VETERANS ISSUES

A collection of stories from VFW magazine and freelance articles from AmeriForce media publications.

NAVY RESERVIST SERVES OTHERS THROUGH USO WEST

June 14, 2021

Commander Bob Kurkjian’s Navy career ended before it started – twice. But his need to serve propelled him to nearly two decades of service and a career with the USO. READ MORE.

LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD RALLIES BEHIND SOLDIER IN CANCER FIGHT

June 6, 2021

Lt. Col. Taysha Gibbs’ first routine mammogram saved her life.

She was diagnosed last December with Stage Four metastatic breast cancer and has had her Human Resources staff by her side every step of the way. READ MORE.

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ARMY VET CHAMPIONS WRESTLING 'LIKE A GIRL'

March 2020

After a failed Olympic bid, wrestler Sally Roberts set her sights on the Army. If she hadn’t, she never would have volunteered for deployment to Afghanistan or met the women who inspired her nonprofit, Wrestle Like A Girl. READ MORE.

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'I COULDN'T STAND TO HEAR THE BABIES CRY'

March 2019

Vietnam War veteran Billy Terrell has had a successful music career, recording with artists such as Bobby Rydell and Frankie Avalon. The draft halted his aspirations, but also presented opportunities to help children at a Vietnamese orphanage. READ MORE.

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'TO HONOR MY 74'

August 2019

Vietnam War veteran Bill Thibeault deployed aboard the USS Frank E. Evans in March 1969. Three months later, the destroyer was split in two after colliding with an Australian aircraft carrier in the South China Sea between Vietnam and the Spratly Islands. It's a moment stuck in Thibeault's mind forever. READ MORE.

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'NO ORDINARY DONKEY'

October 2017

VFW life member John Folsom served in the Marine Corps Reserves for three decades and worked with a number of "characters" throughout his service. But in the months following his retirement, the fate of one -- a loyal and playful donkey -- "nagged" at him. READ MORE.

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SHE WASN'T A HORSE, SHE WAS A MARINE

February 2017

She was a beer-drinking, scrambled-egg loving Marine who saved countless lives. She earned two Purple Hearts, a National Defense Service Medal and Navy Unit Commendation, among other honors. But before that, she had to complete ‘hoof camp.’ READ MORE.

IN THE ZONE: WAR VETS TAKE OPPONENTS TO THE MAT

May 2017

From World War I to present-day conflicts, service members made their marks in careers beyond the military. Here we explore those who did so in the grappling world.

PART ONE

PART TWO

FROM P-FUNK TO THE MEKONG DELTA

February 2018

Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Calvin Simon was drafted into the Army in 1966. While serving in Vietnam, his band, Parliament Funkadelic, saw its first hit, “I Wanna Testify,” rise to the top of the charts READ MORE.