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Marines can now use optical sights with pistols for qualifying
Marines can now use a ‘red dot’ optic when qualifying in the Combat Pistol Program, which is required for specific jobs and units that issue sidearms.
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USS Gerald R. Ford en route to Greece for repairs after fire
A fire broke out March 12 in the main laundry spaces of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which has seen combat in two hemispheres during eight months at sea. One sailor was medically evacuated the following day.
As Iran war slows global shipping, military family moves face delays
Military families moving to and from overseas assignments should be ready for weeks of shipping delays due to Iran war disruptions. Domestic moves face higher gas prices and traffic snarls.
The Army has another new rifle, the XM8 carbine
The Army is expected to begin fielding the XM8, a shorter, lighter carbine version of the M7 Next Generation Squad Weapon rifle, towards the end of the year.
Soldiers remember a leader killed in Kuwait as ‘surrogate dad’
Soldiers and veterans who knew Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan are raising money to ensure dozens from his Iowa-based unit can attend his memorial service.
At least 200 US troops wounded in Iran war, Pentagon says
Officials said 10 U.S. troops have been seriously wounded. Most others have returned to duty.
Navy says USS Nimitz will put off retirement and stay in service into next year
The aging aircraft carrier is currently deployed to Latin America, on what was to be its final voyage. The delivery of its replacement, the USS John F. Kennedy, has also been delayed.
These are the 6 airmen killed in the KC-135 crash in Iraq
The refueling tanker crashed in friendly territory due to unspecified causes on Thursday, killing three members of the 6th Air Refueling Wing and three members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing.
The Reaper just won’t quit: Try as they might, the military can’t ditch the MQ-9
The military is turning the aging drone into an effective system, extending its life with new weapons, boosting its range and electronic warfare capabilities.
VA announces plan to put some veterans in guardianships
Veterans advocates expressed concern that the move could strip veterans of their agency and target those experiencing homelessness.
Navy F-18 that got the US’s first air-to-air kill in the 21st century is taking part in the Iran War
The Super Hornet, assigned to VFA-87 on the USS Gerald R. Ford, got a kill marking for taking out a Syrian Su-22 in 2017.
‘One-in-a-million’ malfunction caused Marine artillery round to explode over highway, report finds
The artillery live-fire demonstration caused California officials to close Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton at the last minute.
VA responds to worries about new focus on ‘telltale signs’ of fraud
VA officials said it will look for patterns that identify fraud, adding that “No veteran’s claim or benefit will be reduced or denied because of this effort.”
All 6 crew members of US KC-135 tanker confirmed dead after crash in Iraq
The crash occurred in “friendly territory” over western Iraq while the troops were flying a combat mission, said Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Air Force engineer found not guilty of cover-up in deadly Marine KC-130 crash
Jurors found James Michael Fisher not guilty of trying to cover up bungled safety investigations that could have prevented the crash.
VA ‘invented new reasons’ to deny GI Bill benefits, lawsuit claims
The lawsuit argues that the VA is using a new, overly restrictive rule that requires veterans to have had a “break in service” to access education benefits from the two main GI Bills.
Why the Army’s new M111 grenade uses blast overpressure instead of fragmentation
The M111 Offensive Hand Grenade is meant to be more effective and reduce the risk of injuring friendly forces when used in confined spaces.
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.
