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The War Horse
I Was a Shitbag. Now, I Help Carry Others Through Their Darkness.
I was a shitbag.When I shipped off to Army basic training at Fort Benning, my dad had a bet that I wouldn’t graduate, even though he encouraged my enlistment.See, my dad was a military cadet in the Philippine military. According to him and…
The Country We Loved Didn’t Love Us Back. Maybe This Time Would Be Different.
My room is my very own special place,will I decorate it with leatheror with lace?Grade school poetry at its finest, I wrote these deeply profound words while daydreaming about having my very own bedroom someday. An introvert within a…
Citizen or Soldier? A Blurry Balancing Act Has National Guard Reeling for Resilience.
As of Jan. 17, veterans thinking about hurting themselves can get free crisis care, including inpatient, for up to 90 days at Veterans Affairs. They do not need to be enrolled in VA care. For immediate help, dial 988, then press 1.Editor’s…
‘I Don’t Want You in My Navy’– Forging My Own Path to Those Silver Eagles
I was born in 1960, and if I had been born in ’58, it would have been a completely different life.— Michele Howard, Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired), first woman four-star admiral and first Black woman to captain a U.S. Navy ship, Women in the…
‘Valhalla Can Wait’—The National Guard Stands at the Crossroads of Crisis
As of Jan. 17, veterans thinking about hurting themselves can get free crisis care, including inpatient, for up to 90 days at Veterans Affairs. They do not need to be enrolled in VA care. For immediate help, dial 988, then press 1.Editor’s…
‘When They Came Home They Were on Their Own’—National Guard Grapples With Suicide Rate
As of Jan. 17, veterans thinking about hurting themselves can get free crisis care, including inpatient, for up to 90 days at Veterans Affairs. They do not need to be enrolled in VA care. For immediate help, dial 988, then press 1.Editor’s…
I Had the Best Squad Leader in the Marine Corps. He Showed Us Kindness Is Not Weakness.
I served as an infantryman in the Marine Corps for 25 years, reaching the rank of master gunnery sergeant. I deployed seven times, including three tours in Iraq, and served five years overseas. I received numerous awards and decorations,…
‘Among the Most Significant Professional Development Experiences I Have Ever Had’–Impact of the…
This fall, The War Horse hosted our Writing Seminar for Military Spouses at Carey Institute for Global Good in Rensselaerville, New York, thanks to generous support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems,…
Resilient Is a Label for Military Kids That Absolves a Nation of Further Reflection
Our family motto was, “Don’t look back.” Eyes forward. It’s just easier that way.The call came as we settled into sleep. She’d taken a bottle of pills but said she hadn’t wanted to. I told her to go to the emergency room. She said she was…
A Presumption of Guilt: The Uncomfortable Identity of a ‘Disabled’ Veteran Who Feels Like an…
On an ordinary day in 2008, my wrists started hurting. Like every other evening of that tour, I woke up, ate chow, strapped on headphones, and started translating to kick off the night shift. My work streamed in and out of antennas mounted…
Play Hard. Get Dirty. Use Good Saop.