Read the latest articles from Task & Purpose (Page 133)

News

SOCOM grants contract for new jammer-proof BlackWave radio system

The war in Ukraine has shown what the modern battlefield looks like, and the U.S. military is taking notes.

Army

Army will add 17 air defense units while cutting 24,000 active duty spots

The personnel changes are detailed in “Army Force Structure Transformation,” which addresses the service's restructuring after two decades in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Culture

We salute the brave men who took part in – and named – ‘Operation Bunghole’

Operation Bunghole helped lead to the rescues of Allied pilots shot down over the Balkans.

Army

Army Guard grounds helicopter fleet after two Apache crashes in two weeks

The Army National Guard grounded all 1,300 of its helicopters in a safety stand down following two crashes this month, one of which was fatal.

Air Force

Airman who died after setting himself on fire in protest video identified

Senior Airman Aaron Bushnell died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy to protest the war in Gaza.

Culture

The history of the HK416 in modern warfare

When the HK416 started showing up on SOF compounds throughout Iraq, people noticed.

Army

Army Reserve colonel allegedly pocketed $62,000 in fake rental property scheme

Army Reserve Col. Reece Roberts is accused of falsely claiming he lived out of state to collect rent and family separation payments.

Mandatory Fun

Alaska paratroopers get a secret weapon for the arctic: beards

The 11th Airborne just finished an Alaska-based exercise at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center in late February.

United States

VA expands health care access to millions earlier than expected

The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding access to government healthcare for millions of veterans years earlier than previously allowed.

Air Force

Active-duty airman set himself on fire in front of Israeli embassy

Washington, D.C. emergency services took the man to a hospital with "critical life threatening injuries."

Middle East

US, UK hit Houthi sites in Yemen in fourth round of strikes

The attacks come after Houthi missiles damaged a commercial ship, leaving an oil spill in the waters off of Yemen.

National Guard

2 Army National Guard soldiers killed in helicopter crash identified

Chief Warrant Officers Bryan Andrew Zemek and Derek Joshua Abbott died on Friday when their AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed in Mississippi.

Ukraine

Two years into war, Ukraine’s ammunition crisis is a tipping point

Zelensky vows to fight on despite Avdiivka falling and American aid held up by political stalemate.

Marine Corps

Marine Corps passes its audit, the first military branch to do so

First to fight, first to not fail an audit.

Army

2 Mississippi National Guard soldiers killed in Apache helicopter crash

The two soldiers’ identities have not been publicly released.

Culture

You should know who Marine Raider Frank Wright is

Always Faithful, Always Forward.

Air Force

Afghanistan’s ‘Angel of Death’ is retiring from Air Force special ops

Col. Allison Black is retiring from the Air Force. Afghan fighters called her "the Angel of Death" for her radio calls from AC-130 gunships.

Army

Army astronaut with record for most days in space receives rare honor

Col. Frank Rubio is a Black Hawk Pilot, medical doctor, and astronaut.

Army

Doctor accused of abusing dozens of JBLM patients faces charges

Maj. Michael Stockin, an anesthesiologist at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, faces over 50 counts of abusing patients.

Navy

4 charged with weapons smuggling on raid where 2 SEALs died

DOJ said the seizure included a warhead, propulsion and guidance components for medium range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles.