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U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, forward deployed to 3rd Marine Division, 4th Marine Regiment as part of the unit deployment program, load onto an MV-22 Osprey while conducting a helicopter raid as part of a combined Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 27, 2026. The MCCRE is a formal evaluation of 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, and 3rd Marine Division's Headquarters Battalion to confirm combat readiness for each unit. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. John Simpson)

Marine Corps says Ospreys are getting a safety-focused overhaul

Marine Corps officials released an Aviation Plan that detailed five major overhauls for the MV-22 Osprey fleet, including gearboxes made of harder steel.

Long-range weapons and other technologies are blurring the lines between combat and non-combat situations for sailors.

As naval combat evolves, there will be few ‘safe havens’ in a future war

U.S. sailors have fought against enemy drones and missiles in the Red Sea. A war against China would involve the type of combat at sea that last took place in World War II.

A U.S. Army Reserve cadre member representing the United States Army Reserve Command, locks a weapons rack for the three-gun transition range event with the M26 shotgun, M4 carbine, and the M17 pistol during the 2020 U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Sept. 7. More than 40 Soldiers from across the nation traveled to compete in this year’s Best Warrior, hosted from Sept. 4-10, 2020. The 2020 BWC is an annual competition that brings in the best Soldiers across the U.S. Army Reserve to earn the title of “Best Warrior” among their peers. Competitors are evaluated on their individual ability to adapt and overcome challenging scenarios and battle-focused events, which test their technical and tactical abilities under stress and extreme fatigue. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Pfc. Tierra Sims)

National Guardsman who left M4 at New Orleans hotel to undergo ‘retraining’

The Louisiana National Guard soldier who misplaced the weapon has been removed from his position and is undergoing retraining.

The Navy expects to receive the helmets starting between July and September, with E-2D Hawkeye crews expected to receive the first batch.

Navy buys new helmets designed to reduce aviators’ neck and back pain

The Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet is lighter than the current version and has a better center of gravity than current headgear to reduce stress on aviators’ backs and necks.

Caption: An A-10 Warthog flies by for close-air support while taking part in live-fire training with the USS Santa Barbara on Feb. 2, 2026. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Iain Page.

A-10 and LCS, both headed for retirement, spotted together in the Middle East

The military is trying to scrap both systems, but they’re proving useful in the Middle East.

A service member practices administering the high-dose naloxone autoinjector (NAI) as a rescue treatment to counter opioid poisoning. The NAI is a pre-filled autoinjector containing 10 milligrams of the opioid antagonist naloxone and can be administered via self- or buddy-aid into the front or side of the thigh through clothing, even chemical protection gear such as Mission Oriented Protective Posture suit. Image courtesy of Kaleo.

Veterans could get overdose reversal meds without a prescription under proposed law

A bipartisan bill would give veterans access to overdose reversal medications without a prescription.

Soldiers load up their plates at the salad bar at Always Ready Dining Facility on Nov. 18, 2025 at Fort Hood, Texas. The DFAC reopened on Nov. 17 after adding new food service stations to serve expanded dining options to Soldiers, Department of War civilians, and contractors working on the west side of the installation.

Soldiers will get ‘freedom dollars’ to spend at the Army’s new dining halls

The Army will soon open a dining hall at Fort Hood, Texas, designed to look more like a cafeteria on a college campus than a chow hall on a military base.

U.S. Marines with 12th Littoral Combat Team, 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, prepare to execute a live-fire platoon attack on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 12, 2026. Live-fire training increases Marines’ marksmanship skills, strengthening small-unit leadership and overall combat readiness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Lucas Lu)

Experts warn moving Marines away from Okinawa would play into China’s hands

Relocating Marines from Okinawa would remove vital U.S. forces from the region at a time when China is doubling down on its claim on Taiwan, scholars said.

Image: Coast Guard members conduct personal watercraft interdiction training at Coronado Beach, California, Jan. 15, 2026. The training is part of The Office of Rapid Response and Prototyping (CG-RAPTOR) Coast Guard program, which identifies, tests and deploys new technologies, including tactical personal watercraft. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Roberto Nieves)

The Coast Guard is now using ‘tactical’ jet skis

The “tactical personal watercraft” were recently on display during a beachside training exercise in San Diego.

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY - FEBRUARY 06: Flagbearer Frankie del Duca of Team United States enters the athlete parade with his team during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Piazza Dibona on February 06, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

These are the troops competing in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics

Several active-duty soldiers and airmen are a part of Team USA, as coaches and athletes competing in Italy. 

Image: Two U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, hold a security posture on the firing line with a M249 Machine Gun in a Counter Landing live-fire exercise, in support of Exercise Balikatan 25, at Aparri, Cagayan Valley, Philippines, May 3, 2025. This exercise enhanced combined readiness by training U.S. and Philippine forces to counter a simulated adversary assault on key maritime terrain. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen our ironclad alliance, improve our capable combined force, and demonstrate our commitment to regional security and stability. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brenden Delgado) 

Army reveals new rotational force in the Philippines

The new element is part of a “shift” in the military’s cooperation with the important Pacific nation, the Army said.

Image: U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the Missouri National Guard Military Funeral Honors team participate in a weeklong funeral honors level one training course, Sept. 22–26, 2025, at Ike Skelton Training Site, Jefferson City, Missouri. The Soldiers rehearsed the precise movements, coordination and timing required for funeral honors ceremonies, including carrying the casket, folding the flag and executing a rifle salute. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Whitney Erhart)

Veteran suicides drop slightly in 2023, even as rate of deaths rose

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual report found that issues such as homelessness and chronic pain contributed to rising rates of suicides among the veteran population.

West Virginia National Guard members Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. Department of Justice photos.

National Guard troops shot in DC to receive Purple Hearts

Spc. Sarah Beckstrom was killed in the November attack while Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was severely wounded.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), arrives at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Apr. 11, 2021. Arleigh Burke’s arrival marked the completion of her homeport shift to NAVSTA Rota from Naval Station Norfolk.

Navy destroyer crew awarded Armed Forces Service Medal for downing Iranian missiles

In 2024 and 2025, USS Arleigh Burke shot down Iranian missiles launched against Israel. The ship’s crew has received the Armed Forces Service Medal.

Airmen from the 158th Fighter Wing refuel and rearm an F-35 Lightning II during a Distributed Integrated Combat Turn (D-ICT) exercise, June 12, 2025, at Westover Air Reserve Base, Chicopee, Mass. The D-ICT allows for rapid refueling and rearming of fighter aircraft to increase sortie generation and mission readiness. (U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Jay Hewitt)

Air Force bans smart glasses for troops in uniform

Air Force officials cite opsec concerns as the reason for the blanket ban.

A Nevada Air National Guard C-130H flies above Lake Tahoe during a "spouse lift" while Master Sgt. Billy Johnson, loadmaster with the 192nd Airlift Squadron, sits on the ramp, October 30, 2024. The 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, held the spouse lift to explain the mission of the Nevada Air National Guard and to recognize spouses for supporting their military members (Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Michelle Brooks).

An Air Guard wing touched down on all 7 continents in 2-year span

Crews from the Nevada Air National Guard completed a sweep of missions from Antarctica to Africa in less than two years. They also found time to fight fires in California.

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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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