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In 2015, 19 women began one of the U.S. Army’s most demanding training programs. Only two graduated—and Captain Kristen ...
09/30/2026

In 2015, 19 women began one of the U.S. Army’s most demanding training programs. Only two graduated—and Captain Kristen Griest became the first woman to earn the Ranger Tab alongside 1st Lt. Shaye Haver.

On August 21, 2015, their graduation marked a historic milestone. The 62-day Ranger School tested physical endurance, tactical skills, leadership, and the ability to operate under extreme conditions. Griest, who had previously served as a military police officer, proved she could meet the course’s demanding standards.

Her achievement was only the beginning. In 2016, Griest transferred into the Army’s infantry branch, becoming the first woman to serve as an infantry officer in U.S. Army history. She later returned to Ranger School as an instructor and commanded an infantry company in the 82nd Airborne Division.

For Griest, the milestone was about more than being first. It was about completing the same demanding course and demonstrating her ability to lead soldiers in a field where women had only recently been permitted to serve.

When Griest and Haver graduated in 2015, they helped open a new chapter in Army history. Their achievement remains a landmark in the story of women serving in the U.S. military.

🇺🇸 Respect earned through perseverance, discipline, and service.

On October 17, 2005, Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe was leading his soldiers near Daliaya, Iraq, when their Bradley Fi...
09/30/2026

On October 17, 2005, Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe was leading his soldiers near Daliaya, Iraq, when their Bradley Fighting Vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Within seconds, the vehicle was engulfed in flames, trapping several soldiers inside.

Cashe initially escaped with relatively minor injuries. But when he realized his men were still trapped, he made a decision that would define his legacy. He turned back toward the burning vehicle to save them.

As he approached, spilled fuel ignited on his uniform, setting his body on fire. Despite suffering horrific burns, Cashe repeatedly returned to the blazing Bradley, pulling wounded soldiers from the wreckage and carrying them to safety. With every return, he exposed himself to more flames and danger, yet he refused to abandon his men.

Even as his own injuries became devastating, his focus remained on the soldiers under his command. Accounts of the rescue describe a leader who placed the lives of his men ahead of his own, continuing his efforts despite the unbearable pain.

Cashe suffered severe second- and third-degree burns over much of his body. He was evacuated for medical treatment, but his injuries proved fatal. On November 8, 2005, he passed away at just 35 years old.

Initially awarded the Silver Star, Cashe's extraordinary heroism received further recognition after years of advocacy. In 2020, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, becoming the first African American recipient of the nation's highest military decoration for valor for actions during the Iraq War.

Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe's story is a lasting testament to courage, sacrifice, and the responsibility a leader feels toward those entrusted to his care. While his life was lost, his actions ensured that his soldiers would never be forgotten—and his legacy continues to inspire generations of service members.

God bless Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe, a true American hero. 🇺🇸

We remember Marine Lance Corporal Jennifer Marie Parcell, a courageous young woman whose determination and dedication to...
09/27/2026

We remember Marine Lance Corporal Jennifer Marie Parcell, a courageous young woman whose determination and dedication to service defined a life that ended far too soon.

After high school, Jennifer was still deciding what path she wanted to follow. That changed after attending her brother’s Marine Corps boot camp graduation. Inspired by what she saw, she chose to follow in his footsteps and earn the title of United States Marine.

Standing just 5'2", Jennifer quickly showed that strength and courage are not measured by size. She embraced the discipline, teamwork, and sense of purpose that came with Marine life. As a Landing Support Specialist, she was initially stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

While serving as a Private First Class, Jennifer deployed to Pakistan to support earthquake relief operations. Her determination and tireless work ethic earned the respect of those around her, with fellow Marines affectionately remembering her as “the biggest little girl they had ever met.”

In 2006, at only 20 years old, Jennifer deployed to Iraq. There, she volunteered for the Lioness program, where female Marines supported security operations by searching local women at checkpoints while respecting cultural customs.

On February 7, 2007, Jennifer was serving at a checkpoint in Barwanah, Anbar Province, when a hostile attack involving an explosive device struck the position. She was critically wounded and made the ultimate sacrifice.

She was only 20 years old.

Jennifer’s journey from a young woman searching for her direction to a United States Marine serving overseas remains a powerful story of determination, courage, and selfless service.

Her family, friends, and fellow Marines continue to carry her memory and honor the life she gave in service to her country.

God bless Lance Corporal Jennifer Marie Parcell. May her service and sacrifice never be forgotten. 🇺🇸

Mariann Stratton served at U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka in Japan, caring for Marines and Navy hospital corpsmen evacuate...
09/27/2026

Mariann Stratton served at U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka in Japan, caring for Marines and Navy hospital corpsmen evacuated from Vietnam. Many reached her ward after receiving emergency treatment, but their futures were still uncertain.

