Tom Philpott

Tom Philpott has been breaking news for and about military people since 1977. After service in the Coast Guard, and 17 years as a reporter and senior editor with Army Times Publishing Company, Tom launched "Military Update," his syndicated weekly news column, in 1994. "Military Update" features timely news and analysis on issues affecting active duty members, reservists, retirees and their families. Tom's freelance articles have appeared in numerous magazines including The New Yorker, Reader's Digest and Washingtonian.

Book Image of Glory Denied by Tom Philpott

His critically-acclaimed book, Glory Denied, on the extraordinary ordeal and heroism of Col. Floyd "Jim" Thompson, the longest-held prisoner of war in American history, is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon.

To comment, write Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, 20120 or email milupdate@aol.com or twitter: @Military_Update.

Latest Articles

Isakson Vows 'Blue Water' Relief; Trump Inflates Choice

Still no solution on extending benefits for sailors affected by agent orange, and Choice act gets some funding

Military youth outreach Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph

'Myths' Seen Distorting Military’s Image with Nation’s Youth

Years of war, TV spots depicting wounded warriors' struggles and curbs on advertising budgets have left the military with an...

Military Retirees to Gain Access to Wider Menu of Dental Plans

Retirees must switch to the new plan by November. Vision coverage will also be available for all TRICARE users.

Congress Expands VA Caregiver Plan, Streamlines Non-VA Care

Bill includes major expansion of VA's caregiver program and makes VA CHOICE program permanent.

Customers bag groceries at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. (U.S. Air Force/Joshua Arends)

As Commissary Sales Plummet, Pentagon Seeks 21 Percent Subsidy Cut

The fiscal 2020 defense budget asks Congress to slash funding for commissaries by $271 million, or 21 percent.

Senior Woman Comforting Man With Depression At Home

Senators Urge VA Not to Fumble Expansion of Caregiver Benefits

"VA continues to miss deadlines and not get it right," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

Lt. Gen. Charles G. Chiarotti, left, deputy commandant, Installations and Logistics, and Phyllis L. Bayer, center, assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and the environment, tour privatized military housing with spouses during a visit to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, on Feb. 15, 2019. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Isaiah Gomez)

Personnel Chiefs Blame Unsafe Housing on Leadership Failures

Commands across the military had not been attentive enough to the performance of housing contractors, officials said.

Use Scalpel, Not Cleaver, on Medical Billets, USUHS Chief Urges

The president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences worries about cuts to uniformed medical billets.

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

VA Secretary Urged to Heed Vet Groups over Access to Community Care

Many worry VA and White House will ignore warnings of veteran groups and adopt liberal access standards for community care.

Rep. Adam Smith speaks to the crowd at an election night party for Democrats on Nov. 6, 2018, in Bellevue, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

New Armed Services Committee Chairman Puts White House on Notice

Rep. Adam Smith says Congress must do a better job of holding the president accountable on misinformation.

'Blended' Military Retirement Plan Not as Popular as Projected

Only 280,000 active-duty members and just over 72,000 reserve component personnel chose to shift out of the High-3 plan.

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Scott Henry monitors Naval Aircrewman Mechanical 1st Class David Gilbert’s heart at Naval Hospital Jacksonville’s Urology Clinic. (U.S. Navy/Jacob Sippel)

More Than 17,000 Uniformed Medical Jobs Eyed for Elimination

The reduction will allow those billets to be repurposed as war fighters or combat-support skills to increase lethality.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Dalia Theodule, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing command chief executive assistant, researches the Blended Retirement System at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, on Jan. 31, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class D. Blake Browning)

Final Opt-In Rates for Blended Retirement Yield More Surprises

Comparisons across branches show the singular effectiveness of the Marine Corps' approach to deepening interest in the BRS.

Hospital emergency room sign. Getty Images

VA Misleads Vets on Non-VA Emergency Care, Lawsuit Contends

The VA has been wrongly denying claims and discouraging appeals, according to a lawsuit.

The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Intrepid (CVS-11) steams in the South China Sea on Sept. 13, 1966, with aircraft of Attack Carrier Air Wing 10 (CVW-10) parked on the flight deck. CVW-10 was assigned to the Intrepid for a deployment to Vietnam from April 4 to Nov. 21, 1966. V.O. McColley/Navy

Appeals Court Gives Blue Water Vets the Win Congress Denied

Unless the Supreme Court reverses the decision, Blue Water veterans have won a victory denied them for two decades.

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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.

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At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

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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

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When The Government Can Afford Everything Except The Essentials

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Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

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Latest Military Videos

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

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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 Los Angeles Times photograph from the event showing searchlights light up the sky over L.A. The photo was edited to improve contrast and visibility during the war, though later UFO enthusiasts insist it shows evidence of an alien craft over the city. (Wikimedia Commons)

The WWII Mystery Behind the 1942 Battle of Los Angeles: Axis Planes, Aliens or Mass Hysteria?

Not even three months after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, Americans on the west coast thought they were under attack...

Scott Kelly shares his story with Jimmy Fallon on "The Tonight Show." (Photo by Todd Owyoung/NBC)

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Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks during the swearing-in ceremony of Gen. William Rincon as the new national police director in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

US Rebukes Gustavo Petro, Calls Colombian Leader ‘Illegal Drug Dealer’

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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks during the NATO-Industry Forum (NIF) 2025, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

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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

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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)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

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Marine Corps News

A U.S. Marine Corps MQ-9A Reaper assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) taxis during an unmanned aerial system exercise as part of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 1-26 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona, Oct. 4, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Alexander Mantai)

White House Calls China's South China Sea Claims 'Increasingly Coercive'

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Photo credit: Military.com / Daniel L. Hernandez

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Coast Guard News

A capsized boat off the coast of Imperial Beach, California.

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The Coast Guard said that it was continuing to search for others who may have been on board.

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