Stephen Ruiz

Stephen Ruiz is an associate editor and content writer for Military.com. He previously worked for more than 30 years as a copy editor, writer and online producer for various newspapers, including the Orlando Sentinel. His writing also has appeared in Reserve & National Guard, Military Families and Military Influencer magazines. In his spare time, Stephen enjoys running, playing with his dog, Holly, and rooting on his hometown New Orleans Saints.

Latest Articles

'Did I Make the Right Decision?' How to Take the Guesswork out of Army Basic Training

The goal of basic training is to transform a recruit into a soldier. It's as much about constructing the proper mindset as it...

A self-portrait by former Army and professional football player DeWitt 'Tex' Coulter.

The Last First-Round NFL Draft Pick from a Service Academy Was Also a Respected Artist

A self-portrait of the last player from a U.S. service academy to be drafted by an NFL team in the first round is for sale by...

Pvt. Henry Johnson, shown circa 1919, was nicknamed 'Black Death' after surviving 21 wounds, killing 4 Germans and injuring 10-20 others during an encounter in the Argonne Forest in France during World War I.

How the Story of This Medal of Honor Recipient Wounded 21 Times Was Almost Lost to History

Henry Johnson's discharge papers contained no mention of his heroic actions or injuries, depriving him of any awards or...

Army Brig. Gen. George Owen Squier, also a notable inventor and aviation enthusiast, is shown in his military uniform.

Before He Founded Muzak, This General Brought Innovation to the Army

Looking to improve the military's long-range communications, George Owen Squier tested his theories on whatever resources...

Vets2Industry founder Brian Arrington participates in a Feeding the Homeless event on Thanksgiving in 2019.

How a 'Mad' Former Airman Is Helping Transitioning Service Members

Vets2Industry (V2I) compiles information about military transition resources onto one website to support service members...

Facilitator Christina Kim prepares to record Nancy St. Claire and her husband, Tom Garcia, as part of StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative tour in Nashville, Tennessee.

You Can Record With StoryCorps' Military Voices Initiative in 2023 in These States

In 2020, former Army cavalry scout and sniper Garett Reppenhagen spoke with StoryCorps -- a nonprofit that chronicles the...

Former Air Force flight nurse Jim Lorraine is the president and CEO of America's Warrior Partnership, a nonprofit that partners with communities to try to prevent veteran suicide.

Former Flight Nurse's Nonprofit Takes Community Approach to Combat Vet Suicide

During his 22-year military career, first as an Air Force reservist and then on active duty, Jim Lorraine tended to service...

Marine Corps Reserve Sgt. Kolton Lehman, left, is on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas with other finalists for the USO/NFL Salute to Service Showdown Madden tournament in November.

How the USO's Focus on Gaming Is Sending 2 Service Members to the Super Bowl

As Kolton Leyman advanced in the USO/NFL Salute to Service Showdown video-gaming tournament, he could not contain his...

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society visiting nurse T’Sheira Scott, based in Yokosuka, Japan, teaches a healthy girl interactive workshop.

Visiting Nurses Handle Patients with Care as Relief Society's 'Best-Kept Secret'

NMCRS nurses conducted almost 15,000 visits in 2022, a nearly 20% increase over the previous year, according to data provided...

Professor Mike Morris addresses members of the first Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University in July 2007.

How Veterans Are Supercharging Their Businesses Through a Free Entrepreneurship Program

More than 2,200 vets have graduated from the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans program since its launch in 2007.

Gen. Henry ‘Hap’ Arnold, shown in the late 1940s. (Sanaa Lasher/Air Force Scientific Advisory Board photo)

From Aviation to Aid Society, Air Force's Only 5-Star General Changed Service Forever

Because of Arnold's charitable nature, thousands of undergraduate college students receive assistance today through a grant...

Marine Corps wheelchair basketball player Carlos Cruz-Tejeda shoots against Team Canada at the Department of Defense Warrior Games near Orlando, Florida, Aug. 23, 2022.

How the Warrior Games Create a Special Bond for Military Athletes with Disabilities

Camaraderie unites the 300 athletes representing the Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Operations Command...

Warrior Games athlete Gabe George, a retired Navy hospital corpsman, demonstrates how he competes in archery despite having his right arm amputated.

After 2-Year Pandemic Break, Warrior Games Athletes Get Another Shot at Competition

Hosted by the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, the 2022 Department of Defense Warrior Games are scheduled for Aug. 19-28...

Joseph Beyrle, who served multiple stints as a German POW during World War II, fought for the U.S. and Russian armies. (Facebook photo)

How This POW Became the Only Soldier to Fight for the US and Russia During WWII

While with the Red Army, Beyrle was involved in several firefights with Germans and helped blow open a safe at one of the POW...

Gangster Monk Eastman served in the 27th Infantry Division of the New York National Guard, which helped the Allies crack the Hindenburg Line, the last line of German defense on the Western Front during World War I.

How the 'First Real New York Gangster' Turned Guardsman Helped End World War I

Born Edward Osterman, Edward "Monk" Eastman led a collection of criminals that, at one point, numbered nearly 1,200.

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Most Popular Military News

Maj Gen. William Cooley addresses Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Pitch Day at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio.

Major General Convicted of Forcible Kissing to Retire as Colonel

An Air Force two-star general who was convicted of abusive sexual contact in a court-martial last year will retire as a...

Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" fly over the United States Air Force Academy

Air Force Academy Senior Wins Miss Colorado Competition

Madison Marsh, an Arkansas native and reigning Miss Academy, was crowned on Saturday after beating out about 20 local pageant...

