In honor of the holiday, here's a collection of stories we've done in recent months on U.S. troops and the issues affecting them.

· We've followed the GI Bill, from the debates on the floor of Congress to its approval in the Senate, from the soldiers' gripes to our own.

· We set up an intimate Q&A session between the Democratic presidential candidates and a group of soldiers.

· The cast of "Stop-Loss" told us how their perceptions of the military changed over the course of shooting the movie.

· Some Obama-supporting vets explained what their candidate is doing to address their concerns.

· We looked at a virtual-reality game that's helping soldiers with PTSD.

· We cheered when gay and lesbian soldiers won right to sue the military over unlawful dismissal.

· Our Choose or Lose Street Team '08 members have run several stories about young soldiers, including Iowa correspondent Nathan Leigh's piece on Spc. Nicholas Maranell's take on our presence in Iraq.

· And on the lighter side, four "American Idol" fans — who also happened to be soldiers stationed in Iraq — found the time to write up their opinions about the show. Now that's going above and beyond the call of duty.

Editor’s Note: It’s crazy serious and difficult for the US Armed Forces in Iraq, but our soldiers still find time for a little fun and escape: just like many of you, they love their weekly dose of “American Idol.” We made friends on the Internet with some members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne division (Fort Bragg, what up!), who sent us their review of each “Idol” installment. And here, at last, are their reactions to this season’s finale!

So an MTV News salute goes out to the soldiers who’ve made “Idol In Iraq” possible: (L-R): PFC Joshua Miranda, 22 (Orlando, FL); PFC Nathan Puckett, 19 (Cynthiana, KY); SPC Cory Combs, 21 (Plymouth, MA); SSG Steve Cody, 27 (Los Angeles,CA). They have been helping give us the freedom to watch “Idol” in the first place.

And before you read their thoughts on the battle of David vs. David, here’s a note from Nathan, the soldier behind “Idol In Iraq.” It sounds like our friends are coming home this summer…

"So I guess this is the last “Idol In Iraq,” 'tear 'tear. It's been a really fun experience doing this with you guys. I had a blast in New York when I came to visit. You and your fellow workers were so much greater than my expectations, and the city was pretty awesome, too. I will definitely be making another trip to New York when I get back from Iraq. I didn't get to spend much time in the city or go sight-seeing, so I will be looking forward to doing that. We finally got orders saying that we are leaving here in July, so I am getting ready to go home.

Thanks for everything,
Nathan"

Nathan, Joshua, and Steve’s play-by-play of the “Idol” finale, after the jump. Read more...

Editor’s Note: It’s crazy serious and difficult for the U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq, but our soldiers still find time for a little fun and escape: just like many of you, they love their weekly dose of “American Idol.” We made friends on the Internet with some members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne division (Fort Bragg, what up!), who will be sending us their review of each “Idol” installment.

Our soldiers each week (L-R): PFC Joshua Miranda, 22 (Orlando, FL); PFC Nathan Puckett, 19 (Cynthiana, KY); SPC Cory Combs, 21 (Plymouth, MA); and SSG Steve Cody, 27 (Los Angeles, CA)

Only two of our soldiers caught this week’s “Idol” performances (Joshua and Steve), and even halfway across the globe, they could see Syesha Mercado’s elimination coming a mile away. For their money, our boys in camo are betting that the “Idol” crown will be placed on the noggin of David Cook on next week’s finale. Here are their impressions of this week’s renditions, after the jump. Read more...

This in from MTV News exec producer Jim Fraenkel:

For those of you who’ve been following our “Idol In Iraq” series here at Newsroom, here’s a little bit of backstory about Private First Class Nathan Puckett -- the 19-year-old soldier who made our weekly “Idol” installments happen.

Nathan came to the attention of MTV News strictly by chance…through my Facebook account.

About three months ago, I received a friend request from Nathan. We had no friends in common, so after accepting, I asked why he’d reached out to me. He told me that I looked like someone who had been in “a military class” with him. “Looks like I’m wrong,” he concluded. “Anyways, how’s New York? I’ve never been. After I get out of Iraq, I’m probably gonna try to visit one of my friends up there.”

The two of us struck up a friendship online. Our stations in life, it seemed, couldn’t have been farther apart, geographically or otherwise: I was the executive producer of MTV News, while Nathan had enlisted in the Army “right out of high school.” But we soon discovered common ground… Read more...

