Reflections

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…

The first thing I learned about Japan was that the summers are hot. Extremely hot and extremely humid. I learned this in August 2022 the hard way—pushing an overweight suitcase and backpack up steep hills, navigating from the vague…

I deployed eight times to combat environments around the world. I missed Christmas with my family on three of them.I’ve celebrated on a Naval ship in the Mediterranean and in both Europe and Afghanistan with sailors and soldiers from a…

I deployed eight times to combat environments around the world. I missed Christmas with my family on three of them.I’ve celebrated on a Naval ship in the Mediterranean and in both Europe and Afghanistan with sailors and soldiers from a…

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…