Nikki Wentling

Nikki Wentling covers veterans for Stars and Stripes and is based in Washington, D.C. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor of science in news and information.

Wentling previously covered local government for the Lawrence Journal-World in Lawrence, Kan. and military and veterans for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock, Ark.

Email: wentling.nikki@stripes.com | Phone: (202) 761-0865 | Twitter: @nikkiwentling

A disabled veteran takes in the quotes and pictures on glass panels at the new American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, which was dedicated in Washington on Oct. 5, 2014. <br>C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes

Disabled veterans could get left out of stimulus money, lawmakers warn

For some veterans and their families, VA payments are their only income. But, because these payments are not taxable, the IRS lacks payment information for these individuals — whose numbers are potentially in the millions, advocates said.

Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., left, and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., seen here at a Capitol Hill on Feb. 5, 2020, urged VA Secretary Robert Wilkie to waive veterans’ filing deadlines that – if not met – could result in loss of VA benefits.<br>Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes

Trump promises VA will extend benefits deadlines, postpone debt collections

President Donald Trump promised the Department of Veterans Affairs would extend veterans’ deadlines for disability benefits and postpone any debt collections as the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.

Nearly 2,000 VA patients, 500 staff have tested positive for coronavirus

Nearly 2,000 veterans and more than 500 Department of Veterans Affairs employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to data released by the department Thursday.

A Department of Veterans Affairs doctor speaks with a patient in this undated file photo.<br>Department of Veterans Affairs

VFW argues abrupt VA change will ‘erode veterans right to competent representation’ in benefits fights

The Department of Veterans Affairs is ending a decades-old practice of allowing veterans service representatives to review benefits decisions for accuracy before those decisions are finalized and sent to veterans.

The New Orleans VA Medical Center.<br>VA

Facing surge of patients, New Orleans VA transfers veterans to Mississippi

The New Orleans VA Medical Center had tested 258 positive cases of the virus Tuesday, more than triple the number reported by the New York Harbor Healthcare System, which had the next-largest number ofcases. New York Harbor serves Manhattan and Brooklyn and reported 72 cases Tuesday.

Rep. Max Rose, D-N.Y, at a House Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing in 2019.<br>Stars and Stripes

Rep. Max Rose is activated for National Guard duty

Rep. Max Rose, a Democrat from New York, will start National Guard duty Wednesday after his unit was called to support the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus deaths at VA hospitals tripled over the weekend

Over the weekend, the department reported deaths in the Bronx, N.Y.; Shreveport, La.; Fargo, N.D.; Milwaukee, Wisc.; San Francisco; Minneapolis; Detroit; Washington, D.C.; and Nashville. The VA reported two new deaths in Indianapolis, two in Brooklyn and five in New Orleans.

VA opens some beds in New York City facilities to non-veteran patients

The department determined opening beds to non-veterans would not negatively affect veteran care. “VA is proud to assist the City of New York while continuing its primary mission of caring for our nation’s veterans,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a statement.

VA predicts virus could affect 30 percent of its workforce

The Department of Veterans Affairs also suggested its facilities could see critical shortages of personal protective equipment for medical staff, hospital beds, ventilators and morgue space.

The signature of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act document on Capitol Hill, Friday, March 27, 2020.<br>Andrew Harnik/AP

Spending bill includes nearly $20 billion for VA

The House approved and President Trump signed into law a sweeping $2 trillion measure Friday that includes $19.6 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs to help respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., during a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill, May 16, 2019. Tester wants the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide backup for civilian hospitals during the pandemic. “We need all hands on deck when it comes to saving lives during this emergency,” Tester said in a statement.<br>Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes

Senator urges VA to share its supply of masks

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., implored members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to activate the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide backup medical care for civilian hospitals.

The headquarters building of the Department of Veterans Affairs as seen on June 28, 2018, in Washington, D.C.<br>Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes

Senate-approved stimulus bill includes nearly $20 billion for VA

The Department of Veterans Affairs would get $19.6 billion to help respond to the coronavirus pandemic under a sweeping $2 trillion measure the Senate passed Wednesday night.

