Veterans Day looks different this year

I met my husband Dan ten years ago, approximately 18 months after he got back from Afghanistan, and about five weeks after he left active duty. It was, in his words, as he was “shakily beginning the transition into civilian life.” That’s when I began learning about the role the internet plays in the lives of Veterans. Over the last decade, I’ve watched Dan navigate the hard journey of building a new identity as a civilian and Veteran. For Dan, the internet was arguably the most valuable and essential tool he had in redefining “esprit de corps” when he left active duty. Social media and independent online news sources like War on the Rocks and Task & Purpose help Dan connect with like-minded peers assessing emerging threats in the national security space. That cohort helped narrow his focus for graduate school, where he eventually used his GI Bill benefits - and the internet - to pursue his masters and a part-time, remote PhD at Kings College London. Like many others, his internet access helps him to stay in contact with friends, mentors and peers around the world, even when they’re deployed. And it allows him to lend a hand to his brothers and sisters, whether through direct contact or organizations like Patrol Base Abbate (PB Abbate), which, among its many services for active and retired service members, offers 24/7 online support.  [Nov 10]