Task & Purpose

Marine who crawled under bridge to plant explosives approved for Medal of Honor Capt. John Ripley hung 500 pounds of explosives under a bridge, swinging hand over hand for hours, to stop a major offensive in Vietnam.

Marine who crawled under bridge to plant explosives approved for Medal of Honor trib.al/AmUN0zL

Army expands its new dining halls to 6 bases, but pauses its pilot test for food delivery The Army is bringing college-inspired dining halls to six more bases after its first one launched at Fort Hood, Texas, last month.

Army expands its new dining halls to 6 bases, but pauses its pilot test for food delivery trib.al/XR3hh9i

Why Iran's warship 'didn't have a chance' against a Los Angeles-class submarine The Iranian warship that was sunk in the Indian Ocean likely didn’t have the technology needed to defend itself against submarines.

Why Iran’s warship ‘didn’t have a chance’ against a Los Angeles-class submarine trib.al/l3dORCv

The Army hopes to lure civilian tech workers by letting some join as captains The focus on direct commissions expands on a program that saw four Silicon Valley executives join as lieutenant colonels last year.

The Army hopes to lure civilian tech workers by letting some join as captains trib.al/2iiaVCS

Senate authorizes Trump to award Recon Marine the Medal of Honor James Capers Jr. led a small reconnaissance team through an ambush in Vietnam even though he had more than a dozen shrapnel and bullet wounds.

Senate authorizes Trump to award Recon Marine the Medal of Honor trib.al/QqpmWr5

US Southern Command says it launched military operations in Ecuador aimed at ‘narco-terrorists’ The operations inside Ecuador are targeting “narco-terrorist” groups that are designated terrorist organizations, U.S. Southern Command said.

US Southern Command says it launched military operations in Ecuador aimed at ‘narco-terrorists’ trib.al/gTOInTM

Pentagon identifies 4 soldiers killed by Iranian attack The four Army Reserve soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command based out of Des Moines, Iowa.

Pentagon identifies 4 soldiers killed by Iranian attack trib.al/BPggAs3

Sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln scrawl their names on bombs headed to Iran Sailors on the U.S. aircraft carrier appeared to have signed their names on weapons being loaded on planes in the first days of the Iran war.

Sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln scrawl their names on bombs headed to Iran trib.al/MKc5EUS

Marines opened fire after group attempted to storm US consulate in Pakistan Protesters tried to storm the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, after Iran’s supreme leader was killed during American and Israeli strikes.

Marines opened fire after group attempted to storm US consulate in Pakistan trib.al/oS1Xk8F

Top officer in Middle East tells US troops 'you will change the course of human history' The top U.S. commander in the Middle East told troops that they were moving from 'deterrence into active combat' ahead of Iran strikes.

Top officer in Middle East tells US troops ‘you will change the course of human history’ trib.al/mvrr0yH

Former fighter pilots explain what it's like to eject, following Kuwait shoot downs After six Air Force flyers ejected following friendly fire incidents over Kuwait, these former fighter pilots explain what that's like.

Former fighter pilots explain what it’s like to eject, following Kuwait shoot downs trib.al/1DA6H74

Veterans ‘split’ over Iran strikes. Some see payback, others see another ‘forever war’ President Donald Trump has said military operations against Iran could last four to five weeks — or longer. Veterans have heard this before.

Veterans ‘split’ over Iran strikes. Some see payback, others see another ‘forever war’ trib.al/msiLyvL

Space Force can finally start 'orbital warfare' maneuvers with new satellite The new satellite is akin to going from flying a commercial plane to a military aircraft, the head of Combat Forces Command said.

Space Force can finally start ‘orbital warfare’ maneuvers with new satellite trib.al/LoRiKaq

3 F-15s crash in Kuwait in possible ‘friendly fire’ incident All six of the aircrew safely ejected, have been recovered, and are in stable condition, the news release says.

3 F-15s crash in Kuwait in possible ‘friendly fire’ incident trib.al/5yk8Tif

3 US troops killed, 5 wounded in operations against Iran U.S. Central Command announced that three American service members were killed in action and five were wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury.

