Fire Watch

Marine Corps drill instructors represent one of the most legendary roles in the military. From the 1987 war movie "Full Metal Jacket" to their essential job of making new Marines at boot camp in 13-week cycles, the role has become iconic to the public and within squad bays alike. Last month, Military.com and The Washington Post published a joint investigation into the mental health and personal struggles that have afflicted the drill instructor population. With my reporting partner, Kelsey Baker, we found that the high-stress environment for drill instructors was bleeding into some of their personal lives, causing depression, suicidal ideations, familial tension, sleep issues and increased alcohol use to cope. We heard from leadership at both recruit depots. They said that the challenges long associated with the drill instructor role have improved over the last two years, citing recent data about reductions in suicide and misconduct for DIs, increased morale and other metrics the service says prove that point. They also outlined current processes for depot staff to receive mental health help. Two sources who have been at the depots since these changes started said things have shifted for the better in some ways. The conversation about DI stressors was overdue, but they added that there are still underlying issues when it comes to mental health stigma, personal and familial stress, and a residual sense of being under a microscope when it comes to alleged misconduct. Now, the question is this: As improvements are being made, will those changes fix long-standing structural problems affecting drill instructors -- and will the Corps continue to push for progress? In this episode: Kelsey Baker, Gunnery Sgt. Steven Banuski, Michael Nichols, Col. Christopher McArthur, Drew F. Lawrence, Lieutenant Commander Nicholas Petikas

Since announcing his campaign for re-election, the public has weighed and dissected the merits and shortfalls of incoming President Trump's aims for the military. But what has been missing is how these promises or inferences might come to fruition and what challenges they may face on their way to implementation. In this episode, we spoke to two people with collective decades of experience in analyzing military policies, both foreign and domestic. We talked about five promises – or policies floated in the media – that will likely see early headway in Trump's military. In this episode: Michael O'Hanlon, NBC News, Katherine Kuzminski, Drew F. Lawrence, President Donald Trump  

At its surface, Stolen Valor is a legal term used to describe people who claim gallant military awards -- like the Purple Heart or Medal of Honor -- they did not earn in an effort to gain money, property or other tangible benefits, according to a 2013 congressional act. But the phrase seems to have inhabited a broader meaning and gained a foothold in the public consciousness in recent years, one that has been sometimes divisive, but also critical to identifying when public figures might be embellishing or outright lying about their service records. On this episode, we talk to three experts about Stolen Valor, the historic intertwining nature of service and politics -- and ultimately what it might mean for veterans looking to engage in the democratic process this election. We also look at how these fights over service brew and what they may mean for voters, too. In this episode: Gov. Tim Walz, FOX10 Investigates, C-SPAN, Sen. JD Vance, Todd Connor, Anthony Anderson, Drew F. Lawrence, Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky

The V-22 was a novel aircraft when it was conceived in the 1980s. Promising to give American service members an advantage on the battlefield, it was versatile. It could fly like a plane, but rotate its propellers to take off like a helicopter. Military services jumped on it, especially the Marine Corps.  But since 2022, Ospreys have crashed four times during routine training exercises, killing a total of 20 service members. That figure is on top of more than 40 previous fatalities, many having occurred during a long and troubled development period for the aircraft. Concerns about the safety of the V-22 have lingered since its conception but have intensified with the recent deaths.  As their families look for answers, another trend with the crash investigations has emerged, and it has to do with pilot error. Time and time again after these crashes, pilots and crew are either partially or fully blamed. For loved ones trying to cope with the loss of these service members – often having a hard time getting complete or direct answers about what happened to their lost son or daughter or spouse – the assignment of blame adds only more questions. They ask: If there are known problems with the aircraft, why keep putting service members in it – and is it fair to point the finger at them when tragedy strikes? Appearing in this episode: Lt. Col. (ret.) Doug Thumm, Thomas Novelly, Drew F. Lawrence, Amber Sax, Bart Collart, Tim Loranger, Congressman Stephen Lynch.

