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
Veterans
I Write This Because I Have Nothing But My Words Left
Author's Note: This letter was originally sent to the Sec of the VA, the author's state and federal Congressmen, and to committees on both levels Continue Reading
Revelations: Out for a Pack of Smokes
by a U.S. Army Veteran The red light gleamed off the dash of my rusted F-150. It was a piece of shit, the blue paint had faded and the right tail Continue Reading
Pressure Points
by Ollie Lynn My patrol mate drummed a steady rhythm with his fingertips on the dashboard, as we waited for the lumbering, Ural cargo trucks to Continue Reading
The Incident
by an anonymous Veteran It happened at a command Christmas party I was the designated driver The Parachute Rigger’s Chief kept plying me with Continue Reading
Am I a Veteran?
Webster's dictionary says I am. Veteran:a: a former member of the armed forcesb: an old soldier of long service In the definition of a veteran, Continue Reading
War, Luck, and Survival
by John Shoemaker Photo: author at Tam Ky airstrip When I heard the news, it was like a bolt of lightning striking the top of my head and Continue Reading
Confronting Tall Poppy Syndrome
Every breath becomes labored under the pressure. There appears to be no beginning or end of this vast desert. Every step is labored under the Continue Reading
The Tent Where Warriors Dwell
by Britta Reque-Dragicevic This first appeared in Britta's blog, Life After War, and is republished with the author's Continue Reading
Living With a Time Bomb
I live with a time bomb. He looks like a regular guy. Maybe a little tightly wound: high and tight haircut, rigid posture, authoritative tone. He Continue Reading
Stop Believing The Lie That No One Cares
by Britta Reque-Dragicevic This first appeared in Britta Reque-Dragicevic's blog "Life After War" and is republished with the author's Continue Reading
Everything Has Become a Threat Assessment
The Following describes K.C. Aud's first day in the shoot house at ME A-School at FLETC written after passing his team's lethal use of force Continue Reading