The military has begun to grapple with the mental and emotional strains endured by personnel who may never come face to face with a Taliban insurgent, never dodge a roadside bomb or takefire, but who nevertheless may be responsible for taking human lives or putting their colleagues in mortal danger.
Insurers (along with state and local governments) are demanding that homeowners take more fire precautions, and they are sending inspectors to monitor progress.
In this week's test, examiners set ablaze five boxes containing about 250 oxygen canisters swathed in bubble wrapper to determine how long it would take the fire to spread.