They Did Everything They Could to Make Her Fail. But They Could Not Break Her.

Her fate was sealed before she even stepped off the plane. They were not going to let a female line officer tell them what to do.

CAPTAIN R. VAN

They Did Everything They Could to Make Her Fail. But They Could Not Break Her.

Her fate was sealed before she even stepped off the plane. They were not going to let a female line officer tell them what to do.

CAPTAIN R. VAN

Dominique Hunter, the Military Breastfeeding Network active- duty director, explains doula and breastfeeding options to new moms at a Womack Army Medical Center maternity fair at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, in 2018. Photo by Twana Atkinson, courtesy of the U.S. Army.

Expectant Service Members Lack Support. Doulas Could Help, Advocates Say.

September 21, 2023|in Newsroom | Anne Marshall-Chalmers

Members of the military who are pregnant lack options when it comes to giving birth. That might be changing, but challenges persist.

A Soldier from Company C, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, pulls security in a town near Kirkuk, Iraq, as a Kiowa Warrior helicopter from 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, patrols the area surrounding the village in 2006. Photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Matson, courtesy of the U.S. Army.

I Watched His Blood Wash Out of the OH-58D. It Was a Hell of a Way to Grow Up.

September 20, 2023|in Reflections | B.B. Sanders

War brings about all sorts of emotions. The darkest ones get never-ending attention. Yet this was the happiest day of my life.

A plaque on an 85-foot-tall obelisk to the Confederate dead in Finn’s Point National Cemetery in New Jersey shows the federal government erected the monument in 1910. Veterans Affairs maintains it. Photo by Michaele Kehrt for The War Horse.

‘A False Memory’–As Confederate Monuments Topple, Some at VA Cemeteries Still Loom Large

September 13, 2023|in Newsroom | Randee Howard

Confederate monuments across the U.S. have been relocated or toppled in recent years, but those at Veterans Affairs national cemeteries remain.

The Cadence of the 21 Gunshots Pierced My Ears. I Braced Myself for Each One.

August 30, 2023

I Heard My Daughter’s First Cry From 7,000 Miles Away. Hours Later, I Was in a War Zone.

August 25, 2023

‘A Violent Transition’—Mental Health Care Lacks Military Cultural Understanding

August 24, 2023

‘People Feel Expendable’—Military Could Lower Suicide Rate With Focus on Quality of Life

August 23, 2023

In an Unsteady Peace, Soldiers Built Bridges With Hankies, C Rations, and Salami

Award-Winning Journalism in Your Inbox

FROM OUR FELLOWS

Service, Sexuality, and Stereotypes Of A Female Veteran

September 28, 2016|in Reflections | Tenley Lozano

Tenley Lozano, a disabled female Veteran, describes the stereotypes and daily traumas of her service – sexual harassment, chronic migraines and PTS.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

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|in Reflections | Benjamin Abel

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.”

Opening The Window And Making Love To The World

September 11, 2016|in Reflections | Adrian Bonenberger

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

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|in Newsroom | Patricia Kime

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.

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

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

May 14, 2020|in Newsroom | Andrea Scott

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

HUMAN RIGHTS

After being turned away from the Navy because he has autism, Tory Ridgeway received an internship at the Federal Aviation Administration and plans to become a civilian aerospace engineer. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Ridgeway.

The Military Is Missing Recruitment Goals. Are Thousands Being Unnecessarily Disqualified?

August 3, 2023|in Investigations, Newsroom | Jennifer Barnhill

The pool of Americans eligible to serve dropped to just 23% in 2023. Thousands of eligible applicants are ruled out solely for psychological diagnoses.

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

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

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

March 30, 2022|in Reflections | Larry Freeland

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

SCIENCE & TECH

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

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

August 12, 2021|in Investigations, Newsroom | Sonner Kehrt

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

POLICY

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

May 6, 2022|in Newsroom | Thomas J. Brennan

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

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

November 17, 2021

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

June 23, 2022

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

“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.

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.

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.

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.

