When we first came home from Iraq, we landed in New Jersey. We remained on base for a couple of weeks to get "acclimated back to the civilian world." Continue Reading
Military
You Sent Us to War Now Listen
My war has been over for nearly two decades. I took off the uniform, balled it up, and shoved it deep inside a musty green Army duffel bag. It now Continue Reading
Finding Fulfillment: “A Warriors Quest for Serenity”
By Chuck Ritter This first appeared in Objective Arete and is republished with permission. In your mind’s eye, travel far ahead into the Continue Reading
You Ain’t Got to Lie to Kick It
My old field training officer (FTO), now friend and former Marine, once looked at a guy and said, “you ain’t got to lie to kick it.” This man was a Continue Reading
In a Flash, I Saw All of My Boy’s Future Birthdays
By Greg Longey Popular culture, old wives’ tales, movies, and books told me that my life would flash before my eyes during a near-death Continue Reading
The Space Between the Blast
Michael H. Ollis, the Triple Deuce standard, and the long road to “Medal of Honor” By Calder M Serba [Editor’s Note: Citation superscripts have Continue Reading
Zombie Blood Is a Killing Myth
Editor’s Note: “Zombie blood” here refers to a hypothetical idea that circulates in trauma/field-care talk, not a standard or endorsed transfusion Continue Reading
Twenty Years Later Under Iraqi Moon Dust
Nearly twenty years ago to the day, I boarded a commercial airplane with a machine gun slung on my back, along with 150 of my closest friends. Tray Continue Reading
I Loved The Fight More Than I Loved You
An anonymous combat veteran I never really loved anything growing up. When I raised my right hand, I knew I loved America, July 4th was my favorite Continue Reading
The Years Between
Forgive my redundancy; I’m still hung up on the anniversary date of my deployment to Kuwait and Iraq in 2005. We had our twenty-year reunion last Continue Reading
On the Shore
On the shore the flag standsred, white, and bluewaving in a gentle breeze.Alongside a Union Jackand Tricolore she stands tall,guarding rows of Continue Reading
The Forsaken
In moments of deepest darkness, we are the monsters called forth. We are the devils summoned to bypass pleading with God for forgiveness. Beckoned and Continue Reading