former Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps
Author of From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava; former Lieutenant Colonel in the US Marine Corps; Executive Director of Freedom Is Not Free, a nonprofit in San Diego assisting wounded vets and their families, and families of the fallen
Stress in the Military Yesterday's shooting at Fort Hood was the most violent in history on a US military base, with 13 people confirmed dead and dozens more injured. With stress disorders taking an increasing toll in the military and thousands of combat veterans struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, mental health has become one of the most important issues facing soldiers today. For some, help may be coming from a surprising place, dogs that are trained to deal with PTSD and other problems. They're also playing a critical role on the battlefront. So how much can man's best friend do? What are the limits of canine therapy?
One Year Later: City of Ventura Faced the Thomas Fire When the Thomas Fire hit the city limits, residents fled for their lives. They recall midnight evacuations and near misses.
[ ██████████ ] Mueller’s sentencing memo for Michael Flynn might have redacted “all the sexy parts,” but Josh Barro and Ken White speculate on the black bars.
A call to prepare for the next natural disaster A local environmentalist says we should spend more time and money preparing for natural disasters than responding to them. A Ventura resident who lost his home in the Thomas Fire says rebuilding is taking longer than he’d hoped. Local animal shelters are becoming critical evacuation centers. And California counties must now hold public meetings on their relationship with federal immigration agents.
Trump Sees ‘Bipartisanship’ on Criminal Justice Reform After decades, America’s draconian crackdown on crime isn’t working. Even most conservatives agree with liberals that it’s worse than a waste of money. President Trump has used a rare word when it comes to proposed reform: “bipartisanship.” It could happen before the new Congress takes office--but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell might be applying the brakes.