Reflections

When I reported to Air Force basic training on June 15, 1966, I was a 19-year-old college dropout. Despite two years of college ROTC, I really had no idea of what to expect.The first few days at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio,…

It all felt so familiar, which was jarring. We’d been listening to white noise for long enough that turning back to the clear channel was comforting, but a little too loud. Like stepping outside before your eyes adjusted.Before takeoff,…

Editor’s Note: This story was published in partnership with San Quentin News and was written during a writing seminar for incarcerated veterans in April hosted by The War Horse at California’s San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Tens of…

Serving in the military is a lot of things. Absurd and funny are definitely part of the story.When people think about service, they think about combat or embracing the suck, and they are not wrong. However, my experience in the Army…

Editor’s Note: This story was published in partnership with San Quentin News and was written during a writing seminar for incarcerated veterans in April hosted by The War Horse at California’s San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Tens of…

I grew up on Air Force bases overseas, bouncing from one country to another. While most mothers were marking heights on kitchen door frames, mine was packing cupboards and taping boxes for yet another move. My father was a pilot, his plane…

Ten years ago, I wandered into my first military spouse hiring fair. My resume read Honors College, summa cum laude and included a section at the bottom that read recently passed a secret-level background check, but my lack of work…

Editor’s Note: This story was published in partnership with San Quentin News and was written during a writing seminar for incarcerated veterans in April hosted by The War Horse at California’s San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Tens of…

Newspapers—the old-fashioned, printed, published kind—are meant to be replaced. A day or week of stories and photos, then a new edition. They are like soldiers, giving way to who’s next, like how my responsibilities, across five years and…

Hundreds of gay and lesbian veterans will soon receive honorable discharges, marking a major step forward in the Pentagon’s promise to address decades of discrimination against LGBTQ service members.Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin…