginia National Guard.

We All Have Stories. After All, We Didn’t Just Watch History, We Made It.

November 9, 2022

Inspiration abounds, and in uniform, it is everywhere, every day, because every day we do things of consequence for our nation.

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.

“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.”

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.

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.

Thinking Brainlessly With Their Spinal Cords

September 11, 2016

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

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?”

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

January 17, 2018

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

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.

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

October 1, 2017

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

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.

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

Running for My Life After Returning From War

February 12, 2020

How a high-functioning facade masked a critical bout of depression for a former Army sergeant.

During the Battle of Husaybah, on April 17, 2004, Staff Sgt. Adam Walker took an AK-47 round through his right hamstring and caught a dime-sized piece of shrapnel from a hand grenade in his left arm. Photo courtesy of the author.

Their Fight Was Over. Why Did I Make It Home and They Did Not?

June 29, 2022

Certain days on the calendar, such as April 17, bring clear memories. But these thoughts don’t possess me like they once did.

How One Man Found Peace in Free Fall

February 15, 2017

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

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

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

October 28, 2020

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

Trainees check their cell phones and update family members at the Solomon Center on Fort Jackson in 2017. Photo by Robert Timmons, courtesy of the U.S. Army.

All Warfare Is Based on Deception—Troops, Vets Targeted by Disinformation Can Fight Back

September 8, 2022

While the military is targeted by disinformation campaigns, its experience also positions service members to lead the way to fight back against them.

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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’

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.

The Story Behind Operation Pineapple Express, a Daring Rescue Effort in Afghanistan

November 17, 2022

“Veterans know something the politicians don’t. ‘I have your back’ means something. Our failure to honor that promise is way bigger than the moral issue.”

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

October 16, 2019

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

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

September 13, 2018

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

Explosives, a Couple of Flamethrowers, and No Ordinary Men Against a Forbidding Jungle

September 21, 2022

The ships with our 437 helicopters would reach Qui Nhon harbor in about four weeks. They needed a place to land.

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

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

“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.

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.

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

October 13, 2021

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

My 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?

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.

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

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

October 21, 2021

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

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.”

Unit Christmas party in San Angelo, Texas, in 2007. From left to right: Marty, Sadia Heil, Erinne, Sheena, and Kate. Photo courtesy of the author.

Firefly Friends Guided Me out of the Darkness of Formidable Loss

August 17, 2022

Reuniting with my friends felt like taking a deep breath of fresh air: exhilarating and good for my soul.

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.

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.

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.

“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?”

Army Spc. Michael Flores visits an Iraqi souvenir vendor. Photo courtesy of the author.

I Was a Shitbag. Now, I Help Carry Others Through Their Darkness.

February 21, 2023

Two months later, he thanks me for listening, for still being Doc. I took care of them over there, I can take care of them back home, I tell myself.

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.

Wounded Knee Massacre ‘Tarnishes’ Integrity of Medal of Honor

August 25, 2022

After soldiers killed women and children at the end of the Indian Wars, the soldiers received the military’s highest award.

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.

Naval service gave David Chetlain experiences he never could have imagined as a 17-year-old, including sliding off a submarine during a “swim call” in the Marshall Islands. Photo by Scott Reiger.

You Don’t Need to Thank Me for My Service. I Needed It More Than It Needed Me.

May 17, 2023

I went from a world of chaos, poverty, and dysfunction to one of order, discipline, and regular meals. The Navy gave me the structure and consistency I needed.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

My Religion Of Death And Praying To Kill

July 5, 2016

Pete Lucier joined the Marine Corps to be confident, righteous and to kill. Read on about his reality of killing, loss of faith and memories of war.

The Ripples of War Are Only Beginning to Spread. Is America Ready?

March 22, 2023

Twenty years after America invaded Iraq, a veteran and spouse imagines the war’s costs will only grow.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has spent billions of dollars on mental health treatment.

The Hardest Thing I Did in the Army Wasn’t Getting Shot At. It Was Asking for Help.

January 11, 2023

The toxic culture and environment of my unit drove me to suicide as much as any rocket or drone. When I needed help, I was a bitch. A pussy. A coward.

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.

Toward the end of another long day, Mike, a Team Rubicon security adviser and retired Army Special Forces officer, listens to music with a teenager at an orphanage in Lviv. They sit together as if they’ve known each other for years. In Ukraine, myriad aspects of the human experience are on display. But through the trauma, fear, and grief threads a natural gravitation toward bonding with others: in the bomb shelters, in the food lines, in the streets, and in the homes. Everywhere. Mike asked that his last name not be used for security reasons.

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

July 6, 2022

The Ukrainian people were grateful for us, and that gratitude made us feel small and humbled.

Two Guys to a Bag, One Bag at a Time. We Each Became Experts in a Macabre Parade.

October 12, 2022

I wondered whether the lighter bags held small soldiers or only body parts. I kept no count of the work. I still don’t know how many we carried.

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.

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.

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.

David Chetlain took this photo of the USS Nevada entering Kwajalein Atoll in the U.S. Marshall Islands in July 1990. Photo courtesy of the author.

The Time Machine–Nothing Prepared Me for the Distortion of Time and Space on a Submarine

December 20, 2022

Was it day or night? What day was it? In the periscope was broad daylight. No land, no birds, no ships. Nothing. I stepped back, shaken.

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.’

Joel Searls visits 1st Lt. William Donnelly IV’s gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery. Photo courtesy of the author.