Editor’s Note: It’s crazy serious and difficult for the US Armed Forces in Iraq, but our soldiers still find time for a little fun and escape: just like many of you, they love their weekly dose of “American Idol.” We made friends on the Internet with some members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne division (Fort Bragg, what up!), who will be sending us their review of each “Idol” installment.

Our soldiers each week (L-R): PFC Joshua Miranda, 22 (Orlando, FL); PFC Nathan Puckett, 19 (Cynthiana, KY); SPC Cory Combs, 21 (Plymouth, MA); and SSG Steve Cody, 27 (Los Angeles, CA)

So, not all of our soldier pals got to catch this week’s “Idol” performances (SSG Cody was the only one who did, and he only caught the last half of the episode), because they were off doing what our nation’s servicemen and women do -- real classified-type stuff. That means there isn’t a complete briefing from our Iraq-based “Idol” hounds this week. But even though he’s halfway around the globe, in one of the world’s most unstable countries, Cody still could tell that dread-head Jason Castro’s number was going to be the one called.

Surprisingly, SSG Cody didn’t even mention Paulagate in his report, but it does seem he’s got a little thing for dark horse Syesha Mercado -- but that’s something he’s got to work out himself.

SSG Cody’s impressions of this week’s “Idol,” after the jump. Read more...

We here at MTV News want to let the "Idol" fans out there -- and specifically the "Idol In Iraq" fans -- know that we have not forgotten you. There will indeed be another installment of "Idol in Iraq"...it's just that, well, our friends in the Army’s 82nd Airborne division were a bit too caught up with the very serious business of serving our country this week to catch the last round of the show. They did, however, share with us that their unanimous reaction to Brooke White getting booted off was: S'about time!

No worries. Our friends will return later this week with their reactions to the competition as we near the final three. And what's more, PFC Nathan Puckett (Cynthiana, KY) recently visited with us in Times Square, so we're looking forward to posting some footage of that very soon. So check back with MTVNews.com for more.

Editor’s Note: It's crazy serious and difficult for the US Armed Forces in Iraq, but our soldiers still find time for a little fun and escape: just like many of you, they love their weekly dose of “American Idol.” We made friends on the Internet with some members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne division (Fort Bragg, what up!), who will be sending us their review of each “Idol” installment.

Our soldiers each week (L-R): PFC Joshua Miranda, 22 (Orlando, FL); PFC Nathan Puckett, 19 (Cynthiana, KY); SPC Cory Combs, 21 (Plymouth, MA); and SSG Steve Cody, 27 (Los Angeles, CA)

As President Bush would freely admit, it’s not always possible to meet deadlines when you’re living and working in a war-torn area -- and that’s something we here at MTV News learned last week. With PFC Puckett, who usually emails us the soldiers’ “Idol” commentary each week, taking some much-needed R&R, the rest of the troops slacked, having failed to “make a contingency plan” for Puckett’s time off. So the soldiers sent in their impressions of last week’s performances over the weekend.

While they didn’t comment -- at all -- on Kristy Lee Cook’s ouster the previous week, our soldier pals did think Carly Smithson had redeemed herself, and would be spared elimination. Of course, that didn’t happen. So, how did our valiant troops feel about the “Idol” hopefuls tackling the songs of Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber? SSG Cody said that “ever since my mother took me to see my first play as a child, I have loved the theater. I was happy to see ‘Idol’ take a step in that direction.” After seeing the performances, the guys definitely thought Brooke White or Jason Castro would be sent packing -- which they weren’t.

So, who did they love this week? Who do they want to go all the way? Find out after the jump. Read more...

Editor’s Note: It's crazy serious and difficult for the US Armed Forces in Iraq, but our soldiers still find time for a little fun and escape: just like many of you, they love their weekly dose of “American Idol.” We made friends on the Internet with some members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne division (Fort Bragg, what up!), who will be sending us their review of each “Idol” installment.