Twenty dollar bills are counted in North Andover, Mass.

Bill Guaranteeing Cost-of-Living Increase for Veterans in 2024 Heads to President's Desk

The annual task in Congress ensures that VA compensation keeps pace with Social Security increases.

Spc. Austin Valley in his dress uniform.

A Soldier Attempted Suicide in Poland. Left to Roam at Fort Riley, He Killed Himself.

The unit's response to Valley's first attempt to kill himself raises questions over whether the Army's suicide prevention...

Airman 1st Class Zachary Dawson Maintainers from the 20th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron perform a serviceability check on a B-52 Stratofortress bomb rack during a weapons load competition at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

Air Force Resurrects Assignment Swap Program for Enlisted Ranks

The Air Force Enlisted Swap Assignment Program, which becomes available June 1 for airmen, will allow senior master sergeants...

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks during a Senate Appropriations hearing

Russia Issues Arrest Warrant for Lindsey Graham over Ukraine Comments

Russia's Interior Ministry issued an arrest warrant for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham following his comments related to the...

Latest Military Videos

China Criticises US over Taiwan Trade Pact Plan

China’s government on Thursday criticised the United States' plans to sign a trade treaty with Taiwan. (June 1) AP

German FM describes country's support for Sweden NATO membership

Germany’s Foreign Minister on Thursday stressed that Sweden has her country's“full support” to join NATO. (June 1) AP

US, Japan Coast Guard Ships in Manila for Joint Ops

U.S. and Japanese Coast Guard ships arrived in Manila on Thursday to conduct joint operations with members of the...

AI Dominates London Robot Show

Hundreds of robots are on display this week at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation, or ICRA. (June...

Investigations and Features

The Threat from Extremist Groups Is Growing. Service Members and Vets Are Getting Sucked into the Violence.

The U.S. intelligence community deemed racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism -- with adherents such as white...

They Said the Rise in Military Suicide Is a Mystery. Traumatic Brain Injury May Be an Answer.

Veterans who have had a head injury are at higher risk for suicide, but these deaths can be prevented, experts say.

Army News

U.S. soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 9 Calvary Regiment, drive an M2 Bradley fighting vehicle during a fire support coordination exercise as part of Griffin Shock 23 at Bemowo Piskie, Poland.

Griffin Shock Sends 'Clear Message' on NATO Strength Amid War in Ukraine

Involving more than 3,000 soldiers from eight U.S. units and their enablers, and four other NATO countries -- Poland, Romania...

U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, ‘Arctic Angels,’ clear an enemy bunker while assaulting their objective during a combined arms live-fire exercise at the infantry squad battle course on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Soldier Killed in Alaska Base Collision Identified

The U.S. Army has identified the 11th Airborne Division soldier killed in a collision late Sunday on Joint Base Elmendorf...

Navy News

Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Blessing Idahosa disburses a mailing address card to Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Charles Riley so that he can receive mail aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan.

Navy Retiree Pay Continues to Be Plagued with Technical Glitches

The Navy's efforts to deal with a software glitch that led to more than 1,200 of its retirees owing money to the federal...

A Navy Region Hawaii employee points to a valve as he explains the pipe configurations of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Hawaii Department of Health officials during a site visit at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

Navy Wants to Remove 3 Pipelines at Red Hill Fuel Facility

The Navy announced Wednesday it wants to dismantle the pipelines connecting the massive fuel tanks at its underground Red...

Air Force News

The welcome sign on display at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

Defense Secretary Orders No Drag Shows on Military Bases After Political Furor

A Defense Department-wide prohibition on drag shows on military bases has resulted in the cancellation of at least two events...

Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense (SAC-D), during the National Guard and Reserve posture hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington.

'Will Never Happen Again': National Guard Chief Assures Lawmakers After Top Secret Docs Leaked

The general who oversees the National Guard vowed Thursday that another leak like the recent massive intelligence breach...

Space Force News

President Joe Biden falls on stage during the 2023 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo.

White House Says Biden Is 'Fine' After He Tripped and Fell on Stage at Air Force Graduation

President Joe Biden fell on stage at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation Thursday, and the White House said he was "fine"...

Florida’s Patrick Space Force Base was announced as the preferred headquarters location for STARCOM, the Air Force’s training and education command.

Space Force's STARCOM HQ Preferred Location Is Florida Base, Service Says

The Department of the Air Force selected Florida's Patrick Space Force Base on Wednesday as the preferred headquarters...

Marine Corps News

Poisoned Water: How a Navy Ship Dumped Fuel and Sickened Its Own Crew

A years-long investigation reveals that the Boxer unintentionally compromised its own water supply in 2016.

Three off-duty Marines were kicked and punched by 30 teenagers and young adults near the San Clemente Pier

9 Minors Arrested in Memorial Day Melee Between Dozens of Young People and 3 Marines

Nine minors were arrested Tuesday after a melee near the San Clemente Pier over Memorial Day weekend in which a group of 30...

Coast Guard News

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas delivered the keynote address at the Coast Guard Academy

Sending Out Ensigns on Humanitarian Missions, Coast Guard Academy Graduates 243

The United States Coast Guard Academy graduated 243 students at its 142nd commencement, preparing to send many to far-off...

U.S. Coast Guard Port Security Unit (PSU) 311 members and U.S. Navy Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 11 members complete joint agency exercises aboard a 32-foot transportable port security boat off San Clemente Island.

Coast Guard Suspends Search for Plane with 3 Passengers that Crashed off California Coast

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a plane that crashed in the ocean near San Clemente Island on Wednesday...