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U.S., Canadian, and Netherlands ships steam in formation during exercise Atlantic Alliance 2025, July 4, 2025.

The Navy wants more ships, but can it get them built?

The Navy wants to order more ships than it has in decades. But with aging shipyards and program delays, is that realistic?

U.S. Paratroopers assigned to Chaos Battery, 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, fire an M777A2 during a live fire exercise following a heavy drop airborne operation at Grafenwoehr, Germany, Oct. 05, 2023. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Kevin Sterling Payne)

Army lays out policy to search deceased soldiers’ phones for classified info

The policy was issued to “keep up with the pace” of evolving technology and the “understanding that these devices have capability to transfer sensitive information.”

(From left) Col. Paul Lashley, Brig. Gen. Geoffrey Van Epps, and Col. Stephen Walker stand in front of the 75th Field Artillery Brigade formation ready to conduct the 75th Field Artillery Brigade Change of Command and Responsibility Ceremony June 26, 2025 at the Fort Sill Old Post Quadrangle. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Erick Schneider-Cuevas)

Army will look for false accusations, consider ‘credibility’ in misconduct cases

New rules will send misconduct complaints to a “credibility assessment” before a full investigation is launched, and removes negative flags from personnel records during investigations.

The painting, “Operation Phantom Fury — Fallujah 2004,” is intended to capture the uncertainty of urban combat.

A Marine veteran recreated a hell house from the Battle of Fallujah on canvas

Kristopher Battles interviewed veterans of Operation Phantom Fury to capture their experiences in his painting of house-to-house combat in Fallujah.

U.S. Army Spc. Christian Giraldo rides a horse during a demonstration at Fort Hood.

The Army has realized that horses are no longer good for ‘warfighting’

Most of the Army’s horses, donkeys and mules are being donated “to align more resources with warfighting capability and readiness.”

Texas flooding

Veterans disaster relief group rushes to Texas after floods

Team Rubicon, a veterans-led disaster response organization, has volunteers in Texas assessing the damage from flooding as it plans its response.

every marine corps rifle all time

Here is every rifle Marines have used in the last 250 years

The Marine Corps posted a new website that reviews every standard rifle issued to Marines in the service’s 250 year history, from muskets to M4s.

An 8th Air Force B-17 bomber flies over a bombed target in 1943.

The Army Air Forces tried to use remote-controlled bombers as attack drones in World War II

The 8th Air Force converted B-17 bombers into early drones, packed with explosives and intended to use to take out fortified targets.

Pentagon sets up interservice counter-drone task force

Pentagon sets up interservice counter-drone task force

The Army will lead the new group, which will try to coordinate the different service branches’ efforts to develop ways to take out enemy uncrewed vehicles.

Army combat patch

Army authorizes combat patches for soldiers in parts of Africa, the Middle East

Soldiers who deployed in 14 countries between October 2023 and June 2025 are eligible to wear the patches on their uniform sleeves.

190714-N-TI693-0097 BLACK SEA (July 14, 2019) - Operations Specialist Seaman Raymond Zumba, from New York, stands watch as aft lookout during a straits transit en route to the Mediterranean Sea, July 14, 2019. Carney, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its sixth patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of regional allies and partners as well as U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV/Released)

Navy sailor pleads guilty to paying bribe for fraudulent military IDs

Raymond Zumba attempted to pay $3,500 for a former Navy shipmate in exchange for “real but unauthorized” identification cards.

U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One and Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 discuss fueling during a Forward Arming and Refueling Point exercise as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 1-25 at Auxiliary Airfield Six, near Gila Bend Airfield, Arizona, Oct. 18, 2024. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 which emphasizes operational integration of the six functions of Marine aviation in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force, Joint and Coalition Forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Maurion Moore)

Nearly 200 Marines deploy to Florida to support ICE operations

The Department of Defense authorized the mobilization of up to 700 troops in support of the Department of Homeland Security in Florida, Louisiana and Texas.

Close-up on a man gambling online using a mobile app on his cell phone while drinking beer at the pub

Gambling addiction in the military may be going unnoticed, advocates warn

A person most likely to develop gambling addiction is a risk-seeking, competitive young man — the same person most likely to join the military. But little research exists on military gambling.

Noah Tobin

Navy identifies special warfare sailor killed while parachuting

Navy Special Warfare Boat Operator 2nd class Noah Tobin died on Tuesday during a training parachute jump in Porterville, California.

Abbey Gate

Afghanistan review could lead to change in promotions for NCOs, officers

The Pentagon’s review into the withdrawal from Afghanistan could lead to an overhaul of how young enlisted leaders and officers are evaluated and promoted.

“An Air Traffic Controller from the 190th Air Refueling Wing stands in position as they wait for to marshal a B-2 Spirit Bomber to a designated parking spot at the 190th Air Refueling Wing, Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, Topeka, Kansas on March 2, 2024. Airmen from the 190th Air Refueling Wing teamed up with the 131st Bomb Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, to conduct a training mission involving B-2 Spirit Bombers and a hot pit refueling.” (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Brook Sumonja)

Pentagon now says Iran strikes set nuke program back 1-2 years

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell told reporters that U.S. air and missile strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities had “degraded their program by one to two years.”

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Task & Purpose was founded in 2014 to cover the military and veteran community from a rank-and-file perspective, and continues to do so with accurate reporting and great storytelling to this day. Our journalists have reported on the front lines of the Standing Rock protests in North Dakota and the war in Afghanistan. We’ve uncovered American veterans being abused in Kuwaiti prisons, deported veterans being forced to work for Mexican cartels, and drawn national attention to a longstanding legal rule barring service members from suing the government — even in the face of gross negligence.

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