From World War I to current conflicts, people around the world pause to remember the sacrifice of veterans and victims of war.
Veterans
Sky King
Retired Air Force lieutenant colonel Dan Hampton flew nearly 4,000 hours – including 726 in combat – in an F-16 during his 20 years in the Air Force. (Battleland has flown about, um, one, including none in combat. Final brave …
Treating PTSD and TBI…Ethically
This is the first in a series of posts on the ethical issues associated with treating post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.
These are the two so-called “signature wounds” of our post 9/11 wars. Unlike …
The Challenges of Raising Military Kids
This one-time military mom enjoyed last week’s Battleland Q&A with the authors of a new series of books on educating troops’ children.
Military children have always had to deal with the stressors of being the new kid on the …
Leveraging
See where GOP candidate Mitt Romney has just released a roster of more than 300 retired generals and admirals who are endorsing him for President. They range from former Army general Tommy Franks, who commanded the invasions of …
Building Better Schools for Troops’ Kids
The divide between U.S. society and the American military reveals itself in strange places – children’s classrooms, for example. More than 1 million military kids face unusual challenges: they haven’t been in a specific school …
Love Boats
A retired Navy captain is sounding an alarm over women serving on warships.
“We can’t have both chastity and mixed-sex complements,” Kevin Eyer argues in October’s Proceedings, the professional naval journal published …
Veterans Are Only Part of the Challenge
Our active-duty military is in the midst of a mental-health crisis: the suicide numbers are climbing and the volume of psychotropic medications prescribed is multiplying.
While both President Obama and Mitt Romney have plans …
Why Diversity Counts in National Security
The reality of demographics mandates a sharp focus on creating leaders from the burgeoning Hispanic and Asian American communities. The history of Vietnam tells us we need to keep that same focus on the African American …
Reconnecting…with Myself
One of the things I heard early on at TAPS, as well as from my counselor at home, is the importance of self-care.
I’m a mother of three young children. Whenever this term “self-care” is thrown around in my presence I …
The Start of the Suicide Story
It was nine years ago — Columbus Day, 2003 — that the first significant story on the suicides of the post-9/11 wars appeared above the fold in USA Today. Reporter Gregg Zoroya had called me that summer, when I was doing a …
Eleven Years On
Sunday marks the beginning of the U.S. military‘s 12th year in Afghanistan.
It ain’t quite the Hundred Years’ War, but 12 years is 20% of this particular Battleland correspondent’s life.
Eleven years ago today – October …
“I Refuse to Give Up”
Today, I am tired of suicide.
I ache in my bones and muscles and soul for all the suffering that continues to occur.
I am tired of learning about people who reached out for help, sometimes screaming for help, and they were …
