Task & Purpose Task & Purpose

tessa poppe

Tessa Poppe

Tessa Poppe is a program specialist for Overseas Safety and Security at the U.S. Institute of Peace. The views expressed are her own. Tessa served in the Army National Guard for seven years and deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, and Kunar province, Afghanistan, as a military police officer. She holds a Master's Degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University and a Bachelor's in International Studies and English from the University of Iowa.

Recent articles from Tessa Poppe

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News
These Vets Stormed The Capitol To Fight For Service Members The Pentagon Left Behind
This group of vets is fighting to help troops who were forced out of the military with less-than-honorable discharges due to mental health issues.
Mathew Engelbaum, 633rd Air Base Wing Legal Office intern, reviews private organizations’ programs at Langley Air Force Base, Va., Dec. 12, 2014.
Career
4 Reasons Why Internships Are Worth The Hassle (Even The Unpaid Ones)
Internships offer skills and experiences you won’t get in the classroom.
Department of Defense military and civilians bow their head during innvocation during the Army's Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month Kickoff Ceremony at the center courtyard of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., March 31, 2015.
Analysis
Understanding Sexual Assault In The Armed Forces Requires Looking Outside The Military
The “sexual assault problem” is not a military problem, it is a societal one.
Two of the leading causes of U.S. Army Reserve suicides in 2013 were due to relationship issues and problems with finances. A panel review of the 57 Army Reserve suicides that year examined many of the underlying causes and outlined a way ahead to prevent future suicide attempts. (U.S. Army photo by Timothy L. Hale/Released)
Community
What Happens When Veterans Receive Bad Paper Discharges?
Discharges for misconduct are on the rise military wide, but this behavior could be the result of post-traumatic stress or a traumatic brain injury. It is up to the military to sort through undeserved bad papers.
A married female Marine stands at the position of attention April 1 during an awards and promotion ceremony.
News
The Injury Afflicting Veterans That No One Wants to Talk About
We need to start talking about how severe injuries, to include post-traumatic stress disorder, affect veterans’ sexual function, fertility, and ability to be intimate.
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Community
We Need To Come To Terms With This Generation’s True War Story
“Once a soldier becomes a symbol, an abstraction available for political ends, we deny him or her the humanity we strive to celebrate.”
Janice Hough, of Palo Alto, Calif., walks with a sign protesting NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell before an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings outside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Rogelio Solis)
News
Why Is The Military Getting Involved In The NFL’s Domestic Violence Scandal?
As the NFL grapples with its poor handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence case, it is taking a few tips from the U.S. Army.
Capt. Dawn Tanner, 51st Medical Operations Squadron Family Advocacy element leader, and Dana McCown, retired lieutenant colonel, share their first glimpse of each other before their wedding ceremony in Omaha, Neb., May 3, 2013. Recent legislation has given service members and dependents in same-sex marriages access to the same benefits and assignment opportunities as heterosexual couples, but those assigned to United States Forces Korea and governed under the Status of Forces Agreement continue to wait for theater-specific entitlements. (U.S. Air Force Courtesy Photo/Capt. Dawn Tanner)
News
The VA Is Being Sued For Denying Benefits To Same-Sex Couples
A military-veteran advocacy group has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Veterans Affairs for failing to provide all same-sex married couples with spousal benefits ranging from home loan guarantees to burial rights.
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Education
5 Smart College Degrees Modern Veterans Should Consider
We have an overview of five college degrees that every veteran should check out.
Rich Bronson and Christie Martin, cast members of “No Zebras and More,” act out a scene of an abusive relationship during a performance at the Combat Center’s Sunset Cinema March 26, 2013.
News
The VA Is Now Being Sued For Discriminating Against Victims Of Military Sexual Trauma