U.S. military

U.S. Marines arrive at Saudi Arabia's Dhahran Air Base on Aug. 21, 1990. The U.S. began a buildup in the region just days after Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2 of that year. The U.S. military has been active in Iraq virtually nonstop for the past quarter-ce

25 Years In Iraq, With No End In Sight

9:54am August 09, 2015

by Greg Myre

Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990. The U.S. reversed Saddam Hussein's aggression, but it was just the start of the U.S. military role in Iraq that's spanned four presidents and a panoply of goals.

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Alan Oates was exposed to herbicides, such as Agent Orange, while serving in Vietnam in 1968. Decades after returning home, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and because Congress passed the Agent Orange Act, he's able to receive VA benefits.

Can The Agent Orange Act Help Veterans Exposed To Mustard Gas?

11:03am July 16, 2015

by Caitlin Dickerson

Just like World War II vets who were exposed to mustard gas during secret chemical testing, Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange had trouble obtaining VA benefits — until they got the law changed.

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Capt. Tajdeep Rattan (from left), Maj. Kamaljeet Kalsi and Lamba are the only three observant Sikh men currently serving in the U.S. military. Sikhs are hoping that a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling might lead the Pentagon to lift its ban on facial hair

National

Why Are Only Three Observant Sikh Men Serving In The U.S. Military?

7:49pm June 08, 2015

by Tom Gjelten

The Pentagon's ban on facial hair and religious headgear has long been an obstacle for Sikh men, who wear turbans and don't cut their hair. Sikhs are hoping a court ruling might lead to a rule change.

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Carolina Ortiz moves away from a 155 mm artillery piece after loading it during a live-fire exercise at the Marine base in Twentynine Palms, Calif. The Marine Corps is trying to determine whether women can serve in ground combat jobs: artillery, armor and

National

Can Female Marines Carry The Load And Kill The Enemy?

6:10pm May 28, 2015

by Tom Bowman

Marines have to carry a pack that weights more than 100 pounds. For some of the women training in the Mojave Desert to join combat units, that nearly matches their body weight.

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Chagossians weep at the grave of their parents on Peros Banos Island April 10, 2006. Fifteen elders are allowed to visit once a year.

World News

Islanders Pushed Out For U.S. Base Hope For End To 40-Year Exile

11:52pm April 26, 2015

by Ari Shapiro

Britain forced thousands off Diego Garcia, a remote Indian Ocean island, in the '70s to make way for a U.S. military base. For 40 years residents have fought to return. Now they have a growing chance.

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ISIS Issues 'Wanted' List Of 100 U.S. Military Personnel

10:10am March 23, 2015

by Scott Neuman

U.S. defense and intelligence officials tell NPR that the list appears to have been derived from publicly available sources and not a breach of a government server.

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The construction of a 300-bed Ebola treatment unit is underway in front of the former Ministry of Defense building in Monrovia, Liberia's capital.

Health & Safety

The U.S. Ebola Hospitals In Liberia Are Going Up ... Slowly

3:56pm January 12, 2015

Last month, the U.S. promised to build treatment centers for health care workers and for the general public. Our photo gallery checks in on the progress thus far.

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As an Army chaplain in Iraq, David Peters administered last rites and grieved with survivors. When he came home, he says, he "fell apart emotionally and spiritually."

Religion

An Army Chaplain, First Tested By War, Finds His Faith Renewed

8:25am January 07, 2015

by John Burnett

When David Peters went to Iraq as an Army chaplain, his relationship with God faltered. But after years of feeling adrift, he eventually found that the trauma of war had actually deepened his faith.

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A helicopter's eye view of a new ETU, funded by USAID and built by Save the Children.

Ebola Is Changing Course In Liberia. Will The U.S. Military Adapt?

6:31pm November 25, 2014

by Kelly McEvers

The U.S. had planned to build 17 treatment units across Liberia, one in each county's major town. Now that more cases are appearing in remote areas, the Army may need to rethink its strategy.

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Iraqi soldiers walk in Jurf al-Sakhr, south of the capital Baghdad, on Monday after Iraqi military forces retook the area from Islamic State militants. Iraqi forces, supported by U.S. airstrikes, have made limited gains in recent months, but critics are q

With Limited Gains, U.S. Bombing Campaign Faces Growing Criticism

2:25pm October 30, 2014

by Tom Bowman

U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State began nearly three months ago, yet there have been relatively few changes on the battlefield. Many analysts say the U.S. effort may not be sufficient.

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