Last time, on Fire Watch, we took you inside Navy Boot camp. I was accompanied by Military.com reporter and Navy veteran Konstantin Toropin. And we came armed with a few questions: Is Navy boot camp different than veterans remember it? Is it still hard? And what do those changes say about the sailors joining the Navy today? In this episode, we're taking a closer look at those changes – ones that have fueled generational dissent among Navy veterans who see new recruits as being coddled. But isn't there a better way to assess what the Navy and its new sailors are doing? In this episode: Chief Petty Officer David Bevels, Rear Admiral Carl A. Lahti, Capt. Kenneth Froberg, Command Master Chief Van-Troi SibiliaMartinez, Konstantin Toropin, RDC, Commander Christopher McHenry, Recruits, David Rogers, Recruit, Video, Drew F. Lawrence, Announcement, ABC News  

On this episode we will be focusing on years of underreporting of child abuse at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California, one of the Navy's most sprawling installations which is located in the Mojave Desert.  This is a story about disclosure – or rather the lack of disclosure. In this episode: Drew F. Lawrence, Konstantin Toropin.  

In this episode we examine the history of the military, Hollywood and the veterans who brought real-as-can-be portrayals of that world to big and small screens. I interviewed some of the contemporary players – actors, advisors and writers – who made some of those portrayals a reality. In this episode: Jim LaPorta, Drew F. Lawrence, Caitlin Bassett, Capt. (ret.) Dale Dye

We're in a Norwegian valley, high above the Arctic Circle. It's late afternoon in early March and a group of over a dozen infantry Marines are standing around an American and Norwegian chaplain. It's windy, cold. The Marines hold laminated prayer cards in dense gloves, some are shifting back and forth to stay warm. A radio chatters in the background with reports from the front. “That symbol – that cross – came to signify that Rome could force people to obey out of fear, obedience out of fear of being raised upon that cross,” a Marine chaplain said. “And Christ says, I will destroy the fear of death and dying. I myself will be raised upon that cross in order to evoke life and hope.” Article Five of the NATO agreement – if one is attacked, all are attacked – is a provision that binds these NATO countries together. The last – and only – time it has been invoked was in the aftermath of 9/11 when “NATO rallied in support of the USA,” according to Vice Adm. Doug Perry, commander of Joint Force Command - Decades later, he said the alliance was now more relevant than ever because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We spent time with the Marines miles above the Arctic Circle in Norway as part of the largest NATO exercise in the region since 1988. We spoke to Norwegians, Swedes and Finns as well – all nations that contributed to America's fight in Afghanistan, all nations that lost troops to it, too. Now, those countries are on the brink of an uncertain future. In this episode: Norwegian Chaplain, LT Kathleen Laboa, MONTAGE, Drew F. Lawrence, American Chaplain, Former President Donald Trump, Ville, Vice Adm. Doug Perry, HM2 Zachery Matthews, Marine Sergeant

Since the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago, recruiting across the military services has been in crisis. Many recruiters lost access to schools that were shuttered. The military also has been increasingly the subject of political attacks – mainly from the right of the aisle condemning the services as “woke.” We'll get into that in the episode. My colleague, Steve Beynon – an Army veteran and Military.com's Army reporter – and I wanted to see what it was like for recruiters on the ground floor. How do they recruit? Why were they at the Great American Outdoors show? Are the problems that gain so much traction in Washington the same ones that recruiters on the ground are experiencing? We talked to people who approached the recruiting booth and asked them why they were interested in the Army. Some of the answers were pretty par for the course, and others were a bit surprising. Appearing in this episode: Steve Beynon, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Sen. Tom Cotton, Terri, Sgt. First Class Nickolas Gordon, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Volz, Lt. Col. Thomas Geisinger, Drew F. Lawrence, Carter  

The PACT Act, which was meant to help veterans receive care and benefits after being exposed to toxins and burn pits while serving their country, was billed as the most sweeping piece of veteran healthcare legislation ever passed. But for some veterans, like those exposed to things like the “black goo” and even cyanide at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, also known as K2 – it was not sweeping enough. Military.com's veterans and health reporter Patricia Kime spoke to several veterans about being left out of this law after years of advocacy and months of political turmoil. What does being left out mean for their futures? How are they grappling with illnesses that advocates say should be covered by the VA's biggest healthcare law? In this episode: ​​​​Jon Stewart, John Feal, Patricia Kime, Drew F. Lawrence, Shane Liermann, Rosie Torres

