The Impact of War

Ex-Ranger Recalls The Friendly Fire That Killed Pat Tillman

2:27pm April 30, 2014

by NPR Staff

Steven Elliott was one of the Army Rangers who accidentally fired on former NFL star Pat Tillman in Afghanistan, and he told his story recently on ESPN's Outside the Lines.

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Robotic Exoskeleton Helps Get Vets Back On Their Feet

7:26pm April 21, 2014

by Erin Toner

Several bio-tech companies are developing exoskeletons that give people superhuman abilities. But these robotic suits are also doing something simpler: They're helping paralyzed veterans walk again.

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Rwandan genocide-hunter Dafroza Gauthier on February 4, 2014 at the opening of the trial of Pascal Simbikangwa, Rwanda's former intelligence chief, charged with complicity in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

World News

Fighting For Rwanda's Justice In France

8:00pm April 06, 2014

by NPR Staff

The first Rwandan genocide trial to take place in France sent a man to prison for 25 years last month. Dafroza Gauthier and her organization helped make that conviction possible.

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Conditions are spare at the Window of Hope orphanage in Kabul, but American NGO worker Siavash Rahbari (upper left) says it's still better than how many Afghan children live.

World News

Texas Man Becomes Unlikely CFO Of Ragged Kabul Orphanage

6:14pm January 04, 2014

by Sean Carberry

After decades of war in Afghanistan, the country has thousands of orphans. One home for these children ended up with an improbable benefactor — an Iranian-American who came to Kabul to do rule of law development work, and stumbled into a side project working with disabled orphans.

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In 'Fire And Forget,' Vets Turned Writers Tell Their War Stories

7:43pm November 11, 2013

Roy Scranton and Jacob Siegel edited and contributed to the collection of short stories by veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They tell Fresh Air about how soldiers cope with the fear of death, and why many soldiers feel conflicted about sharing their experience with a larger audience.

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Thank You for Your Service, by Brian Finkel

Books
Arts

'Thank You For Your Service' Follows America's Soldiers Home

2:58pm October 03, 2013

by NPR Staff

Journalist David Finkel embedded with the 2-16 Infantry Battalion during the troop surge in Iraq, then recorded their stories in his first book, The Good Soldiers. Now, his new book chronicles the struggles of those who made it home, from their recurring nightmares and suicidal thoughts to the challenges of getting help.

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Scot Paltrow is a special enterprise correspondent for Reuters.

Investigation Reveals A Military Payroll Rife With Glitches

4:29pm July 16, 2013

A new investigative report from Reuters special enterprise correspondent Scot Paltrow details how the antiquated and error-ridden payroll system for the U.S. military is erroneously cutting soldiers' paychecks and causing terrible hardship.

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ANA soldiers plot coordinates on a map with the help of their American trainers.

From Front-Line Soldier To Trainer, An Afghan Odyssey

3:55pm July 05, 2013

by Tom Bowman

Sgt. Chris Cunningham has served five tours in Afghanistan, surviving some of the past decade's most horrific fighting. These days, his excitement about war has been replaced by a grim wisdom — and the heavy responsibility of teaching Afghan soldiers and honoring fallen comrades.

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What's Changed In The Military, And What's Next

3:57pm June 24, 2013

A shrinking Pentagon budget, a changing role for women in combat, and the planned 2014 exit from Afghanistan are just some of the factors that will shape the future of military life. As part of TOTN's "Looking Ahead" series, guests discuss what's ahead for men and women in uniform.

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World News

A Look Ahead To The Future Of Afghanistan

2:07pm June 18, 2013

Twelve years after the war began, Afghanistan's president announced Tuesday that Afghan forces officially assumed control of security for the country. U.S. and NATO troops will remain until the 2014 deadline, but the Afghan military is now expected to fight without NATO support.

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