Matthew Cox

Matthew Cox has been a defense reporter since 1998. During his time with Military.com he covered all the services, with a close eye on Army weapons development and procurement, body armor testing, camouflage, ammunition as well as readiness and training issues. He previously worked for 12 years for Army Times. He traveled to Afghanistan and Iraq numerous times from 2002 to 2008, covering Stryker and light infantry units in combat. He also spent four years in the U.S. Army during the second half of the 1980s, serving as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division.

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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.

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

Danish PM Says a US Takeover of Greenland Would Mark End of NATO

Danish prime minister says a US takeover of Greenland would mark the end of NATO.

Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in US Court Appearance

Maduro pleads not guilty in US court appearance.

Protest Outside NY Jail Where Maduro Is Held

Protest outside NY jail where Maduro is held.

Trump Says He Wants 'Total Access' from Venezuela

Trump says he wants 'total access' from Venezuela, comments on Cubans killed.

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 Second Seminole War (1835–42) took place in Florida between the U.S. military and the Seminole people. (Dade Battle by Ken Hughes 1974/Miami History Center)

Seminole Warriors Fought the US Military to a Stalemate in the Florida Swamps

Fewer than 2,000 Seminole warriors held off an American force that eventually numbered more than 30,000 troops. It became the...

Army veteran Robert Hendricks talks about his Vietnam War experience. (Photo from Central Oregon Daily News)

‘I Never Want to See it Again.’ Vietnam Soldier Recalls Deadly Napalm, Tet Offensive

Robert Hendricks, a U.S. Army veteran, shares his harrowing story of surviving the Tet Offensive and the effects of napalm...

Navy News

Hegseth Censures Sen. Kelly After Warning About Following Illegal Orders

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that he is issuing a letter of censure to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona...

U.S. military aircraft are parked on the tarmac at the airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico.

How the US Captured Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro

Trump said a few U.S. members of the operation were injured but he believed no one was killed.

Air Force News

Air Force veteran Dominic Marino was murdered in the fall of 2018. Police are still searching for leads in his case. (Photo from obituary)

Who Killed Dominic Marino? 7 Years Later, Murder of Disabled Veteran Baffles Police

More than seven years after Dominic Marino was brutally killed inside his Connecticut home, police are still searching for...

President Donald Trump talks to the media.

With Capture of Maduro, Trump Treads Into Uncharted Territory

Trump has now twice used U.S. forces to carry out risky operations against American adversaries.

Space Force News

President Donald Trump holds top a signed executive order as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth watches in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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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)

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Marine Corps News

The Green Jackers attend a hearing at the Suffolk County Veterans Treatment Court (Alexandra Imandt/New York Unified Court System)(

Green Jacket Volunteers Help Veterans Succeed in Drug Treatment Courts

The Green Jackets, a volunteer group of Vietnam veterans, are helping other veterans overcome problems with addiction and...

Marine Cpl. Dennis W. Burker, using a Browning automatic rifle, fires at enemy positions in front of Company I, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines' place on the main line of resistance. Cpl. Burker wears one of the 24,000 armored vests issued the division by 1953. (USMC Photo)

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Coast Guard News

The Port of Guam as seen from the motor vessel Kenyo, offloading cement in Guam, on Oct. 20, 2022. The Port of Guam is the island's only deepwater port and receives about 90 percent of the island's imports. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir)

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President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference.

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