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Reflections

Vivid, intimate storytelling by service members and military-connected civilians that provides the emotional context for our reporting.

Latest

I Love My Air Force Husband. My Feelings About the Government He Serves Are More Complicated

I Love My Air Force Husband. My Feelings About the Government He Serves Are More Complicated

‘My husband has sworn an oath to serve this country … He isn’t making policy, but he is part of the institution that carries it out.’

by Alexa LeCureux May 6, 2026May 6, 2026

A Combat Infantryman Stood In the Gap. Made the Calculation. Pulled the Trigger. But At What Cost?

A Combat Infantryman Stood In the Gap. Made the Calculation. Pulled the Trigger. But At What Cost?

by Jarrod Toothman April 29, 2026April 29, 2026

Another Conflict Roils the Middle East. A Marine Warns the War Will Come Home

Another Conflict Roils the Middle East. A Marine Warns the War Will Come Home

by Travis Veillon April 22, 2026April 22, 2026

We Were Marines Who Did Everything Together. Then My Name Appeared in His Suicide Note

We Were Marines Who Did Everything Together. Then My Name Appeared in His Suicide Note

by Mark Jones April 15, 2026April 28, 2026

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A Transient Life and Hard Goodbyes: The Realities of My Lonely Military Childhood

A Transient Life and Hard Goodbyes: The Realities of My Lonely Military Childhood

by Herbert Mintz April 8, 2026

The Jet Had a Glitch. Was It Mechanical Error, Pilot Error, or Something Dumber?

The Jet Had a Glitch. Was It Mechanical Error, Pilot Error, or Something Dumber?

by Gary R. Smith April 1, 2026April 3, 2026

We Were Winning in the Middle East. But the Civilian Casualties Kept Coming

We Were Winning in the Middle East. But the Civilian Casualties Kept Coming

by Robert Fabich March 25, 2026March 25, 2026

Tuition, Training, Housing: How to Sell the Military as the Path of Least Resistance

Tuition, Training, Housing: How to Sell the Military as the Path of Least Resistance

by David Chetlain March 18, 2026March 18, 2026

A Marine Went on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land to Heal from War. War Found Him Anyway

A Marine Went on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land to Heal from War. War Found Him Anyway

by Michael Pereira March 11, 2026

His Family Legacy Led Him to the Military. But He Found Contentment as a Family Man

His Family Legacy Led Him to the Military. But He Found Contentment as a Family Man

by Michael Kingslayer March 4, 2026

Desperate for Help, a Marine Battles Phone Trees, Hold Music, and Indifference

Desperate for Help, a Marine Battles Phone Trees, Hold Music, and Indifference

by Evan Slusser February 25, 2026April 28, 2026

I Thought Removing Confederate Names Meant Black Soldiers’ Legacy Mattered. Then, the Names Were Restored

I Thought Removing Confederate Names Meant Black Soldiers’ Legacy Mattered. Then, the Names Were Restored

by Jack Lowe February 18, 2026

He Hunted Roadside Bombs in Iraq. Now He Hunts Adventure to Combat PTSD

He Hunted Roadside Bombs in Iraq. Now He Hunts Adventure to Combat PTSD

by Casey Elliott February 11, 2026

I Decided Not To Go On a Patrol in Iraq. An IED Killed My Friends

I Decided Not To Go On a Patrol in Iraq. An IED Killed My Friends

by J. Michael Comstock February 4, 2026

A Marine Father, an Air Force Son, and the Distance Between Them

A Marine Father, an Air Force Son, and the Distance Between Them

by Michael Hyon Johnson January 28, 2026February 10, 2026

I Carried Death’s Shroud With Me From Afghanistan. But I Do Not Fear It

I Carried Death’s Shroud With Me From Afghanistan. But I Do Not Fear It

by Cindy Seipert January 21, 2026January 21, 2026

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