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Image: U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Nov. 23, 2025) Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operating area, Nov. 23. The LUCAS platforms are part of a one-way attack drone squadron CENTCOM recently deployed to the Middle East to strengthen regional security and deterrence. (Courtesy Photo) 

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.

Missiles launch from a U.S. Navy warship as part of Operation Epic fury, the attack on Iran.

US launches ‘major combat operations’ against Iran

American and Israeli warplanes bombed Tehran Saturday, killing Iran’s leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Trump said.

CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 23: U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers remarks to students, faculty and staff at the U.S. Army War College on April 23, 2025 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The visit comes amid controversy following reports that Hegseth discussed sensitive military communications in an unsecured Signal chat for the second time with his wife, brother and others. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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.”

From left, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Levi Grant and Senior Airman Ivan Chen, 137th Airlift Squadron flying crew chiefs, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, New York, sit and kneel on the ramp of a C-17 Globemaster III, assigned to the 105th AW, while preparing to transport 177th Medical Group (MDG) airmen, 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, at the 177FW, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, Sept. 13, 2024. More than 30 airmen with the 177th MDG will attend clinical rotations at Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, as part of Medical Facility Annual Training, Operation Pacific Surge. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Connor Taggart)

Air Guard and Reserve troops say new Air Force rules add to confusion over benefits

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

U.S. Army Spc. Israel Arreguin with the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 759th Military Police Battalion, assigned to Joint Task Force - Southern Border and a Border Patrol agent conduct detection and monitoring operations from an observation post near Wellton, Ariz., April 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, Joint Task Force – Southern Border aligns efforts to seal the southern border and repel illegal activity and is responsible for full-scale, agile, and all-domain operations, which will allow for more effective and efficient DoD operations. (U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Erica Esterly)

Military shoots down Customs and Border Protection drone with a laser

The apparent friendly fire incident comes two weeks after Customs and Border Protection used a military laser to shoot down a kid’s birthday party balloon. 

Medals of Honor March 2026

These 3 soldiers will be awarded Medals of Honor

One soldier died saving an ally from a suicide bomber. A second saved 85 soldiers’ lives in Vietnam. Another saved Jewish-American prisoners from the Nazis.

Candidates with Lima and India Company, Officer Candidate School (OCS) perform their initial Physical Fitness Test aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., May 24, 2016. The mission of OCS is to educate and train officer candidates in order to evaluate and screen individuals for qualities required for commissioning as a Marine Corps officer. (U.S. Marine Corps Combat Camera photo by Cpl. Laura Mercado/Released)

Marines remain the few, the proud, the skinny under new standards

The Marines have announced new standards for evaluating body composition after the Pentagon directed it to use the waist-to-height ratio method.

U.S. Soldiers with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team ruck march near the Cambridge Springs Readiness Center in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, Jan. 8, 2026. Soldiers complete ruck marches, usually a number of miles with a weighted ruck sack, to build military fitness and readiness. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Campbell)

VA to officially rescind controversial disability rule following outcry

The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to formally withdraw a rule that would have changed the way it evaluates disability ratings.

Pentagon Barracks Standards

Pentagon issues standards for barracks that all services must meet

The new policy applies to both new and existing barracks and is meant to replace previous “inconsistent” guidelines among the military branches.

Members of B Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th General Support Aviation Battalion of the New York guard during a deployment to Erbil, Iraq. Two crews were awarded French valor awards for a mission to rescue a team of French commandos.

National Guardsmen awarded French valor medal for rescue of allied special forces

Six New York National Guard soldiers flew an all-night rescue mission in 2023 to reach an ambushed team of French commandos. They just received valor awards from the French army.

Medals of Honor

Trump awards Medals of Honor to Maduro raid and Korean War pilots

President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover and retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 11: A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter is displayed on the National Mall in preparations for celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army on June 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

Fight over military aviation safety reform stalls in Congress

The legislative fight hinged on whether or not to require military aircraft to use technology that advocates say could help prevent future mishaps and collisions.

VA Disability Rule

VA has no plans of ‘ever doing anything’ about disability rule, official says

On Tuesday, a group of 21 Democrats and Independent lawmakers sent a letter to the VA urging that the rule be immediately revoked.

Duxbury

National Guard takes on 5-foot snow drifts in town hit hard by blizzard

In Duxbury, Massachusetts, National Guardsmen in hulking off-road trucks stepped in for first responders on more than 30 emergency calls in 24 hours, the town’s fire chief said.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jesse Pena, a military working dog handler with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, and a native of Texas, guides his military working dog through an obstacle course at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Jan. 20, 2026. Obstacle course training is designed to instill confidence in military working dogs while also displaying operational readiness by enhancing the obedience and threat response of their K9s. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sarah Grawcock)

Conditions in kennels for military working dogs led to 4 deaths, IG says

The IG said found ‘aging and unsatisfactory’ kennel conditions that had injured or sickened dogs at 10 of 12 bases inspected.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. James Koffi, commanding officer of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) scans the sea as USS Truxtun passes the Carlo Bergamini-class frigate ITS Virginio Fasan (F 591), during a replenishment-at-sea exercise for Exercise BRIGHT STAR 25, Sept. 8, 2025. Exercise BRIGHT STAR 25 is a multilateral U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) command-post exercise, field training exercise and senior leader seminar, held in the Arab Republic of Egypt along with other partner nations. Participation strengthens military-to-military relationships between U.S. forces and our Egyptian partners in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility, as well as other participating nations. The exercise enhances regional security and stability by responding to modern-day security scenarios. (U.S Navy Video by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Sierra Bryant)

Navy relieves destroyer commander after Caribbean crash

Cmdr. James Koffi was removed from command of the USS Truxtun days after it hit a supply vessel, injuring two sailors.

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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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