A look at life out of uniform | Navy Times Off Duty

Review praises ‘Beyond the Call: Three Women on the Front Lines in Afghanistan’

The Americans profiled — Marine Sgt. Sheena Adams and a pair of Army officers, Maj. Maria Rodriguez and Capt. Johanna Smoke — wanted to make a difference in America’s mission in Afghanistan.

By: Jerri Bell, Veterans Writing Project November 30

Drunk driving among veterans is up nearly 60 percent since 2014, study finds

Drunk driving and binge drinking among vets has spiked considerably in recent years, according to the American Addiction Centers.

By: J.D. Simkins November 29

A strip tease: Army tells recruiters to stay away from erotic dance clubs

The Nov. 20 letter declared all recruiting personnel on temporary duty to be henceforth “barred from frequenting Erotic Dance Establishments.”

By: J.D. Simkins November 27

‘That smells like death... expired death’ — man tries MREs for first time

YouTube sensation Alonzo Lerone dived headfirst into a number of items from that treasured brown bag — and his comments do not disappoint.

By: J.D. Simkins November 22

In these divisive times, this story of American Thanksgiving bears lessons worth heeding

When President George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving Proclamation under the U.S. Constitution on October 3, 1789, he was continuing an age-old tradition but adding a uniquely nationalistic slant.

By: Ron Soodalter November 22

Airman becomes the first Muslim to be granted service’s beard waiver for observing religion

The airman with the 821st Contingency Response Squadron was granted the exemption after waiting years for approval.

By: J.D. Simkins November 20

Check out this stunning 360-degree video of soldiers flying over Hawaii while harnessed to a Black Hawk

Soldiers from 25th Infantry Division Lightning Academy conducted special patrol insertion/extraction training off the pristine coastline of Hawaii.

By: J.D. Simkins November 19

Navy tames Golden Hurricane 37-29

Navy's Zach Abey ran for 128 yards with a pair of touchdowns and the Midshipmen snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 37-29 victory over Tulsa on Saturday.

By: Todd Karpovich, The Associated Press November 17

‘All hell broke loose’ — ambushed Marine carried wounded to safety, fired at the enemy with his free arm

“There was no one out, nothing moving” before “all hell broke loose.”

By: J.D. Simkins November 16

Meditation helps vets with post-traumatic stress disorder

Meditation worked as well as traditional therapy for military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder in a small experiment sponsored by the Department of Defense.

By: Carla K. Johnson, The Associated Press November 15

Marine vet banned from Disney World for flashing ‘Trump 2020’ sign on Splash Mountain

Donning a “Make America Great Again” hat, Dion Cini lifted the “Trump 2020” sign high over his head as the giant, hallowed log plunged to watery depths.

By: J.D. Simkins November 14

New HBO documentary puts a much-needed face to complex veteran struggles with PTSD

“We Are Not Done Yet” goes beyond black and white statistics to provided much-needed personalization of PTSD.

By: J.D. Simkins November 12

‘SNL’ cast member apologizes for mocking wounded veteran and congressman-elect Dan Crenshaw

"Saturday Night Live" cast member Pete Davidson has apologized for mocking the appearance of a veteran who lost an eye in Afghanistan.

By: The Associated Press November 11

This smash hit music video just plunged the US into a race for military-themed band domination

Much like the nuclear arms race of the Cold War, the exceedingly pertinent race to produce the greatest military-funded musical numbers is upon us.

By: J.D. Simkins November 8

Military Times Fall Reading Guide: From Iraq to the White House, there’s something on our nonfiction list for everyone

Here is Military Times’ fall roundup of book reviews, listed in order of reading value and satisfaction.

By: J. Ford Huffman November 6

Military Times Fall Reading Guide: Check out these can’t-miss fiction and graphic story offerings

Here is Military Times’ fall roundup of fiction and graphic story reviews.

By: J. Ford Huffman November 6

'Shove your priority boarding’ — Aussie vets call airline’s veteran benefit offer ‘too American’

Virgin Australia recently announced a policy to recognize the nation's veterans, and vets wanted nothing to do with it.

By: J.D. Simkins November 5

Air Force Academy’s falcon mascot improving after injury at West Point

An Air Force falcon injured at West Point during a prank Saturday before the annual rivalry football game between the service academies is back home and showing signs of improvement.

By: The Associated Press November 5

NFL honoring military service with November campaign

The NFL began its "Salute to Service " campaign to honor the nation’s military, veterans and their families by pledging to donate up $5 to its nonprofit partners for every use of the hashtag Salute To Service through Nov. 19.

By: The Associated Press November 4

‘Better Call Saul’ actor confesses to cutting off his own arm, lying about being a wounded war veteran

One of the most bizarre — and gruesome — cases of stolen valor came to light this week.

By: J.D. Simkins November 1