A Marine father, an Air Force son and the distance between them
My father believed trauma and discipline would result in success and a stronger livelihood. And so he enlisted. Years later, I did, too.
Commentary
Why every day can feel like ‘Groundhog Day’ in the military
For troops, "Groundhog Day" captures something they immediately recognize: days repeat, routines harden and progress feels frozen.
US military action in Iran risks igniting global nuclear cascade
If Iranian leadership survives any U.S. attack, they will almost certainly double down on Iran’s weapons program, argues a Middle Eastern security scholar.
US base lost under Greenland’s ice reveals island’s strategic value
In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, geologist Paul Bierman explains the history of what happened to Camp Century, a secret Arctic base.
I used VR therapy to treat my PTSD. Here’s what happened next.
A firsthand look at how Neurova Labs is tackling PTSD — with just a headset.
How fashion borrowed military aesthetics and lost the context
"What was once functional equipment tied to service, sacrifice and sometimes trauma is now treated as visual shorthand for toughness or rebellion."
After 30 years, an Army colonel asks: Who am I without the uniform?
"The Army had been more than a job; it was my compass," writes retired U.S. Army Col. Alan M. Evans.
US military has a long history in Greenland, from WWII to Cold War
"Before charging headlong into this icy island again, the U.S. would be remiss not to learn from past failures," argues an environmental science professor.
Why most of military life rarely makes the screen
Between training and combat exists a long stretch of routine and waiting. Those experiences remain largely absent from military portrayals in film and TV.
Can the US ‘run’ Venezuela? Military force doesn’t equal legitimacy
By declaring its intent to govern Venezuela, the U.S is creating a governance trap of its own making, Monica Duffy Toft argues.
Ode to James Ransone’s memorable portrayal of a junior enlisted Marine
In just seven episodes, James Ransone churned out one of the most relatable on-screen depictions of life as a junior enlisted Marine.
We pined for the comforts of home. We got socks for Christmas instead.
"Do they think we’re deployed, or homeless?" Care packages reveal Americans have little idea what modern soldiers need.
Opinion
Beware of NATO’s enlargement trap
The tragedy of NATO expansion lies not in beginning it, but in never considering when and where it might end, argues former NATO official Michael Rühle.
A drone ‘war is more silent and more deadly’ — and America is behind
If the U.S. is ever dragged into a large-scale war against an adversary like China or Iran, it will be ill-equipped for a drone-heavy background.
Opinion
Don’t let Trump let Putin miscalculate on Europe
Taken together, Trump’s policies towards Europe have an isolationist flavor with lack of clarity about U.S. commitments
The Army had a crazy Thanksgiving plan. I had a chainsaw
"That’s the Army for you. One minute you’re training to destroy the enemy, the next, you’re attending art school," writes Matt Stone for The War Horse.
How wargaming can help us prepare for modern crises
We might not be able to predict the future perfectly given the speed of change. But we can test the options for potential futures.