VA intends to pause community care program during coronavirus pandemic

“Completing non-urgent and routine health care appointments to meet access standards put veterans at risk of contracting COVID-19,” the agency wrote to lawmakers.

U.S. Marines discuss a female engagement team training schedule on the deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge on March 4, 2019. The National Commission on Military, National and Public Service recommended in a report to the Pentagon, White House and Congress that selective service registration should be extended to women.<br>Tawanya Norwood/U.S. Marine Corps

Commission: Women should be eligible for the draft

A congressionally mandated commission recommended Wednesday that women should be eligible for the draft and required to sign up at 18.

<br>Air Force photo illustration by Zachary Hada

Pandemic prompts an increase in calls to Veterans Crisis Line

The crisis line, a suicide prevention tool for veterans and their families, has experienced a 12% increase in call volume, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie told veterans organizations on a call Sunday. About 20% of recent calls to the hotline were related to the pandemic, the VA press secretary confirmed.

Two veterans die from coronavirus at New York VA hospitals

Both veterans were being treated at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in New York — one at the New York Harbor Healthcare System and the other at the Bronx VA Medical Center.

In a 2017 photo, a Vietnam War veteran is shown in his tent on South Beaudry Avenue in Los Angeles.<br>Francine Orr, Los Angeles Times/TNS

Work on getting homeless veterans into permanent housing has halted, advocates say

The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans is urging Congress to approve $200 million in emergency funding to temporarily house homeless veterans in hotel rooms and secure coronavirus tests for those who get sick.

New Orleans accounts for one-third of VA’s coronavirus cases

The VA had 204 cases across 50 locations Monday. Behind New Orleans, the locations with the most cases were Atlanta with 17, and New York City with 10.

VA urges doctors to come out of retirement to help with coronavirus cases

The VA health care system had 44,131 staff vacancies during the first quarter of 2020, with the most vacancies were nurses, medical support assistants and medical officers.

The Orlando VA Medical Center is shown in this video screenshot.<br>Department of Veterans Affairs

Florida Navy veteran with coronavirus speaks out

“I had to really fight for the test,” Navy veteran Marlies Craley, 50, said. “I had to fight, but [the doctor] listened to me and advocated for me.” Craley is one of over 80 veterans across the VA health care system with a confirmed case of the virus.

Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., in his Capitol Hill office during an interview with Stars and Stripes in November 2019, introduced the House version of the bill.<br>Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes

Congress approves emergency fix to protect GI Bill benefits as colleges go online

Student veterans will continue to receive their monthly housing payments uninterrupted, despite courses going online to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

An April 3 ruling in Saunders v. Wilkie, if it stands, could benefit thousands of veterans who have had Department of Veterans Affairs compensation claims for pain denied for lack of a medical diagnosis.<br>Unsplash.com

Senate passes coronavirus relief bill with $60 million for VA

As of Wednesday, the VA had 46 positive cases of coronavirus across its health care system. It had administered 322 tests as of Tuesday night, and it had 3,000 tests on hand.

Brian Kearney, Research Microbiologist, harvests samples of coronavirus in a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Md., on March 3, 2020.<br>U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases

Lawmakers push VA for better communication as coronavirus cases grow

House lawmakers urged Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie on Wednesday to provide daily briefings about the agency’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Unions seek more protection for VA employees after workers test positive for coronavirus

Federal unions that represent Department of Veterans Affairs health care workers are calling on VA officials to better protect employees following reports that some have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., asks questions to witnesses during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020. Looking on at right is committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kansas.<br>Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes

Senate passes emergency bill protecting GI Bill benefits as colleges go online

GI Bill recipients rely on monthly stipends from the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay for housing, food and other bills. Those payments are higher for students who attend physical classes as opposed to online coursework.

First VA patient dies of coronavirus, agency conducts limited testing

A 70-year-old man was the first patient at a Department of Veterans Affairs facility – and the first person in Oregon – to die from coronavirus, according to the VA and the Oregon Health Authority.

Senators press VA about preparedness for coronavirus pandemic

A dozen senators squeezed the Department of Veterans Affairs for more information Friday about how the agency has prepared for its “fourth mission”: to provide emergency medical care for all Americans in times of crises.

