Military

Stories about the effect of the military on marginalized groups related to military history, domestic and foreign politics, mental health and gendered issues, either in the U.S. or abroad.

The Women, Peace and Security Framework Is Not ‘Woke’—It’s Smart Strategy for National Defense

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While most of the American populace may not know what Women, Peace and Security (WPS) is, or what it champions, WPS has recently found itself at the center of partisan political crossfire. The US WPS Act of 2017, a response to UN Security Council Resolution 1325, mandates agencies of the federal government to understand and facilitate the incorporation of women’s knowledge and skills in the realm of national security. WPS asserts that women should be involved in matters of peace and war, which too often have been the sole preserve of men.

Pentagon Reverses Policy of Reimbursement for Abortion Travel—Fighting ‘Wokeness’ in the Military at the Expense of Service Members

The Pentagon’s decision to rescind abortion travel reimbursements—following Trump’s executive order enforcing the Hyde Amendment—has sparked fierce opposition from lawmakers and veterans’ advocates, who argue it endangers servicewomen and undermines military readiness.

Sen. Jean Shaheen condemned the move for sending a message that women in the military “are not as valuable as their male counterparts,” while Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy pilot, called it “deeply personal,” noting that if she were stationed in Texas or Florida today, she “wouldn’t have had healthcare.”

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America echoed these concerns, insisting that “those who are serving and sacrificing for us deserve so much more” than this “wrongheaded and out-of-touch” policy reversal.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio Will Be a Disaster for Women

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On Wednesday, Marco Rubio appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his confirmation hearing as the next secretary of state. Rubio is expected to be confirmed without any serious opposition, thanks to the rarity of Cabinet nominee rejections and public support for Rubio, even among Democratic senators. (Rubio served for years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as a senator from Florida, and Democrats like Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Cory Booker of New Jersey greeted him warmly on Wednesday.)

But make no mistake—Rubio’s history of hostility toward reproductive autonomy and his recent embrace of “America First” nationalism heralds a State Department that decimates women’s health, human rights and well-being.

‘This Work Is Not at the Fringe’: What It Was Like to Lead the White House Gender Policy Council

Jennifer Klein, head of the first-of-its-kind office, reflects on the wins and the challenges—most notably, the end of federal abortion rights.

Gender equity isn’t simply good for women, she stressed, but good for America, good for the world. “If you look at the data, there is a well-established link between political stability and the treatment of women,” she said, making gender equity essential for national security. 

War Profiteering: Children Bear the Brunt of Wars They Don’t Start

I was a refugee during the Cold War, displaced by the geopolitical struggle between the U.S. and the USSR. Like millions of other children from that time, I carried the heavy weight of that war. My family fled Afghanistan, and in the process, I lost years of regular schooling—years that were supposed to form the foundation of my childhood.

The weight of this suffering has always fallen on children. And just as the world once turned away from the children of Auschwitz, Nagasaki and Trảng Bàng, it turns away from children in Gaza, Afghanistan, Sudan and many other places today. We revisit those historical images as if they were warnings, as if by remembering them we could prevent history from repeating itself. But we haven’t learned. The children of today are still carrying the same burdens—only the names and places have changed.

Free Screening: World War I Documentary ‘The Hello Girls’ Introduces the First Women Allowed to Serve in the U.S. Military

In honor of Veterans Day (celebrated each year on Nov. 11), the nonprofit organization Foundation for Women Warriors is set to host a screening of the powerful documentary The Hello Girls on Nov. 6, 2024. This screening aims to shed light on the extraordinary stories of women who broke barriers and paved the way for women’s role in the military.

The documentary tells the inspiring tale of 223 women who answered President Woodrow Wilson’s call to serve their country during World War I. The Nov. 6 event will feature a screening of the documentary, followed by a panel discussion with experts on women’s history and feminism. Attendees will gain insights on the Hello Girls’ experiences and their enduring impact on society.

Right-Wing Criticism of Tim Walz’s Military Record Is Really an Attack on His Manhood

When right wing activists and media personalities (falsely) accuse Tim Walz of deliberately misrepresenting his military record, they’re not just attacking his honor and integrity, and therefore his character. The actual—although unspoken—target of the attacks on Walz’s career in the Army National Guard is his masculinity.

The reason is straightforward: Military service confers a certain kind of masculine street cred on men who wear the uniform. As a result, when a male candidate has a record of service—especially if he’s a Democrat—right-wing operatives make it a point to plant seeds of doubt about whether they were truly worthy of that respect. It’s a battle tactic in the political war. The ultimate goal is to punch holes in the “real man” credentials of someone like Walz, and thereby undermine his popularity with men.

The 22 Scariest Lines We Found in Project 2025’s 900-Page ‘Mandate for Leadership’

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Project 2025, the extremist blueprint for the next Republican president, maps out the permanent reversal of more than 50 years of gains for American women and LGBTQ+ people. The authors of Project 2025—80 percent of whom served in the first Trump administration—paint a picture of a nation where women are fundamentally second class citizens.

Project 2025 contains an 887-page policy agenda. We read the whole thing, so you don’t have to. Here are the most terrifying things we found. 

The Fight Over Military Abortion Access: ‘The National Defense Act Being Used by Far-Right MAGA Extremists as a Wish List’

Women lawmakers are leading efforts across the aisle to expand some childcare and contraception benefits and also limit abortion-related travel expenses.

“It seems as if Republicans are really working to use the National Defense Authorization Act—much like other pieces of legislation—to reverse a lot of the progress women have made across the country,” said Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey.