Military Life (Page 2)

Posted on Mar 19, 2026

The Danish cargo ship Lars Maersk sails on Gatun Lake near the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal in Colon City, Panama, on December 28, 2024. On 31 December 2024, Panama will celebrate the 25th anniversary of sovereignty over the Canal. (Photo by ARNULFO FRANCO / AFP)

As Iran war slows global shipping, military family moves face delays

Posted on Mar 18, 2026

Crews dismantle a homeless veterans encampment on San Vincente Boulevard in Los Angeles on Nov. 1, 2021. The encampment was set up outside of the 388-acre West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus. (photo by Al Seib / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images).

VA announces plan to put some veterans in guardianships

Posted on Mar 15, 2026

SAN DIEGO (Nov. 29, 2022) Families and friends welcome Sailors and Marines assigned to amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7) as the ship returns home, Nov. 29, 2022. Tripoli returned to Naval Base San Diego following its initial deployment to the U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleets in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brett McMinoway)

Military families face waves of AI videos meant to sow discord and tug at heartstrings

Posted on Mar 12, 2026

From left, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Levi Grant and Senior Airman Ivan Chen, 137th Airlift Squadron flying crew chiefs, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, New York, sit and kneel on the ramp of a C-17 Globemaster III, assigned to the 105th AW, while preparing to transport 177th Medical Group (MDG) airmen, 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, at the 177FW, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, Sept. 13, 2024. More than 30 airmen with the 177th MDG will attend clinical rotations at Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, as part of Medical Facility Annual Training, Operation Pacific Surge. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Connor Taggart)

Air Guard and Reserve troops say new Air Force rules add to confusion over benefits

By David Roza

Posted on Feb 27, 2026

Pentagon issues standards for barracks that all services must meet

Posted on Feb 25, 2026

Image: U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Carlos A. Ruiz, the 20th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, addresses U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 225, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, at Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, Dec. 12, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Michael Gavin.

Mental Health

Top enlisted Marine issues emotional appeal to ‘reach out to somebody’

Posted on Feb 21, 2026

Housing

Senator grills senior enlisted leaders about privatized housing NDAs

Posted on Feb 12, 2026

U.S. Air force Airman 1st Class Robert Mulholland, 36th Communication Squadron multi capable Airmen team (MCAT) technician, helps stock the shelves in the commissary at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Nov. 18, 2023. The Defense Commissary Agency worked alongside over 100 Airmen and Sailors to help employees restock shelves. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Allon Lapaix)

Military commissaries are planning ahead for possible government shutdown

Posted on Jan 29, 2026

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS - JANUARY 24: A person walks in the snow on January 24, 2026 in Little Rock, Arkansas. A massive winter storm is bringing frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to nearly 200 million Americans. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)

Base Guides

Dozens of military bases brace as ‘Snowmageddon’ storm hits this weekend

By Matt White

Posted on Jan 24, 2026

Soldier says Army dining facility often closed: ‘Uber Eats, every day’

Posted on Jan 23, 2026

Soldiers in Hawaii may ‘double up’ in barracks for the next 15 months

Posted on Jan 22, 2026

Would a proposed law on mold in military housing actually help?

Posted on Jan 16, 2026

Soldiers of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion defend the United States and other designated areas from intercontinental ballistic missile attack and provide critical site security of the missile defense complex at Fort Greely, Alaska. (U.S. Army photo)

Missile defense base dealing with ‘critical’ disruptions at its dining facility

Updated on Jan 11, 2026

An Air Force uniform with the job tab "CYBER."

Air Force brings back job patches, which were banned for some reason

By Matt White

Posted on Jan 9, 2026

CORONADO, Calif. (Aug. 12, 2024) A Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCC) instructor motivates SWCC candidates before the conditioning run evolution of Alpha Phase at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Naval Special Warfare is the nation's elite maritime special operations force, uniquely positioned to extend the Fleet's reach and gain and maintain access for the Joint Force in competition and conflict. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Kerska)

Here is the Navy’s new fitness test for SEALs and other combat jobs

Posted on Jan 6, 2026

Fitness

Navy rolls out twice-a-year fitness tests

Posted on Dec 30, 2025

Leaders from the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade run as part of a brigade wide workout in honor of opening the Maj. General Frank W. Tate Soldier Performance Readiness Center at Wheeler Army Airfield, O’ahu, Hawai’i, July 1, 2025. The mission of Holistic Health and Fitness, also known as H2F, is to empower soldiers to take charge of their health by focusing on five key domains: physical, mental, nutrition, sleep, and spiritual readiness. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Olivia Cowart)

Army tosses out its Spiritual Fitness Guide after four months

Posted on Dec 20, 2025

Marines moving to gender-neutral Physical Fitness Test for combat jobs

By Jeff Schogol, Matt White

Posted on Dec 19, 2025

Julie Eshelman, her husband Andrew who is in the active duty Reserve, with their 4-year-old daughter who was conceived by IVF.

