Topic: Reflections

I Am Vanessa Guillen
A veteran relives her trauma through the headlines.

Gay Veteran Sees Racism as a Tougher Fight
All movements must include the fight against racism—and that looks different from other protests.

Hellfires and “Half-Smashed Bugs” in Sadr City
As a platoon searched for bombs, the enemy tried to attack them. It didn’t end well.

Leaders Are Forged as a Rocket Falls
In a time of crisis, initiative trumps authority when authority fails to lead.

How Being “In on the [Racist] Joke” Silences Service Members
Service members often feel compelled to laugh along at racist jokes and comments.

Moving Again. And Again. My Experience as a Military Spouse.
It’s not easy to start over in a new place, and few people understand this better than a military spouse.

A Sailor Signs Up to Escape Poverty, Finds Terror Instead
His blue shirt was not enough to hold back that much water.

A Fake Raid, A Fake Village, and a Sinking Track
"We’re piled on top of each other at 15, sometimes 20 at a time, in a vehicle built for 12." A Marine reflects on a narrow escape at sea.

Finding Peace in Lederhosen
A jaded Gulf War veteran needed a break, and found it in a small Bavarian town. A reflection by Dave Boe