“You weren’t born to die, you were born to live.” These are the words that were said to me, during a dream, the night I contemplated taking my life. I joined the United States Navy, in February 2011. I never would have thought that I would follow in my Father’s footsteps in joining the military, …
“You Weren’t Born To Die, You Were Born To Live.” Read More »
For what it’s worth, you swept me up like I was dirt. Those hips and lips on me that I use to love, now scorn and torn like a rug. Images of me in those cracked reflections. Standing in formation as you look me up and down in those Inspections. You knew what I look …
I remember the day, April 14th 2004, it was a Wednesday. It was arguably one of the worst days in my life. Definitely up there with my 2nd term miscarriage and the death of my mother. I had been going to medical almost every day for 3 ½ months and they had finally sent me …
By: Tammy Barlet Serving as a woman in the Coast Guard from the late 90’s to the turn of the century was slightly different from other services. From the time I started boot camp, men and women integrated into boot camp companies, and all rates were open for women to apply. Although many underway billets …
She served. I served. We served. Reclaim what we earned. Read More »
My name is Mak Vaden, and I am a 30 year old transgender soldier with 12 years of honorable service and am still serving on active duty orders in the National Guard. I enlisted in 2006 after my first year of college and went into the reserves, shortly thereafter transferring to active duty until 2010 when …
By: Haliehana “Alagum Ayagaa” Stepetin My dad raised me to hunt, fish, and hike, camp, build fires, and drive a skiff. He taught me to cast a line on the beach, take the hook out of a fish mouth, slide my fingers under the gills, crack the neck and bleed it. He taught me to …
The miles that separate us causes my heart to pound Every beat is synchronized with the chimes from your heart. The miles that separate us form a bridge that is endless…bending….curving.. Winding across the continent like a gentle whisper……shhhh.. Bridging two worlds….two cultures….two families…..into one unit…. Bound by determination and love. The miles that separate …
By: Katherine Pratt I knew that I was always going to serve in the military, but I never thought I would be a veteran. Veterans were people like my dad, who served over 20 years and had insane declassified stories that were standards at the holiday dinner table. Or they wore hats and jackets displaying …
By: Joy Turner During the last few weeks of my first quarter as a grad student, I received a phone call from my mother saying that my two nieces had no clothes to wear. She asked me if I could send some clothes to them as a sort of Christmas present. I was devastated to …