Our Blog
Desensitization and Apathy to the Realities of War
Thoughts about a war culture after reading the text of the speech given at the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act on August 13, 2018, at Fort Drum, in Jefferson, New York. The following quotes are from that speech (emphasis added by me). Words following...
read moreIn Memoriam: The Legacy of Bill Carothers and Quaker House
You could say that Quaker House underwent a kind of trial by fire in 1970, and Bill Carothers was one of the firefighters who stepped in to help. Specialist William Carothers, as he was officially known, was serving with the 612th Quartermaster Company at Fort Bragg...
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Quaker House at 50 — Still Witnessing for Peace
They say that a week is a long time in politics, and half a century is more than the working lifetime of most politicians and members of the military. For those working for a more peaceful and just world, and for Quakers, who’ve been advocating for peace for 380 years...
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When Military Recruiting Goes Awry — The GI Rights Hotline
Delayed Entry Program (DEP): On the GI Rights Hotline, we receive calls from service members in all phases of military service. Some of our favorite calls come from those in the Delayed Entry Program, individuals who have signed up but not yet reported for basic...
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Bringing Order to the Mental Chaos of Trauma
A client has been with us from his transition as an active duty soldier to civilian life. While in the Army, he had experienced some depression and moral injury. After his Army contract was cut short due to a severe injury, he felt he could make a change in others'...
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Study Published on the Unmet Needs of Soldiers
Last month, Oxford University Press’ Military Medicine published a study about military service members who seek medical services, including mental health services, outside of the military. With approximately 20 veteran and 1 active duty suicides per day, serious...
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Inspire to Serve or Conspire to Conscript?
[Photo from the home page of the Commission on Military, National, and Public Service, inspire2serve.gov, accessed March 14, 2018.] What does this photo say to you? What do you think it is advertising? What is the meaning of its creative internet address,...
read moreChild Soldiers and the Transformation of a Navy Petty Officer
In December 2016, we received a call from a sailor who wanted our support as she applied for conscientious objection. Petty Officer Allen’s* story provides a powerful example of a military member who was transformed through her experiences and found the courage to...
read moreFrances Crowe–Vietnam Era Conscientious Objector Guide
I had the most delightful telephone conversation about a week ago with Frances Crowe. In Quaker House’s last newsletter (Winter 2017/2018), I asked people to share stories about their experiences with conscientious objection, from any war, any moral basis (any...
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