Former Sen. Bob Dole greets fellow veterans who were visiting the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. on an Honor Flight in March 2019.<br>Stars and Stripes

Honor Flight cancels trips to DC because of coronavirus

The Honor Flight Network, which brings veterans from across the country to see the war memorials in Washington, D.C, canceled trips through April, citing concerns about the coronavirus.

Marine veteran and wounded warrior Richard Stalder competed in archery, cycling and shooting during the 2014 Marine Corps Trials at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Stalder’s mother, Claudia, was his primary caregiver.<br>Lisette Leyva/U.S. Marine Corps

VA proposes new rules for delayed caregiver support program

The Department of Veterans Affairs published new rules Friday for its caregiver support program, putting the agency one step closer to expanding benefits to more veteran caregivers after months of delays.

In a September, 2018 photo, training Security Assistance Field Activity foreign students try out the Gunner's Mate 'A' School's firearms training simulator at Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit Great Lakes, Ill.<br>Brian Walsh/U.S. Navy

Two senators want more vetting of foreign military students in wake of Pensacola attack

Two Republican senators introduced legislation Thursday that would restrict foreign military students from obtaining firearms and establish a more thorough vetting process for the students before they are allowed access to U.S. military bases.

Report: VA unlawfully denies health care access for veterans with 'bad paper'

Rather than telling veterans with other-than-honorable discharges to fill out applications for health care, sending a written denial and informing them about their options to appeal, VA staff often rejects them on the spot, a new report says.

President Donald Trump will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom next week to Jack Keane, a retired four-star general and former vice chief of staff for the U.S. Army.<br>

Trump to award retired Gen. Jack Keane the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Jack Keane, a retired four-star general and former vice chief of staff for the U.S. Army, served as a paratrooper in the Vietnam War and later commanded American troops around the globe, including in Somalia, Haiti and Bosnia.

U.S. sailors train at a shooting range at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla, on Feb. 21, 2020. Pentagon procedures meant to detect and prevent threats at U.S. military bases didn’t cover international military students, such as the Saudi officer who carried out a deadly attack on Naval Air Station Pensacola last year, a defense official said Wednesday, March 4, 2020.<br>Diamond Sanders/U.S. Navy

Screening procedures at NAS Pensacola didn’t cover international students

Garry Reid, director for defense intelligence, said the Pentagon is “overly reliant” on the Department of State’s vetting procedures for foreign military students who enter the United States and access U.S. military bases, and the agencies fail to share information.

A U.S. Huey helicopter sprays Agent Orange over Vietnam.<br>U.S. Army

Wilkie promises diligence in effort to expand Agent Orange benefits

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie promised Thursday he's not stalling an effort to add four conditions to a list of diseases presumed to be caused by exposure to Agent Orange – a move that would grant benefits to tens of thousands of Vietnam War veterans.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie, left, talks with Veterans Health Administration Executive in Charge Dr. Richard Stone before a House Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Feb. 27, 2020.<br>Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes

VA budget increase comes at expense of safety net programs, lawmaker says

While the Department of Veterans Affairs is one of only two agencies set to get a financial boost under President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2021 budget proposal, Democrats on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs criticized his administration Thursday for cutting safety net programs that affect veterans, as well as the wider American population.

According to a report released on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, the Department of Defense is struggling to change how it handles the abuse of military kids, including cases involving sexual assault by other children.<br>Charles Dharapak/AP

Man arrested after trying to blow up vehicle in Pentagon parking lot, feds say

Police arrested Matthew Dmitri Richardson, 19, of Fayetteville, Ark., on charges of maliciously attempting to damage and destroy by means of fire. He was set to make his initial appearance in federal court Tuesday afternoon.

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie, at a House hearing in March, 2019.<br>Stars and Stripes

Senators demand investigation into Wilkie’s handling of sexual assault case at the VA

Six senators are demanding an investigation into how the Department of Veterans Affairs handled an alleged sexual assault at its Washington, D.C., hospital, prompted by reports that Secretary Robert Wilkie attempted to discredit the veteran who reported the assault.