Note: This special Christmas episode originally aired on December 23rd, 2022. We thought it might bring you some holiday cheer again this year. Enjoy. When the red telephone began to ring, Col. Harry Shoup feared the worst. It was 1955, at the height of the Cold War, and Shoup was in the operations center of the Continental Air Defense Command in Colorado. CONAD, as it was known then, stood as the early warning system for a Soviet attack. So the ringing of the red telephone never meant anything good. What happened next launched the now-named North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, into a decades-long tradition to track Santa and bring joy to children around the world. And it started with a simple act of kindness, a Cold War scare and a youngster hoping to tap into a little Christmas magic. So who runs NORAD, and how do they know so much about Santa? On this episode of Fire Watch, we learn about the decades-long tradition and speak to the service members who track Santa on Christmas. Plus, a special reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” by the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. (Ret.) Martin Dempsey.

Pier 6 sits where the Elizabeth River and Chesapeake Bay meet at the largest navy complex in the world – Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. It's Monday, windy and cold. Sailors, civilian contractors and dock workers, or stevedors as they're called on Pier 6 hurry to unload three enormous food trucks filled with hundreds and hundreds of pounds of Thanksgiving provisions for the USS Forrest Sherman, a destroyer that's docked at Norfolk during the holiday. Soon an assembly line for the food forms; fruits, veggies, potatoes, pies, whole turkeys make their way from the truck, to the deck and down into the belly of the ship where they will sit, chilled, until they head to the galley for preparation. On this episode, we'll take a look at that tradition, the preparation for it and what it means to the sailors on the ship for Thanksgiving. Since antiquity, one way to learn about a military and its personnel is through their stomachs, what they're being fed and by how much – and this year – with all of the uncertainty the world has to offer, troops are getting a lot to eat this Thanksgiving. Appearing on this episode: Michael Hong, CS3 Jacob Weed, Robbin Durie, Drew F. Lawrence, Robin Whaley, IT1 Jacob Hruska, Lt. Melissa Jock, Commander Jorge Roldan, CS3 Lopez Miller  

[ARCHIVES] Ambrose Bierce was an American Civil War veteran. As a Union soldier Bierce fought in many battles, was wounded, and went on to become a pioneer in the horror genre, helping introduce the psychological thriller to the American story. American tradition is steeped in rich horror and veterans like Bierce who have taken their experiences in war and service and twisted them into terrifying tales for the public are a staple in that tradition. Edgar Allen Poe, a king of the American gothic, had a stint in the Army, enlisting under a fake name and age in 1827. Rod Serling, the creator and host of The Twilight Zone, fought in World War II, earning a bronze star and purple heart before going on to terrifying millions with dark, otherworldly frights on TV. These are some of the few, but impactful authors who have transposed the horrors of war into macabre fiction – and today, that tradition continues. On this episode of Fire Watch, we explore that tradition through contemporary authors – who are also veterans – in a reading of Bierce's An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.  This episode contains adult themes, violence and swearing. Sound effects courtesy of Zapsplat.com. In this episode: Drew F. Lawrence, Briane Keene, Jonathan Raab, Dacia Arnold, Russell James and Weston Ochse.

A few blocks away from Baltimore Harbor where many a sailor have made port and ships have launched for centuries, I walk into a tan and green-shingled building lined inside and out with tattoo memorabilia.  Snarling panthers, rickety ships, pin-up girls: slices of Americana-style ink hang over century-old tattoo guns as their modern successors whizz permanent art into the skin of ready and willing canvases. Plus there's little banter and fun, free of charge. This is the Baltimore Tattoo Museum. It's been around for decades and outside of its civilian clientele, the shop has seen more than its fair share of service members and veterans looking to get permanently stamped with classic off the wall designs or custom-made ink. The shop is also home to a cast of characters, including its owner Chris Keaton, who have many stories to tell of the best and worst ideas that have walked through the door…and for those tales, well – I'll let you be the judge. Appearing in this episode: Kelsey Baker, Drew F. Lawrence, Zach Fryer-Biggs, Chris Keaton and the Baltimore Tattoo Museum tattoo artists.

