The ridiculous thing about war is that I remember being excited. For the first 90 days or so, I was constantly excited, and I don’t mean in a “joyous,” emotionally positive way. I mean excitement in the strictly physiological sense: raised heart rate, increased breathing, mind racing a mile a second. That state could describe […]
Iraq
Posted inReflections
We Pined for the Comforts of Home. We Got Tube Socks and Old Candy for Christmas Instead
Green Berets lament Americans don’t understand the needs of modern soldiers after receiving tube socks and canned soup in Christmas care packages.
Posted inReflections
I Was Exposed to 150 Blasts While Deployed to Iraq. My Brain Was Changed
After being exposed to IED blasts during an Iraq deployment, an Army chaplain’s assistant grapples with the effects of traumatic brain injuries and PTSD.
Posted inReflections
He Was Clutching a Satchel and I Aimed to Kill. Then, the Iraqi Civilian Fell to His Knees
On the hunt for IEDs in Iraq, the Army soldier nearly shoots a civilian hiding in the shadows
Posted inReflections
Four Siblings Joined the Military. Almost 30 Years Later, Only Two Remain
Army veteran vows to keep living after one brother was killed in the Iraq War and another committed suicide after returning with PTSD and injuries.
Posted inNewsroom
The First Battle of Fallujah: ‘We Hurt Ourselves in So Many Ways’
Twenty years on, the battle is viewed as a turning point in the Iraq war, serving as a reminder of the complexities and consequences of modern warfare.
Posted inReflections
The Ripples of War Are Only Beginning to Spread. Is America Ready?
Twenty years after America invaded Iraq, a veteran and spouse imagines the war’s costs will only grow.
Posted inReflections
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.
Posted inNewsroom
Sharky’s and “The Golden Boy”—Military Justice Abandons the Vulnerable to Protect the Powerful
The Marine Corps has hidden the track records of attorneys whose misconduct and disregard for the rule of law has jeopardized the welfare of Marines.
Posted inExplainer
30 Years On, Veterans Recall the Desert Storm Air War
People tend to remember Desert Storm as a short, easy war. Compared with the “forever” wars, that makes sense: a 100-hour blip in the annals of history.
Posted inReflections
“I Still Find Hope”—Purple Fingers, Steel Rain, and Getting “Messy” in a Combat Zone
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.
Posted inReflections
“I Hope She’s Scarred for Life” — Recalling My Time as a Blackwater Mercenary
Blackwater employees were “integral” to rebuilding Iraq, but with limited oversight, contractors had “no ethical obligation” to the country’s citizens.
