Iraq and Afghanistan War Archive

“You’re The Ham Slice In The Sandwich”: A Nininger Awardee Describes Setting A Blocking Position In The Attack On Baghdad

The Namesake For Task Force George: Memories Of Jason George (USMA ’94) From A Gold Star Mother And His Beast Squadmate

“So Many Opportunities”: Being Part Of Something Bigger With The Air Force And NASA

“How Do We Get People To Like Us And Stop Shooting At Us?”: Counterinsurgency Operations In Iraq And Afghanistan

“Making Sense Of Ambiguity”: From Light Infantry To English Professor

Sustaining Relations With Civil Affairs: An Army Reserve Officer Deploying World-Wide

Narrating the Interior Stories of War: The Art and Power of Oral History

On the Cutting Edge: A Pioneer in Army and Orthopedic Medicine

Strategic Inflection Points: Serving On The Border Of Freedom From The Cold War To NATO In The 21st Century

“The Only Reward Is Another Mission No One Will Take”: Pathfinder Operations In The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment

“Try To Be An Officer Soldiers Deserve”: Deployments To Iraq And Afghanistan With 3-89 Cavalry

From Soldier to Expert: In the Thick of Policy

“Do You Want To Do Things Or Watch Other People Do Them?”: A Life Of Service In The Australian Army

A USMA Commandant And SOCOM Commander Reflects On Leadership, Responsibility, And Taking Care Of Soldiers

“Your Character Is Your Destiny”: Providing The Leadership To Bring People Together As Ambassador And Dean

“West Point Is Hard, But It’s Supposed To Be”: An Army Aviator Reflects on a 24-Year Career

“Educating For Uncertainty”: The Sandhurst Commandant on Building a Flexible and Professional Officer Corps

From West Point to Google

“Soldiers Are A Reflection Of Their Leaders”: Facilitating Success At West Point And In The Army

The Judicial Front in the War on Terror

Broad Horizons: An Engineer Officer Reflects on West Point, Vietnam, and Lifelong Learning

“Lieutenants, You’re Going To War Somewhere”: A Marine Officer During The War In Iraq

In the Whirlwind of a New Age: A Defense Undersecretary's Quick Education, Part 2: America Goes to War

When to Fight and How to Fight: "Just War" in Theory and in Practice

“We Fought Every Day That Year”: Task Force Pale Horse in Afghanistan

“Discipline, Teamwork, Trust, Readiness”: Leading Soldiers In A Counter Insurgency Fight

“Meet The Army Standards And Be Consistent”: Leadership From First Captain To The Chief Of Public Affairs

A Story Of Love And Faith: A Relationship Forged At West Point

“A Constant Cat And Mouse Game”: Counter Insurgency Operations In Iraq And Afghanistan

"I Want to be in the Fight": An MP Officer Reflects on Leadership, Gender Issues in the Military, and Overcoming Adversity

Creative Problem Solving in a Special Forces Environment

Getting Your Headspace And Timing Right: Seizing Opportunities At West Point And In The Army

“I Knew We Were Going When The Ammo Showed Up”: Transitioning From An Enlisted Tanker In Iraq To A Commissioned Aviator in Afghanistan

Assessing and Countering the Threat of Terrorism

Figuring It Out: Overcoming The Scars Of Battle Through Community And Advocacy

Temporal Leadership: Reflections on Service at the Highest Levels of Command

Analyzing Past Military Strategies to Interpret the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

No Good Intelligence Is Gained Through Torture: Coming To Grips With The Use Of Torture As An Instrument Of War

A Broader Perspective: “There is More to the Army than an Infantry Battalion”

American Leadership & the Evolving Meaning of Modern War

Finding The Center Of Gravity: Leadership And Modernization In The Army

“Building Relationships”: A Civil Affairs NCO And Military Intelligence Officer On Counter-Insurgency In Iraq And Afghanistan

Conflicting Ethics: One Officer’s Experiences During and After “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

A British Commander’s Perspective on the Global War on Terror

Transitions: Cyber in Afghanistan, the NSA, and the Corporate World

Continuing the Legacy: A Second Generation West Pointer Reflects on His Service

“The Workload Is Huge But The Blessings Are Bountiful”: From Infantryman To Priest, A Career Of Service

“Night Stalkers Don’t Quit”: Flying In The Service Of Others – Executing A Heroic Rescue In Afghanistan

Symbols Versus Substance: Heroism and the Cult of Celebrity

“West Point Is My Home Town”: A Systems Engineer Analyzes His Career

“Monk to Military:” Deploying with the Navy, Marines, and Army

“Broken Bones, A Big Heart, And Not Quitting”: A Special Forces Officer With A Mission

Servant to the Community: An Aviator as the West Point Garrison Commander

Preparing for War After 9/11

General Scaparrotti: Prepare to Be Your Best on the Worst of Days

“86,400 Seconds in a Day”: Getting The Most Out Of Every Opportunity

Developmental Progression: From Building the Iraqi Police to Outmaneuvering the Taliban

An Engineer Officer: Leadership and Compassion Forming Strong Teams

Opening Shock: Four Combat Jump Veterans Tell Their Stories

“I’m A Canadian. Come With Me!” Around The World With The Canadian Infantry

“Seeing The World In A Different Way”: 29 Years As A Soldier, An NCO, And An Officer

Working as Hard as I Can: A Military Intelligence Officer Jumps into Action

Determination: Overcoming Obstacles As A West Point Soccer Player And Deploying As A Signal Officer

Not Only A Patient, But Also A Doctor: From Army Football To Army Medicine

A Cavalryman In Cyberspace

A Conversation with Military Archbishop Broglio

Keeping Options Open: From The Surge In Iraq To Operation Inherent Resolve

Called to Serve, Volunteered to Deploy

PRTs in Iraq: Economic Rebuilding for a Fledgling Democracy

Alexander Haig Assesses Leadership From Practical and Historical Perspectives

“Learning How To Win (The Right Way)”: Brothers, Football, and Service To The Nation

Trying those Responsible for Abu Ghraib: Two Prosecutors Speak Out

“Your Own Mistakes Are Your Best Teacher”: Lessons From An Arabic Interpreter And Professor

The Challenge of Reconstruction in Iraq

Adapting Leadership Values for a New Era: The Multi-Faceted Terrain of Iraq (Part 2)

Adapting Leadership Values for a New Era: On Leadership and the State of the Army in the New Century (Part 3)

Adapting Leadership Values for a New Era: Rising Through the Ranks (Part 1)

Insurgents and IEDs: An Engineer Company Commander Returns to Iraq

Ensuring West Point Represents the Nation: An Admissions Officer Reaches Out

Service As An Armor And A Civil Affairs Officer: “Think Of The Peace Corps With Guns”

“A Battle Of Narratives”: Fighting And Writing The Second Battle Of Fallujah

War as a Lesson in Culture: A Young Captain's Awakening in Iraq (Part I)

Looking at the Big Picture: From Special Ops Signal Officer to Strategic Thinker

Strategic Partnership: Cyber Security as a Collaborative Enterprise

Practical Lessons of the Vietnam War

Investigating Abu Ghraib: The Taguba Report

“You Gotta Think About The Details”: The West Point Dean Reflects On His Operational Experience

Embracing The Standard: An Iraqi Local National Interpreter’s American Dream

“You Join The Infantry To Shoot Stuff And Blow Stuff Up”: Two Iraq Deployments With The Screaming Eagles

A Cold War Armor Officer Reflects On Service From Platoon Leader To Division Commander

“Don’t Stop Serving”: A West Pointer Reflects On Opportunities In The Army Reserve And The National Guard

The Army Chief of Staff on How to Build a Better Officer Corps

“Reach Back, Walk Alongside, and Look Forward:” An Army Chaplain Explores His Career

The Value Of Hard Work: From Patient To Army Doctor

“A Soccer Star’s Three Tours in Iraq”: A West Point Family’s Legacy

Securing the "Homeland": How a Former Judge and Prosecutor Faced Off Against Terrorism

Lessons Learned: Devising Adaptive Counterinsurgency Doctrine for the War on Terror

An Engineer Builds Bridges and Connections Early in the Iraq War

Not Through Invention, But Through Innovation

A Call to Serve and Lead: An Army Lacrosse Player in Iraq

A Network Balancing Act: Efficiency, Security, and Public-Private Collaboration

On the Frontlines: An American Diplomat's Reflections on a Transforming Middle East

“If We Didn’t Work Together, We’d Perish”: Relationships Built At The Speed Of Trust

“Understand The Problem And Figure Out Your Strengths”: Winning In Baghdad

Deep Questions, Grave Consequences: A Major Grapples With the Ethics of War

The Influence of Leadership: Maintaining Unit Readiness in an IED Environment

The War From the Air: An Army Helicopter Pilot in Iraq

“Family Everywhere”: Women’s Basketball, The Jewish Chapel, And The Army

The Author Of Her Own Story: An Air Force Electronic Warfare Officer On Achieving Success

"A Human Problem": Security and Efficiency in the Evolving Cyber Landscape

Solving the Puzzle: An Army Interrogator Tracks Down Saddam Hussein

An Insurgent Non-Conformist In Special Forces

Threat Differentiation: Appreciating the Complexity of the Cyber Domain

The Clarity of Hindsight: A Retrospective Appraisal of the Iraq War

“Climbing The American Dream Ladder”: The Sons Of An Iraqi Interpreter Achieve Success At West Point

