Quil Lawrence

Army Sgt. Accused Of Filming Female Cadets Without Consent

Quil Lawrence — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:32:00 +0000

The sergeant worked at West Point. The story, first reported by The New York Times, is the latest in a series of embarrassing cases for the military, which has acknowledged it has a significant problem of sexual assault and harassment in the ranks.

Sexual Violence Victims Say Military Justice System Is 'Broken'

Quil Lawrence — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 07:05:00 +0000

Myla Haider took a roundabout route to becoming an agent in the Army's Criminal Investigation Command, or CID. Wars kept interrupting her training.

"My commander wanted to take me to Iraq as the intelligence analyst for the battalion, so I gave up my seat in CID school," Haider says.

She speaks in a steady, "just the facts ma'am" tone. Once a cop always a cop, the 37-year-old says.

Her commander from the 101st Airborne, retired Lt. Col. Marty Herbert, describes Haider as a sharp, even-keeled analyst, standing out in a battalion of hundreds.

Off The Battlefield, Military Women Face Risks From Male Troops

Quil Lawrence — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 07:08:00 +0000

Dora Hernandez gave a decade of her life to the U.S. Navy and the Army National Guard, but some of the dangers surprised her.

"The worst thing for me is that you don't have to worry about the enemy, you have to worry about your own soldiers," she says.

Sitting in a circle, a group of women nod in agreement. All are veterans, most have spent time in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they're also survivors of another war.

U.S. Families Forced To Adjust To Women Going Off To War

Quil Lawrence — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:12:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

War has always affected the families of the men who fight them, during the conflict and then during the transition home.

Women In Combat, And The Price They Pay

Quil Lawrence — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:23:00 +0000

America has been debating the role of women in combat since 1779.

That's when the Continental Congress first awarded a military disability pension to Mary Corbin after she manned a cannon in the Revolutionary War at the battle of Fort Washington in New York. Corbin got only half the pension male soldiers received, but she asked for — and received — the full ration of rum.

Today, as the Pentagon decides how to remove the combat exclusion, women still have trouble getting fully recognized for what they've achieved at war.

"Are women in combat?" asks Staff Sgt. Jessica Keown.

Female Soldiers Face Tough Switch From Front Lines To Homefront

Quil Lawrence — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 09:52:00 +0000

In a series of reports this week, NPR's Quil Lawrence looks at some of the most pressing challenges facing America's nearly 2 million female veterans. Like men, they often need assistance in finding jobs, dealing with PTSD and reintegrating into their families. And all too often, women say their military experience included sexual harassment or sexual assault.

Alyssa Corcoran experienced combat on her first patrol in Afghanistan.

A Wounded Soldier Stands Tall At Reunion With His Platoon

Quil Lawrence — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:13:00 +0000

U.S. Army Spc. Tyler Jeffries spent most of last year in Afghanistan, on dusty, hot patrols in the villages outside Kandahar. Last fall, on Oct. 6, his tour ended three months early.

"I was clearing an area and I had the metal detector. Then we had word that there was two guys coming toward our position," Jeffries recalled later that month.

Shooting Of 'American Sniper' Raises Questions About PTSD Treatment

Quil Lawrence — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:02:00 +0000

Police in Texas have charged Eddie Ray Routh, a 25-year-old U.S. Marine reservist, with capital murder. Arrest records indicate that Routh had been twice taken to a mental hospital in recent months, and had told police he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

It's not clear whether a doctor had diagnosed Routh with the disorder before he allegedly murdered Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield.

Suicide Hotline Fights To Keep Vets And Troops Alive

Quil Lawrence — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:32:00 +0000

At a suicide prevention center in upstate New York, America's troops and veterans are calling in for help.

And that help is needed more than ever. This past year witnessed a terrible death toll from suicide.

For Veterans, The Wait For Disability Claims Grows Longer

Quil Lawrence — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 08:26:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAVb1FzjZH8

Ct. Authorities Release Few Shooting Details

Quil Lawrence — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:32:00 +0000

Police continue to investigate why Adam Lanza killed 26 students and staffers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Ct. Lanza then killed himself. Police are holding the details of their investigation close.

Storm Update New York

Quil Lawrence — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:39:00 +0000

Two weeks since Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast, nearly 200,000 people remain without power along the eastern seaboard. Many also have no heat as the winter approaches. In Brooklyn, FEMA is registering people in Red Hook to see if they qualify for federal aid.

New York To Allow Voters To Cast Ballots By Affidavit

Quil Lawrence — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 23:43:00 +0000

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

Now many who will cast presidential ballots in New York have been facing a complicated post-storm challenge - where they should vote. Superstorm Sandy has displaced many residents from their homes and some polling places are out of commission because of storm damage.

Many New Yorkers Still Unsure Of Where To Vote

Quil Lawrence — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 22:22:00 +0000

A day before the election, some storm-stricken New Yorkers were trying to figure out where to vote. Meanwhile, the New York City Board of Elections is under pressure to make things run smoothly.

Race Canceled, Marathoners Run For Storm Relief

Quil Lawrence — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 21:58:00 +0000

New York city Mayor Michael Bloomberg said today that 30,000 to 40,000 people are homeless in his city after the storm. He compared the scope to hurricane Katrina. On Sunday, many New Yorkers who had planned to watch or run in the cancelled New York city marathon instead looked for ways to help. The closest hard-hit area for many was Staten Island, connected to Manhattan by a Ferry.