Top stories
Military’s Tricare transition to TriWest a ‘fiasco,’ some say
Some beneficiaries in the West Region are complaining of website glitches and overloaded call centers.
Blitz of confirmation hearings includes VA, DOD secretary picks
Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Jan. 13, 2025.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Warrior Games 2024
Explore coverage and learn more about the 2024 Warrior Games athletes.
Insurance Guide
Military Times has outlined helpful information about car insurance, renters insurance, and life insurance for troops.
Your 2024 Military Times Pay and Benefits Guide
Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2024.
What to know for a smooth PCS move in 2024
Read up on tips and tricks in Military Times' 2024 Permanent Change of Station Guide.
EDITOR'S PICKS
Your Marine Corps
Soldiers 10 times more likely to use nicotine pouches, study finds
Nearly one-fourth of Fort Liberty soldiers surveyed in new research study reported using nicotine pouches.
Expecting mothers overseas now have doula coverage in Tricare test
Starting Jan. 1, Tricare expanded doula and lactation services to expectant mothers overseas. The services are part of a test that runs through 2026.
Senate hearing could decide whether Hegseth becomes defense secretary
The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Trump's defense secretary pick next Tuesday.
Vets won’t see disruptions in VA services amid White House changes
VA leaders have pledged to keep services operating normally, even as several senior staffers depart office.
In other news
US troops need to stay in Syria to counter ISIS, Pentagon chief says
U.S forces are still needed in Syria to prevent ISIS from reconstituting as a major threat following Assad's ouster, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
Life of pie: Soldier charged with loan fraud in bakery boondoggle
The soldier has been charged for allegedly using a fraudulent pie business called “Granny’s Delight” to obtain COVID-related business relief loans.
Marine lights candles for romantic hotel surprise, sets room on fire
Update the safety brief.
By J.D. Simkins
Did a US F-22 shoot down a UFO? Photo of aerial object adds to mystery
A grainy image (it’s always a grainy image) of an object downed by an F-22 over Canada's Yukon territory has aviation (and UFO) enthusiasts chattering.
Air Force Falcons unveil glorious AFSOC-themed football unis
The Air Force just dropped some special edition football uniforms and they are certifiably fire.
Don't miss
VIDEOS
Native American WWI troops to get Medal of Honor? | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 1.4.25
Indigenous troops from World War I get a second look for the Medal of Honor. Plus, a Marine finds peace after war, and a look inside an Army winter rucksack.
Featured Videos
MORE STORIES
College students charged in ‘Catch a Predator’ style ambush on soldier
Six Massachusetts students are accused of assaulting a soldier after luring him to campus as part of a TikTok trend.
By Todd South
Army doctor pleads guilty to sexually abusing dozens of soldiers
Maj. Michael Stockin faces nearly 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to abusive sexual contact of patients he treated at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
By Todd South
Slain Marine’s family ‘let down’ by killer’s 8-year sentence
Cpl. Jesse Thomas Bopp pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the 2023 shooting of a fellow Marine, 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Austin Schwenk.
By Riley Ceder
VA eases benefits rules for cancers from Post-9/11 service, K2 tours
Gulf War veterans and Post-9/11 vets suffereing from leukemia and bladder cancer will get presumptive benefits status under a new decision by VA.
Discrimination led to Air Force contractor’s death, lawsuit alleges
Stephanie Cosme, 32, died in 2023 after she inadvertently walked into a MQ-9A Reaper's rotating propeller. Her family is still looking for answers.
US shifts over $100M in military aid from Israel, Egypt to Lebanon
The Biden administration in its final days is trying to bolster a ceasefire agreement that it helped mediate between Israel and Hezbollah.
US moves 11 Guantanamo detainees after two-plus decades without charge
The latest release brings the total number of men detained at Guantanamo to 15. It held approximately 800 at its peak.
Military’s Tricare transition to TriWest a ‘fiasco,’ some say
Some beneficiaries in the West Region are complaining of website glitches and overloaded call centers.
By Karen Jowers
Advocates reach deal with DOD on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ dismissals
The new deal could help tens of thousands of veterans previously kicked out of the ranks under the military's former 'don't ask, don't tell' policy.
VA to waive co-pays for Whole Health medical services
Department leaders hope to encourage more veterans to look into general wellness treatments by lowering costs for appointments.
US soldier arrested for allegedly trying to sell Trump phone records
Cameron John Wagenius is also accused of attempting to sell the stolen call logs of Vice President Kamala Harris.
By Riley Ceder
40% rise in mental health diagnoses among troops, report finds
Diagnoses of PTSD and anxiety disorders nearly doubled between 2019 and 2023, according to a new Defense Health Agency report.
By Riley Ceder
Some vets get 12 extra months of college benefits under new VA rules
Veterans Affairs officials are updating their GI Bill eligibility rules in response to a Supreme Court ruling last spring.
President Joe Biden to award Medal of Honor to 7 service members
Biden will bestow the medal posthumously to six men and one living recipient at a White House ceremony.
By Josh Boak
Tricare West beneficiaries granted more time for payment updates
Tricare beneficiaries in the West Region have more time to set up recurring payments with the new regional contractor.
By Karen Jowers