Suspicious man poking around Pentagon parking lot is arrested at Arlington cemetery

A man acting suspiciously in the Pentagon parking lot Monday led police on a chase before being captured and arrested at Arlington National Cemetery, a Pentagon spokeswoman said.

Navy veteran Gary Pressley killed himself in April 2019 in the parking lot of the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin, Ga. His mother, who filed a wrongful death claim this week, says Pressley's VA doctor acted negligently when he cut off pain medication. <br>Pressley family

VA ‘negligent’ in veteran’s parking-lot suicide, mother says

The mother of a Navy veteran who killed himself in the parking lot of a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital last year filed a wrongful death lawsuit this week, accusing the VA of negligence in her son’s death.

A U.S. Huey helicopter sprays Agent Orange over Vietnam. Those who served “in-country” in Vietnam enjoy a nearly automatic VA presumption that they were exposed to these herbicides, sometimes popularly called “Agent Orange.” Those who served in Thailand are offered no such presumption.<br>U.S. Army

Democrats accuse Trump of 'stonewalling' benefits tied to Agent Orange for Vietnam vets

More than 100 Democrats in Congress accused President Donald Trump this week of stonewalling benefits for thousands of Vietnam War veterans. They urged Trump to add four conditions to a list of diseases presumed to be caused by exposure to Agent Orange.

Spc. Angel Ruszkiewicz, 21, a combat camera specialist from Milwaukee, Wi., reads a Stars and Stripes at the passenger terminal on a coalition base in Erbil, Iraq, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2019, before a flight to Syria.

<br>Chad Garland/Stars and Stripes

DOD proposes stripping Stars and Stripes’ funding in 2021 budget request

Pentagon officials first informed Stars and Stripes’ leadership of the proposed budget cuts to the news organization Monday morning, after The Wall Street Journal published a story identifying the planned funding reduction.

Veterans groups urge Trump to intervene on Agent Orange decision

Seven of the country’s largest veterans organizations have asked the President to add bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, hypertension and Parkinson’s-like symptoms to the list of conditions presumed to be caused by chemical herbicides used in the Vietnam War.

Trump's budget plan calls for another increase in VA spending

The president proposed $109.5 billion in discretionary funding for the VA, including $90 billion for medical care. Additionally, the VA has about $134 billion in mandatory funding to be spent on veterans’ benefits.

Michelle Norman, at a House Armed Services subcommittee meeting on the Exceptional Family Member Program, Feb. 5, 2020 on Capitol Hill. Next to her is military spouse Austin Carrigg.<br>Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes

Military families take the fight for special-needs education to Capitol Hill

Military spouses helped draft the Promise Act, which would require the military to offer legal help for families with special-needs children. It also aims to increase transparency about how school districts spend money on legal battles with military families.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, attends a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington in 2015.<br>Stars and Stripes

Senator quizzes VA about delaying Agent Orange decision

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, urged a top Department of Veterans Affairs health official Wednesday to fast-track benefits for Vietnam War veterans suffering from multiple diseases thought to be caused by the chemical herbicide Agent Orange.

Richard Stone, executive in charge of the Veterans Health Administration, answers questions on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, during a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Looking on at right is Jennifer MacDonald, who was also testifying on behalf of the Veterans Health Administration.<br>Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes

Cost, usage of VA Mission Act still uncertain

Eight months after the Department of Veterans Affairs launched a new program to connect veterans with private-sector doctors, the agency doesn’t know how many appointments have been completed or how much it’s costing taxpayers.

'I'm not the same': Hurdles remain for troops, veterans with TBI despite increase in awareness

Iraq War veteran Brian McGough said he gets headaches every week. “People should understand that the range of complications that come with traumatic brain injury are more than just headaches,” McGough said. “Even mild cases can cause ... memory and concentration issues, seizures, vision problems, anger issues … I’m not the same as I was.”

Thousands of American flags filled a grassy expanse on the National Mall on Wednesday morning, each of them representing a veteran or a servicemember who died by suicide in 2018.<br>Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes

House and Senate weigh different approaches to tackling veteran suicide crisis

A Senate panel advanced legislation Wednesday that aims to help prevent veteran suicide — making it one of three bills designed to tackle the crisis, each with a different approach and all awaiting congressional action.

