‘Murphy’s Law of Deployment:’ What Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong. But I Am Brave Enough.

Fifteen years later, I no longer cry in bathrooms, but I do follow the terrified-looking new spouses in to reassure them they are brave enough.

JESSICA D. MORSE

‘Murphy’s Law of Deployment:’ What Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong. But I Am Brave Enough.

Fifteen years later, I no longer cry in bathrooms, but I do follow the terrified-looking new spouses in to reassure them they are brave enough.

JESSICA D. MORSE

“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|in Reflections | Andrea Renee Sandoval Rathbun

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.

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|in Reflections | Joel Searls

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.

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

November 17, 2022|in Newsroom | Martin Kuz

“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.”

Climate Change Makes Things Harder for Unhoused Veterans

November 9, 2022

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

November 3, 2022

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

November 2, 2022

The Joy and Misery of Survival Took Root in My Soul. Neither Has Extinguished.

October 27, 2022

Congress Urges DoD, VA to Defend Troops and Veterans Against Extremists Who Want to Recruit Them

Award-Winning Journalism in Your Inbox

FROM OUR FELLOWS

“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

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.

Echoes Project: Javier Ortiz Rivera

June 1, 2016|in Features, Newsroom | Thomas J. Brennan

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

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.

EXPLORE TOPICS

GENDER

Taking Unresponsive Leadership To Task as a Black Woman Army Officer

July 28, 2021|in Reflections | Michelle Gradnigo

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

HEALTHCARE

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

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

August 12, 2020|in Reflections | Andrew van Wey

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

HUMAN RIGHTS

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|in Reflections | Mike McGuinness

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

INVESTIGATIONS

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

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

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

MILITARY FAMILIES

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

July 14, 2022|in Newsroom | Jennifer Orth-Veillon

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.

SCIENCE & TECH

Can the Pentagon Lead the Tech Sector Again?

April 30, 2020|in Newsroom | Thomas Day

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.

POLICY

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|in Newsroom | Sonner Kehrt

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.

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.

“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.”

Ignore The Awful Times, And Concentrate On The Good Ones

September 11, 2016

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

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

March 2, 2022

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

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

30 Years On, Veterans Recall the Desert Storm Air War

January 21, 2021

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

The 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.”

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.

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

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

September 22, 2021

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

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.

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.

Putting Down Our Guns and Ammo for a Tray of Hummus

August 8, 2018

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

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

Gay Veteran Sees Racism as a Tougher Fight

June 24, 2020

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

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.”

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

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

November 25, 2020

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

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.

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

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

August 12, 2021

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

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.

You Have Not Seen The Last Of These Marines

July 10, 2019

After starting a new chapter in his life, a former corpsman realized the men he lost 20 years before were much more than a memory.

‘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.”

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.

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."

Jessica Morse and her husband at a deployment homecoming in 2013 at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico. Photo courtesy of the author.

‘Murphy’s Law of Deployment:’ What Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong. But I Am Brave Enough.

December 6, 2022

Fifteen years later, I no longer cry in bathrooms, but I do follow the terrified-looking new spouses in to reassure them they are brave enough.

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.

A Portrait of a Soldier—Inside Those Lines Was the Story of War

October 4, 2022

It was a story of the troops who make it home, of those who make the ultimate sacrifice, and the families who receive a life-altering knock on the door.

“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.

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.

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

December 2, 2020

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

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.

When I Think About Losing My Son

April 17, 2019

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

Echoes Project: The Replacement

April 23, 2018

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

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

Airmen with the 374th Airlift Squadron wait and watch for the arrival of President Donald Trump before a troop talk at Yokota Air Base, Japan, in 2017. False allegations of voter fraud continue nearly two years after Trump lost the presidential election. Photo by Senior Airman Donald Hudson, photo courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

Veterans and Reservists Make up More Than 28% of Candidates Who Question 2020 Election Results

October 16, 2022

Among candidates on the 2022 ballot who question the 2020 election results are 96 with military experience, including 12 candidates currently serving.

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.

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.

Paratroopers from the 1st Platoon, A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force Spartan Steel conduct security combat patrols in Khost province. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army.

We Saluted Under the Night Sky. Each New Loss Felt Harder Than the One Before.

September 7, 2022

The images of desperate Afghans swarming to flee Kabul at the end of the mission filled me with a painful sense of loss.

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.

She Awoke to a Different World

September 11, 2017

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

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

August 3, 2022

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Rage and the Manger

December 25, 2019

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

The 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.

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.

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.

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

July 27, 2022

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

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.

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.

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.

Troops, Veterans Are Targets in the Disinformation War, Even if They Don’t Know It Yet

September 1, 2022

Over the past several years, disinformation, or the intentional deployment of false information for malicious ends, has emerged as a critical threat.

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.

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.

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.

Lt. Col. James Rainy (left), commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Mace (right), battalion command sergeant major., both of 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, offer their final respects to Sgt. Jonathan Shields and Spc. Jose Valez, who were killed in the Battle of Fallujah in 2004. Photo by Cpl. Benjamin M. Cossel, courtesy of U.S. Army.

