Up the creek … no paddle needed

From the street, strands of purple ribbon wind around the white columns of the historic theater, hinting at the story waiting beyond its doors. Inside the foyer, a carefully curated slideshow flickers across a large screen, cycling through the faces of the cast. Some are seasoned performers. Others are stepping onto a stage for the very first time. Teachers stand alongside former students. Parents perform beside their children. People who worship in different churches, work different jobs and come from different corners of Southwest Georgia gather beneath the same lights to tell the same story.

Telling a family their child died in combat is something no one wants to do, but someone has to. Christopher Murphy described his service as a Casualty Assistance Calls Office as miserable but vital.

New moms in the military have statistically struggled with their mental health postpartum, and the federal government is supposed to help…or so we think. Here’s a look at a few of their perspectives.