She remembered rows of beds filled with young wounded men—some facing devastating injuries and lives that had suddenly changed forever. Among them was a 19-year-old triple amputee who had dreamed of becoming a sculptor.

Behind every casualty statistic was a human reality. Stratton witnessed painful dressing changes, cries during the night, nightmares, and memories that some patients struggled to express.

Some recovered enough to return to duty. Others were transferred to hospitals in the United States. Some never recovered.

For two years, Stratton helped care for men whose journey from the battlefield did not end when they reached a hospital. Recovery could mean weeks or months of pain, uncertainty, rehabilitation, and learning to face an entirely different future.

Her experience transformed the way she understood war. It was no longer something measured only through maps, battles, or casualty figures. She had seen its consequences in the faces of young Americans who had entered military service with hopes and plans for ordinary lives.

Mariann Stratton's memories also preserve an important part of the Vietnam War story—the medical personnel who treated the wounded while carrying memories of those patients long after their shifts ended.

They treated the injuries. They comforted the wounded. And they carried the memories. 🇺🇸🕊️

On October 17, 2005, Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe was leading a patrol near Samarra, Iraq, when a roadside bomb stru...
09/27/2026

On October 17, 2005, Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe was leading a patrol near Samarra, Iraq, when a roadside bomb struck his Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

The blast ruptured the vehicle’s fuel cell, turning it into a burning trap with soldiers still inside.
Cashe escaped the initial blast covered in fuel.
Then he went back.
He pulled one soldier from the vehicle and helped extinguish the flames consuming him.
But Cashe’s own fuel-soaked uniform caught fire.
He could have stopped.
Instead, he returned to the burning Bradley.
Again.

And again.
He pulled trapped soldiers and the unit’s interpreter from the vehicle while enemy fire continued around them.

By the time everyone he could reach had been brought out, Cashe had suffered burns over roughly 72 percent of his body.

Even then, he was thinking about his soldiers.
When medical evacuation arrived, Cashe insisted that his wounded men be evacuated before him.
He was transported to a military burn center in Texas and fought for nearly three weeks.
On November 8, 2005, he d*ed from his wounds.
Cashe was initially awarded the Silver Star, but his fellow soldiers and commanders continued fighting for greater recognition of what he had done.
In December 2021, that effort finally succeeded.
He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, becoming the first Black service member to receive the award for actions in the post-9/11 wars.
Cashe had once told his soldiers that the hardest thing would be coming home without the men they went with.
When the moment came, he did everything he could to make sure they came home.
His name is Alwyn Cashe.
Remember it. 🇺🇸🕊️

On September 11, 2001, then-Lt. Col. Patricia Horoho was inside the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the...
09/27/2026

On September 11, 2001, then-Lt. Col. Patricia Horoho was inside the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building, turning part of the nation's military headquarters into a scene of fire, smoke, debris, and mass casualties.

Horoho immediately moved toward the wounded and began helping organize emergency medical care. With no conventional hospital setting available, she and other responders treated patients wherever they could, caring for burns, smoke inhalation, bleeding, and other traumatic injuries amid the chaos.

When warnings of another possible incoming aircraft forced responders to relocate, patients were moved to a safer treatment area beneath an overpass. Horoho stayed with them, continuing to provide care for hours as the Pentagon burned nearby.

Her family spent much of that day uncertain whether she was safe. When Horoho was finally able to contact her husband, her focus remained on the mission: she was safe and caring for patients.

A decade later, in 2011, Patricia Horoho became the 43rd Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, making history as the first woman and first nurse to hold the position.

Her actions on September 11 remain a powerful example of military medicine under extraordinary circumstances—moving toward people who needed help when danger was still unfolding around her.

We honor Patricia Horoho and all the military personnel, medical professionals, first responders, and civilians who answered the call that day.

We're remembering Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez, a Medal of Honor recipient whose extraordinary actions during the Vietn...
09/25/2026

We're remembering Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez, a Medal of Honor recipient whose extraordinary actions during the Vietnam War became an enduring story of courage and devotion to his fellow soldiers.

On May 2, 1968, near Lộc Ninh, a 12-man Special Forces reconnaissance team found itself surrounded by a much larger enemy force. After hearing their urgent calls for assistance, Benavidez volunteered to join the rescue effort.

Carrying a medical bag, he entered the battle under intense enemy fire and was wounded soon after reaching the ground. Despite his injuries, Benavidez continued toward the trapped team, treated wounded men, helped organize their defense, coordinated supporting fire, and repeatedly assisted casualties toward evacuation helicopters.

