The Syrian conflict has drawn in many parties, including loosely organized terrorist groups that use next-generation improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These IEDs are highly lethal, and even the concussive blast alone can cause a permanent traumatic brain injury (TBI). Syria has long been under the control of Bashar al-Assad, one of the most entrenched dictators in the region. His socialist …

Qatar, a small but affluent nation located on the Persian Gulf at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, has long played a key role in U.S. military operations in the Middle East. Its geographical position makes it a vital staging area for regional missions, and the government of Qatar has been supportive of a U.S. presence since Operation Desert Storm …

Kuwait is a small, oil-rich country located at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula in the Persian Gulf, bordered by Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Its wealth and strategic position have made it a focus of global attention, and in the early 1990s, it became the target of aggression when Iraq attempted to annex the country. The United States led a …

Since the end of World War II, the United States has maintained a significant military presence in Japan. Immediately after the war, the U.S. served as an occupying force while the country was demilitarized to prevent future aggression. In 1951, the Treaty of San Francisco restored Japanese sovereignty. At the same time, the two nations signed the Japan-America Security Agreement, …

In many instances, private companies have served in para-military roles, providing mission support, personal security, and training the Iraqi forces. Many of these contractors were former military and relied on their training to perform their duties. Contractors often worked side by side with U.S. service members, facing the same dangers and incurring many of the same types of injuries. The …

The Republic of Haiti, occupying the western half of the island of Hispaniola, has endured centuries of turbulence. When Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492, the indigenous Taino people were already living there, having migrated from South America. Haiti’s history is marked by colonization, rebellion, and political instability. It was controlled by Spain from 1492 until 1625, and later by France. …

Half an ocean away in the Western Pacific lies Guam, the largest and southernmost island in the Marianas Archipelago. Its location makes it one of the most strategically important U.S. bases in the region, serving as the forward line of defense in the Pacific. Today, nearly 29% of Guam’s land is occupied by U.S. military installations, underscoring its role in …

Diego Garcia is a remote tropical island in the Indian Ocean, located just south of the Equator. Although the island is owned by the British Indian Ocean Territory, the United States has maintained a military base there since 1974. Today, the U.S. Navy Support Facility on Diego Garcia houses 16 different military commands, making it one of the most strategically …

Throughout the United States’ extended military presence in Afghanistan, tens of thousands of civilian contractors were employed to provide vital support. At the height of operations in 2014, more than 50,000 non-military workers were stationed in the country. Even as military activity diminished, contractors continued to play an important role in keeping bases and operations functioning. Contractors worked in logistics, …

In 1898, the Treaty of Paris ended the Spanish-American War, placing Cuba under U.S. military rule until the island was granted independence in 1902. Over the following two decades, American intervention was deemed necessary several times. The Cuban-American Treaty of 1903 established a U.S. lease of the southern portion of Guantanamo Bay. This lease granted the United States the right …