Veterans

National

Jon Stewart Uses His Celebrity To Bring Attention To Vets Exposed To Burn Pits

4:00pm September 16, 2020

by Quil Lawrence

The comedian and activist is helping to launch a new campaign to fight for war veterans who say they are sick because of exposure to burn pits and other toxins in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Some 1,892 American flags are installed on the National Mall in Washington, DC in 2014. The Iraq and Afghanistan veterans installed the flags to represent the 1,892 veterans and service members who committed suicide this year as part of the "We've Got You

White House Plan Breaks Taboo: A Focus On Guns And Veteran Suicide

5:11pm August 04, 2020

by Quil Lawrence

The Trump Administration's new suicide prevention strategy mentions the touchy subject of gun-safety. It will aim to fight the stigma around people seeking help during a mental health crisis.

Local Veterans Connect Virtually To Commemorate Memorial Day

2:46pm May 22, 2020

As Memorial Day approaches, veterans are among the groups of people who will not be able to come together in person in remembrance of those lost.

Rob Grier says if he weren't taking care of him, his dad, Robert Grier Sr., would probably need to be in a nursing home.

National

Veterans See Caregivers As Even More Crucial In The COVID-19 Era

7:00am May 16, 2020

by Quil Lawrence

Veterans' homes have been ravaged by the virus. The VA has just announced new rules for its caregivers program, but veterans' groups fear thousands will be left behind.

Flags and wreaths honor veterans on April 28, on the grounds of the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Mass., where a number of people died due to the coronavirus. While the death toll at the state-run Holyoke Soldiers' Home continues to climb, federal officials

National

Officials Investigating Multiple COVID-19 Deaths At Massachusetts Soldiers' Home

11:38am May 06, 2020

by Miriam Wasser

Multiple investigations are underway at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Mass., where at least 71 veterans have died from COVID-19, and another 80 veterans and 81 employees have tested positive.

A Veterans Affairs inspector general's report, based on surprise inspections last month, found many facilities did not have enough personal protective equipment in reserve.

National

Internal Emails Show VA Hospitals Are Rationing Protective Gear

4:41pm April 10, 2020

by Quil Lawrence

Seven Veterans Affairs staffers have died from the virus, and unions for VA workers have been sounding the alarm about shortages of protective gear and insufficient staffing.

More than 20 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, including at least five deaths. The nursing facility is about 90 miles west of Boston.

11 Veterans Die At Soldiers' Home in Massachusetts Amid COVID-19 Outbreak

12:44pm March 31, 2020

by Bill Chappell

More than 20 coronavirus cases have been confirmed at the facility, and officials are rushing to do more tests, hoping to learn the full extent of the exposure.

Brelahn Wyatt, a Navy ensign and second-year medical student, shares a hug with Shetland. The dog's military commission does not entitle him to salutes.

Health & Safety

High-Ranking Dog Provides Key Training For Military's Medical Students

11:52am November 08, 2019

by Julie Rovner

Service dogs are a common sight at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, near Washington, D.C. But this special canine trains would-be healers how to pick the right dog for a wounded veteran.

Cover detail of Volume Control, by David Owen.

From Lawn Mowers To Rock Concerts, Our 'Deafening World' Is Hurting Our Ears

4:44pm November 05, 2019

by Dave Davies

Volume Control author David Owen says our ears largely evolved in a far quieter time than the one we currently live in. He warns that the ambient noises that surround us pose a threat to our hearing.

Queue Listen Now

Michael Marquette pets his dog, Spring, while resting at his home in Clarksburg, Md., after a recent hip surgery to repair an injury sustained in 2009 during military duty.

National

Last Strike For Bowling Alley That Helped Anchor Many Veterans

8:31pm August 28, 2019

by Mikaela Lefrak

The bowling alley at Naval Support Activity Bethesda helped many veterans transition back into civilian life and was a place where they felt accepted. Its closure leaves them hurt and angry.