America Faces a Tidal Wave of Aging Veterans, Including a 237% Increase in Women Over 65 by 2041

June 1, 2023

As Vietnam and Gulf War-era veterans age, they bring with them new needs, different expectations for care, and greater diversity than those who came before.

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

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

April 18, 2023

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

Sunflowers and Steel Rain

December 7, 2016

Elizabeth O'Herrin describes picking flowers and catching ladybugs as a kid. While deployed in the Middle East, sunflowers hid mortars and the land turned gray.

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.

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.

Johnnie Gilpen, left, works in the emergency room for children at Oklahoma University’s Health Sciences Center with Dr. Ryan Brown. Photo courtesy of the author.

Corpsman-Turned-Covid-19 Frontliner: Delta Isn’t a “Political Stunt”

September 15, 2021

"Why did you fall asleep at the wheel?” My answer: It’s a pitfall of being a juggler in the largest ongoing circus in the world—the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Circus Is Coming to Town

March 25, 2020

As the United States grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, a former corpsman trained in infectious disease epidemiology understands what’s at stake.

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

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

June 15, 2022

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

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.

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.

Fate In What I Cannot Fear

September 11, 2016

Nate Eckman believed he remembered the events of 9/11 correctly. He was wrong. A teacher from his past helped him realize the flaws in his own memories.

Their Lives Would Never Be the Same. In Some Ways, Neither Would Mine.

July 10, 2023

What about all the lives lost? What about the ones we didn’t know but whose deaths we learned about on screens and in telephone calls?

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.

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.

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.

Economic Insecurity for Military Families Predates Pandemic, Inflation

March 2, 2023

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

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.

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.

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

September 27, 2017

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

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.

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.

“Stay in Place”—a D.C. Guardsman Reflects on Military Orders to “Do Nothing” During the Siege on the U.S. Capitol

January 27, 2021

During the Jan. 6 terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol, D.C. Guardsmen were missing in action, ordered to “stay in place” and “do nothing.”

Cheyenne Smith and her dad at the Grand Canyon. Photo courtesy of the author.

You Cannot Go Back, and It Never Really Gets Better. Sometimes the Truth Is Cruel.

June 28, 2023

The “better” you’re searching for is the way you once were before you wound up bloody on the floor. That’s gone now.

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.

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.

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.

Children from a nearby village pose for a photograph in Zharay district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, in 2012. Photo by Spc. Jason Nolte, courtesy of U.S. Army.

“I Screamed Into My Radio to Ignore the Order”—Pardoned Soldier’s Comrade Still Lives With Guilt of Murdered Civilians

November 18, 2020

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

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”?

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

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

March 1, 2023

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

Reliving Military Sexual Trauma on Her Last Day of Active Duty

July 28, 2017

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Letters To My Country That She Will Never Read, Part 1

September 11, 2018

Drew Pham writes about his experiences going to war as a migrant after September 11th in this four part series for The War House. This is 1 of 4.

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.

This Is What We Do in America. We Pause. We Forget. Then We Begin the Next War.

March 15, 2023

The divorces, wars, and military bases blurred together. In Afghanistan and Iraq, I wasn’t surprised to see suicide watch posters everywhere.

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

I Took the Last Picture of a Good Man

August 20, 2021

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

A Marine 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.

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.

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

April 29, 2020

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

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.

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.

Pumpkin Head and the Horror Show

May 29, 2019

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

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.

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.

Rebuilding Honor: How Kyle Carpenter Came Back From The Brink Of Death

November 11, 2016

Seven years ago this month Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter suffered grievous wounds after shielding another Marine from a grenade blast in Afghanistan. Somehow, he survived. This is the story of his remarkable recovery.

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.”

Afghan Peace Process Puts Life in Limbo for Generations of U.S. Allies, Former U.S. Interpreters

December 23, 2020

“My scarred body represents just a small sacrifice for our country, a country we have built without the Taliban,” said the father of a U.S. interpreter.

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.

Anne Boaden, her daughter, and her son in May. Photo courtesy of the author.

