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Task & Purpose. News, culture, and analysis by and for the military community.

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Right: Terry McIntosh, kneeling, with retired Lt. Col. Al Kittredge at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in June 2026. Left: An undated photo of McIntosh during his time in the Army.
Army

At 18, he fought with Green Berets in Vietnam. Now, he finally has his Special Forces tab.

At 18 in Vietnam, Terry McIntosh fought as a Special Forces soldier, though it wasn’t until this year that his service as a Green Beret was officially recognized.

Capers Ripley Dockery 2026
Marine Corps

Three officers who overcame desperate odds receive Medals of Honor

Two Marines who served heroically in Vietnam and an Army officer who used his body to shield a soldier in Afghanistan received the award.

After two full days and nights of events to test their stamina, technical prowess and mental acuity, the remaining teams crossed the finish line April 12, 2026 at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus Georgia, concluding the 2026 Best Ranger Competition. Sgt. Drew Schorsh and Spc. Caleb Godbold, representing the 75th Ranger Regiment, was the winning team. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick A. Albright)
Army

Specialist and sergeant win Best Ranger competition for first time in nearly 40 years

“We had each other’s back, and knew that when one of us was in trouble, the other was there to carry the load.”

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U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Tyrone Sisneros, a rifleman with Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/1, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, performs a bench press during the 1000-pound club challenge aboard amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), Sept. 10, 2021. Essex, flagship of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 11th MEU, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Israel Chincio)
News

Pentagon announces testosterone screening for troops 30 and older

“If treatment is recommended, it’s entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.

Marines
Marine Corps

Marines condemn ‘disturbing statements’ from veteran running for Congress

William Upham posted a video of himself in uniform claiming that President Donald Trump is “your enemy and he must be killed.”

Soldiers sent to Enewetak Atoll in the Pacific were among thousands of military and civilian workers who cleaned up nuclear test and accident sites in the 1960s and 70s. Many have faced lifelong health issues since.
News

Veterans of nuclear cleanups could soon get compensation 

Veterans involved in nuclear waste clean ups at sites near Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands, Palomares, Spain, and Thule, Greenland, say they’ve battled decades of health issues, including cancers.

A Marine carries a 155 mm shell during artillery training in 2024. A Texas factory built in 2024 to build 30,000 shells per month has so far built zero.
Army

A Texas factory cost nearly $500 million but has produced zero artillery shells

A “high-risk” plan to use old machines to produce modern M795 artillery shells backfired, an Inspector General report found.

Hawaii Army bases
Army

Thousands of soldiers at Hawaii bases without air conditioning after plant failure

Failed pumps at a water treatment plant have left about 4,000 soldiers who live in water-cooled barracks without central air conditioning.

The U.S. will build a "drone academy" in Morocco where African partners can train for counterterrorism operations.
Africa

US plans to create ‘drone academy’ in Morocco amid strategy shift

Though major exercise like African Lion continue, the U.S. has reduced forces in Africa and leaders have sought a path to “empowerment over dependency” for allies.

The Navy christened the USS George M. Neal, shown in this April photo, on July 11, 2026.
Navy

Navy ship honors sailor from famed North Korea rescue mission

Aviation Machinist’s Mate Third Class George Milton Neal was one of the only Black sailors in the Navy assigned to a search and rescue unit when he and two comrades evaded capture for nine days in North Korea.

Navy warships including an aircraft carrier sail through the Arabian Sea on June 30, 2026.
Iran

US to restart blockade of Strait of Hormuz, may charge major toll

The new closure, aimed at ships “entering and exiting Iranian ports,” begins Tuesday. President Donald Trump said it may include a 20% tariff on other traffic in the key waterway.

Corsair Attack
Navy

US uses drone boats for first time in latest Iran strikes

The U.S. military has used one-way attack sea drones for the first time in combat. The vessels struck Iranian targets over the weekend.

