September 3, 2008 - MPR’s Elizabeth Baier talks with to two gay veterans in St. Paul to see how the so-called "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military has affected their lives, both during -- and after -- their years in the military.
October 7, 2008 - Midday presents an American RadioWorks documentary titled "What Killed Sergeant Gray?" Sergeant Adam Gray made it home from Iraq only to die in his barracks. Investigating his death, American RadioWorks pieces together a story of soldiers suffering psychological scars – because they abused Iraqi prisoners.
September 29, 2009 - America faces difficult choice in Afghanistan, to send more troops there or not. The U.S. has been in Afghanistan nearly eight years, and yet the situation there is increasingly unstable. With debate brewing over further troop increase, Midday’s Gary Eichten talks with U.S. Representative Tim Walz about the path that lies ahead. Walz also answers listener questions.
March 10, 2010 - Midday features a rebroadcast of two Voices of Minnesota stories about women in World War II. Program includes the profiles, interviews, and a brief NPR report on Women Airforce Service Pilots.
June 10, 2010 - Journalist and best-selling author Sebastian Junger speaks at the UBS Forum about his book, titled War. The book follows a platoon of soldiers in Eastern Afghanistan and explores the psychological and social effects of combat in one of the most dangerous regions of the country.
June 23, 2010 - On this Midday program, MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with Congressman Tim Walz, who represents Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. Topics include General Stanley McChrystal controversy, as well as the broader discussion on relationship between generals, diplomats, and the U.S. president. Walz also answers listener questions.
April 4, 2011 - When soldiers find out they may deploy to a war zone, leaving their affairs at home in order for themselves and their loved ones becomes top priority. In just a couple months, nearly 24-hundred citizen soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard's 34th Infantry Division Red Bulls will be shipped to Kuwait as part of the U.S. drawdown phase in Iraq. For one soldier from Dodge Center, the uncertainty of a deployment meant scrambling to plan his bride's dream wedding ... in less than a week.
April 15, 2011 - How do you prepare for a year at war? MPR’s Jess Mador profiles the Munoz family, and how the married couple deal with the stress of military deployment.
June 9, 2011 - On this Midday program, MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with DFL Congressman Tim Walz, who represents Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. Program topic is Iraq troop withdrawals, role of Red Bulls, and war in Afghanistan. Walz also answers listener questions.
September 20, 2011 - Gays and lesbians can now serve openly in the military. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," a policy that's been on the books since 1993 and nullified by Congress in December 2010, has officially ended. MPR’s Sasha Aslanian talks with a few service members about their experiences with the policy.