Military families are ‘pissed’ after IVF coverage cut from defense bill

Posted on Dec 19, 2025

Sailors may have to fix their own barracks rooms, says Navy’s top enlisted leader

Posted on Dec 17, 2025

Air National Guard airmen from the 119th Maintenance Squadron prepares an MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for flight during the Northern Strike 2025 exercise at the Alpena, Mich. Combat Regional Training Center, August 2-16, 2025. Northern Strike is one of the Department of Defense’s largest reserve component readiness exercises, is taking place now across Michigan. (U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Sr. Master Sgt. Michael Knodle)

Mental Health

Congress wants to screen drone operators for PTSD, depression

Posted on Dec 14, 2025

Army vet who created ‘Yelp for the barracks’ makes website to review the VA

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Christian F. Wortman, commanding general of I Marine Expeditionary Force, left, and Lance Cpl. Elijah Merino, a grenadier with 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, repair a wall locker during Operation Clean Sweep III at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Sept. 16, 2025. OCS III, part of the ongoing Barracks 360 Reset initiative, demonstrates a collective commitment to improving living conditions through shared ownership, sustained accountability, and tangible improvements to the barracks. Wortman is a native of Pennsylvania and Merino is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Bryant Rodriguez)

Pentagon pledges $400 million for ‘immediate’ barracks renovation

By Patty Nieberg, Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Dec 1, 2025

Fake Marine convicted of claiming Purple Heart for $140,000 in VA benefits

By Jeff Schogol, Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Nov 25, 2025

Military families forced to pay out of pocket for problems with privatized base housing

Posted on Nov 20, 2025

Christmas truce: More troops allowed to display holiday decorations early

Posted on Nov 19, 2025

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (April 10, 2025) U.S. Sailors handle line aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) during a replenishment-at-sea with the fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (TAO-E 8) in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. (Official U.S. Navy photo)

Sailors can voluntarily extend Navy service as government shutdown continues

Posted on Nov 10, 2025

Listening to military families: A new approach to TRICARE

By Ted Painter

Posted on Nov 10, 2025

Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Tony Grinston, currently the CEO of Army Emergency Relief, talks to troops in South Korea.

Army charity offers grants to soldiers missing SNAP payments

Posted on Nov 3, 2025

Air Force rolls out new rules on mustaches and sideburns

Posted on Nov 3, 2025

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Hector Orenga, 305th Air Mobility Wing crew chief, conducts engine inspections on a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Jan. 24, 2024. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in deployed areas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Sergio Avalos)

Troops, families and military civilians: How is the shutdown affecting you?

By Drew F. Lawrence

Posted on Oct 28, 2025

Among trounior enlisted service members with families are among those l231119-N-ML137-1033 NAVAL BASE GUAM, Guam (Nov. 19, 2023) Hull Technician 3rd Class Steven Tamse, right, and other Sailors assigned to the submarine-tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), fill store shelves at Orote Point Commissary following a shipment of groceries, Nov. 19, 2023. The shipment is one of several high-priority grocery flights that will resupply Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) shelves at Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB) and U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) before Thanksgiving. Following the discovery of an isolated insect incident at base commissaries in Guam, Joint Region Marianas engaged DeCA leadership for immediate response. The shipments of groceries will provide much needed products to military service members and their families. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Samantha Jetzer)

As federal food assistance runs out, junior troops with families may be hit hard

Posted on Oct 27, 2025

Air Force announces all-hands room inspections for every barracks

Posted on Oct 22, 2025

Red Roof is the premier military lodging partner

By Justin Burgess

Posted on Oct 14, 2025

US Navy sailors listen to US President Donald Trump speak as he visits the USS Harry S. Truman during the US Navy's 250th anniversary celebration, "America's Navy 250: Titans of the Sea - A Salute to the Fleet", at Naval Station Norfolk Pier 14 in Norfolk, Virginia on October 5, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Pentagon moves $8 billion from research to pay troops

