community Archives - Task & Purpose

By Tony Valdovinos Dec 21, 2020

Opinion

I dreamed of becoming a Marine my entire life. Then I learned I was undocumented

"I couldn’t work legally. I couldn’t get a driver’s license. Worst of all, I was prohibited from defending my country."

By Adam Linehan Dec 12, 2020

Leadership

Medal of Honor recipient Clint Romesha on why soldiers go to war

Romesha didn’t earn the Medal of Honor by being a hero. He earned it by getting the job done.

By Sloan Green, The War Horse Dec 2, 2020

Opinion

‘I bet it never smells like farts in there’ — How a C-17 pilot flies Secret Service agents around the world

I bet from the ground it looks like the U.S. government totally has their shit together.

By Jared Keller Nov 23, 2020

Career

How this Army veteran found meaning in emergency management

For Lorenzo Leon, coming home was almost as difficult as deploying in the first place

By James Clark Nov 20, 2020

News

Watch Medal of Honor hero Kyle Carpenter celebrate his ‘Alive Day’ in this remarkable video

Kyle Carpenter, the youngest living Medal of Honor recipient, celebrated his 10th alive day with a moving video on Friday

By Mike McGuinness, The War Horse Nov 18, 2020

Community

Clint Lorance ordered me to kill Afghan civilians. I still live with that guilt today

'I am angry and let down that Clint Lorance is feted around like some hero, while the real heroes—Nick Carson,...

By Jonathan M. Pitts, The Baltimore Sun Nov 12, 2020

Community

Half a century ago, this soldier escaped armed captors in Africa. He’s still fighting for the recognition many say he’s due

In 1965, Ron Dolecki was on a map-making mission for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Ethiopia when he...

By Shahad Alibadi Nov 12, 2020

Community

Families like mine risked our lives for US troops abroad. Now America is abandoning us

After Iraq’s liberation when I was just a child, my family had begun aiding the U.S. military. Here's the story...

By Paul D. Mooney Nov 11, 2020

popular

What not to say to a service member on Veterans Day

Veterans Day puts veterans and the military as a whole in the limelight and gives people, particularly those who may...

By Task & Purpose Nov 10, 2020

Community

Celebrate Veterans Day by sending us your most moto boot photos

You're out now, wizened by time and experience, but let's take a moment to celebrate that time way back when...

By Sgt. Jessica DuVernay, U.S. Army Nov 9, 2020

Immigration Rundown

Pledging allegiance from Iraqi interpreter to US soldier to American citizen

"I didn't have a normal and safe childhood ... I did this so my kids could live, and be safe"

By Dave Ress, Daily Press (Newport News, Va.) Oct 20, 2020

Community

Meet the ‘Iron 9,’ the USS Gerald R. Ford’s all-female bridge watch section

All the deck department sailors assigned to the boatswain’s mates bridge watch teams on the USS Gerald R. Ford are...

By Oct 9, 2020

Community

USS Cole bombing testimony

The explosion was sudden, violent, deafening, so intense that 8,500 tons of steel lifted out of the water and crashed...

By Alun Thomas, U.S. Army Oct 9, 2020

Community

From Mexico to the US Army, this recruiter excels at serving his adopted country

Staff Sgt. Roberto Morales, a recruiter for Superstition Recruiting Station, Tempe Recruiting Company, was born and raised in Mexico until...

By David Choi, Business Insider Oct 9, 2020

News

One of the first women to earn a Ranger tab describes what it was like to lead Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s lying in state

One of the first women to complete the U.S. Army's Ranger School had the distinct honor of leading Justice Ruth...

By Staff Sgt. Steven Tucker, U.S. Air Force Oct 8, 2020

Community

Immigrant Guardsman helps community while activated for COVID-19 response

U.S. Army Spc. Juan Herrera, 142nd Area Support Medical Company combat medic, helped spearhead a grassroots effort to deliver food...

