written by SSGT Forrest Purdy, USAFRES SSGT Forrest Purdy, USAFRES, Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan, 2007 GWOT veteran Forrest Purdy wrote us after reading Vietnam Marine Jack Woodard's post on his brief time in Graves Registration. The post, and the conversation with Graves Registration veterans on a recent VBC Happy Hour, reminded Forrest of
written by Briana Hilton (UnSplash) Nestled in the heart of historic Boston, the Old North Church Memorial Garden stands as a poignant tribute to those who lost their lives in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the Global War on Terror. Offering visitors a serene sanctuary for healing and reflection, the Memorial Garden
Written by Jack Reid VBC Veteran Jack Reid of Plymouth, Mass., sent us the piece below after taking a recent "Road to Revolution" walking tour in Boston's North End. At the Old North Church, he noticed dog tags hanging on a fence in the back garden. He went back later and took in the
Written by Ron Farina Of the almost 2 million Americans who have received Purple Hearts since World War II, only about 500 have been women. The vast majority of these women earned the award since September 11, 2001. On two VBC Happy Hours in March, we had nine such recipients join us, along with
Written by Todd DePastino Retired Navy captain and national security expert Jerry Hendrix recently published a must-read article in The Atlantic arguing that “the United States has ceded the oceans to its enemies. We can no longer take freedom of the seas for granted.” Even if Hendrix is wrong or overstates the case, the essay is essential
