THE PALOMARES NUCLEAR DISASTER: And a Class-Action Victory. Richard Currey examines the 1966 mid-air collision that resulted in four 1.5-megaton nuclear bombs falling from a USAF bomber as it disintegrated over Palomares, Spain. While there was little chance of the bombs detonating, the bomb casings ruptured and plutonium gas was released into the Spanish countryside. The American troops that were hastily sent in for the search and subsequent clean-up were provided no protective gear. Their story and recent legal victory are described. [on the cover]

ALABAMA CHAPTER 301’S FOOD DRIVE: Forty Years and Counting. Last Christmas, VVA’s Tuscaloosa chapter collected and distributed 30,000 pounds of food. Bill Triplett describes how the program evolved and what it takes to keep it going.

EFFECTIVE STATEHOUSE VETERANS ADVOCACY:
A Step-by-Step Guide. New Jersey State Council Government Affairs Director Bob McNulty explains how to approach state legislatures and get meaningful laws enacted that benefit veterans.

GUERILLA WARS: An Excerpt from “Dad’s Maybe Book.” We excerpt famed Vietnam Veteran author Tim O’Brien’s newest book, a bittersweet meditation on aging, parenting, mortality, and the universal nature of war.

VA’S OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: The Future of Veterans Health. Claudia Gary interviews VA researchers and provides an overview of some current VA medical research and the criteria used to set research priorities.