From Soldier to Expert: 20th Century Experience and a 21st Century Vision

From the Year of the Police to Securing the Population: One Colonel's Assessment of Changing Counterinsurgency Strategy in Iraq

“I Wanted To Change The World”: Idealism And Character At West Point

Ready for Any Mission: A Chemical Officer in Iraq

“We Can’t All Be Team Captain”: Contributing Your Talent Where It Is Needed The Most

“Are You Here About My Son?”: A Gold Star Mother Remembers

“Hold The Door Open For Others”: A Conversation On Immigration, Identity, And Success In The Army

Making History, Not Just Reading About It – A Navy Captain During Operation Iraqi Freedom

“This Wasn’t Supposed To Happen To Me”: A Seriously Wounded Marine Gives Back

Following in the Footsteps of Greatness, From Iowa to West Point to Iraq

Not A Punishment – An Opportunity: Honor Redemption Through The Army Mentorship Program

An Army Nurse in the Baghdad ER

War and Peace: Leadership and Service in a Tumultuous Age

Having Skin In The Game: A Long View Of Iraq

“Flying Is Like Nothing Else”: A C-130 Pilot And Air Force Academy Graduate

“A Career Filled With Detours”: From SEAL to Night Stalker

The Resonance Of Music: Connecting Military Families Around The Globe

"A Study in Uncertainty": An Oral History of the Philippine War

“Where’s The Other Guy? They Left Months Ago”: Challenges of Fighting A Counter Insurgency

“Rigor And Reps Are Critical In Training”: Saving Lives Through Discipline And Initiative In Afghanistan

"Moving Through Water": Surviving an IED Attack in Afghanistan

From Procurement, To Pilot, To Physician: A Three Decade Army Career Unconstrained By Convention

A Lone Soldier In The Israeli Defense Force Becomes A Chaplain In The U.S. Army

This Too Shall Pass: “No One’s Ever Been Disappointed From Working Hard”

“As Hooah As I Wanna Be”: The Story Of A Soccer Player, Logistics Officer, And Historian

Grit And Perseverance: Changing Minds As An Army Ranger

“From The Ground Up”: Building The Sexual Harassment & Assault Response & Prevention (SHARP) Program At West Point

“Contestation For Minds And Wills”: A Psyops Officer Discusses Counter Insurgency

Lessons From Afghanistan: An Air Defense Platoon Leader’s Perspective

“Prepare The Regiment! We’re Going To Be Busy”: Service Around The Globe With The Royal Signals

“My Passion Is Service To Others And The Nation”: An Afghan Immigrant’s Journey To West Point And The Field Artillery

“A Good Kind of Suck”: Training and Fighting with Special Forces

To Take My Father’s Advice: From Infantry To Military Police And Detainee Operations In Afghanistan

An Exemplar of Altruism: One Ranger's Instantaneous and Consequential Decision

“When Fighting Starts, You’re Just Going To Have To Help People”: A Journey From Aviator to Chaplain

“Let Your Tea Cool”: Patience In The Eye Of An Afghan Storm

“Army Service Is A Human Endeavor”: Building Mutual Trust And Respect

“Aviate, Navigate, And Communicate”: Attack Aviation Along The Afghanistan Border

Surviving the Class Of 77 Honor Scandal And Completing A Career As A Reserve Colonel In Afghanistan

“Don’t Think You’ll Ever Be Over It”: Reflections On The Battle Of Wanat

“All I Heard Was Cuss Words And Gunfire”: Defending COP Keating

Accountability: A Platoon Leader in Afghanistan

“When The Guys Go, They Take A Part of You With Them”: Surviving the Battle of Wanat

“Develop A Troop Requirement For A Campaign Plan That Hadn’t Been Written”: Counter Insurgency Warfare In Afghanistan

“Anyone Can Be American”: From Vietnamese Refugee To White House Lawyer In Thirty-Two Years

“As Long As We Were There, They Were Going To Fight Us”: Life And Death In The Korengal Valley

A Hungarian Officer On Leadership, Service, And Multinational Operations

The Story Behind “Ashley’s War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield”

Infiltrating Afghanistan: Two Special Forces Soldiers Reflect On Their Operations In 2001

"An Unimaginable World": Chronicling the Soldier's Life in Afghanistan

A General Officer's Reflections on Confidence, Competence, and Compassion

Completing The Circle: A Child Of The Vietnam War Becomes The Senior American Defense Official In Hanoi

A Life Too Full Of Adventure To Be Briefly Described: A Winding Path To An Army Career And A Fateful Encounter In A Motorpool

"Mom, This Is What I'm Supposed To Do": Memories From A Gold Star Mother

“Teaching The Army Profession From Start To Finish”: Leading Army Education At All Levels

“Who You With? 2TC!”: Dynamic Leadership Of A Mustang At USMA And USMAPS

Combat Logistics In Afghanistan: Supplying the Counter Insurgency