Updated on Oct 12, 2025

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to U.S. Army Pacific complete the Incline Skills Trainer during the USARPAC Best Squad Competition, July 18, 2025, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The week-long competition will assess each squad on their technical and tactical proficiency, as well as their ability to work as a disciplined and cohesive team. The competition features a multitude of different fitness and combat related events ranging from the Army Combat Fitness Test and various weapons lanes, to a strenuous 12-mile foot march and detailed individual warrior tasks and squad battle drills. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Alvin Conley)

For barracks overhaul, Hegseth steers towards private contractors

Posted on Oct 9, 2025

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Jason Myers, an operations chief with 1st Radio Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, replaces a towel rack during Operation Clean Sweep III at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Sept. 26, 2025. Operation Clean Sweep III, part of the ongoing Barracks 360 Reset Initiative, demonstrates a collective commitment to improving living conditions through shared ownership, sustained accountability, and tangible improvements to the barracks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Manuel Rivera)

Hegseth directs new task force to come up with ‘barracks investment plan’

By Drew F. Lawrence

Posted on Oct 7, 2025

Air Force says viral ‘combat fitness’ memo isn’t real

By Jeff Schogol, Matt White

Posted on Oct 6, 2025

U.S. Army Capt. Meckenzie MacIlvennie, commander of the 5th Quartermaster Theater Aerial Delivery Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, watches as paratroopers exit an aircraft over the historic drop zone at Ginkelse Heide in Ede, Netherlands, during the 81st commemoration of Operation Market Garden, Sept. 20, 2025. The airborne operation is part of Exercise Falcon Leap, a multinational training event honoring the legacy of allied paratroopers. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Nahjier Williams)

What troops and military families need to know about the government shutdown

By Jeff Schogol, Drew F. Lawrence

Posted on Oct 1, 2025

Close-up on a man gambling online using a mobile app on his cell phone while drinking beer at the pub

The military needs to better tackle gambling issues among troops, watchdog says

By Drew F. Lawrence

Posted on Sep 29, 2025

Air Force announces new force-wide fitness test: 2-mile run, twice per year

Posted on Sep 24, 2025

Specialist Rosealina Ortiz (left) assists Specialist Oscarina Pepen (right) with her hair following live fire training. CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick, Canada, August 9, 2022. In 2021 the Army released updated female grooming standards which are more inclusive of various natural hair styles. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. David Connors)

Army grooming standards and hairstyles get more strict under new orders

Posted on Sep 15, 2025

Families move into a private military housing home.

Military family housing understaffed, lacks proper oversight, IG report finds

By Matt White, Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Sep 14, 2025

Air Force delays stateside PCS moves due to budget crunch

Posted on Aug 15, 2025

USACE Fort Meade Bay Area Office Project Engineers Marcus Bryant, Melvin Damoudt, and Captain Anthony Adams inspect construction progress at the Freedom Center barracks project, designed to support present and future warfighters. The $38 million development features two multi-story buildings with 190 personnel capacity, offering modern accommodations including living/sleeping rooms with semi-private baths, walk-in closets, and kitchen/living areas. The complex incorporates advanced security through intrusion detection systems and energy monitoring capabilities, reinforcing the Army and NSA's commitment to providing high-quality housing for service members. Scheduled for completion in October 2025, this project represents a significant investment in military readiness and quality of life.

Frustrations over mold, pests and security concerns front and center in Army barracks survey

Posted on Aug 12, 2025

A Combined Action Program Marine and a Navy corpsman using diesel fuel to burn the human waste from Combined Action unit Papa Three's outhouse in Cam Hieu village, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, on September 20, 1967. (Photo by Ed Palm Photo/Getty Images)

Federal watchdog calls out lack of research on burn pits in Vietnam

Posted on Aug 7, 2025

Crews install a three-ton, 30-foot barrier panel at the Barry M. Goldwater Range along the U.S.-Mexico border near Yuma, Arizona, March 3, 2020. BMGR 10-27 includes 31 miles of border barrier. USACE is providing direction and oversight for Department of Defense (DOD)-funded construction of border barrier projects from California to Texas. These projects are being executed by USACE, as directed through the U.S. Army by the Secretary of Defense, in response to the Presidential national emergency declaration dated Feb. 15, 2019, requiring the use of the armed forces and authorizing the use of Title 10, U.S. Code, § 2808. (Some personal and corporate identifiable markings have been masked for privacy reasons. No one in this photo crossed the international border).