In 2014, Jonathan Lubecky volunteered for a clinical trial of MDMA, the illegal psychedelic drug commonly known as molly or ecstasy.<br>

FDA expands access to ecstasy drug for PTSD therapy

“I already had five suicide attempts," Iraq War veteran Jonathan Lubecky said. "I put a gun to my head twice and pulled the trigger. I figured I was going to die anyway, that I might as well try ecstasy. And then it worked.”

The Washington, D.C., VA Medical Center.<br>Arthur Mondale/DOD

Case dropped, no charges filed in alleged assault of House staff member at VA hospital in DC

Federal authorities filed no charges after an investigation into a reported assault of a congressional staff member at the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Washington, and the case is now considered closed, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said Wednesday.

California Jobs Challenge (CAJC) scholar Nicholas Castro, 19, of Mission Viejo, Calif., speaks with a Cypress College staff member while getting his financial aid paperwork in place during his first visit to the college in Southern California in August.<br>Crystal Housman/U.S. Air National Guard

2020 VISION

GI Bill students could see changes in housing allowance

The Department of Veterans Affairs implemented changes Dec. 1 to its process for calculating student veterans’ housing allowances — a move that sets up 80,000 GI Bill recipients to get different amounts in the new semester than they did last year.

Minneapolis VA hospital is cited again for failures in patient suicide

The Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis could have prevented the suicide of a patient in 2018 who repeatedly told staff, “I want to die,” according to a watchdog report released Wednesday.

Bill would give $250 million to local veterans offices to fight suicide

Four senators introduced a measure Wednesday that would give $250 million in federal funding over the next five years to local government employees responsible for helping veterans process claims for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.

An Air Force illustration promotes the military's LGBT Pride month of June.<br>U.S. Air Force

LGBT groups criticize NDAA deal that omits repeal of military transgender ban

Multiple organizations that defend LGBT rights denounced Tuesday an agreement between Democrats and Republicans on the annual defense bill that omits a reversal of President Donald Trump’s transgender military ban.

The UrSafe app is hands-free and voice-activated.<br>PRNewsfoto/UrSafe

New voice-activated phone app strives to prevent military sexual assaults

A new mobile app claims to activate at the sound of a safe word and immediately alert a user’s friends, family and 911 in an emergency, as well as share the GPS location and livestream audio and video to selected contacts.

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, questions witnesses during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing addressing suicide prevention on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019.<br>Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes

Senate legislation looks for link between veteran suicides and prescription drugs

Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, introduced the Veteran Overmedication Prevention Act of 2019, which would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct an independent, expert study on VA patients who died by suicide or from a drug overdose during the past five years.

Attending a Senate Veterans Affairs hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019, are from left, Acting Director of the VA's Suicide Prevention Program Matthew Miller, Department of Health and Human Services' Suicide Prevention Branch Chief Richard McKeon and Harvard Medical School's McNeil Family Professor of Health Care Policy Ronald Kessler.<br>Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes

‘Difficult questions, daunting data:’ Senators put focus on suicides among young veterans, service members

The Pentagon’s annual suicide report, released in September, showed service members who died by suicide were primarily enlisted men younger than 30. That population makes up about 46% of the military population but accounted for 60% of suicide deaths.

Pentagon OKs new breast cancer screenings for Tricare users

The Defense Department will add new technology for breast cancer screenings to its Tricare coverage after female veterans in Congress pushed the Pentagon to make it available to active-duty service members, retirees and their families.

Female veterans in Congress want newer breast cancer screening technology for Tricare users

Active-duty service members and other women who use Tricare for their medical treatment would benefit from the latest technology for breast cancer screening under new legislation expected to be introduced Thursday in the House and the Senate.

Thousands of student veterans will get less money as part of Forever GI Bill change

About 59,000 veterans are expected to receive increased living stipends, but about 21,000 will get less money, the VA estimated. GI Bill benefits go to about 500,000 students each semester.

A map from the Center for a New American Security's report, “From Sea to Shining Sea: State Level Benefits for Veterans," shows the number of veteran benefits by state, ranging from a low of eight in the District of Columbia to a high of 60 in Illinois, with an average of 36 benefits offered.<br>Center for a New American Security

New study shows veteran benefit discrepancies between states

The Center for a New American Security has created an online database that allows veterans to search for and compare state benefits. The tool was launched Monday.

