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Reflections

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

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The Vietnam War Killed My Father Decades After His Tour. Am I a Middle-Aged Gold Star Child?

The Vietnam War Killed My Father Decades After His Tour. Am I a Middle-Aged Gold Star Child?

We thought of ourselves as doctor’s kids, not military kids. Then his cancer was linked to Agent Orange

by Karen Hartman June 10, 2026

Yes, I Served in Iraq. But What if People Mistake Me for a Hero?

Yes, I Served in Iraq. But What if People Mistake Me for a Hero?

by Sarah Barbo June 3, 2026June 3, 2026

My Grandpa Was Killed in World War II. I Met Him Through His Letters Home

My Grandpa Was Killed in World War II. I Met Him Through His Letters Home

by Gina Wolf May 27, 2026May 27, 2026

The Worst Job in the Marines: Telling Parents Their Child Was Dead. It Was Also an Honor

The Worst Job in the Marines: Telling Parents Their Child Was Dead. It Was Also an Honor

by Christopher Murphy May 20, 2026May 21, 2026

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Military Suicide Prevention Training Did Not Prepare Me for the Deaths of My Friends

Military Suicide Prevention Training Did Not Prepare Me for the Deaths of My Friends

by Samuel Caleb Sturm May 13, 2026May 13, 2026

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

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

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

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