Stars and Stripes

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No kisses, no hugs. That was the reality for my family when my husband returned from a short underway in early 2020, five years ago today. What was supposed to be a few weeks at sea turned into a 9-month deployment. Instead of the joyous reunion we had imagined, COVID restrictions meant we could only see each other from a distance. No kisses, no hugs, no welcome-home celebration. Just waves and longing looks from across a barricade. This moment, captured in Stars and Stripes, was one of the hardest in our time as a military family. Yet, like so many others in the military community, we adapted. We found strength in uncertainty, connection despite separation, and gratitude for the moments we could share. Looking back, this experience shaped how I approach challenges today, whether in my career, my family life, or the work I do supporting veterans and military spouses. It was a stark reminder that resilience isn't just about pushing through; it's about finding meaning in the hardest moments and using them to grow. To those who have navigated unexpected hardships or times of deep sacrifice, you’re not alone. ?? Ready the story by Caitlin Doornbos here: https://lnkd.in/eJNbb5k5

It was a pleasure speaking with Marine Capt. Riley Tejcek about her new children’s book that released today, “If You Can Dream It, Be It.” Read the article I wrote for Stars and Stripes here: https://lnkd.in/gkUdfh-m

THE REAL RAFTERMAN | Marine who inspired ‘Full Metal Jacket’ character shares his story: Yes, there was a real Stars and Stripes reporter that inspired Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Vietnam War film. The recent death of Kevyn Major Howard, the actor who portrayed Rafterman in “Full Metal Jacket,” has rekindled memories of the real Marine who inspired the character’s name. Bob Bayer, a 1st Marine Division correspondent in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, reported to Stars and Stripes that the original Rafterman is still alive and well. Bayer said he served alongside the late Gustav Hasford, author of “The Short-Timers,” the semi-autobiographical novel that inspired “Full Metal Jacket.” “Another member of our unit was Eric ‘Rafterman’ Grimm,’” Bayer said. Read Bayer's recollections, including how Rafterman earned his nickname, here: https://lnkd.in/eBZrRPrc

#OPINION: Reintroduced this month and part of a House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing, the PLUS Act protects veterans from claims sharks while opening up effective avenues for the former to more quickly receive their benefits. Matt Cover, a former Washington, D.C., political journalist, is an employee benefits consultant in Arizona. Read his words here: https://lnkd.in/eme7vK27 #OpEd #PLUSAct #Vets #Veterans

“If House Republicans won’t hold a hearing on how this happened IMMEDIATELY, I’ll do it my damn self,” Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., an Army veteran who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, said. Lawmakers demanded answers after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top Trump administration officials discussed war plans in a text conversation that included a journalist. The chat over the Signal encrypted messaging service was used to share plans for recent U.S. airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Among the participants were Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz, a former congressman who served as a Green Beret. The editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently added to the Signal chat and published details from the discussion in a report. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/eXggp46X #USMilitary #Defense #Military #MilitaryNews

Teaching positions at Department of Defense Education Activity schools and on-post day care workers are among more than a dozen classes of jobs that the Pentagon has exempted from a department-wide hiring freeze. Jules Hurst, the acting defense undersecretary for personnel readiness, carved out about 18 classes of exemptions to the civilian hiring freeze ordered Feb. 28 by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to the March 18 memo. Most of the positions focused on key support for military functions and for quality-of-life issues for service members. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e4JtPzMr #DODEA #DefenseIndustry #MilitaryJobs #MilitaryFamilies #MilitarySpouse #USmilitary

March 21, 1918: The Role of Public Affairs in World War I On this day in 1918, as Germany launched its final Spring Offensive in World War I, the U.S. Army’s Public Affairs efforts were already in action. Just weeks earlier, General John J. Pershing established Stars and Stripes to inform troops, counter enemy propaganda, and boost morale. Written by Soldiers, for Soldiers, the paper became a trusted source on the front lines—delivering real news, uplifting stories, and a sense of unity amidst chaos. As German propaganda tried to shake U.S. troops’ confidence, Stars and Stripes kept them informed, motivated, and focused on victory. This early success set the foundation for the Army Public Affairs mission we know today—ensuring accurate, credible information reaches those who need it most. ?? What’s your experience with military journalism? Have you read Stars and Stripes or worked in military Public Affairs? Share your thoughts below! #ArmyPublicAffairs #StarsAndStripes #WWI #MilitaryJournalism Defense Information School US Army Stars and Stripes US Military Combat Camera History & Stories Museum

Delighted to appear alongside a number of friends and colleagues including Nadwa Al-Dawsari, Taimur Khan and Tom Warrick in this piece for Stars and Stripes on the continued threat the Houthis pose. The high end weapons may be the most spectacular, but the low cost ones coming from all corners may be the most significant for sustained concerns in the Red Sea and the wider region. https://lnkd.in/ephv2WTU

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY | Eighty years after they used elaborate trickery to deceive enemy armies, the then three surviving members of World War II’s Ghost Army received the Congressional Gold Medal. Two counterfeit designers — 100-year-old Bernie Bluestein of Hoffman Estates, Ill., and 100-year-old Seymour Nussenbaum of Monroe Township, N.J. — as well as a demolition specialist, 99-year-old John Christman of Leesburg, N.J., accepted Congress’ highest award on behalf of the 1,300 men who comprised two clandestine units tasked with fooling Hitler’s forces. Nussenbaum has since passed away. Collectively known as the Ghost Army, the units harnessed their artistic talents to stage more than 20 full-scale deception campaigns, featuring inflatable tanks, trucks and airplanes, prerecorded tracks of troops in action, fake radio transmissions and other masquerading tactics. Read more about the heroics of the Ghost Army here: https://lnkd.in/eVZY2Dtp #WWII #WorldWarII #History #MilitaryHistory #USMilitary #Veterans #WWIIVeterans #WWIIHistory