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M27

Marines not interested in switching from M27 to Army’s M7 anytime soon

The Marines are sticking with the M27 while they will also “continue to monitor development” of the Army’s M7.

Capt. Chavius Lewis was removed from command of the USS Mason on Feb. 13, 2026.

Navy relieves USS Mason commander for ‘loss of confidence’

Capt. Chavius Lewis had been command of the guided-missile destroyer since Nov. 2024. No further reason was given for his firing.

Lt. Col. Jeff Budis, center, Air Forces Southern operations directorate, chief of exercises and airshows, Capt. Nate Delaney, right, 55th Rescue Squadron chief of plans and exercises and Staff Sgt. James Delaura, left, special missions aviator with the 563rd Operations Support Squadron pose for a photo in front of an HH-60W Jolly Green II at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, after returning from a successful rescue mission, Feb. 6, 2026. The mission demonstrated the Air Force rescue community’s ability to rapidly integrate qualified personnel across multiple units to respond when time, distance and personnel availability converge. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rachel Maxwell)

Air Force crews scrambled to find a pilot to fly rescue mission far out to sea

Despite internet rumors when the Air Force helicopters arrived at a Mexican airport, the mission’s real challenge was finding enough pilots to fly it.

Marine AH-1Z Viper helicopter armed with Red Wolf launched effects.

Marine attack helicopters will now be able to hit targets 200 miles away with a missile

Typically restricted to ranges under 10 miles, Marine helicopters now have an over-the-horizon weapon.

Privatized Housing

Senator grills senior enlisted leaders about privatized housing NDAs

A prominent senator pressed senior enlisted leaders on non-disclosure agreements troops are asked to sign by privatized military housing companies.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Angela Scolari, front, a combat marksmanship coach assigned to 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, fires a rifle during an all-female marksmanship subject matter expert exchange between U.S. Marines and Jordanian Soldiers during Intrepid Maven 25.1 in Al-Quwayrah, Jordan, Oct. 29, 2024. The second iteration of this exchange between U.S. and Jordanian female engagement teams was nested in Intrepid Maven 25.1 and represents a step forward in strengthening military cooperation and promoting Women, Peace, and Security initiatives. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Angela Wilcox)

Top enlisted leaders say they see no issue with women in combat arms meeting standards

All six men were prompted to weigh in on the increasingly political debate at a Senate hearing this week.

U.S. Marines with 3d Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), sight in on a simulated FIM-92 Stinger surface-to-air missile while on a Forward Arming and Refueling Point at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Grounds, Yuma, Arizona, May 23, 2022. The weapons configuration consists of six inert guided bombs, four mounted onto the wings and two loaded into the weapons bay, as well as an Air Intercept Missile 9X. Marine Aircraft Group 13 forces are capable of conducting offensive air support, anti-aircraft warfare, and aviation reconnaissance from expeditionary sites in any clime and place. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Samuel Ruiz)

The military really wants people to stop trespassing on its test range in the desert

Trespassers mostly happen upon the range while off-roading, but officials warned that they could step on an abandoned ordnance or be blinded by high-tech lasers.

Thunder Run

Recruits will no longer need a REAL ID to fly to basic training

Under a new screening process, military recruits do not need to show a REAL ID or pay a $45 fee to get past security checkpoints for flights to basic training.

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.

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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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