Task & Purpose. News, culture, and analysis by and for the military community.
Top Story
Air Force relieves air mobility group commander in Spain after just four months
Col. Ryan Herman, who took over the 521st Air Mobility Operations Group in July, was removed following a “loss of confidence.”
Task & Purpose Video
Each week on Tuesdays and Fridays our team will bring you analysis of military tech, tactics, and doctrine delivered from a rank-and-file perspective.
More from Task & Purpose
Air Force families at Florida base told to take down Christmas decorations in privatized housing
It is way too early for Christmas decorations — at least that’s what residents at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida were told.
Drug used to treat PTSD nightmares recalled for cancer risk
The Food and Drug Administration said some batches of Prazosin, which VA doctors often prescribe to treat PTSD nightmares, had high levels of cancer-causing agents.
Air Force’s new top enlisted leader had long career in security forces
Chief Master Sgt. David R. Wolfe, the Air Force’s 21st senior enlisted leader, has a long career in security forces units.
Marines offer tech-savvy recruits $15,000 to enlist
The Marine Corps announced a series of cash bonuses for new recruits, the largest of which aim to fill high-demand jobs like electronics and cyber.
The Army listed German food banks for soldiers seeking shutdown help
The Army removed the list after German media reported that U.S. troops were using the local food banks, a U.S. official said. It’s unclear if any U.S. troops actually did.
Why the US sent its most advanced aircraft carrier to the Caribbean and what it can do
As the USS Gerald R. Ford sails toward the Caribbean, here’s a closer look at how the Navy’s carrier strike groups project power.
Army closes only dining facility on Kansas base due to government shutdown
Officials announced that the dining hall on Fort Leavenworth is closed because of the government shutdown.
Navy sailor rescues driver from burning car but mother’s vehicle lost to flames
Both sailor William Thompson and his mother were unscathed when he rushed to save a driver from a burning car, breaking a window to free the occupant.
Fort Hood Army doctor accused of inappropriately filming female patients
As the Army conducts a criminal investigation, two law firms are representing patients of the accused doctor as they prepare to file civil lawsuits.
Army charity offers grants to soldiers missing SNAP payments
Tony Grinston, the 16th Sergeant Major of the Army, said that the Army Emergency Relief will cover food assistance for soldiers in need.
Air Force rolls out new rules on mustaches and sideburns
The Air Force has issued new — and very specific — guidance on the length of airmen’s mustaches and sideburns.
If a soldier goes missing, the Army must now notify family within 8 hours
Army leaders must also inform local police much sooner when a soldier is declared “absent-unknown.”
Top Marines stand in a rain storm to wish the Corps a happy birthday
Easily the most Marine thing they could have done.
National Guard mission in DC extended into 2026
The extension keeps hundreds of National Guard personnel stationed in Washington, D.C. through at least February.
National Guard soldier indicted in plot to send military radio to Russia
Canyon Amarys allegedly agreed in writing to provide his services to Russia, including procuring a military radio and photographing Fort Riley.
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.
