Read the latest articles from Task & Purpose (Page 7)

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan was killed in a March 1 Iranian drone attack in Kuwait. Dozens of soldiers from his Iowa-based unit are scrambling to arrange travel to his funeral in California.
Army

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.

A U.S. Navy Boatswain’s Mate signals to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 14, on the flight deck of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) during Operation Epic Fury, Mar. 5, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo)
Iran

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.

U.S. Sailors man the rails on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during the ship's departure from Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, March 14, 2026. Nimitz is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations as part of a scheduled homeport shift to Norfolk, Virginia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter K. McHaddad)
Navy

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.

Top row: Maj. John A. Klinner, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Capt. Ariana G. Savino. Bottom row: Capt. Seth Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst, and Tech Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons. Air Force/courtesy photos.
Air Force

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.

An MQ-9 Reaper taxis on the runway after landing in support of Freedom Flag 24-1 at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 23, 2024. Freedom Flag 24-1 is an advanced, large-scale tactical exercise between the U.S. and allied partners dedicated to the protection of regional peace and stability through the adaptation of novel and collaborative training methods, ensuring readiness against a wide range of threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Maria Umanzor Guzman)
Drones

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. 

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).
Veterans

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. 

An F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 87, lands on the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carrier, Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), while underway in the Caribbean Sea, Dec. 11, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility 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. Navy photo)
Navy

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.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dashawn M. Rudesill, a cannoneer with 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, fires an M777 lightweight 155mm howitzer during a rehearsal for the 250th Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration at Red Beach combat town, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Oct. 17, 2025. The 250th Amphibious Capabilities Demonstration at Camp Pendleton marks the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday and America’s Semiquincentennial. The live-fire event highlights the Navy-Marine Corps team’s ability to integrate across air, land, and sea, showcasing the Corps’ enduring role as America’s force in-readiness. Rudesill is a native of Rushville, Illinois. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Aaron S. Patterson)
Marine Corps

‘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. 

MAYPORT, Fla. (JUNE 8, 2025) Sailors man the rails aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), as they return to homeport, June 8. Jason Dunham, assigned to the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG), is homeported at Naval Sation Mayport, Florida, and returned following a nearly nine-month deployment to the U.S. European and Central Command areas of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marieliza Rosales)
Veterans

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.”

A KC-135 Stratotanker with the 121st Air Refueling Wing sits on the flight line during the sunrise at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio, August 10, 2025. The KC-135 Stratotanker is an essential aircraft for the Air Mobility Command because it provides core aerial refueling for the United States Air Force to ensure rapid global reach. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ivy Thomas)
Iraq

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.

Marine KC-130T
Marine Corps

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.

Wide shot for family with toddler in discussion with real estate agent while looking home for sale during open house

Helpful tips to know before buying your first (or next) home 

Navy Federal guides you through your homebuying journey

Recruits of Delta Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, spread out during a martial arts training session Aug. 27, 2015, on Parris Island, S.C. Keeping a safe amount of distance between recruits is one of many safety precautions taken during training. Delta Company is scheduled to graduate Nov. 13, 2015. Parris Island has been the site of Marine Corps recruit training since Nov. 1, 1915. Today, approximately 20,000 recruits come to Parris Island annually for the chance to become United States Marines by enduring 13 weeks of rigorous, transformative training. Parris Island is home to entry-level enlisted training for approximately 50 percent of males and 100 percent of females in the Marine Corps. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Vanessa Austin)
News

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.

M111 Offensive Hand Grenade
Weapons

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.

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)
Family

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

Fake videos of soldiers grieving over fallen friends and AI-generated combat scenes are reaching families of deployed U.S. troops.

KIA Kuwait Fallen 2026
Iran

These are the US soldiers killed in Iran’s drone strike in Kuwait

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, has been identified as the sixth Army Reserve soldier killed in the March 1 Iranian drone attack on Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

Sailors observe flight operations in the pilothouse of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury, Feb. 28, 2026.
Culture

Sailor sports ‘Arrogant Bastard’ beer patch on carrier involved in Iran combat operations

Hated by many, loved by few.

U.S. Soldiers with the 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 59th Aviation Troop Command, South Carolina National Guard, conduct their annual aerial-gunnery qualification table at the Poinsett Range, Sumter, South Carolina, May 22, 2024. Aircrews fired both 30mm rounds and rockets, the training allowed Soldiers to sharpen their armory skills, communication and team work with their assigned AH-64 Apache helicopters. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Tim Andrews)
Helicopters

US Apache pilots explain how helicopters are shooting down Iranian drones

The ability of AH-64 attack helicopters to shoot drones out of the sky over the UAE shows a new, air-to-air role for the venerable gunship. And U.S. Apache pilots love it.

Soldiers assigned to Charlie Company, 2-23 Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, conduct a Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise, honing their combat skills through realistic training scenarios
Iran

It only took 2 weeks for the Iran war to cause a draft scare

It's very unlikely.

Air Force Gen. Dan Caine
Iran

US goes after Iran’s ability to lay sea mines, build drones, top general says

The U.S. military is targeting ships and storage facilities for Iranian sea mines, along with factories that build one-way attack drones.