Topic: Human Rights

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.”

More Than 40% of Troops Face Limited or No Access to Abortion Care, Study Shows

Even before the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, abortion care for military women was extremely limited.

The Story Behind Operation Pineapple Express, a Daring Rescue Effort in Afghanistan

“Veterans know something the politicians don’t. ‘I have your back’ means something. Our failure to honor that promise is way bigger than the moral issue.”
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

Wounded Knee Massacre ‘Tarnishes’ Integrity of Medal of Honor

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

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

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

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.
Retired Army Capt. Katie Blanchard speaks with a nurse before surgery Sept. 6, 2019, at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. A coworker Blanchard had reported as threatening poured gasoline over her and lit her on fire. Blanchard could not recover damages from the government because of the Feres Doctrine. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Katherine Spessa, courtesy of the U.S. Air Force.

Feres Helps Military Avoid Accountability for Harm. New Ruling Could Be a Chance for Justice.

For decades, the Feres doctrine has protected the military from lawsuits over things like training mishaps, medical malpractice, and sexual assault.