By Tech. Sgt. Samantha Mathison, U.S. Air Force Oct 7, 2020

Community

A former war refugee lives the American dream as a Reserve airman

As a result of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, an estimated 40,000 Bosnian refugees immigrated to St. Louis, Missouri, in the...

By Ryan Pickrell, Business Insider Sep 18, 2020

Community

A former Navy fighter pilot describes one of the most terrifying moments of his career

Fighter pilots who go through the U.S. Navy's elite air-combat training center commonly known as TOPGUN are among the best...

By John Reinan, Minneapolis Star Tribune Sep 16, 2020

News

A Navy veteran could lose his home in a dispute over a flagpole

A Navy veteran who installed a pole in his yard to fly the American flag is now in danger of...

By Rita Giordano, The Philadelphia Inquirer Sep 15, 2020

Community

An Air Force veteran in recovery is using his home to help struggling vets find peace and sanctuary

Air Force veteran Anthony Luton has seen a lot of things in life, good and bad. Now he wants to...

By Joe Quinn Sep 10, 2020

Community

I learned to understand shame after losing my brother on September 11th

"I would go on to serve two deployments to Iraq as a soldier and one deployment to Afghanistan as a...

By Esther Bergdahl Sep 8, 2020

Community

He came to America to join the military. Then he sacrificed his life and became a community hero

On that fateful December night in 2017, he could have easily escaped the flames unharmed, but Emmanuel Mensah's overwhelming sense...

By Melinda Henneberger, The Kansas City Star Sep 1, 2020

Community

‘You’re disgusting’ — Biracial military family welcomed to Kansas City with racist taunts

Jamari Roland, is a 37-year-old U.S. Army veteran, originally from Los Angeles, who works for the State Department. A special...

By Dave Sutor, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa. Aug 31, 2020

News

What it’s like to rescue three mariners stranded on a desert island

Senior Airman Jeremy Williams experienced what could be described as both a life-saving and life-changing moment when he helped rescue...

By Erika I. Ritchie, The Orange County Register Aug 25, 2020

News

Ceremony held at Camp Pendleton for Marines and sailor killed in tragic AAV sinking

Marines and sailors at Camp Pendleton honored the men lost when their seafaring amphibious assault vehicle sank off San Clemente...

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Featured in community

I dreamed of becoming a Marine my entire life. Then I learned I was undocumented

Medal of Honor recipient Clint Romesha on why soldiers go to war

‘I bet it never smells like farts in there’ — How a C-17 pilot flies Secret Service agents around the world

How this Army veteran found meaning in emergency management

Watch Medal of Honor hero Kyle Carpenter celebrate his ‘Alive Day’ in this remarkable video

Clint Lorance ordered me to kill Afghan civilians. I still live with that guilt today

Half a century ago, this soldier escaped armed captors in Africa. He’s still fighting for the recognition many say he’s due

Families like mine risked our lives for US troops abroad. Now America is abandoning us

What not to say to a service member on Veterans Day

Celebrate Veterans Day by sending us your most moto boot photos

Pledging allegiance from Iraqi interpreter to US soldier to American citizen

Meet the ‘Iron 9,’ the USS Gerald R. Ford’s all-female bridge watch section

USS Cole bombing testimony

From Mexico to the US Army, this recruiter excels at serving his adopted country

One of the first women to earn a Ranger tab describes what it was like to lead Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s lying in state

Immigrant Guardsman helps community while activated for COVID-19 response

A former war refugee lives the American dream as a Reserve airman

A former Navy fighter pilot describes one of the most terrifying moments of his career

A Navy veteran could lose his home in a dispute over a flagpole

An Air Force veteran in recovery is using his home to help struggling vets find peace and sanctuary

I learned to understand shame after losing my brother on September 11th

He came to America to join the military. Then he sacrificed his life and became a community hero

‘You’re disgusting’ — Biracial military family welcomed to Kansas City with racist taunts

What it’s like to rescue three mariners stranded on a desert island

Ceremony held at Camp Pendleton for Marines and sailor killed in tragic AAV sinking