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Articles on Military culture

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Marines help the wounded man to an evacuation helicopter near Van Tuong,1965. AP Photo/Peter Arnett

How Vietnam dramatically changed our views on honor and war

Is there honor in a losing battle? The US military faced this question in Vietnam. Its response would eventually change how the media covered war and how Americans perceive it.
Detail of a production still from Baden Pailthorpe ‘s MQ-9 Reaper III (Skyquest) 2015 Courtesy of the artist and Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney

Friday essay: video games, military culture and new narratives of war

Video games such as Battlefield I encourage players to find purpose and meaning in war. But a new generation of artists and gamers is starting to question the messages they propagate.
‘Counter-Strike’ has sold over 25 million units, making it one of the most popular first-person shooters of all time. Miyaoka Hitchcock/flickr

How the US military is using ‘violent, chaotic, beautiful’ video games to train soldiers

Two researchers interviewed military members and vets to see what role first-person shooters played in their lives – before, during and after their enlistments.
It’s not looking good. Reuters/Alaa Al-Marjani

Is the Iraqi army a lost cause?

Assembled at the cost of billions of dollars, Iraq’s army has never amounted to much – and it’s not the first foreign-built military to fail so spectacularly.
The US’s refusal to track civilian casualties in the conflict against Islamic State represents a radical departure from established military protocol. EPA/Sedat Suna

The politics of (not) counting: why war on terror’s civilian toll matters

Lieutenant-General James L. Terry, commander of US forces in Iraq and Syria, recently admitted he had no idea how many civilians have died as a result of coalition airstrikes in the region. In a briefing…
A mechanism of independent scrutiny – such as a royal commission – remains the best way forward for alleviating defence abuse. AAP/Alan Porritt

Royal commission could shine an independent light on defence abuse

As I was showering five or six senior [others] attacked me – they turned off the lights, tied my hands behind my back and proceeded to do things to me. I was held down whilst one of them put his penis…
David Cameron visits Commonwealth soldiers’ graves in Tourgeville Military Cemetery, France. Stefan Rousseau/PA

Britain’s imperial armies come to the rescue of its modern forces

Speaking as part of a commemorative celebration of the importance of the Commonwealth in WW1, David Cameron had this to say about the participation of colonial troops from all over the empire: They fought…
Julian Knight is one of Australia’s worst mass murderers. But how much do we know about his experience in the military? AAP/Julian Smith

The ADF and Julian Knight: a lesson on defence’s culture reform

In February, Victorian premier Denis Napthine locked the door and threw away the key for Hoddle Street mass killer Julian Knight. Despite being eligible for parole in May after serving a 27-year minimum…

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