Top stories
US Air Force, Norway sink ship in maritime strike exercise
The exercise comes at a time when the Arctic is becoming an increasingly contested environment.
Dem senator to oppose military honors for Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran, has expressed disgust at plans to honor participants in the Jan. 6 insurrection attempt.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Coverage: Paris Air Show 2025
Defense News is covering the top headlines and stories coming out of Paris Air Show.
Insurance Guide
Military Times has outlined helpful information about car insurance, renters insurance, and life insurance for troops.
2025 PCS Guide
Read up on tips and tricks in Military Times’ 2025 Permanent Change of Station Guide.
2025 Benefits Guide
Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2025.
EDITOR'S PICKS
Pay & Benefits
Church leaders charged with swindling millions in military benefits
Authorities say church leaders exploited troops by enrolling them in seminary programs that drained their G.I. Bill education benefits.
DOD needs more feedback from troops in future PCS moves, GAO finds
More comprehensive feedback from troops and families can help DOD assess movers' performance, Government Accountability Office auditors said.
Pentagon stages first ‘Top Drone’ school for operators to hone skills
Industry and military drone operators flew tethered and untethered first-person drones through a course designed to test endurance and maneuverability.
US marks 9/11 attacks amid drumbeat of political violence
The remembrances today are being held during a time of increased political tensions.
In other news
Pick to lead VA benefits work faces criticism over reform proposals
Several Democratic lawmakers argued nominee Karen Brazell’s non-answers about the potential for benefits eligibility changes should be disqualifying.
Country music no longer owns the troops, and that’s a good thing
Troops today are just as likely to share playlists filled with hip-hop, EDM or K-pop as they are with country music legends.
The National Guard, DC landscaping and the great pursuit of lethality
Few training methods guarantee a better fighting force than boredom-induced annoyance.
By J.D. Simkins
Back-to-school, military edition: why August is also admin hell
For civilians, August is a return to structure. For service members and veterans facing bureaucratic deadlines, it often feels like drowning in it.
Deployment playlists, then and now: from Walkmans to wireless despair
Music has always been more than a distraction for deployed service members — it's a lifeline. Here's how its method of delivery has changed over time.
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VIDEOS
General Dynamics U.K. unveils the Ajax Infantry Fighting Vehicle at DSEI 2025
Get an up-close look at the IFV version of the Ajax tank from General Dynamics U.K., on display for the first time at DSEI 2025.
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MORE STORIES
Pentagon stages first ‘Top Drone’ school for operators to hone skills
Industry and military drone operators flew tethered and untethered first-person drones through a course designed to test endurance and maneuverability.
US marks 9/11 attacks amid drumbeat of political violence
The remembrances today are being held during a time of increased political tensions.
By Carla Babb
Pick to lead VA benefits work faces criticism over reform proposals
Several Democratic lawmakers argued nominee Karen Brazell’s non-answers about the potential for benefits eligibility changes should be disqualifying.
Before he was a hero on 9/11, he was a hero in Vietnam
In Vietnam's Ia Drang Valley and at the World Trade Center, Rick Rescorla helped others get out alive.
By Robert Batemen
Veterans volunteer longer, vote more often than civilian peers: report
Fewer veterans are donating their free time to charities today then they did four years ago, but their involvement remains strong.
Opinion
Ending weight-loss med coverage for some military retirees is unlawful
DHA's decision to end the coverage violates the Pentagon's own regulations regarding Tricare for Life beneficiaries.
By Col. Derence V. Fivehouse, USAF (Ret.)
House passes $893 billion defense policy bill with war powers repeal
Only a handful of Democrats supported the defense authorization bill plan, because of social issue fights included in the measure.
This C-47 was built in 1943. It hasn’t stopped flying since.
The Placid Lassie was recently on full display to support Angel Flight East and its annual fundraiser, Wings N’ Wheels, in Philadelphia.
US Air Force may keep Minuteman III nukes operating until 2050: Report
The LGM-35A Sentinel has run into severe cost overruns and schedule delays that could force the Air Force to keep Minuteman IIIs operational years longer.
Dem senator to oppose military honors for Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran, has expressed disgust at plans to honor participants in the Jan. 6 insurrection attempt.
Senator encouraged Trump to ‘blow up something’ in message to cartels
The strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug-smuggling boat is raising questions about how far Trump will wield his presidential power over the military.
Poland, allies rushed to protect its airspace after Russian violations
Russian “drone-type objects” were struck down after they “repeatedly violated” Polish airspace early Wednesday, according to the Polish military.
By Carla Babb
US military notified Trump before Israeli strike on Hamas in Doha
Israel launched a strike targeting Hamas’ leadership in Qatar’s capital Tuesday as they considered a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
By Carla Babb