- In 2021, Congress reversed a policy that blocked students with dependents from continuing their studies at the highly competitive military academies. The change is scheduled to take effect in the upcoming school year.
- At two years old, the country’s youngest service branch is still on the receiving end of jokes and bigger questions about what it does and why it exists.
- To get into one of the nation's elite military academies, students must be nominated by their member of Congress. But those picks go disproportionately to white students, leading some to call for change.
- Gay and lesbian veterans who received a less-than-honorable discharge because of their sexual orientation can't access federal veterans benefits. But Colorado is among the states moving to ensure they can at least qualify for state ones.
- Months of physical distancing and pandemic anxiety has been especially tough on veterans who were already dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and other combat-related injuries.
- Some of Los Angeles County's 3900 homeless veterans had been lined up to move into the complex under construction. After the fire, many will remain on the streets.
- Burnout is a common problem for family members who care for disabled veterans. And for many of them, the pandemic has made things even harder.
- More than 50 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers are involved in trials to test vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, and the agency is calling on vets to volunteer.
- Advocates say the Army is too quick to write off soldiers as deserters when they don't show up for duty. That can delay searches when a service member disappears because of an accident, suicide, or abduction.
- President Roosevelt integrated the military in 1941, but for African-American service members like Luther Hendricks, racism still was prevalent.
- Medical facilities run by the Department of Veterans Affairs are reopening at a slower pace than many civilian health systems. But the VA has recently started to expand in-person care.
- American Legion posts across the country serve as a community hub for veterans and their families. But the pandemic has put the future of many posts in jeopardy.
- Following Guillen's killing, the Army launched an independent investigation into the climate of Fort Hood, but critics say the problems are systemic.
- Most military children are used to moving and changing schools. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be especially hard to make friends and feel comfortable in a new place.
- Like many college classes, ROTC training is mostly online because of the pandemic. But some cadets have resumed limited in-person training.
- The One Navy Task Force is looking at why only a handful of African Americans reach top jobs. It's also examining discrimination in all aspects of Navy life.