August 9th, August 9th, August 9th! If there is one thing you remember about this episode, it is that you should apply for your PACT Act benefits by August 9th.  August 9th – that's the date. If you are unsure what I am talking about, and why I am talking about it repetitively, I bet you have questions. Today, our guest will help us answer those questions. Joshua Jacobs is the Under Secretary of Benefits for the Department of Veterans Affairs. He leads the Veterans Benefits Administration which provides disability compensation and benefits to millions of qualifying veterans, their loved ones and their survivors.  

The Islamic State's Khorasan Province, also known as ISIS-K, has rapidly become the new boogeyman in the Middle East -- specifically in Afghanistan, where the overall ISIS apparatus has spread its influence. The State Department has issued warnings about the group and has previously designated its leaders as top-priority terrorists. Over the last few years, top military generals have said that the group must be eradicated. And perhaps most recent in Americans' minds is the group's claim to the Abbey Gate suicide bombing, an explosion that killed 13 U.S. service members and at least 160 Afghans during the chaotic military withdrawal from Afghanistan almost two years ago.  Last month, the Taliban -- the reigning draconian regime in Afghanistan that the U.S. fought over the last 20 years of conflict in the country -- claimed that they had killed the ISIS-K leader behind the Abbey Gate plot. The claim marks renewed attention in a new era of conflict for the region. Our guest, Andrew Mines, spent years as a researcher with the George Washington Program on Extremism warning of ISIS-K's rise, as did other academics. And reporters like Dan Lamothe with The Washington Post have uncovered U.S. documents that indicate Afghanistan is once again a staging ground for global terrorism -- this time, with ISIS-K. Appearing in this episode: Rebecca Kheel, Dan Lamothe, Drew F. Lawrence, Andrew Mines  

Last week, my colleague Konstantin Toropin and I spoke to the Chief of Navy Personnel, Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman, and his senior enlisted counterpart Fleet Master Chief Delbert Terrell. They are the senior leaders who run the Navy's personnel, manpower and training operations across the fleet. We had asked sailors to let us know what questions they thought the two should have to answer, receiving suggestions through email, Reddit and elsewhere. It was a chance for them to put the senior leaders on the spot about pay issues, housing and, of course, beards. For this episode, we're sharing that full conversation, only lightly edited for time. Appearing in this episode: Fleet Master Chief Delbert Terrell, Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman, Drew F. Lawrence, Konstantin Toropin

Many Americans think of only one form of military heroism: the war hero. But there are many varieties of heroism -- yes, some that include acts of gallantry in combat, but others are performed by service members here at home. At least, that's what the United Service Organizations, or USO, has hoped to show over the last 20 years when it nominates its Service Members of the Year -- junior enlisted troops from all branches and components recognized for actions that go above and beyond. Today, you'll hear from those USO Service Members of the Year: a Patriot missile operator who resurrected U.S. use of the system for the first time in nearly two decades; a Marine who gave lifesaving CPR to an unconscious noncommissioned officer; a sailor who treated wounded civilians after a drive-by shooting; a Guardsman who rushed into a burning building to save a woman's life; an airman who tackled a man attacking a pregnant woman; and a Coast Guardsman who breathed life into an infant after an overloaded boat capsized while crossing the Rio Grande River. Appearing in this episode: Ben Fenwick, Sgt. Octavio Castruita, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Flores, Spc. Solomon J. Doss, Cpl. Alec Cruz, Sgt. Erick Ceja, Seaman Ty Knight, Drew F. Lawrence, Rebecca Kheel.

