Gina Harkins

Gina Harkins previously covered the Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard for Military.com. She has covered troops and their families for nearly a decade, reporting from the U.S., Central and South America, and at sea. Before joining Military.com, Gina was a longtime reporter and managing editor for the independent Marine Corps Times. Her story on two recruits trapped at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina was runner up for the 2013 Military Reporters and Editors award for domestic military coverage. She holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and studied political science and international relations in her undergrad at Northeastern Illinois University.

Latest Articles

USS Fort McHenry decommissioning ceremony.

Amphibious Ship Fort McHenry Decommissioned After 33 Years of Warfighting, Humanitarian Missions

Sailors held a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Station Mayport, Florida for the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship.

Marine Lance Cpl. Chase Sweetwood shown with his siblings.

2 Moms Whose Marine Sons Died in Sinking AAV Say Command Mistakes Were 'Overwhelming'

Two commanding officers have been removed from their jobs following the accident.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Harker visits Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.

Marines Vow Safety Improvements After Fatal AAV Accident Reveals Serious Flaws

The July 30 tragedy was the deadliest AAV training accident in the service's history.

Marine Corps Sergeant Major James M. Boutin (Marine Corps Photo)

Fired Reserve Leaders Created Fearful Environment for Marines, Probe Shows

Three Marine leaders who were fired from their Reserve command last year failed to address low morale, according to an probe.

U.S. Marines and Sailors memorial service Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

'Tragic Mishap Was Preventable': How the Marines Failed 9 Troops Whose 35-Year-Old AAV Sank in the Pacific

No single problem caused the AAV to sink that day, one of two investigations into the accident found. Rather, "a sequence of...

The Navy Doesn't Need Another Carrier Right Now, Admiral Nominated to Lead Pacific Ops Says

The 11 aircraft carriers in the military's arsenal -- as currently required by law -- are what the force needs, Adm. John...

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Christopher Bronzi, commanding officer of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Deployed MEU Commander Fired Nearly 8 Months After Deadly AAV Accident

Bronzi is the second senior leader to be fired because of the AAV accident.

US Military Operations Challenging China's Territorial Claims Peaked Under Trump

There were 10 challenges to territorial claims in the South China Sea between October 2019 and September 2020.

Sea Hunter, an entirely new class of unmanned ocean-going vessel gets underway on the Williammette River following a christening ceremony in Portland, Ore., Apr. 7, 2016. (U.S. Navy photo/John F. Williams)

'Short on Details': Lawmakers Grill Navy, Marine Leaders on Big Plans for Drone Ships

A new "campaign plan" was released on the sea services' ambitions for unmanned platforms.

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Cpl. Salvatore Naimo awarded the Silver Star.

Marine Who Risked His Life in Korean War Awarded Silver Star on His 89th Birthday

The award was the result of a yearslong push to have Cpl. Salvatore Naimo's heroism during the Korean War recognized.

The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf.

Navy Cruiser Returns to Port Again After Crew Spots Another Fuel Tank Leak

The new problem affected the same tank, but a Navy official familiar with the problem said the issues appear to be unrelated.

Army Denies Major's Appeal to Get Valor Award Back After Trump Pardon

Golsteyn was pardoned by Trump in November 2019 -- one of three high-profile military cases in which the president intervened...

Sgt. Danny McDonald receives the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.

Marine Earns Highest Noncombat Heroism Medal for Saving a 10-Year-Old Boy's Life

Sgt. Danny McDonald, with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal during a ceremony at Camp...

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility successfully undocked USS Charlotte

Sailor Assigned to Navy Fast-Attack Submarine Dies by Apparent Suicide

Resources have been made available to support the Charlotte's crew and families, officials added.

Sea Hunter unmanned sea surface vehicle.

Why You Should Trust Drone Ships and Unmanned Tech, According to the Navy

The Navy and Marine Corps have produced a "campaign plan" to explain why unmanned ships and aircraft are not to be feared.

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Most Popular Military News

Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., left, confronts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Federal Government Shutdown Grinds into a Second Week as Tempers Flare at the Capitol

As the federal government shutdown enters a second week, there’s no discernible endgame in sight.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) questions U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Trump Targets Blumenthal, Calling for Investigation into Senator's Vietnam Service Claims

President Donald Trump is targeting U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal again after Connecticut’s senior U.S. senator grilled U.S...

Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

When 50-year-old Paul Douglas showed up at Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, the white-haired economics professor looked more...

