Topic: Policy

The Country We Loved Didn’t Love Us Back. Maybe This Time Would Be Different.
I remember being taken in by our neighbors, how they embraced my family and introduced us to football, fireworks, and the spirit of America.

‘Embrace the Suck’–Life as a Gold Star Child is a Race With No Finish Line
I can’t accept that he’s a few feet away from me, waiting to join a sea of white stones and perfectly cut green grass. I don’t want to walk away.

‘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.

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.

Economic Insecurity for Military Families Predates Pandemic, Inflation
The instability of military families is an economic burden, from lack of support networks to the struggle for spouses to find work in new duty stations.

When America’s Economy Is in Turmoil, Veterans Can Step up to Lead the Charge
From cybersecurity to trucking to health care, essential industries—still reeling from pandemic economic instability— benefit from veteran employees.

Special Forces Soldiers Reveal First Details of Battle With Russian Mercenaries in Syria
This battle became one of the rare occasions American and Russian combatants exchanged fire—one of the deadliest battles the Americans had faced in Syria.

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.

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.