An Army Base Isn’t As Safe As You Think

The Recent Shootings Remind Us That Fort Hood Has Similar Problems to the Rest of America

How could this have happened at Fort Hood again? That’s the lingering question after the shooting that took place two weeks ago in which three people were killed and 16 injured. Talking heads emphasize that last word to remind us of the mass shooting at the base in 2009, when 13 were killed and 30 injured. There’s no easy answer to why it happened again, but it’s worthwhile for us to consider what life on a large Army post is like—and how the Army handles soldiers with mental health issues.

Mass …

When I Got Sent to Anchorage Instead of Pyongyang

During a Bloody War in Korea, Army Life in Alaska Postal Unit 50 Was Pretty Good

On October 3, 1951, after learning that I would be spared deployment to Korea and getting a customary 14-day leave from the U.S. Army, I reported to Union Station in …

The Joys of Basic Training, 1951

Becoming a Soldier in a Time of War

When Bill Clinton was preparing to take over as president of the United States, he got a lesson from Ronald Reagan on how to salute. Back then, it was unusual …