The failed bombing of a Detroit-bound airplane by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab has raised a ton of questions - from what holes there are in airline security, to how he wasn't picked up before on suspicion of terrorist activity. But, to me and the forces in or heading to Afghanistan, one...

In what is quickly becoming a year-end tradition, the Army reported that suicides are yet again at an all time high. Reports the Washington Post:

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli on Tuesday called the Army's record suicide rate this year "horrible" and said the problem...

Since the inception of VoteVets.org in 2006, we've consistently said that the Iraq war was a distraction that took our eyes off Afghanistan and al-Qaeda, and we've always been supportive of shifting the focus back. So, in that sense, we're pleased that President Obama is doing just that, with his...

This Thanksgiving, the thing that will stick the most with me is while watching football, we'll surely see the thanks to and from the troops videos just before commercial breaks. You know, the ones that have a young Army Sergeant in Iraq saying hi to his wife and kids, and...

I never thought Sarah Palin could say something that would leave me totally speechless, but this time, she's done it. Reports Politico:

Former Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday accused President Barack Obama of not acknowledging the sacrifices made by the men and women in the U.S. military....

When we began our careers in military service, conflicts were often presented to us in black and white terms. There were good guys and bad guys, clear battle lines and we always knew which side we were on, as well as the side of the enemy. However, our experiences on...

Yesterday was one of the most tragic days in the military, in the midst of a slew of tragic days as we continue to see casualties in Afghanistan. Innocent soldiers lost their lives, and many more were injured, at the hands of a very troubled Major at Ft. Hood. Our...

This past week, former Republican Congressman John McHugh, the new secretary of the Army, said that the Army is ready to deal with repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell without a problem.

So why hasn't a repeal been enacted?

To that, I say, we're getting there. In the House, Representative...

Yesterday, a coalition of US and international musicians, including Trent Reznor, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Jackson Browne, Rise Against, Rosanne Cash, Billy Bragg and the Roots announced they were joining the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo, of which VoteVets.org is a part.

The musicians called for the close of...

Last year, as the presidential campaign was heating up, the far right introduced a new group to counter the progressive voice of the veterans at VoteVets.org. Freedom's Watch started and ended with a sputter, mainly because the group was led by political folks who never served a day in their...

In the debate about the internal White House debate on which way to go in Afghanistan, one piece has been seldom talked about - did General Stanley McChrystal hurt his own cause?

There is absolutely no doubt where McChrystal stands: He wants a massive influx of troops, to execute a...

If there's one thing that the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll tells us, it's that when the President outlines a good policy and speaks directly to the American people about it, he can connect. So, it's not a surprise that after a summer where the President was pretty quiet...

The only thing more "out there" than Joe Wilson's disrespectful display during the president's speech to Congress on health care is Representative Wilson's all over the place take on two of the largest government-run health systems there are -- the ones that benefit our troops and veterans.

Wilson has railed...

Months ago, when veterans got into the fight over Clean Energy, we did so because of the firm link between Middle East oil profits and terrorism. Late last month Richard Holbrooke even stated that the Taliban is being funded by Persian Oil. In short, we're unintentionally funding both sides...

The whole health care debate has been completely confusing to me and a lot of the veterans and troops I talk with every day. See, for us, most of us got free, government-run health care.

First, troops in the Active Duty component and their families get TRICARE, the largest component...

This week brought tragic news that particularly hit hard for the VoteVets.org family. Among the painful and heartbreaking losses of those Killed in Action was Bill Cahir, a Marine Sergeant, killed in Afghanistan.

Bill epitomized what is so great about so many who serve our nation in uniform. At...

Last week, Congressman Joe Sestak jumped into the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania. Today, the over 105,000 veterans and civilian supporters at VoteVets.org are endorsing him.

Why?

As much as some may think it has everything to do with Arlen Specter, it doesn't. It's about...

Last week, I wrote here on Huffington Post that it was time to start putting pressure on the Iraqi government to settle their internal differences, and make clear that we're no longer going to be their crutch.

I closed by saying, "It's time for President Obama to recognize...

Tomorrow, under an agreement with the Iraqi government, American troops are slated to completely pull back from major cities. The Iraqi security forces don't seem ready for it. And, while it seems counter-intuitive, if they aren't getting their act together, we need to speed up our departure.

In his trip...

Let me get this straight. The latest polls say three-quarters of the American people want a public option in health care, yet it's in question. But, Congress is about to throw $369 million (on a down-payment of $2 billion) for a dozen F-22 fighter jets that even the Pentagon...