The battle continued for hours. Benavidez recovered sensitive documents and continued helping evacuate wounded soldiers even as he suffered numerous additional injuries. Accounts of the action describe him enduring 37 separate wounds from gunfire, shrapnel, and close combat.

His actions helped save the lives of at least eight men that day.

For his extraordinary heroism, Roy Benavidez was later awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration for valor.

Master Sergeant Benavidez passed away on November 29, 1998, at the age of 63. His remarkable story remains a powerful example of courage, perseverance, and commitment to fellow service members.

Today, we remember Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez and honor the legacy he left behind.

God bless this American hero. 🇺🇸

We're honoring Joan McDermott, a dedicated U.S. Army nurse whose courage and compassion brought critical care to wounded...
09/24/2026

We're honoring Joan McDermott, a dedicated U.S. Army nurse whose courage and compassion brought critical care to wounded soldiers during the Vietnam War.

After graduating from nursing school, Joan joined the Army Nurse Corps in 1967 and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant. She went on to complete two tours in Vietnam, serving in 1968 and returning again in 1971, where she worked demanding hours caring for wounded service members in the midst of war.

Her service placed her in extraordinarily difficult conditions. Joan experienced sniper fire, rocket attacks, and the Tet Offensive, yet remained committed to reaching the hospital and caring for her patients. During one attack in Saigon, she spent three nights sleeping beneath a table so she could stay close to those who depended on her.

Joan's compassion also extended beyond American troops. She volunteered at orphanages and participated in Medical Civic Action Programs, helping provide medical care to Vietnamese civilians. Between her deployments, she continued caring for wounded service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Her dedication did not end when her military career was over. Joan continued supporting fellow veterans through leadership roles in veterans' organizations, carrying her commitment to service into civilian life.

Joan McDermott's story reflects the courage, compassion, and quiet determination of the military nurses who cared for the wounded under some of the most challenging conditions imaginable.

Today, we honor her service and the generations of military nurses who stood beside America's troops in times of war.

God bless Joan McDermott. 🇺🇸

Born on January 14, 1946, Ernest Doom Burns grew up in New York City before answering the call to serve in the United St...
09/24/2026

Born on January 14, 1946, Ernest Doom Burns grew up in New York City before answering the call to serve in the United States Army. After completing demanding flight training, he became a warrant officer and helicopter pilot.

Burns arrived in South Vietnam on April 29, 1968, and served with Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). As a pilot, he took part in dangerous aviation operations supporting American forces in the field.

On July 14, 1969, CW2 Burns was piloting a UH-1 Huey during an operational mission in the area of Binh Duong Province. His aircraft was involved in a fatal crash on land roughly 10 kilometers northeast of Ben Cat, taking his life at only 23 years old.

By then, Burns had spent more than fourteen months serving in Vietnam. His name is permanently inscribed on Panel 21W, Line 115 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., ensuring that his service and sacrifice remain part of America's history.

Chief Warrant Officer Ernest Doom Burns gave his life while serving his country, leaving behind a legacy remembered by his family, fellow soldiers, and generations who visit the Wall.

May his service and sacrifice never be forgotten.

God bless.

Today we remember Lance Corporal Casey Lynne Casanova, a dedicated U.S. Marine whose service, character, and sacrifice c...
09/24/2026

Today we remember Lance Corporal Casey Lynne Casanova, a dedicated U.S. Marine whose service, character, and sacrifice continue to be honored.

Serving as a radio technician with Combat Logistics Battalion 1, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Casey deployed to Iraq on Valentine's Day in 2008. Those who knew her remembered a young woman of strong faith, kindness, and a beautiful singing voice who brought warmth to her family, church community, and fellow Marines.

On May 2, 2008, while serving in Iraq's Anbar Province, Casey was killed when a roadside bomb struck her vehicle during combat operations. She was only 22 years old.

Her loss was especially devastating for those waiting for her at home. Casey had recently become engaged to fellow Marine Cpl. Brandon Henderson, and the couple had been looking forward to a September wedding following her deployment.

Family members remembered her ability to brighten a room and make people smile, while those who served beside her remembered a Marine committed to her duties and to the people around her.

Though her life ended far too young, Lance Cpl. Casey Lynne Casanova left behind a legacy of service and sacrifice that continues to be remembered by her loved ones, fellow Marines, and community.

Today, we honor her life and remember the commitment she made while wearing the uniform of the United States Marine Corps.

May she rest in eternal peace.

Semper Fidelis.

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