Topic: Healthcare

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

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

War Horse Managing Editor Recognized by VA Secretary for Toxic Exposure Reporting

“Kelly told the human stories of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and families who were suffering, so we as a nation would not, and could not, forget.”

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

The Army National Guard has experienced similar rates of suicide as the military’s active component, with far fewer resources and less support.
All military mental health programs are geared toward suicide prevention and increasing resiliency, according to military public affairs. The military also offers unit-based resiliency training, stress- and anger-management training, outpatient counseling services, family advocacy, and alcohol and drug abuse counseling. Photo by Joshua J. Seybert, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

‘Valhalla Can Wait’—The National Guard Stands at the Crossroads of Crisis

As National Guardsmen deploy more often in response to fires, floods, storms, and civil unrest, the solution won’t come with the end of the forever wars.

War Horse Symposium Sheds Light on Vital Role of Military Journalism for Democracy, National Security

“We have to connect [the military] better to society. People need to understand the service,” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said.
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.

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?

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

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.
Marine Corps Sgt. David E. Martin assists a veteran during his visit to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, D.C., in 2014. Photo by Sgt. Alvin Williams Jr., courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Climate Change Makes Things Harder for Unhoused Veterans

Unhoused Veterans Provide a Mini View of How Climate Change Affects Homelessness

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

“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.