A promise to keep
New England's Own: The journey home from Iraq for one Marine Battalion

Battered returning veterans struggle with transition

The 878 men of the First Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment who came home have struggled to come to terms with the fact that 11 did not; that 68 others suffered combat wounds; and that many more were hit with injuries less visible but with long-term effects.
(Boston Globe, 11/11/07)

video

New England's Own: Part 1 - Coming Home Part 1: Coming Home After a long tour of duty in Iraq, the first battalion 25th Marine regiment returned home.
New England's Own: Part 2 - The Roulette Wheel Part 2: The Roulette Wheel Three were killed and three wounded during the longest day for the battalion.
New England's Own: Part 3 - Moving On Part 3: Moving On The Marines of "New England's Own" struggled with life back home after Iraq.
Remembering the Veterans
Wreaths to say thanks

Wreaths to say thanks

Hundreds of workers tend lush, green rings of balsam at the headquarters of the Worcester Wreath Co. The company, owned by Morrill Worcester, donated thousands of wreaths to decorate veterans' graves in Arlington National Cemetery. (Boston Globe, 12/9/07)
video Wreaths for the fallen

Previous installments

part six
Families wage fight for brain-injured

Families wage fight for brain-injured

Vincent Mannion's family has joined a budding movement demanding specialized care for severe brain injury in private facilities outside the military and veterans healthcare system. (Boston Globe, 9/09/07)
AUDIO SLIDESHOW Fighting for Vinny
Part five
Father, son share trauma of war

Father, son share trauma of war

For years after returning from Vietnam, George Burke kept his distance and held his silence, a remote and angry presence for his family. But suddenly, survival depends on confronting something he and his son share: Both have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
 (Boston Globe, 6/18/07)
Part four
'It's tough when you come back'

'It's tough when you come back'

Lessons of war have hit home especially hard at Norwich University in Vermont. Seventy-five students and recent alumni have served in Iraq; six have died. Many coming back from combat have struggled to resume the ordinary rhythms of campus life. (Boston Globe, 5/5/07)
Audio slideshow The Lessons of War
part three
For vets in rural areas, care hard to reach

For vets in rural areas, care hard to reach

The Department of Veterans Affairs is struggling, and often failing, to do right by the many veterans with serious combat injuries who need supervised care but live in remote areas, a Globe review found. (Boston Globe, 4/29/07)
part two
Backlogs, long waits plague system

Backlogs, long waits plague system

A Globe review shows that the VA planned for a short and relatively bloodless war in Iraq, and then was slow to react when the war dragged on. (Boston Globe, 3/11/07)
Chat transcript Charles Sennott discussed part two
Part one
Told to wait, a Marine dies

Told to wait, a Marine dies

Marine Private Jonathan Schulze served in Iraq and earned two Purple Hearts, but was turned away for mental health treatment at the VA. Four days later he took his own life. (Boston Globe, 2/11/07)

Tell us your experience

Are you a New England veteran or do you have a story to share about one? Post it on this message board. Or contact Boston Globe reporter Charles Sennott with a private e-mail (sennott@globe.com), or call him at 617-929-7671.

Resources

US Dept. of Veterans Affairs

Homepage for the federal agency.

Vet Center Services

Free counseling and outreach services for veterans and their family members.

The Costs of Providing Veterans Benefits

A report on the long-term costs of providing medical care and disability benefits for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Follow-up