J.D. Simkins
Editor-in-Chief
J.D. Simkins is Editor-in-Chief of Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.
Connect
All Stories By J.D.
Parris Island drill instructor found dead in apartment
Sgt. Darilyn C. Duong, 25, is the second drill instructor assigned to Parris Island to be found dead in as many months.
A Coast Guardsman’s Fight to Hold His Son Again
As a machinery technician in the Coast Guard, William Hamilton III spent nine years making sure the boat got to those who needed saving.
Virginia-class submarine USS Minnesota completes first deployment
The Navy’s first forward-deployed Virginia-class submarine USS Minnesota returned to Naval Base Guam on July 29, completing its first deployment.
Just one in three Americans back Iran war, most unsure of Trump’s goals, poll finds
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 69% of Americans think President Donald Trump has not “clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran.”
B-52 modernization faces delays, cost increases, watchdog says
Ten of 13 modernization efforts for the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress are experiencing cost, schedule or performance challenges.
‘Good Samaritans’ beware: Scammers ramp up targeting of troops’ goodwill
The father of a sailor is out to warn others in the military community about a “Good Samaritan” scam that cost his son thousands of dollars.
Senate Democrats press Pentagon over medical care for troops wounded in Kuwait drone strike
House and Senate Democrats requested answers by Aug. 12 to questions concerning medical care, casualty reporting and force protection, among others.
Navy offering up to $150,000 retention bonuses for select aviation billets
The Navy is rolling out retention bonuses between $37,000 and $150,000 for select active-duty aviation billets and mission-critical roles.
MARSOC wants to automate armory recordkeeping
Marine Forces Special Operations Command is partnering with SOFWERX to develop ways to replace manual steps for documenting serialized inventory.
Chinese military researchers tap US AI models to train defense systems
Chinese researchers have reportedly used leading U.S. AI models developed by OpenAI and Anthropic to train AI systems to advance defense capabilities.