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

November 11, 2021

In the movies, veterans tend to be tough, male, white, so I expected that, like the movies, I would find the typical strong man who protected our country.

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

When It’s Hard to Be a Military Mom

April 22, 2020

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

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

September 12, 2018

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

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.

Old West Pistoleros and My Love of Machine Guns

March 7, 2018

Jerad W. Alexander fired his first machine gun at 12 and was hypnotized. Not many years later, patrolling Iraqi streets, he learned the weapon's power.

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.

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

March 24, 2021

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

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.

Elaine Little with two Afghan girls she met in Asadabad, Afghanistan, in 2005. Photo courtesy of the author.

“She Had Suffered Enough”–I Feel for All the Afghan People, but Especially the Women

March 23, 2022

I will never forget the women I met in Afghanistan: a local woman’s leader, a suspected terrorist unjustly imprisoned, the Afghan girls in my photo.

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?

Holding On When Leaving Feels Like Letting Go

October 19, 2022

I feel a sense of bereavement that I know, even in the moment, is outsized. But in a few weeks, my family will not own this home anymore.

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.

“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.

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.

Echoes Project: The Homecoming

April 23, 2018

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

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

November 11, 2021

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

October 31, 2018

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

Every Friday, the father of a Marine who died by suicide visits his son’s gravesite, adding new flowers or decorations for the holidays. Photo courtesy of the author.

I Lost One of My Marines to Suicide. Maybe Being Honest About My Blind Spots Will Help.

September 14, 2022

I always tried to do right by my Marines. But it wasn’t enough. What could I have done better? Will I ever stop asking that question?

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Suicide Bombing of December 21 and What Came After

December 11, 2019

A reporter’s journey through war, trauma and healing

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.

“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.

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

November 7, 2018

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

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

July 18, 2017

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

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

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

September 18, 2019

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

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

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

August 7, 2020

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

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.

Pumpkin Head and the Horror Show

May 29, 2019

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

An Army Brat and a Gold Star On Graduation Day

June 20, 2018

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

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.”

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?

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.

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

Without Birth Control Help, Marines’ Readiness Suffers

June 11, 2020

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

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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

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

November 24, 2021

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

Trapped in the Amber of this Moment

September 11, 2016

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

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.

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.

“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?”

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.

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.

“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.

John Primerano was a proud Airborne veteran who never neglected an opportunity to share a tale of his wartime exploits, according to the author. His stories always included the men he served alongside and the sacrifices they made. Photo courtesy of Easy506th.org.

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

July 13, 2022

The sun rose as we pinned the last of our decorations on our best uniforms and checked the shine on our boots. John was always a stickler for shiny boots.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Shedding the Shame of Being Called a Military “Dependa”

August 29, 2018

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

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.

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.

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.

Second Suicide Battalion: Where Military Justice Weaponizes Mental Health

April 15, 2022

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

September 8, 2021

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

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.

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.

“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.

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

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

August 4, 2021

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

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.

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.

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.

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?”

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.

“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.

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.”

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

A Russian general reminds Col. Rick Kiernan of the relationship between the USSR and the United States in World War II. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army.

A Vision of a Russian Cultural Transformation Comes Full Circle and Shatters

October 26, 2022

I left Moscow feeling as if we’d accomplished what we set out to do. Hope for a free ‘information architecture’ reigned—for a while, then shattered.

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

August 19, 2021

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

Heidi Agostini embedded with the Regimental Combat Team 7 Female Engagement Team during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2010. Marjah, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of Sgt. Megan Sindelar

Why Isn’t Infertility in Military Women a Bigger Conversation?

February 26, 2020

For female service members, putting off children and career advancement are linked. Yet, research shows that military women are at a higher risk of infertility. What is the Defense Department doing about this dilemma?

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.

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.

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.

The Grieving for Afghanistan Must be Done as a Community

August 24, 2021

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

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

January 10, 2018

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

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.

When “Be Strong” Is Bad Advice for Military Spouses

June 3, 2020

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

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?

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.

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

May 14, 2020

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

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.

Strong Responses Follow News of Nude Photos Shared by Marines

April 13, 2017

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

“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.

Because This Moment Simply Is

September 11, 2016

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.”

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.”

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

October 25, 2017

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

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

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

November 6, 2020

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

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

August 11, 2017

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.’

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.

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.

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

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

‘Murphy’s Law of Deployment:’ What Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong. But I Am Brave Enough.

JESSICA D. MORSE

‘Murphy’s Law of Deployment:’ What Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong. But I Am Brave Enough.

JESSICA D. MORSE

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

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

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

THE LATEST

Climate Change Makes Things Harder for Unhoused Veterans

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

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

The Joy and Misery of Survival Took Root in My Soul. Neither Has Extinguished.

Congress Urges DoD, VA to Defend Troops and Veterans Against Extremists Who Want to Recruit Them

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Taking Unresponsive Leadership To Task as a Black Woman Army Officer

HEALTHCARE

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HUMAN RIGHTS

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INVESTIGATIONS

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