From Deployment to Homecoming. And a Pregnancy During Lockdown.

August 25, 2021

Four days after he returned home from deployment, our first lockdown in England began. We went from extreme separation to extreme togetherness.

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

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

War Trauma Spread Through His Family Like a Virus

June 21, 2017

Colonels shouldn't appear to be traumatized, John Sims was told. But after decades of war he needed help if he and his family were going to survive.

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.

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.

“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.

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

February 3, 2021

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

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.

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.

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.

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 Heart, a Fallow Field. A Letter to My Unborn Daughter.

March 28, 2018

War poisoned his body and threatened his life. To survive, Drew Pham had to lose all chance of fathering a child.

Advocates Activated by Marines United Are Gathering Strength

July 21, 2017

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

The Country We Loved Didn’t Love Us Back. Maybe This Time Would Be Different.

February 14, 2023

I remember being taken in by our neighbors, how they embraced my family and introduced us to football, fireworks, and the spirit of America.

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.

“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.

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

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

May 25, 2022

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

The 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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

Unclear All-clear And A Requisite For Air

June 13, 2018

One night stuck in a shipping container during an air raid drill is enough to make anyone claustrophobic. Problem is, Yvette Pino already was.

Years Later, Loss at War Resonates at Home

June 11, 2016

Our global community is and continues to be ever more affected by war. Responsible and constructive conversation is more important than ever.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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

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

February 1, 2023

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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?”

Invisible Service–Military Families Bear Burden of American Freedom

August 24, 2022

I knew I was away from home too much, I missed too many Little League games and anniversary dinners. I thought I could make up for it when I was back home.

Combat Always Makes Fast Friends—Uncovering the Story of a Trailblazing Woman War Correspondent

July 20, 2023

Dickey Chapelle marched with fighting forces on four continents to document history and was the first American woman journalist killed covering combat.

The Suicide Bombing of December 21 and What Came After

December 11, 2019

A reporter’s journey through war, trauma and healing

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 day after Josh died by suicide, his father handed out chalk for family and friends to write messages on the driveway and sidewalk. Danielle Rushing wrote this message to her brother. Photo courtesy of the author.

Twenty Minutes – My Chest Fills With Burning Coals. But I Keep Breathing.

June 14, 2023

I’m surrounded by grief, love, laughter, joy, sorrow, and devastation, but it belongs to them. None of it belongs to me. My ache is my own.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

July 14, 2022

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

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.”

Soldiers, including the author (far right back row), from the 17th Signal Battalion pose in MOPP gear during the ground war.

Chemicals. Chemicals. And More Chemicals. A Veteran Reflects on Her Time in Desert Storm

February 24, 2021

For decades, the U.S. has poisoned service members with toxic chemicals. Lotions. Pills. Testing. Burn pits. And then there’s the enemy’s chemical weapons.

A 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.

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.

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.

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

February 3, 2022

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

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?

Rage and the Manger

December 25, 2019

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

“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.

War Memorials, a Honeymoon, and the Conflict of Life

November 21, 2018

Liz O’Herrin Lee finds peace in an unknown future in the presence of Australia’s living memorial built by and for the country’s World War I veterans.

An 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.

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

Kelly Kennedy: Breaking the Burn Pits Story

August 11, 2022

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

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.”

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.

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 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.

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

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

February 9, 2022

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

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.

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

Finding My Calling While Treating a Casualty Inside Friendly Lines

January 22, 2020

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

When “Be Strong” Is Bad Advice for Military Spouses

June 3, 2020

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

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.

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’

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.

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

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

May 4, 2022

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

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.

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?

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.

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."

Melissa A. Sullivan and her spouse, an active-duty Naval officer, on their wedding day. Photo courtesy of the author.

Our Love Was a Casualty of War, Destroyed by Time, Distance, and Things We Couldn’t Say

September 11, 2023

When Melissa A. Sullivan’s high school sweetheart went to war, he came home dramatically changed — and she believed it was her job to make him better.

