Iraq veterans

(Newser) - The secretary of Veterans Affairs, the head of the second-biggest federal department, is stepping down and will be replaced by October 1, reports the Washington Post. For 2½ turbulent years, Jim Nicholson, a decorated Vietnam vet and former RNC chair, presided over a department beset by criticism and overwhelmed by...

(Newser) - A decorated disabled Iraq war vet announced she won't launch a second battle for an Illinois congressional seat, despite losing the last election to a Republican by less than 3%. Tammy Duckworth, who lost  her legs in a grenade attack on a helicopter she was co-piloting, said she'll continue her...

(Newser) - In a decision that may hold implications for veterans' free-speech rights, a disciplinary panel has recommended that a decorated Marine who appeared at an antiwar protest in desert fatigues receive a general discharge. Adam Kokesh, who had been honorably discharged from active duty, says the military is using "tactics...