Top stories
US Army launches laser production with $465M contract award
The U.S. Army awarded a $464.8 million production contract to AeroVironment, Inc., this week for the Enduring-High Energy Laser program.
Fort Knox soldier identified after fatal motor pool accident
The U.S. Army identified a soldier who died this week in an accident at an on-post motor pool at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Apply for Best for Vets: Trusted Brands
Military Times is now accepting submissions from companies that offer verifiable value to the military community through programs and benefits.
Insurance Guide
Military Times has outlined helpful information about car insurance, renters insurance, and life insurance for troops.
2025 PCS Guide
Read up on tips and tricks in Military Times’ 2025 Permanent Change of Station Guide.
2025 Benefits Guide
Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2025.
EDITOR'S PICKS
Pentagon & Congress
Pentagon temporarily rescinds guidance on testosterone screening for US troops
The Pentagon is temporarily rescinding recently published clinical guidance for a new mandatory testosterone-deficiency screening policy, Reuters reports.
The Army shut down a specialized drone unit. Legislators want to know why.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers asked the Army to explain why it is shuttering a specialized drone battalion less than a year after establishing it.
Iran war escalation raises concern over civilian death toll
The recent escalation of the Iran war has cast renewed attention on its civilian toll after Iran reported four killed and dozens wounded at a wedding.
VA said electronic health record modernization would cost $10 billion — now it’s $48 billion
The Department of Veterans Affairs is nearly tripling the ceiling on its contract with Oracle to modernize the agency’s electronic health record system.
In other news
House passes funding bill to avert government shutdown
The House overwhelmingly approved legislation Tuesday to prevent a government shutdown and keep federal agencies operating beyond Oct. 1.
VIDEOS
Marine Corps wants to add thousands of new troops over the next five years
The force looks at add 6,500 Marines in a variety of jobs, growing the force by 5% by 2032.
Featured Videos
TSA stops Alabama traveler for Civil War-era cannonballs in luggage
An Alabama traveler was stopped recently by TSA after checking luggage containing five Civil War-era cannonballs. Roll Tide.
Sailor reportedly finds dead rat in finished energy drink
The sailor said medical personnel informed him, “with the chemicals that are in Monster, that it should be OK.”
By J.D. Simkins
That time the Air Force proposed making a ‘gay bomb’
The Air Force once explored the idea of a chemical weapon that would make enemy soldiers sexually irresistible to one another — striking a blow to morale.
Master Chief actor condemns use of character in White House’s Iran war hype video
“I demand that the producers of this disgusting and juvenile war porn remove my voice immediately,” Steve Downes wrote in a post on X.
Don't miss
Trending Now
MORE STORIES
House passes funding bill to avert government shutdown
The House overwhelmingly approved legislation Tuesday to prevent a government shutdown and keep federal agencies operating beyond Oct. 1.
By Richard Cowan, Reuters
US launches new barrage of strikes on Iran around Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. launched new air strikes on Iranian targets Tuesday following attempted attacks by the IRGC against American troops deployed to the region.
By Jasper Ward and Parisa Hafezi, Reuters
US Army soldiers across the world earn Danish ruck ribbon
Thousands of U.S. Army soldiers—from Korea to Virginia—laced up their boots last week to earn a Danish military award now authorized for wear.
By Eve Sampson
Pentagon still failing to secure health records of top officials, audit finds
The Pentagon is still failing to safeguard the electronic health records of top government officials, the DoD Inspector General found.
By Michael Peck
Where the Pentagon can’t go, a small nonprofit searches for America’s war dead
One nonprofit is working to help the U.S. military recover its war dead as the Pentagon's budget for that mission shrinks, The War Horse reports.
By Ken McLaughlin, The War Horse
American Rheinmetall delivers its first prototype to replace Bradley Fighting Vehicle
The move is the latest in the service’s yearslong effort to replace the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
By Eve Sampson
Suicide prevention efforts at Fort Hood lack ‘professional expertise,’ Army says
A contract request from III Armored Corps admits that existing "resources do not provide the specialized professional expertise" in suicide prevention.
By Michael Peck
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigns on short notice amid reported friction with Hegseth
Dan Driscoll, who has served as the Army’s civilian leader since February 2025, tendered his resignation Monday.
By Hope Hodge Seck
82nd Airborne soldiers have Middle East deployment extended out to a year
Elements of the 82nd Airborne Division will have their deployments to U.S. Central Command extended out to a year, according to a memo signed on Sunday.
By Eve Sampson
The military’s ChatGPT is now live via the Pentagon’s GenAI platform
The DoD on Monday launched OpenAI’s ChatGPT Mil on GenAI.mil, making the chatbot available for work involving controlled unclassified information.
Trial for accused mastermind of 9/11 attacks set for June 2028
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, and three co-defendants are slated for a trial before a military tribunal in June 2028.
By Steve Gorman, Reuters
Pentagon scraps public weapons testing reports amid oversight concerns
The Pentagon says cuts to its independent weapons testing office will save money, while critics warn they could lead to costly mistakes.
DoD confirms ‘refrigeration disruption’ at military commissaries
More than a half-dozen commissaries on military bases in the continental U.S. reported refrigeration outages this week.
By Hope Hodge Seck
DoD schools struggle to identify, support military children with learning disabilities, GAO finds
A GAO review found gaps at multiple stages of DODEA's process for identifying and supporting students with specific learning disabilities.
Steel and Stone: Army Museum’s newest exhibit shares untold stories of engineers on 9/11
In its latest exhibit, the National Museum of the U.S. Army highlights the Engineering Corps' role in the nation’s recovery in the wake of 9/11.
West Point ordered professors not to teach human causes of climate change, lawsuit says
A West Point professor is suing the academy, alleging officials fired him after ordering instructors to stop teaching about anthropogenic climate change.
By Eve Sampson