Pentagon shifts $200 million from barracks, schools, facilities to border wall

Posted on Jul 25, 2025

Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, prepare equipment prior to entering “the box” during Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation 25-08 at Fort Johnson, La., June 5, 2025. JRTC training includes live-fire exercises, force-on-force battles and after-action reviews designed to enhance unit performance. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Armani Wilson)

Army blames showers left ‘wet after use’ for mold in barracks

Posted on Jul 22, 2025

Exposed, damaged pipes at the Palau Hall barracks at Andersen Air force Base

Damaged, moldy barracks in Guam are getting a $297 million makeover

Posted on Jul 15, 2025

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Dennis Jendrzejewski, middle, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing command chief, dons an Explosive Ordnance Disposal bomb suit with the help of Staff Sgt. Joshua McCoy, left, and Staff Sgt. David Knapp, both 386th Civil Engineering Squadron EOD team members, within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 29, 2025. An EOD bomb suit can weigh over 80 pounds, but leaves the hands exposed because of the requirement for maximum dexterity, precision and sensitive handling. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Timothy Leddick)

Air Force rolls out age- and sex-neutral fitness test for EOD techs

Posted on Jul 14, 2025

Mental Health

Gambling addiction in the military may be going unnoticed, advocates warn

Posted on Jul 3, 2025

An Air Force security officer holds a caged Richardson Ground Squirrel during a previous infestation in 2019 at Minot Air Force Base.

Minot Air Force Base is overrun by squirrels

Posted on Jun 30, 2025

A Soldier assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade uses a single-blade razor to shave his face during a shaving clinic May 22 at the brigade's organizational classroom.

Medical shaving waivers could soon get you kicked out of the Army

Posted on Jun 28, 2025

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Caige Chapman, 81st Operational Medical Readiness Squadron independent duty medical technician, participates in memorial push ups during Warrior Day on Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, Nov 8, 2024. Memorial push-ups are a tradition within the special tactics community to honor fallen service members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Trenten Walters)

The Air Force fitness test may soon include 2-mile runs twice a year

By Matt White

Posted on Jun 23, 2025

Military Awards

Proposed law would open the door for more troops to be awarded the Medal of Honor

Posted on Jun 18, 2025

Maj. Gen. Clair A. Gill, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel commander, conducts a walking town hall in Allen Heights neighborhood with various leaders from USAACE, Fort Novosel, and Corvias Oct. 2. (Photo Credit: Brittany Trumbull)

Most military families on base don’t know their rights as tenants, survey finds

Posted on Jun 12, 2025

Jobs

Vets hope thousands will rally against VA cuts in nationwide protests

Posted on Jun 5, 2025

Army barracks repairs could suffer if money shifts to border, top general acknowledges

Posted on Jun 5, 2025

Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army Drill Team, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), perform during a showing of "Twilight Tattoo" at Summerall Field, on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., May 7, 2025. Twilight Tattoo is a live, family-friendly military performance featuring Soldiers from The Old Guard and U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own", showcasing the U.S. Army's history through ceremonial drill, music, and historical reenactments that honor the service and sacrifice of American Soldiers past and present. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Oscar Toscano)

Pentagon orders review of base moves, and more military news

Posted on May 30, 2025

Guam barracks conditions are ‘baffling,’ Navy admiral says in email

Posted on May 29, 2025

Military spouse Valerie McNulty says the use of a GPS tracker placed in her household goods during her Family’s recent permanent change of station made national news headlines, and led to conversations with top Department of Defense officials about bettering PCS experiences.

The Pentagon wants troops to change duty stations less often

Posted on May 28, 2025

North Providence High School JROTC cadets and students from a homeschool group in Connecticut tour the 104th Fighter Wing, April 12, 2024, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. Base tours give community members the opportunity to learn more about the 104FW mission and find out more about potential future careers within the Air Force and Air National Guard.

Hegseth tells Pentagon to review more homeschooling support for military families