Jennifer Barnhill

In addition to her reporting, Jennifer Barnhill is also the host of Military Dinner Table Conversations, a monthly reverse town hall with military families. She is the author of The Military Stories You've Been Told: And the Ones You Need to Hear (October 2025) as well as the 2025 AFI Navy Spouse of the Year, a 2023 Bush Institute StandTo Veteran Leadership Program Scholar, the editor-in-chief of the National Military Spouse Network’s Career Connections Magazine and the military spouse liaison on The League of Wives Memorial Project.

Latest Articles

A spouse receives flowers during her husband's retirement ceremony

Now It's Our Turn: Does Military Retirement Give Spouses a Real Chance at Careers?

When you say "I do" and marry someone who serves our country, there is an understanding that their military career will drive...

The Employment Readiness Program at Fort Liberty

The Myth of Choice: Why We Ignore Military Spouses Out of the Workforce

The often-ignored truth is that military spouses are out of the workforce at statistically higher rates than their civilian...

A couple holds hands during a 2018 ceremony.

We Broke Our Promise to Take Care of Gold Star Families

There is an unspoken promise America has whispered to service members and their families for centuries: If something happens...

Why Are We Silent About Military Spouse Substance Abuse?

When we think about substance abuse and the military, we typically think about service members and veterans with stories that...

Military couple working through their problems.

Why Divorce Is Particularly Hard on Military Families

According to reports based on U.S. Census Bureau data, those who have served in the military have the highest divorce rate of...

Military children pose for a photo during the Military Child Parade at Barksdale Air Force Base

How Are Military Kids Really Doing?

Military children experience numerous struggles throughout their lives that they are forced to overcome.

An information folder for Spouse Education and Employment seminar.

Will a Federal Fix for Complex License Rules Help Combat Military Spouse Unemployment?

Without the ability to transfer licenses across states, military spouses aren't able to take advantage of the hard work they...

A military family walks to the Aviano Elementary School at Aviano Air Base, Italy.

Do Military Families Need Their Own Bill of Rights?

The DoD and State Department must do two things.

U.S. Army Reserve soldiers and their families attend a Finding Balance for Couples training

Should Military Families Be Forced to Embrace the Suck?

Unfortunately, resilience is not something that the military family community can opt out of.

Education funding military families special education

Military Children Are Caught in a Battle over Government Funding

The Biden administration recently released its fiscal 2022 Discretionary Spending Request, which asks for increased special...

Members of the 4th Infantry Division listen to briefings provided by Soldier-For-Life-Transition Assistance Program

Problems with the Military Transition Process Need More Than a Band-Aid Solution

A handful of veteran service organizations hope to enter the ring to take on the Transition Assistance Program (TAP).

An Air Force mental health flight chief fills out a patient triage

The Mental Burden of Using Military Benefits

For those who have to line up specialty or mental health care, the back and forth can become a full-time job. But is the...

U.S. Navy Lt. Kaleb McConaghy, an F-18 pilot with Carrier Air Wing 5, hugs his spouse

Why Military Life Is Worth It

Research shows that military spouses who feel a sense of belonging within the military community have a greater sense of...

active duty sailor and her spouse, an Army veteran, hold hands during a rally at the National World War II Memoria

How Are Male Military Spouses Really Doing?

As of 2022, 9.7% of all military spouses are male. There's sizable variation based on branch of service: Just 3.8% of Marine...

A picture of the binders collected by Navy Lt. Christa Gunsauley containing documents from the sexual harassment complaints she’s filed.

Burying Victims in Paperwork?

When I first met Navy Lt. Christa Gunsauley, I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of documentation she had. Emails. Medical...

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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

VIDEO: How a Former Waffen-SS Officer Became an American War Hero Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

A headstone in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery marks the remains of the only known former Waffen-SS member...

'What Kind of Truce Is This?' Dozens of Palestinians Killed in New Israeli Attacks on Gaza

Israel’s military said Wednesday that the ceasefire was back on in Gaza after it carried out heavy airstrikes overnight...

Mothers and Wives of Fallen Ukrainian Soldiers Plant Trees to Remember Their Sacrifice

Wives and mothers of Ukrainian soldiers who died in the fight against Russia planted trees in a public park...

Destruction in Gaza Visible from Southern Israel

From multiple vantage points, debris piles are visible as a result of bombing in Gaza. (AP) Oct. 24

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

The US Draws Down Troops on NATO's Eastern Flank as Europe Frets About a Security Vacuum

The United States has informed NATO allies that it will reduce its troop presence along Europe’s eastern border with Ukraine.

Florencio Davila. His family made sure that his final wish was honored with the help of the local community. (Submitted photo)

Fort Hood Steps In After Shutdown Halts WWII Veteran’s Military Funeral

Florencio Davila, a World War II veteran, died recently at age 99. His dying wish was to be buried with full military honors...

Navy News

Marine Corporal Robert Maurer with 3/25, provides security during multi-domain training in Trinidad and Tobago during TRADEWINDS 2025 (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Astia LeBron)

Marines in the Caribbean: Poised for Any Potential Conflict

U.S. Marines currently deployed to the Caribbean are well poised for any potential conflict in the U.S. Southern Command Area...

White House Urged Firing Live Bombs, Not Dummies, for Trump’s Visit to Navy Celebration

The White House pressed Navy officials to launch 2,000-pound live bombs instead of dummy explosives during a recent military...

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

Marine Corps veteran Jose Pequeno after receiving his new dress blues. (Photo courtesy of Fox 13 Tampa)

Marine Veteran Injured in Combat Receives Heartfelt Surprise

Jose Pequeno, who suffered devastating injuries during his deployment to Iraq, was sad to discover his Marine Corps dress...

Marine Cpl. Rick Colts and his military working dog Torry pause during a patrol in Afghanistan in 2011. Torry, a German shepherd, worked with II Marine Expeditionary Force detecting IEDs in Helmand Province. (Rick Colts)

K9 Hero: Marine Survives Afghanistan IED After Dog’s Ultimate Sacrifice

Rick Colts knew something was wrong the moment his military working dog changed his search pattern. It was June 1, 2011, the...

Coast Guard News

Signage showing the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is accepted is displayed at Wild Onion Market, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

'SNAP Is Everything': Military Families, Vets Prepare for Empty Fridges

A disabled Navy veteran tells Military.com that his family will go hungry as SNAP benefits are slated to expire Nov. 1 due to...

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.