Desegregation in the Military

What is the Executive Order 9981? On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981: The Desegregation of the Armed Forces. This order banned segregation in the armed forces and ordered the full integration of all branches of service. The order  also mandated equality of treatment and

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Photo of Andree L. Griffin

Andreé L. Griffin: Bagram and Back

For Women’s History Month, we feature Andreé L. Griffin, who served in the United States Army Reserves from March 2010 to March 2018 and grew up in Slinger, Wisconsin. She describes her childhood as a "typical country" and included learning to ride and care for horses, a passion she continued

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Jeff Carnes: Veteran in the Spotlight

As a military linguist, Jeff Carnes provided a critical link between American troops, foreign forces, and the local population, establishing trust in treacherous times. Fluent in Arabic, Carnes connected intimately with the local people during his tour in Iraq in 2003. He recalls a conversation with an Iraqi civilian named

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