Quil Lawrence
Quil Lawrence is a New York-based correspondent for NPR News, covering veterans' issues nationwide. He won a Robert F. Kennedy Award for his coverage of American veterans and a Gracie Award for coverage of female combat veterans. In 2019 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America honored Quil with its IAVA Salutes Award for Leadership in Journalism.
Lawrence started his career in radio by interviewing con men in Tangier, Morocco. He then moved to Bogota, Colombia, and covered Latin America for NPR, the BBC, and The LA Times.
In the Spring of 2000, a Pew Fellowship sponsored his first trips to Iraq — that reporting experience eventually built the foundation for his first book, Invisible Nation: How the Kurds' Quest for Statehood is Shaping Iraq and the Middle East (Bloomsbury, 2009).
Lawrence has reported from throughout the Arab world and from Sudan, Cuba, Pakistan, Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan for twelve years, serving as NPR's Bureau Chief in Baghdad and Kabul. He covered the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the second battle of Fallujah in 2004, as well as politics, culture, and war in both countries.
In 2012, Lawrence returned to the U.S. to cover the millions of men and women who have served at war, both recently and in past generations. NPR is possibly unique among major news organizations in dedicating a full-time correspondent to veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
A native of Maine, Lawrence studied history at Brandeis University, with concentrations in the Middle East and Latin America. He is fluent in Spanish and conversant in Arabic.
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A Florida-based company is charging military veterans as much as $20,000 for help with disability claims, even though the VA has said that may be illegal and the service should be free. But so far nobody's stopping the company and others like it. -
The Pentagon is opening an inquiry into Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly after the retired Navy captain and other Democrats recorded a video urging military members not to comply with illegal orders.
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The Pentagon says it's opening an investigation into Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly in the wake of a video of Democratic lawmakers urging servicemembers not to comply with "illegal orders."
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Six Democratic lawmakers, who also served in the military, released a video this week reminding U.S. troops to refuse "illegal orders," drawing the ire of President Trump and his supporters.
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NPR Veterans Correspondent Quil Lawrence interviewed Dave Carlson over 10 years, as the Iraq war vet went from war to incarceration to redemption on his long journey home. -
The admiral overseeing U.S. Southern Command is leaving as the Pentagon continues its attacks on small boats in the waters off Venezuela, claiming they are being used by drug traffickers.
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The admiral overseeing U.S. Southern Command is leaving as the Pentagon continues its attacks on small boats in the waters off Venezuela, claiming they are being used by drug traffickers.
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The Pentagon is implementing new guidelines that will require journalists to sign a pledge and agree to report only approved and officially released information. -
A bipartisan Congress has come to the rescue of vets at risk of losing their homes, after administrations from both parties tore up VA safety nets for homeowners. -
If you're a veteran who has been charged a fee to get help on your application for a VA disability rating or other benefits, NPR wants to hear from you!
