Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Serve.
Fox Lane Graduate Brings Soldier Stories Back to Somers Intermediate School
Last Tuesday, Fox Lane High School graduate Jonathan Kelton spoke and presented a slide show before 150 5th graders at the Somers Intermediate School. A lieutenant in the special forces, his unit patrols the border of Pakistan and lays artillery fire to help suppress enemy insurgency into Afghanistan. Not mincing words, the 24 year old Ranger summed up in plain language what the U.S. presence means to the local people.
By Rich Monetti7 years ago in Serve
The Vietnam War: A Tale of Two Presidents
The 1960s and 1970s were turbulent decades for US politics. In a little over 10 years, America went from launching full scale war in Vietnam to gradually pulling out before the one and only case of a US President resigning from office. It changed the way in which America was viewed on the world stage.
By Patrick Hollis7 years ago in Serve
10 Signs You're a Military Wife
When you marry a service member, you're not just marrying your partner. Whether you like it or not, you are marrying into a lifestyle and you're marrying into the massive community known as the military. As a military wife, you are going to be held to a different standard than other women, and no lie, it's going to be rough.
By Cato Conroy7 years ago in Serve
How to Survive a Military Relationship. Top Story - September 2018.
It’s hard. A long-distance military relationship is hard. There is no other way to put it. One of the things you have to ask yourself, though, is, Is it all worth it? In my case, heck yeah it was/is! He is my everything. He is my world. There are still times when I wake up and I am like, “Oh my goodness, I cannot take this anymore!” Do I give up? Does that mean I wanna quit the relationship or him? No!
By Jessika Rice7 years ago in Serve
Iraqi Coffee
I often joked after my 12 months “In Country” that I was on the brink of diabetes, after a few months of back to back meetings with the Iraqi Army (IA), and IP’s. Fortunately, that was not the case; despite many a cup of chai quickly downed during the aforementioned meetings.
By Nefarious Darrius7 years ago in Serve
Young People Must Have a Right to Choose When It Comes to Military
If many of you did not know, many youngsters when they finish high school are forced into the military for two years, and wasting precious time they could be spending on their studies and Uni. Why should boys at the age of 17, 18 and 19 have no other choice but to follow this protocol of their country? When girls finish high school, their next step is to go to college, while boys are stuck for one or two years in the army in order to finish and legally leave the country and study abroad.
By Natalie G.7 years ago in Serve
I Loved Every Minute of Being a Military Brat. Top Story - September 2018.
My dad was already in the military before he met my mom. He was a jet engine mechanic, and he was stationed in Maine when he met my mom. They met at a bar called The Barking Spider. I don’t know if they immediately hit it off, but eventually I came into the picture, and my parents got married. They’ve been married for 23 years now, and let me tell you, we’ve been through a lot as a military family.
By Hannah York 7 years ago in Serve
The Hurt of the Silenced
I am a Marine. I haven’t been in for too long and yet I have managed to see so many flaws in the system. My greatest concerns surround assault. By assault, I mean rape. I was assaulted in January of 2018. I was drinking, underage. As we service members are not only confined to do, but actually encouraged to do. I will not name names. I will only tell my story and the stories of those souls who have enlightened me with their harrowing and repulsive experiences. I reported my assault—immediately. I went to the ER, got the rape kit done, and made a report. This report became unrestricted due to the fact that a member of my command happened to be in the ER at the same time as me. I went to NCIS. I told them what happened but left out the damning detail that me and two of my peers were drinking alcohol. Prior to my interview with NCIS, I was told if anyone else got in trouble for what we were doing I would be in very, very hot water. So when NCIS found out I had lied about drinking they decided I had lied about everything else too. They said it was my fault for drinking with males. Keep in mind that they were the only people I had. I was the only female in my job field at that time. They also told me that I had only made a report because I felt guilty for cheating on my then-fiancé, so I reported it as an attempt to be transferred to his location. They blamed me for the entire ordeal. I will not lie. I did make a few mistakes. My first was trusting my brothers in arms. My second was drinking. My third was not keeping my knife on me so I could stab that bastard in the skull. Me and the two others were punished. My rapist was not. He did nothing wrong in the eyes of my superiors. I was made to be an attention-seeking whore looking for handouts. My friends deserted me. My unit exiled me. I was left alone. I have undergone intensive therapy for all I encountered before, during, and after the assault. But not all are so fortunate. One individual, whom I will call Bryan, was also raped. But his assault was not even looked into. It was disregarded because, in the eyes of the authorities, he was just a “fag” in the closet. He wasn’t even offered counseling. He is now in the brig for a drug addiction stemmed from the assault. Another named Mary was assaulted not once but twice. They moved her away from her station but let the rapist go because she was no longer there to fight for a conviction. My dear friend Tara was assaulted by what one would think was an upstanding member of society: a federal servant. That report didn’t even get past the local police because she didn’t have any signs of battery.