Pack and transport platoon of the Russian army. Southern Military District. Ministry of Defense of Russia (Wikimedia Commons).

Ukrainian Drones Attack Russian Cavalry Troops in Rare 21st-Century Encounter

A short video circulating online this month appears to show a Russian mounted patrol being struck by a Ukrainian drone near...

When The Government Can Afford Everything Except The Essentials

Every shutdown forces the government to decide what counts as “essential.” Air traffic controllers and TSA agents fall into...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Latest Military Videos

Master Class: Resume Writing Workshop for Military Members & Spouses

Learn how to translate your military experience into a results-driven resume that speaks to civilian employers. Walk away with...

Trump Doubts Ukraine Will Win War with Russia, Expects a 'Fair Deal' with China

President Donald Trump pulled back Monday on his previous assertion that Ukraine could win back all territory from Russia...

Trump Considering Tomahawks' Request from Zelenskyy, Vance Says

The United States is considering a request by Ukraine for long-range Tomahawk missiles, US Vice President JD Vance has...

US Vice President JD Vance Discusses Renewed Violence in Gaza

US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday said there would be “fits and starts” in the truce between Israel...

Investigations and Features

In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide

Marine Corps drill instructors are a national symbol of discipline. But for some, their imposing persona belies a dark...

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

Army News

A photo of a transmittable satellite produced by Gilat DataPath. (Credit: Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd.)

Company Inks $7M Deal to Provide Satellite Technology to US Army

The Russia-Ukraine war has just in the past three years transformed technological capabilities and made the international...

World War II veteran James Underwood's dog tag. (Submitted photo)

Lost for 82 Years, World War II Soldier’s Dog Tag Returns to Family

Lost for 82 years in the woods of England, a Georgia family is finally reunited with their father's World War II dog tag.

Navy News

WAVES pigeon trainers release homing pigeons during training, February 1944. These birds flew messages from Navy blimps hunting German U-boats when radio silence was critical to avoid detection. (U.S. Navy/National Archives)

How Pigeons Helped U.S. Navy Blimps Hunt German U-Boats in World War II

The U.S. Navy's use of pigeons began decades before World War II, but the birds found their most critical mission during the...

Firing Artillery Over Interstate 5 Considered Unusual for Camp Pendleton, Some Experts Say

A simulated beach assault in which artillery was fired from the sand toward the interior of the sprawling base was intended...

Air Force News

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington.

Former US Airman Threatened to Assassinate Trump Over LGBTQ+ Policies, Feds Say

Joshua Levi Young, 21, of Ishpeming, is accused of issuing several threats since January that called for the execution of...

Shield AI's newly unveiled X-BAT autonomous fighter jets. The VTOL drones are designed to fly combat missions alongside crewed aircraft as part of the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. (Shield AI)

Shield AI Unveils Fully Autonomous VTOL Fighter Jet

A San Diego defense technology company unveiled an artificial intelligence-piloted fighter jet Tuesday that can take off...

Space Force News

U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday for the Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air...

A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

Marine Corps News

Runners and Marine Corps service members at the 2024 Marine Corps Marathon. (Photo by Marine Corps Marathon media team)

Marine Corps Marathon Marks 50 Years of Running With Purpose

This Sunday, Oct. 26, the Marine Corps Marathon will mark its 50th anniversary as one of the largest races in the U.S.

People watch the traffic as signs alert drivers about the closure of the 5 Freeway on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in San Clemente, California. A 17-mile stretch of the 5 Freeway was temporarily closed Saturday due to a live-ammunition demonstration at Camp Pendleton, held in celebration of the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th anniversary. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images/TNS)

No Public Warnings Before Marines Test-Fired Live Munitions Over Busy Interstate 5, Train Lines

New questions are emerging about why there were no public warnings before the U.S. Marines fired over Interstate 5 and a...

Coast Guard News

Coast Guardsmen stand watch behind a barrier at Coast Guard Base Alameda.

Shots Fired, Driver Hurt and Held After Truck Rams Into Coast Guard Base Alameda

No Coast Guard personnel were hurt.

The East Oakland entrance to the military installation — which marks the only way on or off of the island by car or truck — became the site of protests Thursday when federal agents arrived in the Bay Area as part of the next phase of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. (Kyle Martin)

Security Personnel Outside Coast Guard Base Open Fire at U-Haul Truck at Scene of Immigration Protests

Multiple security personnel opened fire Thursday night at a U-Haul truck that had been backing up to the entrance to Coast...