Read the latest articles from Task & Purpose (Page 74)

Entertainment

Why veterans are the real target audience for ‘Helldivers 2’

The concept of being dropped into a risky or unexpected situation with vague orders and little support isn’t just a game mechanic — it’s a Tuesday in uniform. 

Navy

Navy secretary says Trump told him to ‘fix the damn rust’ on warships

The new Navy secretary said Trump has told him he wants "shipbuilding, shipbuilding, shipbuilding. Get those ships out of maintenance yards. Fix the damn rust."

Benefits

These vets say the PACT Act left them behind

“I am asking that Congress please allow us to get the benefits that every other veteran has earned,” said Dave Crete, who was exposed to toxins at a stateside base and now suffers severe health impacts because of it.

Marine Corps

Marine Corps to field new counter-drone systems to deploying units

Starting this summer, deploying Marine units will be equipped with lightweight prototype systems that are meant to defend against small drones.

Video

Here’s how the US military is preparing for an Arctic War

After decades of war in the desert, the U.S. is looking to the Arctic and preparing for cold warfare.

Navy

Navy admiral fired from position as senior NATO planner

Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, a career Navy helicopter pilot, had been the U.S.'s top military representative to the NATO Military Committee.

Marine Corps

The Marine Corps has settled the debate over the size of a rifle squad

The Marine Corps will stick with 13-Marine rifle squads for both traditional infantry battalions and littoral combat teams.

United States

A retired Green Beret in Congress wants to ban GNC stores from military bases

Republican Rep. Pat Harrigan's bill would ban companies with owners based in China, Russia, North Korea or Iran from operating on military bases. GNC was bought by a Chinese company in 2020.

Navy

The Navy’s experiment with hands in pockets is under review, top admiral says

A Defense Department-wide review into grooming and uniform standards will revisit the one-year-old rule allowing sailors to put their hands in their pockets while in uniform, Acting Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby said.

Navy

Navy commissions its newest submarine, the USS Iowa

The Virginia-class nuclear submarine is the first submarine to bear the name of the state.

Tactics

Hero rat sets Guinness World Record for detecting landmines

We salute Ronin, who has sniffed out 109 landmines and 15 other kinds of unexploded ordnance.

Marine Corps

Marine Corps stands up ‘attack drone team’ to take lessons from Ukraine and teach them to grunts

The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team will help develop tactics for using first-person-view drones.

The Pentagon Rundown

Did the Army actually listen to soldiers’ complaints about mandatory training?

The Army has reduced the number of training courses that soldiers must take so they can spend more time going through “tough, realistic training.”

Navy

Navy fires commander of Colorado-based Information Operations Command

Navy Cmdr. Christopher Johnson was relieved on Thursday “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command.” No specific reason for his firing has been given.

News

DoD inquiry to look into Hegseth’s use of Signal to share Yemen strike plans

The assessment will determine whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other defense officials followed proper procedures for using a commercial messaging app to conduct official business and retaining classified information.

News

New bill could create VA centers to treat vets with psychedelic therapies

The bipartisan bill would establish “innovative therapies centers of excellence” under the VA to treat and study veterans with a variety of mental and physical health conditions.

Air Force

Pregnant pilots and aircrew grounded for first trimester under new Air Force flying rules

The Air Force also ruled out ejection seat-equipped aircraft for pregnant pilots but extended their flying window in other planes.

Army

Fourth and final soldier identified from armored vehicle that sank in Lithuania swamp

Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28, was the final soldier recovered from an M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicle that sank in a Lithuanian swamp on March 25. Hundreds of U.S. and Lithuanian soldiers, sailors and civilians worked around the clock to retrieve the four missing in the crash.

Army

Firefighters help paratrooper finish jump after missing the ground

The call-out was at least the fourth time since 2018 that local fire fighers responded to a paratrooper caught in a tree at the Indiana National Guard's Muscatatuck Training Center.

Army

A soldier desperately needed a bone marrow transplant. Thousands volunteered as donors.

More than 1,000 soldiers and veterans showed up for a bone marrow donor screening event at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and more than 1,000 others requested test kits online.