By Elizabeth Fraser7 years ago in Serve
“When the Smoke Starts to Clear...”
Mission Critical SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) for besties (mejores amigos/amgias)- Code blue/Código Azul: Los amigos (o amigas). Friendship sustaining activities/chats. Ex. include: Lunch/coffee; "Recoil therapy"; and album listening parties. Code orange/naranja: *Life* sustaining chat needed (The Fray). Helpful Hint: Listen *actively* (Do NOT talk over your buddy; do ask pertinent questions; and definitely offer empathy/sympathy). Code red/Rojo: "No sh*t", this is "Real World"; NOT an "Exercise." Ex. include: SOS-"Save Our Ship" (not technically accurate); BHD- Bravo Hotel Delta (emergency "landing"), wherein QRF (Quick Reaction Force) may/may not be on standby; and/or supplies/morale critical (low on water/ammo/food). Code yellow/amarillo: Love interests are involved/desired (positive light). Ex. include: "I have dates for the two of us"; "I need a date"; and "I have a potential for you." Code white/blanco: There's finna be "a beautiful death." Bring your tools and let's team up to "hammer" this problem out. (Sidenote- Violence as an absolute LAST resort.) Code black/negro: New life. Code purple/morado: General kudos are in order. Ex. include: Graduations; initial properties; Freedom from Uncle Sam. Code green/verde: General reference to La familia. Ex. include: "The Fam's throwing something. Hope to see you there." Code sky blue/azul cielo: "We need to settle this like Grunts and roll in the grass til we have a 'mutual understanding.'" Spoiler Alert: King T'Challa never yielded. (Sidenote- Do NOT kill your bestie in "ritual combat." Make each other tougher, bond, and commit to better communication in the future. [Side, Sidenote: General guidelines to follow at another time. For now, NO ankle locks.]) If either party is unable/unwilling to physically fight, prudent alternatives are acceptable; preferably Chess (the only game that really matters). Code brown/marrón: "We've been sh*t on" and/or "It's time to serve some knuckle sandwiches." (Same sidenote as Code White/blanco.) Code pink/rosa: Variable/Audible/Contingency plan #1 (Plan Bravo/B). Ex. include: "Pop smoke! It's too many of them." Or, "Our position is compromised! Back to Rally Point #4!" Code gray/gris: Variable #2 (like Code Pink, though less cool).
By Nefarious Darrius7 years ago in Serve
10 Ways War Has Changed Through History
Whether we are considering the present tension in the Middle East, World War I, or the conquest of Alexander the Great, people should understand that war is as much a part of humankind as is needing food and water to survive. Despite your opinions, if Caveman A had beat Caveman B over the head with a rock instead of Caveman B hitting Caveman A with a rock, our entire genealogy could be so wildly different than it is today—you or I might not even be here. These territorial, race, religious, or ideological disputes have paved the way many countries have formed alliances, broke alliances, built their economy, or changed in several different ways. Because humankind has developed in so many drastic ways, the ways war has changed through the years has evolved with it. The differences are staggering too; no longer are we running down our enemy for miles upon miles and stopping the fight at dusk just to pick it up again tomorrow. Read on to find out some of the ways this catastrophic human invention has developed over the span of our existence.
By Ryan Whitaker7 years ago in Serve
