Commentary

Opinions on war, Pentagon policy, pay and benefits, deployments, uniforms, weapons and more.

U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan, Aug. 24, 2021.

Veterans urge Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act

The Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghans who came to the U.S. during the Afghanistan evacuation to be re-vetted and apply for a permanent status.

2 days ago

Soldiers from B Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, await orders to move out on a nighttime patrol designed to interrupt movement of enemy fighters in the Nuristan province of Afghanistan, Sept. 1, 2006.

Research needed for veterans with genital and reproductive wounds

A new survey seeks information from an estimated 1,500 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans living with injuries to urinary, genital and reproductive areas.

6 days ago

Members of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point Class of 2026 officially join the Corps of Cadets during the Acceptance Day Parade on The Plain on Aug. 13, 2022.

Commentary

Educating future US Army officers to fight and win

Educating future officers will prepare them for the conflicts of tomorrow, argues this author.

Voting rights activists hold signs near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 19, 2022.

Passing Electoral Count Act reforms is vital to national security

Nine senior former defense officials and military leaders warn about national security threats America faces due to weaknesses in the Electoral Count Act.

2 weeks ago

‘Made in China’ exclusion policy at exchanges would hurt families

An amendment in the fiscal 2023 defense policy bill would prohibit military exchanges and commissaries from selling items that were made in China.

3 weeks ago

Brig. Gen. John M. Cushing, deputy commanding general of United States Army Recruiting Command, administers the oath of enlistment to a formation of future Soldiers during a U.S. Army Birthday ceremony in Times Square, N.Y., on June 14, 2022.

Four ways to begin fixing the Army recruiting crisis

It’s time that the Army get more introspective and start looking at ways it can accelerate change to fix its recruiting crisis, argue these authors.

3 weeks ago

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough visited the Veterans Row encampment in Los Angeles in 2021.

Drop in veteran homelessness proves we can end homelessness

New data shows that veteran homelessness in the U.S. has decreased by 11% since 2020, the last year for which we have complete data.

4 weeks ago

At VA, we stand tall to hurricanes Fiona and Ian

"Thanks to preparation and quick response, most of VA’s clinics remained online or were fully operational within a day or two."

5 weeks ago

Personnel pose for photos in the cyber operations center at Lasswell Hall aboard Fort Meade, Maryland, Feb. 5, 2020.

Army leaders: Consider making information operations an enlisted MOS

Young soldiers have enormous potential in conducting information operations, writes the author of this commentary.

5 weeks ago

We need to increase research into psychedelics for veterans with PTSD

In the past few years, new treatment options have emerged from the often-stigmatized source of psychedelics.

5 weeks ago

Department of Defense civilians and active duty service members attend a Traumatic Brain Injury Open House event March 20, 2014, at Tripler Army Medical Center located in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Outrage over NFL brain injuries; silence over military brain injuries

The NFL is doing the right thing on concussions. The Department of Defense lacks the urgency and a similar aggressive approach.

6 weeks ago

A student draws on a piece of paper during the second to last day of school as New York City public schools prepare to wrap up the 2021/2022 school year on June 24, 2022 in New York City.

What we can do to ensure a quality education for military children

Military leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about the quality of K-12 public schools around military installations.

6 weeks ago

5 tips for surviving the Arctic from a soldier who lives there

"I arrived to central Alaska in February. It was 70 degrees in Georgia, where I had just moved from, and now I was dealing with -36 degrees in Fairbanks."

7 weeks ago

An airman loads chaff and flare countermeasure mods on a trailer at Ali Al Salem Air Force Base, Kuwait, Jan. 26, 2022.

Cannibalizing the arsenal of democracy in turbulent times

The Pentagon should consider cutting back on research and development funding and ramping up procurement to protect the arsenal of democracy.

8 weeks ago

Legal loophole: Some contracts skirt protections for service members

Special protections afforded to service members are being undermined by a legal trap buried in the fine print of contracts and click-through agreements.

8 weeks ago

Addressing military families’ needs: a ‘to-do list’ not a ‘wish list’

Defense and service officials have struggled for decades to address the problems military families face.

2 months ago

Integration of future assault aircraft changes game for Army Aviation

The Army Aviation industry is employing manufacturing techniques that shorten lead times and cut costs.

2 months ago

A line of flags is placed in remembrance of each member of the Department of Defense who was lost to suicide in 2021 at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Sept. 1, 2022.

We can all ‘Be the One’ to save the life of a veteran

It is National Suicide Prevention Month, but the work to prevent suicides must be at the front of our minds far beyond September.

2 months ago

Women rights activists hold up signs as they gather at Freedom Plaza for a pre-march rally of the annual Womens March October 2, 2021 in Washington, DC.

It’s time for equitable reproductive rights for women veterans

The VA recently said it will start providing abortions in certain circumstances, even in states where it's illegal or restricted.

3 months ago

‘Extraordinary circumstances’ facing hungry military families

Congress and the Defense Department can take action to help bring relief to struggling military families and service members experiencing food insecurity.

3 months ago