Bill McNutt, right, stands with Medal of Honor recipient Hershel "Woody" Williams in an undated photo.<br>Bill McNutt

Time runs short as advocates seek state funeral for last living WWII Medal of Honor recipient

Founded in 2017, the State Funeral for World War II Veterans wants President Donald Trump to approve a state funeral for the last living Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, only two of whom remain alive.

A video screen grab shows Chief William Smith, with the Alaska Native Health Board, testifying at a hearing on Capitol Hill on Oct. 30, 2019.<br>House Committee on Veterans' Affairs/YouTube

Native American veterans finally get audience with Congress

Native American leaders traveled from across the country this week to share their concerns with lawmakers about veterans’ barriers to health care – the first forum of its kind they’ve been granted in three decades.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama accepts the Tom Hanks Caregiver Champion Award on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. The Elizabeth Dole Foundation gives the award for outstanding support of military caregivers. <br>Nikki Wentling/Stars and Stripes

'Keep the pressure on': Michelle Obama urges more support for military caregivers

Former First Lady Michelle Obama encouraged military families and elected officials this week to “keep the pressure on” the country’s leaders to expand the support and understanding of those who care for injured and ill veterans and service members.

Trump’s VA whistleblower office ‘floundered’ in its mission, investigators say

An office within the Department of Veterans Affairs that is responsible for protecting whistleblowers and investigating misconduct took “troubling” actions, was confused about its mission and retaliated against those it was tasked to protect.

Gun safety group recommends ‘red flag’ laws to curb veteran suicides

Everytown for Gun Safety, the country’s largest gun control advocacy organization, released a report that includes a set of recommendations designed to place barriers between veterans in crisis and their firearms.

VA Secretary David Shulkin testifies during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2018. <br>Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes

Q & A

Shulkin: 'We need a reset in the way that things work in Washington'

Former Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin released a tell-all book Tuesday about his time in President Donald Trump’s administration, detailing everything from his interview in Trump Tower to his firing-by-tweet 14 months later.

VA Secretary David Shulkin answers a question during a House Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing in March, 2017.<br>Stars and Stripes

Shulkin warns 'subversive' culture at VA is leading department toward 'grave danger'

In a tell-all book about his time as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, David Shulkin blames a group of political rivals for plotting his demise and warns of “grave danger” ahead for veterans’ health care.

Indiana Hunt-Martin, 97, talks to Sgt. 1st Class Natasha Huertas Monday, Oct. 14, 2019, at the Association of the United States Army annual meeting in Washington. Hunt-Martin is one of seven living members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-black, all-female unit to serve in Europe during World War II. <br>Nikki Wentling/Stars and Stripes

Paving the way: The 6888th all-female, all-black unit inspires others

For over an hour Monday, dozens of female soldiers and veterans at the Association of the United States Army annual meeting in Washington took turns shaking the hand of Indiana Hunt-Martin, a 97-year-old World War II veteran whom many of them credited for “paving the way” for their service.

Cassidy Sharp, a character in the NBC drama "This is Us," depicts a Marine who returns from a deployment to Afghanistan struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. Her character was inspired by multiple real-life servicemembers.<br>NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Real people, events inspire military storylines in NBC show 'This Is Us'

The focus on real people and true events in the military-centric storylines of the Emmy-winning TV show “This Is Us” is largely due to technical consultant James LaPorta, a Marine Corps veteran who used stories of servicemembers and veterans he knew or wrote about, as well as his own experiences, to help the writers shape season four.

Justin Miller with his older sister, Alissa Harrington, at her wedding Jan. 27, 2007. Following Miller's suicide in February, Harrington is speaking out, trying to spur improvements to veteran suicide prevention.<br>Chris Harrington

‘There is hope and meaning moving forward’: Sister becomes advocate after brother’s suicide at VA

In the 18 months since her younger brother killed himself in the parking lot of a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, Alissa Harrington has joined a support network, passed the bar exam, become an advocate for veteran suicide prevention and continued to share his story.