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.

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

Russia Military Releases Video It Says Shows Troops Waving Russian Flag in Ukrainian City

Russia released footage of what it said was troops waving a Russian flag in the key Ukrainian city of...

Should You Accept the First Job Offer?

All jobs aren’t created equal, and in the frenzy and frustration of a post-military job search, anything that feels...

This Medal of Honor Recipient Reenlisted to Avenge his Brother's Death in Korea

Ronald Rosser, who had already served three years in the Army, signed back up for one simple reason: revenge...

'Greatest' US Soldier Took a Tank Round to the Leg and Kept Fighting

The accounts of everyone who watched Matt Urban mount a tank under heavy fire in Normandy were "remarkably consistent"...

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

Gilbert "Choc" Charleston was a proud member of the Choctaw Nation. (Photo from Together We're More)

Native American World War II Veteran, Final Member of Unit, Dies at 101

Gilbert "Choc" Charleston, who fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was the last remaining member of the 739th Tank...

WEST POINT, New York (Dec. 12, 2020) The United States Naval Academy Midshipmen face off against the U.S. Army Black Knights during the Army-Navy football game at the U.S. Military Academy’s Michie Stadium. The game marked the 121st meeting between the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen and the U.S. Army Black Knights. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Burke/Released)

America's Game: How Army and Navy Built One of the Most Legendary College Football Rivalries

For most players, the Army-Navy game marks their last time in pads. For the seniors, it's typically their final competitive...

Navy News

America's Game: How Army and Navy Built One of the Most Legendary College Football Rivalries

For most players, the Army-Navy game marks their last time in pads. For the seniors, it's typically their final competitive...

White House Says Admiral Ordered Follow-on Strike on Alleged Drug Boat, Insists Attack Was Lawful

The White House says that a Navy admiral ordered a second strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea and insists...

Air Force News

Dominican Republic Grants US Access to Restricted Areas for its Deadly Fight Against Drugs

For a limited time, the U.S. can refuel aircraft and transport equipment and technical personnel at restricted areas within...

Back of Air Force agent for special investigations

Federal Prosecutors Say 2 Texas Men Made Plans to Take Over a Haitian Island

The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations was among the investigating agencies.

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

Marines from Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines during Operation Prairie II near the DMZ in 1967. The “Walking Dead” battalion earned the highest casualty rate in Marine Corps history during 47 months of sustained combat in Vietnam. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Walking Dead in Vietnam: How 1st Battalion, 9th Marines Earned the Marine Corps' Highest Casualty Rate

When two understrength Marine companies pushed north along Highway 561 on the morning of July 2, 1967, they walked straight...

Lt. Col. Calischaran G. James was relieved as commanding officer of Okinawa-based Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 36 on Nov. 26, 2025. Marine Corps photo.

MALS-36 Commander Relieved of Command Duties

The Marine Corps removed the commanding officer of MALS-36 in Okinawa after determining it had lost trust and confidence in...

Coast Guard News

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., arrives at the chamber.

Senators Want Answers From Coast Guard on How it Probes Displays of Swastikas or Other Hate Symbols

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., warned that “relaxing policies aimed at fighting hate crimes not only sends the wrong message to...

Coast Guardsmen assigned to the Law Enforcement Detachment conduct small boat operations with sailors assigned to the littoral combat ship USS Charleston during a southern border support mission in the Pacific Ocean, May 30, 2025. (Navy Seaman Joey Sitter, DoW).

Coast Guard Reverses Course on Policy to Call Swastikas and Nooses 'Potentially Divisive'

The U.S. Coast Guard has released a new, firmer policy addressing the display of hate symbols like swastikas and nooses just...