Nearly 60 years ago, now-retired Colonel Paris Davis did something remarkable. He was a Green Beret, one of the first Black officers to join the elite Special Forces. And on June 18, 1965 as dawn was breaking over the rice paddies of Binh Dinh province Vietnam, Davis, his Special Forces team, and an inexperienced company of South Vietnamese soldiers started taking heavy machine-gun fire from Viet Cong fighters – hundreds of fighters. During a 19-hour battle, Davis saved three Americans under his command, disobeying two direct orders from a superior officer to do so, crawling through mud and human waste to rescue them. He killed more than a dozen enemies using all manner of weapons, including engaging in hand-to-hand combat. He was wounded at least eight times in the process, and was the last American to step off the battlefield that day. How could a soldier like Davis who exhibited that type of heroism suffer the fate of having the paperwork for the nation's highest military honor lost – and not just once, but twice?  The answer, according to historians, his family and friends is clear – racism. Davis, a Black officer leading an elite force who had disobeyed a superior during the height of the Civil Rights movement could well have been a symbol for those striving for equality in that era. Army officials were hesitant to blame discrimination, but acknowledged Davis had waited far too long, declaring their admiration for the acts of courage he had performed in 1965.  Join host Drew F. Lawrence as he explores Davis' legacy through the eyes of his friends, family and of course, the retired Green Beret himself. Appearing in this episode: President Joe Biden, Ron Deis, Neil Thorne, Steve Beynon, Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Weimer, Drew Lawrence, Regan Hopper, Phil Donahue, Maj. Gen. Patrick Roberson, Col. Paris Davis, Rebecca Kheel  

Last week, Americans looked toward the sky … they were scanning for a 200-foot-tall white orb that traversed the entire country in less than two weeks. It stalked the Midwest and floated into the Southeast like an all-seeing eye. It was a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon or spy balloon, according to the Pentagon, and on the afternoon of Feb. 4, an F-22 Raptor ripped across the blue expanse and punched a Sidewinder missile through its side. The popping of the balloon came on the heels of a leaked memo from an Air Force four-star general predicting a physical conflict between the U.S. and the People's Republic of China starting as early as the next two years. At the time, it was rebuffed by critics as hyperbolic -- and many still consider it so. But the balloon, the leaked memo, and an increasingly tense intelligence atmosphere between the U.S. and China raised a question in the last two weeks that in actuality has been looming for decades. Is America going to war with China? And if so, what would it look like and when will it happen? Appearing in this episode: Gen. Mike Minihan, Nicholas Eftimiades, Drew Lawrence, KTLA Eye Witness Video, Thomas Novelly, Allison P. Erickson, Rebecca Kheel  

In 2019, when Gen. Milley marched his boots on Sesame Street, it was in April, the Month of the Military Child. What Gen. Milley, Elmo and the rest of the world did not know at the time was that in less than a year, the world would change. The experts and researcher behind the family-friendly fun on Sesame Street realized that kids were particularly affected by some of the consequences of the virus: two years of online schooling, oscillating class schedules, a scary illness that may have hurt them or their family, frightening images flashing across TV screens of people in hospitals beds…and of course isolation from playmates, friends and family.  And within that group, a distinct and important pocket of Americans exists: military families, who already face an ever-changing homelife with regular – and often disruptive – moves, deployments with time away from mom or dad, new schools, new friends.  The effects of the pandemic compounded those stressors that exist in military family life, especially for kids. And the Muppets of Sesame Street - who have brought joy and hope and education to children for decades - are here…and looking to help. Appearing in this episode: Muppets, NBC News Now, What Went Well, Keep It Simple, Elmo, Gen. Mark Milley, Drew Lawrence, Good Morning America, Rocío Galarza, CNN, Konstantin Toropin, Abby, Rebecca Kheel Interview clips courtesy of Sesame Workshop

In late 2019, an explosion rumbled across a remote vista in Somalia, disturbing the low brush and red-brown dirt surrounding a lonely American airfield. It rattled the bolts of the decades-old base and buckled the knees of the National Guard soldiers tasked with defending it. Capt. London Nagai – the commander of the unit – and his Charlie Troopers knew the attack was coming. A truck, up-armored and sickly yellow against its trailing dust cloud, broke off from the group. Unbeknownst to the soldiers inside the base, that truck carried one of the largest known vehicle-borne explosive devices on the African continent. And it was bound for them. In 2019, as rumbles about the Global War on Terror ending, regular troops – many of whom are police officers, fire fighters, college students, and delivery drivers in their civilian jobs – found themselves at the tip of that long, gnarled spear that many Americans don't realize is firmly planted in the near center of Somalia. Appearing in this episode: Drew F. Lawrence, Capt. London Nagai, Dr. Tricia Brown, W.J. Hennigan, the soldiers of C Troop, Rebecca Kheel, and Steve Beynon