3 US troops killed, 5 wounded in operations against Iran trib.al/jpjLI0U

Iran strike marks first time US used new one-way attack drones in combat The LUCAS drone, fired at Tehran on Saturday as part of U.S. strikes on Iran, is itself based on Iran’s Shahed-136 drone.

Iran strike marks first time US used new one-way attack drones in combat trib.al/x7qaOE8

US launches ‘major combat operations’ against Iran American and Israeli warplanes bombed Tehran Saturday morning as Trump promised to "obliterate" Iran's missile program.

US launches ‘major combat operations’ against Iran trib.al/DywcuXc

Pentagon to cut ties with Ivy League and other top universities, Hegseth says Hegseth accused Columbia, Yale, Brown and other universities of being "breeding grounds of toxic indoctrination.”

Pentagon to cut ties with Ivy League and other top universities, Hegseth says trib.al/qv0wMDO

Air Guard and Reserve troops say new Air Force rules add confusion for benefits A new Air Force policy meant to make health care easier for reservists and Air National Guardsmen may add to frustrations, troops say.

Air Guard and Reserve troops say new Air Force rules add confusion for benefits trib.al/SdpQGGp

Military shoots down Customs and Border Protection drone with a laser The apparent friendly fire incident prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to quickly close some airspace near the border.

Military shoots down Customs and Border Protection drone with a laser trib.al/hGmmyPP

These 3 soldiers will be the Army’s next Medal of Honor recipients President Donald Trump will recognize the soldiers less than a week after he awarded the Medal of Honor to two other service members.

These 3 soldiers will be the Army’s next Medal of Honor recipients trib.al/42yBr6b

Marines remain the few, the proud, the skinny under new standards The maximum waist-to-height ratio allowed for Marines is more stringent than the Defense Department’s requirement.

Marines remain the few, the proud, the skinny under new standards trib.al/tWkBNGJ

VA plans to formally rescind controversial disability rule Following outcry from veterans, the VA plans to formally rescind a rule that would have changed the way it evaluates disability benefits.

VA plans to formally rescind controversial disability rule trib.al/CrjLtdw

Pentagon issues standards for barracks that all services must meet The policy standardizes minimum living space for enlisted troops and makes clear that “zero visible mold” is the standard for barracks.

Pentagon issues standards for barracks that all services must meet trib.al/8p5reYg

National Guardsmen awarded French valor medal for rescue of allied special forces The New York National Guard soldiers flew an all-night rescue mission in 2023 to reach an ambushed team of French commandos.

National Guardsmen awarded French valor medal for rescue of allied special forces trib.al/t1fK59R

Trump awards Medals of Honor to Maduro raid and Korean War pilots One pilot was wounded during the mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and the other downed four Soviet jets in 1952.

Trump awards Medals of Honor to Maduro raid and Korean War pilots trib.al/60YMzgh

Fight over military aviation safety reform stalls in Congress Families of those killed in a civilian and military aircraft crash over Washington, D.C., in 2025 are pushing for safety reforms.

Fight over military aviation safety reform stalls in Congress trib.al/lW3J5wg

National Guard takes on 5-foot snow drifts in town hit hard by blizzard More than 600 National Guardsmen are currently mobilized after Winter Storm Hernando left a snowy path between Maryland and Maine.

National Guard takes on 5-foot snow drifts in town hit hard by blizzard trib.al/Mq08U47

VA has no plans of ‘ever doing anything’ about disability rule, official says Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Paul Lawrence said the VA realizes it needs to communicate better with veterans groups.

VA has no plans of ‘ever doing anything’ about disability rule, official says trib.al/6230Q6T

Conditions in kennels for military working dogs led to 4 deaths, IG says A Defense Department Inspector General review of kennels across the military revealed unsafe and unsanitary conditions for working dogs.

Conditions in kennels for military working dogs led to 4 deaths, IG says trib.al/J8I1SAt