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

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

November 29, 2022

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

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Military Suicide a Different Kind of Plague

May 1, 2019

After two men from the same unit killed themselves, maddening questions about life take their place for those who remain.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

February 2, 2023

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

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

A Fake Raid, A Fake Village, and a Sinking Track

July 29, 2020

"We’re piled on top of each other at 15, sometimes 20 at a time, in a vehicle built for 12." A Marine reflects on a narrow escape at sea.

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.

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.

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.

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 2018 NORAD Tracks Santa Operation Center at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, on Christmas Eve. Photo by Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Longfellow, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

‘Faster Than Starlight’—How Troops Track Santa’s Trek Across the Globe

December 22, 2022

How does Santa do it? A lot of it is classified, but Santa most likely operates within his own space-time continuum.

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.

“I Hope She’s Scarred for Life” — Recalling My Time as a Blackwater Mercenary

October 21, 2020

Blackwater employees were “integral” to rebuilding Iraq, but with limited oversight, contractors had “no ethical obligation” to the country’s citizens.

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.

“Wars Are Real, Bullets Can Kill.”—Recalling the Death of My Invincibility

November 6, 2019

A Marine officer reflects on his youthful fearlessness—and its end.

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.

How One Man Found Peace in Free Fall

February 15, 2017

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

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

October 12, 2022

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

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

June 7, 2017

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

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

May 18, 2023

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

Members of 5th Special Forces Group (A) conduct .50-caliber weapons training during counter-ISIS operations at Al Tanf garrison in southern Syria in November 2017. Photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Connor, courtesy of the U.S. Army.

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

May 11, 2023

This battle became one of the rare occasions American and Russian combatants exchanged fire—one of the deadliest battles the Americans had faced in Syria.

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

February 9, 2023

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

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.”

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.

Master Sgt. Michael Riggenbach, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the 910th Airlift Wing safety office, watches a recorded video of Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III addressing the issue of extremist ideology within the military during a base-wide pause in training on May 1, 2021, in the 910th Airlift Wing headquarters building, Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio. Department of Defense policy expressly prohibits military personnel from actively advocating for or participating in supremacist, extremist, or criminal gang doctrine, ideology or causes. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Gross, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

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

October 27, 2022

Military service and transitioning to civilian life include stressors that make some veterans vulnerable to recruitment tactics used by extremist groups.

The Newest Military Branch—the Space Force

May 28, 2020

Despite a bumpy launch, the Space Force seeks to modernize U.S. defense in outer space.

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.

Thae Ohu stands on a railroad track during Dec. 2018. Courtesy of Michael Hinesley.Courtesy of Michael Hinesley.

Gag Order: How Marine Corps Culture Silenced a Victim of Sexual Assault

December 1, 2020

A rape victim asked the military for help. Then her fellow Marines turned against her. Now she’s battling mental illness and an attempted murder charge.

Pvt. William A. Reynolds, an ambulance driver, exhibits a .50-caliber machine-gun bullet that lodged above the windshield of his vehicle when he was strafed by a German plane while driving at the front in France in 1944. Photo courtesy of the National Archives.

Black Veterans Have Always Fought Two Wars, Battling the Enemy Abroad and Prejudice at Home

June 19, 2023

American servicemen and women returned from war to bigotry, exclusion, and overt racial violence—precisely because they had chosen to serve their country.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

Removing My Armor

June 12, 2019

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

A squad leader gives a radio update behind a smoke screen. Photo courtesy of the author.

“What Is There to Say?” Shared Experiences and “an Epic War-Porn Trailer”

March 3, 2021

“We heard a distinct thud and soon heard the report on the radio,” writes a veteran of Sangin, Afghanistan. “A Marine had stepped on an IED.”

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.

Stefanie Cooper felt eager to prove herself as the logistics flight commander during a deployment, an unusual position for a young officer. Photo courtesy of the author.

Goats First, Women Last–Air Force Culture Protects Perpetrators, Silences Survivors

March 31, 2023

Even after all this time, the Air Force is still focused on the victim instead of changing a culture of sexual harassment and assault.

“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.