I have been reflecting on the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States - the right of the people to keep and bear arms. The right to own weapons is a fundamental part of our collective history as Americans.

WASHINGTON — If Navy leadership has anything to do with it, the misleading stereotype of the drunken sailor or hard-drinking Marine will fade into the past.

WASHINGTON — When it comes to hospital stays, longer is not necessarily better in reducing 30-day readmission rates.  That’s according to a review of records for the more than 4 million patients hospitalized at 129 acute care VA hospitals from 1997 to 2010.

WASHINGTON — A controversial new law expands the circumstances when DoD funds can be used to pay for abortions to include cases of rape or incest.

Please read this article and participate in this month's U.S. Medicine readership poll: Should DoD be required to pay for abortions in cases of rape and incest as well as danger to the life of the mother?

BETHESDA, MD — Despite concerns about unhealthy lifestyles and rising obesity among recruits, the U.S. military might be in better shape than ever, as measured by cardiovascular disease markers.

WASHINGTON--With strong evidence that a combination of exercise and cholesterol-lowering drugs creates a potent weapon against deaths from heart disease, VA researchers are grappling with a related issue: What is the correct amount of each?

WASHINGTON — How much burden have the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan put on the military healthcare system?  A recent report suggests the effects have been significant and they will not end anytime soon.

WASHINGTON — Then-Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki asked for a plan to speed up integration of electronic health records late last year.

HOUSTON — As researchers delve deeper into the pathophysiology of PTSD, the complex interplay among the disease’s symptoms becomes more transparent, opening the possibility of new treatments.

WASHINGTON — A new Navy Medicine public service announcement depicts a sailor snorting white powder, suffering disturbing hallucinations, then becoming violent. He eventually ends up in the hospital where he appears to have a seizure while medical personnel are trying to help him.