When the red telephone began to ring, Col. Harry Shoup feared the worst. It was 1955, at the height of the Cold War, and Shoup was in the operations center of the Continental Air Defense Command in Colorado. CONAD, as it was known then, stood as the early warning system for a Soviet attack. So the ringing of the red telephone never meant anything good. What happened next launched the now-named North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, into a decades-long tradition to track Santa and bring joy to children around the world. And it started with a simple act of kindness, a Cold War scare and a youngster hoping to tap into a little Christmas magic. So who runs NORAD, and how do they know so much about Santa? On this episode of Fire Watch, we learn about the decades-long tradition and speak to the service members who track Santa on Christmas. Plus, a special reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” by the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. (Ret.) Martin Dempsey. Sound & Music: Adobe Stock, Zapsplat.com Appearing in this episode: Zachary Fryer-Biggs, Gen. (Ret.) Martin Dempsey, Gen. (Ret.) Gene Renuart, Capt. Alexandra Hejduk, Preston Schlachter, Drew Lawrence, Cade, Thomas Novelly, Amy Bushatz

This episode contains descriptions of suicide. Listener discretion is advised. Traumatic Brain Injuries – the cost of the Global War on Terror is due – passed due – and veterans and families are footing the bill with their lives. Suicide is a complex issue. And as we are learning, TBIs add to that complexity. One university cohort study showed that veterans who experienced even a mild traumatic brain injury were three times as likely to die by suicide compared to their civilian counterparts. And as the Global War on Terror fades into the rearview for the public – so with it the cost of those wars. But a small and important section of America continues to foot the bill for the last 20 years – often with their lives, and with the lives of their families as they cope with their absence. TBI has largely gone unrecognized, untreated, unnoticed, and ignored by the institutions charged with caring for those who bear its weight…as well as the ones who are left picking up the pieces when that load becomes too great to bear at all. This reporting is based on a three-part Military.com series on TBIs from reporters Patricia Kime and Rebecca Kheel. Appearing in this episode: Drew F. Lawrence, Kristina, Frank Larkin, Rebecca Kheel, and James LaPorta.

Veterans Day is a holiday meant to honor those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. It is also a day that has historically served as a platform for those outside of the community to offer their thoughts on service – whether sincere or platitudinous. On this episode of Fire Watch, we speak to many veterans – ones with unique, distinguished or important backgrounds – and ask them their thoughts on the day, what phrases like “thank you for your service" means to them and why it may mean different things to different veterans. In this episode you'll hear from a Navy pilot and son of one of the most influential veterans of our lifetimes, a Silver Star recipient who fought in one of the most infamous and deadly battles of the Afghan War, a Vietnam veteran who has covered military issues for decades, an Iraq War veteran and proud immigrant who defended the Capitol against rioters on January 6th 2021, a founding leader for Black veteran voices and equity across the country, and a Marine who was relieved of command after she said she took a stand against gender bias in the Corps. Appearing in this episode: Drew Lawrence, Jonathan Hill, Kate Germano, Jack McCain, Aquilino Gonell, Alex Horton, Daniele Anderson, Rebecca Kheel and Richard Sisk. Interviews edited for time and clarity.

Ambrose Bierce was an American Civil War veteran. As a Union soldier Bierce fought in many battles, was wounded, and went on to become a pioneer in the horror genre, helping introduce the psychological thriller to the American story. American tradition is steeped in rich horror and veterans like Bierce who have taken their experiences in war and service and twisted them into terrifying tales for the public are a staple in that tradition. Edgar Allen Poe, a king of the American gothic, had a stint in the Army, enlisting under a fake name and age in 1827. Rod Serling, the creator and host of The Twilight Zone, fought in World War II, earning a bronze star and purple heart before going on to terrifying millions with dark, otherworldly frights on TV. These are some of the few, but impactful authors who have transposed the horrors of war into macabre fiction – and today, that tradition continues. On this episode of Fire Watch, we explore that tradition through contemporary authors – who are also veterans – in a reading of Bierce's An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.  Appearing in this episode: Weston Ochse, Russell James, Dacia Arnold, Drew Lawrence, Jonathan Raab, Brian Keene This episode contains adult themes, violence and swearing. Sound effects courtesy of Zapsplat.com.

