Category In the News
The Myths and Truths about Homelessness among Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
Stephen Metraux (@SteveMetraux) is a researcher at the National Center for Homelessness Among Veterans of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and has done extensive research on homelessness. More information on him and his research is at http://www.stephenmetraux.com. Opinions are his and do not reflect official VA positions. Americans feel a keen obligation […]
Why #metoo won’t be a watershed moment for the military
Over the last several months our country has been experiencing a cultural reckoning around the issues of sexual harassment and sexual assault, especially in relation to women in the workplace. After allegations about Harvey Weinstein, a Hollywood executive and producer, became public we continue to witness the fall of top journalists, actors, and political leaders […]
Transgender Servicemembers: What We Know
Nearly a week ago, President Trump made a surprising policy announcement via Twitter about transgender servicemembers and prospective military recruits. On Wednesday, July 26th he wrote: (1) “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow……”, (2) “….Transgender individuals to serve in any […]
When A Simple Statistic Isn’t So Simple: The Story of Rural Enlistments
On Monday April 3 I participated in a congressional briefing sponsored by the Population Association of America, and several other organizations, on the demography of rural America. I was asked to present about rural veterans in the short time span of twelve minutes, but twelve minutes goes by quickly and doesn’t offer much time to […]
The Emotion Work of “Thank You For Your Service”
In the post-9/11 era, “thank you for your service” (TYFYS) has become the new mantra of public support bestowed upon the veteran community. In the early 2000s, as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began escalating, “Support Our Troops” car magnets increasingly appeared on the trunks of cars across America. After well over 15 years […]
Wounded veterans don’t want your pity…or your appropriation of them.
After San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem at a preseason NFL football game earlier this summer on August 26, many in the veteran community became angry. Colin later made a statement saying that he feels he cannot show pride for his nation’s flag when it is a […]
Sidra Montgomery
Meredith Kleykamp
Veteran Scholars 