Sending a THAAD Air Defense System to Israel Adds to Strain on US Army Forces
WASHINGTON — The deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to Israel and roughly 100 soldiers to operate it will add to already difficult strains on the Army’s air defense forces and potential delays in modernizing its missile defense systems, Army leaders said Monday. The service’s top two leaders declined to provide […]
After Barely Meeting Recruiting Goal, Army Aims to Enlist Thousands More Soldiers in Coming Year
In a bold move underscoring its need to fill the ranks, the Army has announced a target of 61,000 active-duty enlistments for fiscal 2025, which started on Oct. 1. The ambitious goal comes on the heels of a year in which the service barely met its recruitment objective. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth unveiled the new […]
Army Promises New Flat-Rate Bonus During Deployments, Nixing Earlier Idea Based on Rank
In a move aimed at supporting service members during prolonged deployments, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth announced on Monday that soldiers will receive an extra $240 per month if they are deployed for longer than 60 days. The new provision, referred to as Operational Deployment Pay, will be retroactive to Oct. 1, meaning that any soldiers […]
Army and Navy Football Both Ranked in AP Top 25 for First Time Since 1960
Navy football appeared in the Week 8 Associated Press Top 25, checking in at No. 25 in the poll that was released Sunday. The Midshipmen are ranked for the first time since the end of the 2019 season, when they ended the year ranked 20th. Army (6-0, 5-0 American Athletic Conference) is also ranked this […]
US Will Send a Missile Defense System and Troops to Run it to Israel to Aid Defense Against Iran
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to Israel, along with the troops needed to operate it, the Pentagon said Sunday, even as Iran warned Washington to keep American military forces out of Israel. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that Defense Secretary […]
Trump Tested the Limits on Using the Military at Home. If Elected Again, He Plans to Go Further
WASHINGTON (AP) — During his first term as president, Donald Trump tested the limits of how he could use the military to achieve policy goals. If given a second term, the Republican and his allies are preparing to go much further, reimagining the military as an all-powerful tool to deploy on U.S. soil. He has […]
Ex-US Army Soldier Asks for Maximum 40 Years in Prison But Gets a 14-Year Term for IS Plot
NEW YORK — A judge rejected a former U.S. Army soldier’s surprise sentencing-day request for a maximum 40-year prison term for trying to help the Islamic State group kill American troops, giving him 14 years behind bars instead. Cole Bridges, 24, of Stow, Ohio, was sentenced Friday after a nearly five-hour Manhattan federal court proceeding […]
Army Veteran Found Guilty in Wife's 2021 Strangulation
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Jurors deliberated less than three hours Thursday morning before finding Lee Cuellar guilty of first-degree murder for strangling his wife in 2021. The 2nd Judicial District Court jury reached the verdict following eight days of trail before Judge Britt Baca. A first-degree murder conviction requires Cuellar, 45, to serve at least 30 […]
National Guard Black Hawks Reach Residents in Remote Mountain Areas Cut Off by Helene
RAMSEYTOWN, N.C. — As the Black Hawk helicopter slowly descends in Ramseytown, North Carolina, a plume of sand kicks up. When the dust settles, the sprawling sea of stones and twisted metal beams becomes clear. Several people gather near Byrd’s Chapel Baptist Church, watching National Guard members carry out essentials for them. The muddy embankment […]
Prep Courses, Policy Tweaks Largely Drove the Military's Recruiting Success in 2024
After years of negative recruiting news and headlines, all the military branches managed to eke out wins this year and meet their recruiting goals — largely aided by new programs and policies that allowed them to sign up recruits who would have been disqualified in previous years. However, despite the wins this year, between ambitious […]