Nick Mordowanec

Nick Mordowanec was previously a national news and investigative reporter for Newsweek, focusing on U.S. and international politics, military/defense, immigration, crime, social issues and features over a four-year period. Other coverage included education, economics, and wars in Ukraine and Gaza. His reporting on the opioid epidemic garnered a statewide Michigan Press Association award. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.

Email nick.m@military.com with tips or feedback.

Latest Articles

A U.S. Coast Guard member is seen during a visit by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Brownsville, Texas. (AP Photo/Gabriel V. Cardenas)

Coast Guard Seized $4 Billion Worth of Narcotics in Record-Setting Year

The total number of pounds seized by the USCG in 2025 vastly surpassed past averages.

Federal agents stand outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building as protesters gather in Minneapolis, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Bettcher)

Mixed Messages in Minneapolis ICE Shooting Investigation 'Not Ideal': Ex-Cop

A Navy veteran and former police officer affluent in background checks said the ICE investigation in Minneapolis should...

Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Nakoa Hendricks fires an M240 machine gun during a live-fire on the aft missile deck aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), Nov. 9, 2025. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Hector Rodriguez)

Trump’s $1.5T Defense Budget Protects ‘Warfighters, Not Wall Street’: DOD

The Pentagon defended President Trump's targeted statements towards defense contractors and efforts to boost the current...

People gather for a vigil after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a motorist earlier in the day, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

How DHS, Border Czar Reacted Differently to Fatal Minneapolis ICE Shooting

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said quickly after Wednesday's fatal shooting by an ICE officer that it was self-defense against...

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrives at the U.S. Capitol Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Washington, to brief top lawmakers after President Donald Trump directed U.S. forces to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

How Americans Feel About Maduro, US Military in Venezuela & Regime Change

Oil. Regime change. A possible aggressive military campaign in a foreign land. Americans embrace a very strong military but...

A flag and flowers adorn a grave at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Full List of VA Grants Providing $77M to State Veterans Cemeteries

The fiscal year 2025 grants include the establishing of Alaska's first veterans cemetery.

Wind turbine bases, generators and blades are positioned at The Portsmouth Marine terminal along with a support ship at the staging area for Dominion Energy's wind turbine project Monday Dec. 22, 2025, in Portsmouth, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Trump Admin Sued Over Offshore Project Impacting 500k New Yorkers' Electricity

Offshore wind projects that are more than half complete are currently being halted by the Department of the Interior for...

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)

Energy Impact of MARAD Takeover of Deepwater Ports From Coast Guard

U.S. officials said the change in who's overseeing deepwater licenses will boost domestic energy revenue and allow for global...

People protest outside Manhattan Federal Court before the arraignment of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

What Nicolás Maduro Said in Court During His Arraignment

Military.com was present in the room when ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were arraigned on narco...

Carrie J. Belleson, a chiropractor at Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, demonstrates the techniques she uses to treat service members on U.S. Navy Lt. Kathryn P McMurtray. (U.S. Navy photo by Christopher C. Jones, NHTP/NMRTC Twentynine Palms public affairs officer)

Chiropractic Services Are Returning to Some US Military Bases: 'No Excuse'

An amendment in the sweeping defense bill passed by Congress includes bringing back chiropractic care to over a handful of...

Venezuelans celebrate after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

'Major Pivot': US Foreign Policy on Drugs, Oil & Regime Change in Venezuela

Feelings are mixed across the Americas with the capture of Nicolas Maduro, with questions about broader military intent and...

A U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) crewmember crosses the brow onto the ice while operating in the Arctic Ocean, Oct. 1, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris Sappey)

US, Finland Collaborate to Build Arctic Icebreaker Ships for Coast Guard

The new announcement comes 1.5 years after the ICE Pact agreement between the U.S., Canada and Finland began.

U.S. Army Pvt. First Class Patrick Konczal sees his cancer-ridden mother for the first time in 1 1/2 years. (American Red Cross)

Army Soldier Travels 7k Miles, Surprises Cancer-Stricken Mother For Christmas

"I'm not sure there was a dry eye in the room," said an American Red Cross specialist who helped bring a U.S. Army soldier...

President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth shake hands during the 24th 9/11 Pentagon Observance Ceremony at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Sept. 11, 2025. (DoW photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Madelyn Keech)

Year In Rewind: Military Veterans Get Candid on Trump, Pentagon & Foreign Policy

The executive-order laden presidency of Donald Trump 2.0 has drawn both adulation and criticism from both current and former...

Wind turbine bases, generators and blades are positioned at The Portsmouth Marine terminal at the staging area for Dominion Energy's wind turbine project Monday Dec. 22, 2025, in Portsmouth, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Critics Call Trump Admin’s Offshore Wind Project Suspensions ‘Gift to Fossil Fuel’ Lobby

The Department of Defense cited national security threats in newer classified briefings even as older reports regarding the...

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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

US Military Says Its Forces Intercept Another Sanctioned Oil Tanker in the Caribbean

US military says its forces intercept another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean.

Warships from China, Russia and Iran Arrive in South African Waters

Warships from China, Russia and Iran arrive in South African waters for naval drills.

Russia Hits Ukraine with Deadly Drone and Missile Strikes

Russia hits Ukraine with deadly drone and missile strikes across Kyiv.

VP Vance Says Denmark ‘Obviously’ Had Not Done a Proper Job in Securing Greenland

US VP Vance says Denmark “obviously” had not done a proper job in securing Greenland.

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

American troops moving through the Kasserine Pass. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Battle of Kasserine Pass: The Humiliating WWII Defeat That Transformed the US Army

The Battle of Kasserine Pass was America's first major fight against the European Axis in World War II. It turned into one of...

Army veteran Nick Rinn recovers material in a lake during a recent mission with Oregon Rescue Divers. (Photo from Central Oregon Daily)

‘I See It So Others Don’t Have To:’ Oregon Army Veteran Recovers Bodies as Rescue Diver

After his military career ended, Nick Rinn decided to use his scuba diving talent to help others, searching and recovering...

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)

How Trump’s 2025 'War' Agenda Rewired the Pentagon

Trump’s 2025 executive actions reshape how the current administration defines national security.

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

Louis Tanzer, a retired 105-year-old staff sergeant, raises his fist after eating cake during the United States Marine Corps 250th birthday celebration in Boston. (Photo from Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

105-Year-Old Massachusetts Veteran Believed to Be Nation’s Oldest Marine

Louis Tanzer, likely the nation's oldest living Marine Corps veteran, received quite a celebration after turning 105 years of...

U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Kendell Jones, Headquarters Company, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a training dummy with an automated external defibrillator during a CPR and AED course, on MCB Camp Blaz, Guam, Nov. 14, 2025 (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Afton Smiley)

The Push for AEDs at Every Marine Physical Training Session

Sudden cardiac arrest remains the top non-traumatic cause of death for young U.S. service members, with rates reaching as...

Coast Guard News

A person watches the oil tanker Ocean Mariner, Monrovia, arrive to the bay in Havana, Cuba.

A Battered Cuba Braces for Aftershocks as US Seizures of Oil Tankers Linked to Venezuela Surge

“Cuban military forces are on high alert,” said Andy S. Gómez, retired dean of the School of International Studies and senior...