Our soldiers each week (L-R): PFC Joshua Miranda, 22 (Orlando, FL); PFC Nathan Puckett, 19 (Cynthiana, KY); SPC Cory Combs, 21 (Plymouth, MA); and SSG Steve Cody, 27 (Los Angeles, CA)

Last week’s elimination of Michael Johns from the “Idol” crop stunned our valiant troops, and from the looks of it, Kristy Lee Cook’s ouster Wednesday night will be just as shocking -- considering our judges in Iraq felt she’d done a good enough job to stick around for yet another week. And signs in the studio audience, calling for Simon Cowell’s appointment to the nation’s highest office, made them shudder. But they all agree that the contest is coming down to the wire, and it's getting just too close to call. (Unfortunately, SPC Cory Combs missed this week’s “Idol,” as he was occupied doing “Army stuff.”)

After tackling Mariah Carey’s impressive catalogue, our judges still feel David Cook’s the one to beat, but they haven’t totally discounted David Archuleta -- or his pants – from the running. Much like America, and the show’s judges, our troops came away from this week’s “Idol” feeling as though the dudes brought down the house, while the ladies dropped the proverbial ball.

Who did they adore? Who took their breath away? Who fell flat during Mariah week? Find out after the jump. Read more...

Editor’s Note: It’s crazy serious and difficult for the US Armed Forces in Iraq, but our soldiers still find time for a little fun and escape: just like many of you, they love their weekly dose of “American Idol.” We made friends on the Internet with some members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne division (Fort Bragg, what up!), who will be sending us their review of each “Idol” installment.

They get “Idol” a day later than we do, and their reports might not arrive until well after the show has aired (because, of course, things like communications blackouts do happen when you’re in the military taking care of URGENT BUSINESS). But you don’t mind because they are helping give you the freedom to watch “Idol” in the first place.

Our soldiers each week (L-R): PFC Joshua Miranda, 22 (Orlando, FL); PFC Nathan Puckett, 19 (Cynthiana, KY); SPC Cory Combs, 21 (Plymouth, MA); SSG Steve Cody, 27 (Los Angeles,CA)

After our soldiers got down on David Archuleta -- Hey, it WAS a horrible performance for him that week -- they welcomed him right back with open arms last week. And boy, like Paul Wall said, they had the Internet goin’ nuts the whole time. (Paul Wall? Rapper from Houston, chunks the deuce, real big a couple of years ago? Nevermind).

Well, now it's a race. And the soldiers feel we’ve gotten to the part of the season where it’s probably impossible to pick who the bottom three are going to be. In this season of superior talent, this was a week where the only two people they felt had absolute, 100%, certain for sure immunity were David A and John Norris’ favorite, Jason Castro. Everything else is up for grabs.

So who'd they love? Who surprised them? Who do they think let them down this time???? All that - and a special tribute to Elliot Yamin - after the jump.

Read more...

Editor’s Note: It’s crazy serious and difficult for the US Armed Forces in Iraq, but our soldiers still find time for a little fun and escape: just like many of you, they love their weekly dose of “American Idol.” We made friends on the Internet with some members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne division (Fort Bragg, what up!), who will be sending us their review of each “Idol” installment.

They get “Idol” a day later than we do, and their reports might not arrive until well after the show has aired (because, of course, things like communications blackouts do happen when you’re in the military taking care of URGENT BUSINESS). But you don’t mind because they are helping give you the freedom to watch “Idol” in the first place.

Our soldiers each week (L-R): PFC Joshua Miranda, 22 (Orlando, FL); PFC Nathan Puckett, 19 (Cynthiana, KY); SPC Cory Combs, 21 (Plymouth, MA); SSG Steve Cody, 27 (Los Angeles,CA)

Hey, so what'd you think of the soldiers' last entry? Wow, we haven't seen such spirited "discussion" in a while. First we have to make one thing very clear: Our soldier-reviewers DO NOT hate David Archuleta. In fact, as Nathan pointed out, “He has been a front-runner in our minds for a while.” What they didn’t like was Archuleta’s song choice last week, a song none of them had even heard of, “You’re the Voice” by John Farnham.

“The song did not allow him to show off his great vocals,” Nathan wrote. But Archuleta redeemed himself this time around in the Dolly Parton hour, and it seems that all is forgiven. “This week was a lot better and he moved back in to the top three in my mind,” said Joshua.

But even with all the good feeling toward the young “Idol” contender, there was one note of caution from Cory: “I think he will make it big even if he does not win 'American Idol.' I am just not sure what audience he would appeal to, but right now I can see him selling millions of records to kids 10 to 17 (years old).”

Take a look at what our Iraq-based panel had to say about Jason Castro, Brooke White, Michael Johns and more after the jump.

Read more...