military

An Afghan parolee reflects on her life in Iowa one year after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

On the week of Memorial Day, listen back to River to River's conversations about veterans who heeded the call to serve the nation and didn't return.

We hear about a famous photo of soldiers raising a flag at Iwo Jima and its Iowa connection. We talk with members of an Iowa "Granny Basketball" team who won a national championship. And we learn about the history of Iowa's only city west of the Missouri River.

Brent Westemeyer, Sergeant First Class Sean Everette and Joy Tumilson McMeekan join Ben Kieffer to remember the sacrifices made by Iowa veterans Harold "Pie" Keller of Brooklyn, William Tucker of Bedford and Jon Tumilson of Rockford.

Ben Kieffer speaks to retired U.S. Navy Admiral Michael Franken and retired Army officer and military aviator Brian O’Keefe of Des Moines, IA.

A former U.S. military interpreter originally from Afghanistan is one step closer to being granted asylum. He said he feels conflicted by the good news for himself, while his home country is suffering.

Thousands of Afghans who worked with U.S. forces were promised a U.S. visa in return. With American troops all but gone, it's unclear how the Biden administration will be able to keep that promise.

Maria Berdecia was active duty military and serving in Masirah, Oman on Sept. 11, 2001. She shared her story as part of the River to River series Leaving Afghanistan.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., scored a major victory with her years-long effort to transform how major criminal cases are handled for service members. But hurdles remain.

Host Ben Kieffer speaks with Marine Corps Major Erick Eldridge about his service in Afghanistan from 2010-2011.