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. Stephen enjoys running, spending time with his girlfriend, Audrea, and dog, Holly, and rooting on his favorite sports teams, including his alma mater, LSU.

Email: stephen.ruiz@military.com.

Latest Articles

Three of the Douglas World Cruisers that attempted to become the first to circumnavigate the globe by air are shown in an undated 1924 photo.

How These US Military Aviators Became the First to Fly Around the World

To say the least, the eight Army Air Force aviators who departed Seattle on April 6, 1924, did not face an easy assignment.

Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben helped develop a training program for the Continental Army at Valley Forge during the American Revolution.

How a Prussian Baron Helped the Colonists Win the American Revolution

In a mere two months, soldiers learned how to load and fire a musket quicker and more efficiently, and were introduced to the...

Capt. Roy 'Butch' Voris, a fighter pilot who was credited with shooting down 8 Japanese planes during World War II, served 2 tours as the leader of the Blue Angels.

The World War II Fighter Ace Behind the Navy's Blue Angels

For the rest of his life, the Blue Angel pilots who came after him viewed Voris with reverence -- and with good reason.

The gaping hole, circled, at the 78th and 79th floors of the Empire State Building in New York marks the place where a B-25 Army bomber crashed into the structure on July 28, 1945, killing 14 people. The photo was taken on July 29 after the dense fog that caused the crash dissipated.

The Time an Army Bomber Crashed into the Empire State Building During WWII

The crash, which caused about $1 million in damage (roughly $17.5 million in 2024), represented the first time that an...

Periodontist Theresa Cheng founded Everyone for Veterans in 2017, about a decade after she first began providing free dental care to eligible veterans and their caregivers.

This Dental Nonprofit Will Fix Veterans’ Teeth for Free

Since 2008, nearly 900 veterans and their spouses have had their oral issues through the efforts of Cheng and then E4V.

Shelton 'Ivan' Ware, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, retired as a lieutenant colonel after 32 years of military service.

How This 101-Year-Old Tuskegee Airman Helped Keep the 'Red Ball Express' Running During WWII

Nearly 75% of soldiers assigned to the Red Ball Express were Black, and collectively, they did yeoman's work until the...

Several leis hang around the neck of Elvis Presley after his arrival on March 25, 1961, for a concert to benefit the USS Arizona Memorial Fund.

How Elvis Presley Revitalized Efforts to Build a Pearl Harbor Memorial

Support for a USS Arizona memorial received a huge boost on March 25, 1961, when Elvis Presley performed a benefit concert at...

Most people know Julia Child, here showing off a salade nicoise on Aug. 21, 1978, for her culinary skills, but she also served in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II.

How Julia Child Helped the Navy Develop a Shark Repellent During World War II

While Child was not one of the driving forces behind the U.S. Navy's quest to develop a shark repellent during World War II...

In this image circa 1944, Lt. Archie Williams (2nd from left in front row), who won the 400-meter gold medal at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, was part of the Tuskegee Weather Detachment that served with both the 332nd Fighter Group and 477th Bombardment Group.

How Jesse Owens' Olympic Teammate Kept the Tuskegee Airmen Safe During World War II

Because of their groundbreaking service in World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen were awarded eight Purple Hearts, 14 Bronze...

Mildred Fish-Harnack, a native of Milwaukee, was guillotined on Feb. 16, 1943, by the Nazis for spying.

Why the Only American Killed on Hitler’s Direct Order ‘Couldn’t Turn Her Back on Germany’

When Mildred Fish-Harnack was guillotined on Feb. 16, 1943, she became the only American killed on a direct order from the...

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, who played 2 seasons of college baseball for the Air Force Academy, throws during the 4th inning of a baseball game against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

How the Air Force Academy Molded Paul Skenes into the Biggest Story in Baseball

Coming from a military family, Paul Skenes had a pretty good idea of what awaited him at Basic Cadet Training before his...

Brig. Gen. Charles P. Stone's military career suffered greatly after the Union's humiliating defeat at the Battle of Ball's Bluff in Virginia on Oct. 21, 1861, during the Civil War.

How This 'Most Unfortunate' Civil War General Helped Give America the Statue of Liberty

Charles Pomeroy Stone served as the statue’s chief engineer, and in that capacity, he was in charge of overseeing shipments...

Coast Guard Academy graduate Andre Douglas, shown in a portrait taken on Dec. 3, 2021, was among 10 selected for NASA's 2021 Astronaut Candidate Program.

From the Coast Guard to NASA: How Andre Douglas Became a Rarity Among Astronauts

Since NASA introduced its first group of astronauts, the so-called “Mercury 7,” in 1959, Douglas' selection marked only the...

World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle, shown on March 1, 1945, at an unidentified location, endured himself to U.S. military service members because of his knack of writing about the common soldier.

'The Advantages Were All Theirs': What Famed War Correspondent Ernie Pyle Saw on D-Day

Ernie Pyle was the United States' most well-known war correspondent during World War II, serving as the de facto eyes and...

Landing craft put troops ashore on Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

What 'D-Day' Actually Stands For

What the "D" in D-Day actually stands for has been a source of debate almost from the time that the Allies first landed on...

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Pete Hegseth shakes hands with Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance

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Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's surprise pick to be the next defense secretary, has an extensive history of...

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Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

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A patch in the home of retired missileer Paul Hunke

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People walk around Oxford University's campus on Sept. 3, 2017.

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Space Force News

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U.S. Marines dismount an amphibious combat vehicle.

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Daniel Penny arrives at the court in New York after break

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Coast Guard News

Tech. Sgt. Thesia Westmoreland, non-commissioned officer in charge of pharmacy operations

Pentagon Works to Restore Benefits After Data Transfer Boots Coast Guard, NOAA and Other Beneficiaries from Tricare

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A crew aboard a 47-foot motor lifeboat, from Station Bodega Bay await the next drill during a multi-agency training exercise in California.

Coast Guard Suspends Search for 4 Missing off California Coast

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended -- "pending the development of further information" -- Sunday's massive search effort for...

Stephen Ruiz

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