U.S. Soldiers, assigned to Blackfoot Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, clear a trench during a blank fire range in Grafenwoehr, Germany, June 15, 2026. 1-4 Infantry serves as the U.S. Army’s premier Opposing Force unit, providing realistic training for U.S. and allied forces at the Hohenfels Training Area. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kammen Taylor)
Army

The Army is cutting back legal help for soldiers fighting medical discharge

The Army is cutting the Office of Soldiers’ Counsel, whose attorneys help soldiers facing medical discharge. “They’re doing it at the expense of some of the most vulnerable members of the military,” a lawyer said.

U.S. Army Spc. Parker Gamble, an infantryman assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, operates a DJI Mavic 3 during a live-fire exercise in Selija, Latvia, April 29, 2026. During the exercise, squads deployed drones to conduct reconnaissance as teams bounded forward to attack different simulated objectives. At the same time, a Titan V3 counter-unmanned aircraft system was used to detect and jam enemy drones, providing aerial support from a distance. The training prepares Soldiers for modern battlefields by integrating new technology and refining strategies to counter diverse scenarios, strengthening warfighting capability and readiness to deter threats along NATO’s eastern flank. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Gabriel Martinez)
News

The Pentagon says drones are not a ‘silver bullet’ in its new handbook on fighting them

The 90-page guide is a “practical handbook” on dealing with the rise of drone threats to troops and bases.

A U.S. Sailor signals an F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103, on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) while sailing in the Arabian Sea, June 23, 2026. USS George H.W. Bush is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (U.S. Navy photo) 
Iran

US and Iran trade more blows in escalating weekend fighting

American forces struck several targets in Iran Sunday night after Tehran targeted U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf.

View of a cloud plume 10 seconds after a nuclear detonation, code named 'Baker,' Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, July 24, 1946. The nuclear detonation was the second of 'Operation Crossroads' ('Able' was carried out on July 1). The ships were all unmanned and were later tested for radiation exposure. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images) 
History

80 years ago, the military tested nukes on a fleet

Operation Crossroads saw the first postwar nuclear detonations, as the Army and Navy tried to see what atomic weapons could do to a conventional force.

Pararescuemen from the 129th Rescue Wing's 131st Rescue Squadron, transfer a patient onto land at Socorro Island, July 7, 2026. The patient was treated at sea until he could receive higher medical care. (Courtesy Photo)
National Guard

Pararescue team parachutes in 700 miles out at sea to save a fisherman’s life

Members of the 129th Rescue Wing jumped to a fishing ship and stabilized an injured crewman overnight while the ship reached land and a hospital.

The Meadowlands system is a ground-based jamming weapon that fires electromagnetic beams at enemy satellites. L3Harris Technologies photo.
Space Force

Space Force officially has its own weapon for taking out satellites

The new Meadowlands system blinds enemy spacecraft and can be rapidly deployed around the globe.

Air Force ‘Wild Weasel’ pilot receives top flying award for Yemen mission
Air Force

Air Force ‘Wild Weasel’ pilot receives top flying award for Yemen mission

Capt. Nathanial Welch, whose callsign is “Icarus,” flew close to Houthi air defenses in April 2025, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross.

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Tech & Tactics

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Calvin Burke, a Manalapan, New Jersey native, intelligence specialist with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, controls a Skydio X2 Drone during a squad ambush as part of The 7th Marine Regiment Infantry Rifle Squad Competition at Range 410, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 18, 2024. The 7th Marine Regiment Infantry Rifle Squad Competition assesses tactical proficiency and determines the Regiment's most capable squad under simulated combat conditions. Designed to evaluate tactics, techniques, and procedures, the event also promotes professional growth and camaraderie through healthy competition. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Enge You)
Marine Corps

Marines open units on East and West Coast to focus on drone warfare

Navy

Navy identifies sailor lost in helicopter crash as squadron commander

Artillery

What South Korea’s Chunmoo rocket launcher has that HIMARS doesn’t

United States

Dozens of jets, bombers and helicopters will fly over DC today

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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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