The Forgotten Role of Africa in World War I
When we think about World War I (assuming we think of it at all), we immediately think of the bloody trench warfare of the Western Front in Europe. Sometimes the focus falls on the Russian theater of the war, but only insofar as it led to the Russian Revolution. Even more rarely, our attention will turn to the war in the Middle East, usually following the release of films like Lawrence of Arabia or Gallipoli. What we never think of, and what few historians ever mention, is Africa.
Paul CombsPublished 2 months ago in Serve
Daughter of War
We've all heard about the life-long effects that war can have on human life. Effects of war can include mass destruction of cities and long lasting effects on a country's economy. Citizens can turn into refugees and there are possibly mass killings of men, woman and children alike. The disastrous effect it has can last for lifetimes and even centuries.
Rebecca Lynn IveyPublished 2 months ago in Serve
5 Lessons The Army Taught Me About Life
Joining the military taught me a lot about life. I feel wiser beyond my years and friends with their degrees. I absolutely value education, but a lot of the degrees seem like useless, debt building degrees.
Jordan MendiolaPublished 2 months ago in ServeMy First Submarine Watch
This was it. I was finally a useful member of the crew. Earlier that morning, I had finally qualified to stand the Shutdown Roving Watch. Our boat was in the shipyard, which meant the engine room was shut down, but someone still needed to walk around every hour and check on different machines and temperatures and pressures. Enter the Shutdown Roving Watch, or SRW, or roving watch as it was spoken. This is the guy that wanders the depths of the engine room with a clipboard and flashlight, writing down the same set of numbers each hour, bored out of his mind. During the day there are plenty of crew members to chop it up with, shipyard workers to yell at, and commotion to keep us busy, but at night, there’s nobody. Three guys look after panels in the maneuvering room, one of which takes the occasional trip down into the engine room, and every few hours one of the supervisors will take a tour of the space and review the clipboard, but that’s it. It’s an important job, sure, but only on the rare occasion that something goes wrong. Otherwise, it’s a lonely way to spend a day, switching off with other watchstanders every few hours.
Jackson SherryPublished 2 months ago in Serve
A Codebreaker From Bletchley Park
When my mother-in-law told me that one of her friends used to be a Naval Wren, she suggested I could interview her for a military history magazine. So we arranged a time and went to see Nancy at her home, where she’d placed a collection of her wartime memorabilia on a table for me to see.
Susie KearleyPublished 2 months ago in Serve
Stripes and Bars to Stars
In the hip hop genre, rappers often describe how they’ve earned stripes, and sometimes in the next breath say they’re five star generals. This is true, but only with conditions. Someone who transitions from the enlisted ranks to becoming an officer is known as a mustang, and it takes decades for officers to achieve general status.
Skyler SaundersPublished 3 months ago in Serve
The US Airman Who Sacrificed His Life to Save a Small English Town
13 November 1943. It was around 8 am in the sleepy town of Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England, when 11-year-old Maureen was awakened by the roaring engines of a B-17 bomber which came uncomfortably close to the roof of her house.
Susie KearleyPublished 3 months ago in Serve
Crossing Over
As a young Marine, I was both excited & nervous to go to another country. Of course, as a member of the armed forces, there is a potential for being put in a dangerous environment which heightens the anxiety. Okinawa, Japan, was ordered to be my home for the next three years of my life. While going to a tropical island seems like a paradise, this was not a vacation but a workplace. We were allowed time to enjoy the island on our off time while still adhering to specific guidelines. "You are an ambassador!" was drilled into our heads from before leaving to go overseas. During this allotted free time, there seemed to be some tensions between the Okinawans & U.S military in some places. Others knew that the American army had money which made them all the friendlier. Until now, I did not fully understand these tensions. After reading multiple historical accounts, literature and speaking with some of the locals, I understood the impact of some of the past atrocities. This is why I chose to write about my time in Okinawa versus my other travels. My time spent overseas was the most intense cultural change I've experienced yet. With that, I also found it necessary to raise a bit of awareness regarding cross-cultural experiences.
Jeffrey A. SappPublished 5 months ago in Serve
Divided By Duty
In a military relationship, service always comes first; what is it like to share your spouse, partner or significant other with the armed forces?
The A-List, Enlisted
Famous figures in the forces; all about the household names that spent time in uniform.
Back on the Homefront
The adjustment from active duty to civilian life is rife with joy, emotion and challenges alike. Ponder the true nature of post-army homecomings and the reality of transitioning from soldier to veteran.
When Has My Authenticity NOT Shone??
There is no way of me divulging this without me emitting some inflation, a hefty slab of pride, but I’ll admit my legitimate conscientiousness of self-authenticity.
Nudi BallenPublished 8 days ago in ServeWhy I Joined the Military while in University
Dear friends and family, This year I joined the military and the first thing I was asked was “Why?”. “Why would you do that?”
M.Y. SimonPublished 10 days ago in Serve
Fighting for a Balance
"I am convinced that Bipolar Disorder is your true diagnosis, and at this point there isn't much that will change my mind."
Ezra BerkmanPublished 11 days ago in Serve
A Letter to my Brother
September 14th, 1999. La Tuque, Quebec To my brother, Jean-Philippe Dunprey of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, French Foreign Legion.
Ezra BerkmanPublished 12 days ago in Serve
Arthur Mercer WWII Mystery
What really happened to Arthur Mercer during WWII? Is the truth surrounding Arthur's plight finally revealed as various versions of the story come to light? Why did Arthur ‘jump ship’ at the last moment and stay behind on Banaba? Did the Japanese execute him, did he die from their maltreatment, or did he try to escape at sea? Does this later version explain why his body was never found? Over the years, various official reports and firsthand accounts have been uncovered that has only added to the mystery.
Stacey KingPublished 13 days ago in ServeHeartbreak Ridge (Movie Review)
Genre: Drama, Action, Military/War Released: 1986 Cast: Clint Eastwood, Marsha Mason, Mario Van Peebles Summary: Decorated soldier, Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway (Clint Eastwood) is asked to train a group of second platoon soldiers, a last assignment before he retires. To his dismay, he sees that the men from second platoon are very inexperienced. The men are playing pool, wearing cool sunglasses, their hair is unruly, and they listen to loud music on the boombox, as if they're in a college dorm lounge.
Deepika ViswanathPublished 17 days ago in ServeMy father is a killer and it's America's fault
My dad passed away a few years ago, but if you’d had met him, you’d have not thought that he was very threatening. Even in his later years, he still had a full head of dark hair sprinkled with grays. He was still handsome with a charming lopsided grin that had caused my mom a lot of stress in their younger years. He was quite the talker, after all. Time and genetics had been kind to his face despite the fact that he’d been a farmer for the last 30 years of his life, more or less. Even as cancer took its toll on him in the last few months of his life, it was still evident that my dad had been a heartbreaker in his youth. He’d shrunk a bit in the last few years, standing at barely 5' 3". Or maybe I’d had just grown taller in my adulthood and remembered him as taller from my youth. I’m sure it’s a mix of the two.
We'll Never Forget Them
If you are an animal lover, like myself, you have probably been thinking about the animals who have (and still do) served with our brave soldiers during the Two World Wars (and the wars that are being fought today). The red poppy is for the human soldiers. The purple poppy is for the animal soldiers. We are proud to wear both!
Ruth Elizabeth StiffPublished 19 days ago in Serve
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The creative faces behind your favorite stories.
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Jackson Sherry
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Monique Kostelac
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Paul Combs
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George Grimes
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Liam Lewis
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Kate Hart
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Annie Kapur
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Borba de Souza
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Jeffrey A. Sapp
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