These are the family members who were part of the Department of Veterans' Affairs caregiver program, a largely unsung army of thousands of friends, family members and guardians that quietly take care of veterans who cannot independently take care of themselves as a result of injury or illness incurred from their service.  Many have quit their jobs to work full time as a caregiver, sacrificing an otherwise independent life to help their veteran do things like bathe, dress themselves, eat, take medication, and other daily tasks they couldn't do on their own. And until recently, the support they got from the VA to give that 24/7 care was essentially a sure thing. So what happened and why were 90% of them at risk of being disqualified for the program?

On the way out of the military, troops get a single document that has the power to get them a job and healthcare. It is constantly used by the Department of Veterans Affairs as reference for disability or benefits ratings. If a veteran wants to go to school, a university is going to ask for it. So why are some sailors being forced to wait and wait, facing extensive delays, for such a crucial proof of their service? In this episode of Fire Watch, we're going to examine the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty – also known as the DD-214 – and why, in the last few months, sailors haven't been getting theirs, causing hardships while trying to move, go to school, find a job, and get healthcare. These veterans are stuck in limbo, unable to move on with their lives while confronting a Navy backlog with no easy workaround. Guest interview edited for time and clarity. Some sound effects from Zapsplat.com

Who are the women shaking up Army rules? Today, junior ranks are leading the charge to make change in the military. Not only for hair policy, but for women's reproductive health and in tackling the pervasive sexual assault issue that has been plaguing the military for decades. On this episode, we're going to talk to some of those soldiers who have spoken up and found ways to shape policies aimed at making the service more supportive for women and families so that soldiers can focus on winning wars.

A year ago this week, U.S. forces were preparing to depart Afghanistan after 20 years of war. It wasn't the first time that American troops witnessed the end of decades of conflict, trying to assess what it was all for.   Almost 50 years prior President Richard Nixon promised the next generation peace in the wake of Vietnam. Just as Vietnamese refugees clung to the skids of helicopters departing the Saigon embassy in the waning days of that conflict, Afghans desperate to escape the draconian rule of the Taliban tried to grab hold of American cargo planes, with several falling to their deaths.   Today, on Fire Watch, we have two members of the generations that fought those two wars speaking with us – one, a retired Marine Colonel who served in Vietnam and the other, an active duty Army officer who was in Kabul, Afghanistan in the final days of that conflict.    We asked them to reflect on those two campaigns, how they view them personally and how they assess the cost to service members and its impact on the military community. One has had decades to process what the war meant. The other, only a single year.   We asked the same questions about their experiences on fighting a seemingly never-ending counter-insurgency. We asked them some different questions too – because the wars in Afghanistan and Vietnam are not the same, but the endings of each are too strikingly similar to ignore.    The opinions expressed by service members in this episode do not reflect the views of the Department of Defense or the Department of the Army. They are reflective of the individual's own experience.   This episode depicts instances of combat.   Some sound effects courtesy of Zapsplat.com.

The PACT Act had a years-long, tumultuous journey to getting signed into law this week. It is meant to provide expanded health care for veterans affected by burnpit toxins and other exposures incurred during their service. Veterans and their advocates camped outside of the Capitol for six days waiting for a moment that was years in the making and one that many of their friends and family – who died from toxic exposure – could not see themselves. “Never again,” one veteran said.

What happened at Red Hill? Last year, fuel tanks at the Navy facility spilled thousands of gallons of fuel into Hawaii's water supply – sickening and displacing thousands of families from the Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam area. This is their story.

How is the military making space troops? Fire Watch looks at the military's newest service, how the Space Force is building its own identity in the long-established shadows of the other military branches and how Guardians are trained, from cradle to star amid a renewed 21st century competition in space. Some sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Join the talented reporters at military.com every two weeks for your military news -- told in podcast format. A Military.com production.