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

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

CAPTAIN R. VAN

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

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

NATHAN WEBSTER

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

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

CAPTAIN R. VAN

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

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

NATHAN WEBSTER

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

July 27, 2022|in Reflections | Nathan Webster

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

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

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

July 20, 2022|in Reflections | Sean Paul

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

“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.

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

July 6, 2022

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

June 30, 2022

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

June 29, 2022

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

June 23, 2022

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

Award-Winning Journalism in Your Inbox

FROM OUR FELLOWS

Removing My Armor

June 12, 2019|in Reflections | Sara Poquette

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

FROM THE ARCHIVES

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

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

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

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|in Newsroom | Sonner Kehrt

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

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|in Reflections | Alison Maruca

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

EXPLORE TOPICS

GENDER

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

July 8, 2020|in Reflections | Sarah Schmidt

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

HEALTHCARE

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

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

February 25, 2021|in Newsroom | David Chrisinger

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

HUMAN RIGHTS

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|in Newsroom | Kelly Kennedy

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.”

INVESTIGATIONS

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

June 3, 2021|in Investigations | Courtney Mabeus

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

MILITARY FAMILIES

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

September 9, 2020|in Reflections | Dave Boe

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

SCIENCE & TECH

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|in Investigations | Amanda Miller

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

POLICY

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|in Explainer | Kelly Kennedy

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.

“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.”

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

September 26, 2018

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

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.

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

October 4, 2017

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

A 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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

September 11, 2017

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

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.

“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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

The Man with Half a Head

July 13, 2016

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

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

May 14, 2020

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

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

February 21, 2018

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

Aperol Spritzes and Dreams of Post-Pandemic Biergartens in Lindau

March 17, 2021

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

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.

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.

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.

The Suicide Bombing of December 21 and What Came After

December 11, 2019

A reporter’s journey through war, trauma and healing

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

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

August 12, 2020

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

“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.

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.

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

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

February 4, 2021

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

“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?”

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.

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

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

December 1, 2021

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

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.”

Diving Shipwrecks of Futures Past During Navy Dive School

October 3, 2018

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

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

June 2, 2021

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

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.

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

March 9, 2022

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

“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.

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.

Members of the 82nd Airborne head into Iraq on Feb. 24, 1991. Photo courtesy of the author.

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

November 10, 2021

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

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.

The Unknown Legacy of Military Mental Health Programs

October 2, 2019

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

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.

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.

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

May 6, 2022

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

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.

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.

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.

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.”

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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

April 13, 2022

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

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.

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.

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.

A Long-Awaited Reunion for Two Black Veterans

November 27, 2019

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

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.”

Ignore The Awful Times, And Concentrate On The Good Ones

September 11, 2016

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

Marine Corps 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.”

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

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

September 8, 2021

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

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

October 9, 2019

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

A 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

A Sailor Signs Up to Escape Poverty, Finds Terror Instead

August 5, 2020

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

The 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.

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.

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

September 16, 2020

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

Forging Purpose And Community One Mile At A Time

July 25, 2017

She left the military and corporate rat race behind. But Sarah Roberts kept running and is determined to help build up the community around her.

“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.

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

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

April 7, 2022

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

Fixed Bayonets—Paratroopers and Banzai at Grubbs Ravine

December 17, 2020

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

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.

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.

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.

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

May 2, 2018

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

January 20, 2021

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

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.”

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.

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

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

January 8, 2020

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

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

November 4, 2021

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

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

April 18, 2018

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

“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.”

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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."

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

“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.

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

November 11, 2021

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

May 13, 2020

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

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.

“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.

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.

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?

When “Be Strong” Is Bad Advice for Military Spouses

June 3, 2020

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

My Afghan Friend Could Be Murdered Soon

September 7, 2016

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

A 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Going Back To The Slaughterhouse For Souvenirs Of The War

September 11, 2016

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

My 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.

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.

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’

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.

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

Hellfires and “Half-Smashed Bugs” in Sadr City

July 1, 2020

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

The 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.

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.

The Army Medic in the Hole

August 26, 2020

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

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.

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

October 10, 2018

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

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

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

July 9, 2020

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

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.

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.

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

June 19, 2019

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Even Democracy Requires Constant Vigilance From Corrosive Attacks Within

January 19, 2022

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

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.

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

July 3, 2017

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

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?

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

April 11, 2018

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

A Military 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.

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

I Took the Last Picture of a Good Man

August 20, 2021

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

A 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.

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

January 15, 2020

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

An Early Morning Helicopter Crash and a Lost Feeling of Invincibility

May 26, 2021

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

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.”

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.

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.

His Torch Beckoned Like a Searchlight

February 22, 2017

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

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.

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.

“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.

Pumpkin Head and the Horror Show

May 29, 2019

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Learning to Listen on Denali

February 1, 2017

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

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.

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.

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.

His Closest Brush With Combat Was a Dramatic Helicopter Landing

August 30, 2017

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

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

July 31, 2019

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

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

February 10, 2021

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

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

October 13, 2021

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

The 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.

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.

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.

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

January 3, 2018

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

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.

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

January 20, 2022

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

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

May 8, 2019

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

CAPTAIN R. VAN

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

NATHAN WEBSTER

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

CAPTAIN R. VAN

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

NATHAN WEBSTER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Award-Winning Journalism in Your Inbox

FROM OUR FELLOWS

Removing My Armor

FROM THE ARCHIVES

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

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

Minding the Ship During a Storm of Poor Leadership

EXPLORE TOPICS

GENDER

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

HEALTHCARE

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

HUMAN RIGHTS

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

INVESTIGATIONS

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

MILITARY FAMILIES

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

SCIENCE & TECH

Mystery Seizures Haunt Marine Units a Decade after Deployment

POLICY

30 Years On, Veterans Recall the Desert Storm Air War

TRENDING