Top stories
House passes Trump megabill with $150 billion in military funding
The bill includes $150 billion for the Pentagon, earmarked for shipbuilding, the Golden Dome and restocking precision weapons, among other priorities.
Navy did not document changes to recruitment procedures, watchdog says
The Navy reached its recruitment goal in fiscal 2024 by working through a backlog of 8,600 medical waivers, recruiting 5,845 sailors in the process.
Latest
US strikes set back Iran’s nuclear program up to 2 years, DOD says
“We’re thinking probably closer to two years — like degraded their program by two years,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Wednesday.
Illinois veteran bestowed military honors nearly a decade after death
An extraordinary cold case investigation revealed a formerly unidentified ward of the state to be a Women's Army Corps veteran.
Pentagon creates new military border zone in Arizona
The fourth national defense area created along the US-Mexico border will be an extension of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in the Sonora Desert.
Pilots who bombed Iran sites invited to White House for July Fourth
The U.S. pilots who carried out Operation Midnight Hammer last month were invited to the White House for July Fourth.
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Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2025.
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Military History
Top enlisted Marine takes a swipe at Audie Murphy’s uniform regs
The top enlisted Marine faced a sea of roasters on Army and Marine Reddit pages after he took a swipe at WWII combat soldier Audie Murphy.
The toilet paper war: A submariner’s battle against bureaucracy
In 1942, Lt. Cmdr. James Coe of the submarine Skipjack battled for his boat to receive what he deemed a basic necessity: toilet paper.
Why Despicable Me’s Gru is just a warrant officer with better branding
If Gru wore a uniform, it wouldn’t have stars or stripes. It would have a coffee stain and rank that no one really understands.
Advanced Marine reconnaissance vehicles are on the way - here's what they look like
Check out the two designs competing to be the Marines new advance recon vehicle - and learn about what capabilities they offer on this edition of Gear Scout.
In other news
Opinion
Valor may not expire, but award recognition should have limits
Opinion: The Valor Has No Expiration Act ignores why limitations on valor awards like the Medal of Honor matter.
Why Despicable Me’s Gru is just a warrant officer with better branding
If Gru wore a uniform, it wouldn’t have stars or stripes. It would have a coffee stain and rank that no one really understands.
Why Patrick Star is the blue falcon of Bikini Bottom
Patrick Star is every lovable mess-up squadmate who cost you a weekend because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut during formation.
By Clay Beyersdorfer
How a good PAO could spin Peter Griffin’s unapologetic havoc
The military, to be sure, has managed to explain away far worse than Peter Griffin.
Why Homer Simpson is a government fixture familiar to all troops
If you’ve spent time in the armed forces, you’ve had a Homer in your unit. He's not a comedic exaggeration. He’s a federal fixture.
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VIDEOS
Advanced Marine reconnaissance vehicles are on the way - here's what they look like
Check out the two designs competing to be the Marines new advance recon vehicle - and learn about what capabilities they offer on this edition of Gear Scout.
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MORE STORIES
Lawmakers warn Hegseth against political firings of generals
A bipartisan group of lawmakers asked Hegseth for justifications and transparency before any decisions to dismiss senior uniformed leaders.
Cuts to staff, budget will boost military strength, Hegseth says
Hegseth promised to reinvest budget savings in other military programs and jettison civilian workers who are not living up to expectations.
White House eyes 8% cut to defense budget to boost Trump priorities
The move could reduce defense spending projections by hundreds of billions of dollars over the next five years.
VA leadership nominee grilled over recent department layoffs
President Donald Trump nominated Paul Lawrence to serve as the second-highest leader in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Tricare snafus cause medical shortfalls for military families
Military families are struggling to get medical appointments as some health care providers drop Tricare beneficiaries due to lack of payment.
By Karen Jowers
New director of Concerned Veterans for America aims for more influence
John Vick takes over the veterans advocacy group whose alumni include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
This Medal of Honor recipient became an ace pilot in a day
'Ace in a day' is a rare distinction. Among the earliest American pilots to do so, Jim Swett was credited with seven victories amid a WWII turning point.
By Jon Guttman
Protestors demand VA oppose Trump efforts to trim federal workforce
Several dozen union members and VA employees rallied outside the department headquarters amid fears of staff cuts and funding reductions for the agency.
Watchdog agency’s closure could lead to more military financial scams
The White House moved to close the Consumer Financial Protection Board, which fielded 100,000 consumer complaints every month from veterans and troops.
How one GI’s sacrifice helped pave the Army’s way to Aachen, Germany
Jack Pendleton sacrificed all to eliminate a critically placed German machine gun nest.
By Jon Guttman