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

Lights shine inside the U.S. Capitol Building as night falls in Washington.

Troop Pay Safe After Congress Approves Extension of Government Funding

Troop pay is no longer in jeopardy after Congress approved legislation to keep the government funded through mid-March and...

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The 4.5% raise will be added to all service members' paychecks at the beginning of January, while the remaining 10% extra for...

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In what a local official called a "chilling" case, an active-duty Marine stationed in Florida was arrested and charged with...

Lessons from the Air Force Kitchen Police: Volunteer for Everything. Even Pots and Pans

When Ed Meagher reported to Air Force basic training on June 15, 1966, he was a 19-year-old college dropout. Despite two...

Latest Military Videos

Trump Claims Government Knows What Drones Are

In a far-ranging interview news conference, President-elect Donald Trump said the U.S. government "knows what is happening" with the...

Russian Forces Seen Withdrawing Toward Northern Syrian City of Tartus

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Investigations and Features

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...

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For years, it was an open secret among missileers that the Cold War-era missile alert facilities and launch control centers...

Army News

A photograph of the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint against Joshua James.

Army Veteran Sentenced to Probation for Milestone Conviction in Oath Keepers Sedition Plot

The judge described Joshua James as a “true American hero” for his military service and praised him for having the courage to...

U.S. Army soldiers conduct a tactical movement in Northeast Syria

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In a surprise announcement, the Pentagon revealed that it has not been offering an accurate count of how many U.S. troops it...

Navy News

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B takes off from the a USS Boxer

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The Navy office that oversees the military's use of the V-22 Osprey is allowing the services to resume flying the aircraft...

'Warfare,' from writer, director and Navy SEAL veteran Ray Mendoza, is in theaters in 2025. (A24)

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Scheduled for release in 2025, "Warfare" follows a team of SEALs holed up in an Iraqi home, following their action in real...

Air Force News

NORAD Tracks Santa center at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs

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NORAD's annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War, predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics.

A sign at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

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A little over a decade after the Air Force spent some $1.2 million to renovate a former officer's home on Wright-Patterson...

Space Force News

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Marine Corps News

U.S. Marine reenlists during a ceremony on Camp Courtney, Okinawa

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For decades, the Marine Corps incurred a "remarkably high turnover rate" among its first-term Marines as it prioritized, and...

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The search for missing Marine Corps veteran Austin Tice that stumped the U.S. government for 12 years has entered a new...

Coast Guard News

The SS United States is docked at Pier 82 in Philadelphia.

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The historic ocean liner the SS United States appears to be staying at a Philadelphia dock for now after the U.S. Coast Guard...

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