Jul 04 Study: Fireworks release high levels of pollution on July 4 weekend By Kenzi Abou-Sabe As a national average, culled from 315 different testing sites, Independence Day fireworks introduce 42 percent more pollutants into the air than are found on a normal day. Continue reading
Jun 22 Watch 7:44 Why the U.S. military exposed minority soldiers to toxic mustard gas By PBS News Hour During World War II, the U.S. government conducted experiments with mustard gas and other chemicals on thousands of American troops. A new NPR investigation has found that some military experiments singled out African-American, Japanese-American and Puerto Rican servicemen by race. Continue watching
Jun 13 VA seeks new benefits for Air Force reservists exposed to Agent Orange By Hope Yen, Associated Press Reversing a long-held position, the Department of Veterans Affairs now says Air Force reservists who became ill after being exposed to Agent Orange residue while working on planes after the Vietnam War should be eligible for disability benefits. Continue reading
Jun 13 Watch 9:06 LA's ambitious plan to house every homeless veteran By PBS News Hour Los Angeles, a city with the highest number of homeless veterans, recently signed on to an ambitious national effort to end the crisis by the end of the year. Now, hundreds of service providers are working toward that goal by… Continue watching
May 25 Veteran honors fallen military by writing more than 2,300 names from memory By Justin Scuiletti Memorial Day is a time for Americans to honor members of the U.S. military who laid down their lives in the service of the country. For U.S. Navy veteran Ron White, his method of memorializing takes on a unique form. Continue reading
May 24 Navy veteran skydives with soldiers in support of the military's burn victims By Carey Reed Ryan "Birdman" Parrott, a 32-year-old Navy veteran, has skydived with soldiers from every U.S. war since World War II to raise awareness for his foundation Sons of the Flag, which benefits the military's burn victims. On Monday, he'll be leading… Continue reading
May 12 Watch 7:41 For relocated Afghan translators, U.S. life offers new struggles By PBS News Hour Afghan interpreters who spent more than a year working for U.S. forces were allowed to apply for U.S. visas, but many endured years of bureaucratic limbo and personal risk before being able to leave. As difficult as that process was,… Continue watching
May 10 Watch 1:30 After trauma of combat, soldiers find solace in songwriting By PBS News Hour An Austin-based singer-songwriter founded Songwritingwith:Soldiers, a free program that pairs professional songwriters with veterans to craft original songs based on their experiences. For many of the 120 military members who have participated, songwriting begins the healing process. Continue watching
Apr 09 Watch 3:24 News Wrap: NAACP calls for federal investigation of police force after shooting in South Carolina By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Mar 17 VA watchdog defends actions in contracting report By Matthew Daly, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Call it the battle of the watchdogs. The inspector general’s office at the Department of Veterans Affairs is defending its actions after the office came under unusual criticism from its counterpart at the Treasury Department. Continue reading