National

Alicia McCoy holds a photo of her husband, Sgt. Brandon McCoy. Despite taking part in basewide suicide prevention efforts at Fort Campbell in 2009, Sgt. McCoy took his own life in 2012.

National

To Combat Suicides, Army Focuses On The Homefront

7:32pm January 25, 2013

by Blake Farmer

Military suicides hit a record high in 2012, and the Army has been the hardest-hit branch. Its prevention efforts have included everything from a buddy system to 24-hour hotlines. Now, the Army is deploying psychiatrists and counselors to the places where soldiers live and work.

Queue Listen Now

Court Ruling Upsets Conventional Wisdom On Recess Appointments

6:51pm January 25, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

In a bombshell decision, a federal appeals court panel has invalidated President Obama's recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board. Legal experts say the ruling deals a big victory to Senate Republicans in an era of congressional gridlock, and could push the issue to the Supreme Court.

Queue Listen Now

Bryan Wilmoth (right) reunited with his brother Michael years after their parents kicked Bryan out for being gay. All six of their siblings either ran away or were kicked out of their family's home over the years.

National

After Years Of Estrangement, Eight Siblings Become A Family

9:14am January 25, 2013

by NPR Staff

Bryan Wilmoth grew up in a strict, religious household where all of his siblings either ran away or were kicked out. He was the first to go, after his father discovered he was gay. Years later, Wilmoth tried piecing the family back together and assuming the big brother role once again.

Queue Listen Now

National

New York Murder Rate Plummets, But Who Should Get The Credit?

8:16pm January 24, 2013

by Joel Rose

While Chicago and Detroit are struggling to control rising murder rates, New York City hit a record low number of homicides in 2012. The police commissioner has often pointed to several controversial policing tactics for falling crime, but some analysts say there are many potential explanations.

Queue Listen Now

National

Roe v. Wade at 40: A Look at Its Legacy

2:27pm January 24, 2013

Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion, just turned 40. Host Neal Conan speaks with Linda Greenhouse, who covered the Supreme Court and writes in a New York Times opinion piece that it was about "the rights of doctors...acting in what they considered to be the best interest of their patients."

Queue Listen Now

National

A Closer Look at Women In Combat

1:39pm January 24, 2013

The military's lift of the combat ban for women potentially opens up thousands of front-line positions, but many women in uniform argue they've long served in front-line units. Host Neal Conan talks to Lt. Col. Samantha Nerove about what the change may mean and her experiences in the military.

Queue Listen Now

National

Women In Combat Ban To Be Lifted

1:19pm January 24, 2013

The Pentagon is expected to officially announce Thursday that it will lift the military ban on women in combat. The defense chief's groundbreaking move opens up thousands of front-line positions for women. For more on the Pentagon's decision Steve Inskeep talks to NPR's Tom Bowman. And from Kentucky, Blake Farmer of member station WPLN has reaction from Fort Campbell.

Queue Listen Now

Gen. Carter Ham, who heads the U.S. Africa Command, meets with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika last September. Amid upheaval in the region, AFRICOM is still attempting to define its mission.

U.S. Military Seeks Its Role In Troubled North Africa

8:53pm January 23, 2013

by Tom Bowman

The U.S. Africa Command, designed to strengthen defense relationships in Africa, is still trying to define its mission. African states have been wary, while the State Department and aid groups also express concerns. But growing conflicts in the region may soon put AFRICOM to the test.

Queue Listen Now

National Transportation Safety Board investigators inspect a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Japan's Takamatsu Airport. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation into the plane's troubles has widened into a review of the agency's certification process for

National

Dreamliner Woes Expose FAA's Potential Weak Spots

8:53pm January 23, 2013

by Wendy Kaufman

The investigation into the Boeing 787 has widened to include not just its batteries and electronics, but also the Federal Aviation Administration's certification process. Chronically understaffed, the agency often relies on manufacturers themselves to assist in the testing of new planes.

Queue Listen Now

National

Lawsuit Questioned Constitutionality Of Ban On Women In Combat

8:53pm January 23, 2013

Melissa Block talks to University of Virginia law professor Anne Coughlin about the announcement expected Thursday from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta about the removal of the ban on women in combat. Coughlin and her students did the research which inspired a lawsuit filed by two women in the Army Reserves last year, alleging that policies banning women from ground combat units violated constitutional rights.

Queue Listen Now