Come Thanksgiving, I Will Think of His Sacrifice and the Human Cost of War

November 22, 2022

I thought about his lost future and struggled to compose myself. I knew it was up to all of us who make it home to carry on the memory of those who don’t.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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

July 4, 2017

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

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.

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

May 14, 2020

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

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.

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.

Resilient Is a Label for Military Kids That Absolves a Nation of Further Reflection

January 25, 2023

Over time I realized that resilience was not a stain-repellent. Just because you can take something doesn’t mean you should have to.

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.

Ted Englemann spent Thanksgiving 2008 with soldiers in Iraq. Photo courtesy of the author.

Nobody Leaves War Emotionally Healthy. The Path to Recovery Is Unique to Each Person.

November 15, 2022

Traveling to Iraq left me with a continued understanding of wartime trauma but not why some people’s paths end in suicide.

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.

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.

Sgt. Davis—“the best squad leader in the Marine Corps”—in an AAV during a field operation in 1995. Photo courtesy of the author.

I Had the Best Squad Leader in the Marine Corps. He Showed Us Kindness Is Not Weakness.

February 1, 2023

Sgt. Davis reminded me that Marines are part of something greater than themselves and that we are not alone.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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 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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

“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.

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

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.

‘When They Came Home They Were on Their Own’—National Guard Grapples With Suicide Rate

February 2, 2023

As things got worse, death itself became a means of intervention: Funerals reunited buddies, and they quietly identified who could be next.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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

April 29, 2020

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

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

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

November 11, 2021

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

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

“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.

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?

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.

A B-52 bomber takes off from Andersen Air Force Base in support of Linebacker II, the “Christmas bombings.” Photo courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

Banana Meringue Pie, Smokey Robinson, and the Christmas Bombings of 1972

December 14, 2022

When a deafening roar woke me on the morning of Dec. 18, 1972, I raced outside and watched in awe as wave after wave of KC-135s headed off the island.

Dan Woodward pictured near the end of his pilot training. One of his classmates, Tony, would later die in a T-38 trainer crash. Photo courtesy of the author.

‘Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way’–We Really Did Live That Way.

April 18, 2023

Both aircraft exploded. ... Tony, Tom, and Will, Tony’s student, touched the hand of God, and chaos shoved itself into the lives of everyone they knew.

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.

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.

Really I’m OK

September 11, 2016

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

Ryan Pavel helps a group of Iraqi soldiers work through a land navigation exercise. Photo courtesy of the author.

A Presumption of Guilt: The Uncomfortable Identity of a ‘Disabled’ Veteran Who Feels Like an Imposter

January 17, 2023

Had I been shot in the kneecap and collected compensation for loss of full use of my leg, I would feel less guilty about compensation.

Veterans-Turned-Poll Workers Defend Democratic Elections Against Threats Foreign and Domestic

November 3, 2022

Recruiting veterans to work as poll workers could harness the energy of veterans looking for new ways to serve their country.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pumpkin Head and the Horror Show

May 29, 2019

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

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.

Citizen or Soldier? A Blurry Balancing Act Has National Guard Reeling for Resilience.

February 9, 2023

The Army National Guard has experienced similar rates of suicide as the military’s active component, with far fewer resources and less support.

When “Be Strong” Is Bad Advice for Military Spouses

June 3, 2020

A military spouse wants to redefine what having strength looks like.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

More Than 40% of Troops Face Limited or No Access to Abortion Care, Study Shows

September 13, 2022

Even before the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, abortion care for military women was extremely limited.

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.

Echoes Project: A World and a Lifetime Ago

April 23, 2018

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

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.

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.

Maj. Mary L. Olodun, commander of the 326th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, and her husband, Adereni Olodun, retired Army master sergeant and former Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve representative, talk about service members’ rights under USERRA for Berks County TV in 2013. From left to right: Host Bob Orzechowski, 326th MPAD commander; Maj. Mary L. Olodun; retired master sergeant Adereni Olodun; and attorney Joan London. Photo by Staff Sgt. Julio Nieves, courtesy of the U.S. Army

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

July 7, 2022

As demand for “part-time” troops grows, civilian employers are increasingly flouting federal protections to discriminate against them.

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.

“At his hands, I experienced military sexual trauma that was disguised as romance. First, he made me feel safe, then he made me feel important, and then he made me feel hopeless,” writes Andrea Rathbun. Photo by Paola Chaaya, courtesy of Upsplash.com

He Used a Position of Power, In a Time of War, to Get What He Wanted.

November 29, 2022

I wouldn’t know that this is when I lost my sense of service. I wouldn’t know that there was a reason I couldn’t stand to be alone in a room with a man.

All military mental health programs are geared toward suicide prevention and increasing resiliency, according to military public affairs. The military also offers unit-based resiliency training, stress- and anger-management training, outpatient counseling services, family advocacy, and alcohol and drug abuse counseling. Photo by Joshua J. Seybert, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

‘Valhalla Can Wait’—The National Guard Stands at the Crossroads of Crisis

February 7, 2023

As National Guardsmen deploy more often in response to fires, floods, storms, and civil unrest, the solution won’t come with the end of the forever wars.

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

July 14, 2022

There’s a long legacy of women fighting in wars, and they’re always welcome behind the scope of a rifle pointing at Russian invaders.

“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.”

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.”

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.

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?

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

August 19, 2020

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

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.

Bills Seek Reforms, Harsher Punishments in Wake of Marines United Scandal

June 16, 2017

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

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.

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

August 23, 2017

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

An Attack From Within: Male Marines Ambush Women In Uniform

March 4, 2017

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