They Were Worried About the Color of Our Bras. We Were Busy Spearheading Change.
“Maj. Shire, you wanted to see me?” I said.
“Sure, Lt. Van, take a seat.” He pointed to the lone gray metal chair with books stacked on it across from his cluttered desk. “Right. There’s a problem in your class.”
“What is it, sir?” The students were well-mannered, nearly catatonic by Navy standards. Everyone seemed to get along. The top student was Air Force 2nd Lt. Davenport, a svelte Black woman we nicknamed “Star” because of her technical acumen. She helped me decode the gobbledygook instructor-speak that would otherwise be over my head.
“It’s a matter that requires a measure of delicacy.” He twirled a glossy blue Montblanc pen. “It seems that one of the students is consistently out of uniform.”
“Tell him to get with the program,” I shrugged.
“It’s not a he; it’s a she,” he said. “The officer in question is a female.”
“Then tell her—”
He coughed politely. “We can’t really do that, Van. It’s your job.”
Read Van's Story
Black Veterans Have Always Fought Two Wars, Battling the Enemy Abroad and Prejudice at Home
Although Black Americans have fought in every conflict since the Revolutionary War, the breadth and dedication of their service, and their distinct experiences in uniform and upon returning home, are often omitted from or minimized in historical narratives of military service—part of a legacy of discrimination that continues today.
Read the Story
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A Poncho, a Bayonet, and a 1943 C Ration Chocolate Against a Fort Lewis Snowstorm
“I awoke with a start, half expecting my mother to be standing at my bedside with a bowl of chicken soup. Instead, I found only the wind, snow, and darkness," writes Marvin J. Wolf for The War Horse.
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Spilt Milk, Giggling Girls, and No Use Crying
"The only audible noise was the murmurs of the conversations wrapping up in the distance and the ambient sounds of rural farm life: donkey whines, chickens pecking the ground, and young boys running around. The girls had been silenced," writes Jackie Munn for The War Horse.
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“They Weren’t Supposed to Die”—Losing a Soldier to Mishap at the Army National Training Center
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It costs The War Horse $859, from first draft to publication to writer stipend, to produce one first-person reflection on war and trauma. These stories change lives.
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The Debrief
Fears Grow that Israel, US, and Iran’s Allies Are Inching Closer to War
In the decades-old standoff pitting the United States and Israel against Iran and allied militant groups, there are fears that any party could trigger a wider war if only to avoid appearing weak.
From The Associated Press »
How Lloyd Austin’s Prostate Cancer Surgery Led to Hospitalization
Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Jan. 1 with complications from the Dec. 22 procedure, according to a statement from facility doctors released by the Department of Defense. His symptoms included nausea with severe abdominal, hip and leg pain, and a urinary tract infection. He was transferred to an intensive care unit the next day.
From The Washington Post »
Staff Warned About the Lack of Psychiatric Care at a VA Clinic. They Couldn’t Prevent Tragedy.
Two veterans sought psychiatric care at a VA clinic in Chico, California. They were bounced between virtual providers and struggled to get support in the threadbare system. A staffer worried, “We are going to kill someone.” Then tragedy struck.
From ProPublica »
US Soldier’s Family Rescued From Gaza in Secret Operation
It is the only known operation of its kind to extract American citizens and their close family members during the months of devastating ground fighting and Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
From The Associated Press »
House Members to Receive Classified UFO Briefing
Congressional interest in the issue has grown in recent years, with a small but vocal group of lawmakers in both parties pushing for greater transparency from the government on the issue.
From Axios »
Army Officer Alleges Reprisal for His Account of Capitol Riot Response
He said officials were unhappy with his memorandum to lawmakers on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the House select committee who concluded that former president Donald Trump was to blame for his supporters’ “carnage” that day.
From The Washington Post »
Senior Intelligence Official Sexually Harassed Woman at Work, Report Finds
The inspector general investigation began in spring 2021 with an anonymous complaint to the IG hotline about William Lietzau’s reported sexual harassment of a member of his staff, along with a host of other infractions. The staff member had documented nearly two years of harassment, including text messages, recorded phone calls, and multiple memorandums for record during particularly troubling incidents.
From Military Times »
Massive Dumping Ground of WWII-Era Munitions Discovered Off Los Angeles Coast
It’s not just toxic chemical waste and mysterious barrels that litter the seafloor off the coast of Los Angeles. Oceanographers have now discovered what appears to be a massive dumping ground of military weaponry.
From The Los Angeles Times »
US Military Searching for New Long-Range Sniper Rifle in Bid to Keep Edge Over Russia and China
The U.S. military is looking to equip Special Operations forces with their longest-range sniper rifle ever fielded to maintain superiority against Russian and Chinese snipers in a future potential conflict.
From Military.com »
Mike Sadler, Desert Navigator Who Guided WWII Commandos, Dies at 103
Sadler was believed to be the last of the founding members of the Special Air Service, the special forces unit of the British army. He also was the only surviving link to the Long Range Desert Group, the roaming expeditionary force that helped the Allies win the battle for North Africa.
From The Washington Post »