Cybercom didn’t tell troops to disable location services or uninstall apps, military officials say, after viral message spread amid Iran operation @defensescoop.bsky.social @dflawrence.bsky.social defensescoop.com/2026/03/01/c...
Customs and Border Protection personnel — not U.S. troops — used military laser to shoot object near El Paso -- new from @dflawrence.bsky.social over on @defensescoop.bsky.social defensescoop.com/2026/02/11/e...
Really great reporting and writing here from @dflawrence.bsky.social
A Marine collapsed during a PT test. His family and former leadership say his death was preventable. trib.al/mEWWnOc
“Atropia” currently clocks a whopping 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is coincidentally your unit’s vehicle readiness rate.
Troops stung by ‘hard’ credit checks and unexpected denials in USAA’s relief loans — latest from me @taskandpurpose.com
One soldier messaged USAA’s chatbot about his denied loan. It pushed a credit card, then said to consider opening an account with Navy Fed.
taskandpurpose.com/military-lif...
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48 Hours with Marines and Soldiers on the US Southern Border — @militarydotcom.bsky.social
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VA Secretary has decided to attack my colleague @patriciakime.bsky.social with an ambush video, willfully misrepresenting her reporting to try and deceive veterans about her important watchdog journalism. I've worked with Patricia off and on for 14 years, let me just say she's the absolute best.
In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide
Produced in partnership with @washingtonpost.com
This story was published jointly between The Washington Post and @militarydotcom.bsky.social.
Here is a gift link to the @washingtonpost.com version of the article: wapo.st/40QnVXb
“People, in general, have problems in their personal lives,” one widow said. “But when you have the drill instructor job, it amplifies those problems because of how long you’re away from home, how tired you are.”
Some noted that the USMC lacks adequate services for those who are struggling, and tacitly condones a culture that stigmatizes those who seek it.
“We put a drastic expectation on them to act perfect,” one Marine said. "It causes this stress that trickles into their home life.”
The already high-stress DI role became even more intense after the 2016 death of Raheel Siddiqui, a Muslim recruit who suffered abuse at Parris Island. His case led to stricter oversight of the men and women who train new Marines.
The job’s unspoken expectations also can have a chilling effect on any impulse to seek care, they said, describing a prevailing reluctance to be away from work — for mental health reasons or even a family event — for fear of leaving teammates shorthanded.
One former drill instructor said the experience left him and his family shattered, adding, “I experienced a really, really dark side of myself.”
Another turned to alcohol to cope: “Let me just have a drink...so that I don’t overreact when I might talk to my children.”
A 2023 Marine IG investigation found a culture of "surviving" vs. "thriving," at Parris Island where DIs felt their welfare was a low priority. Many described "walking on eggshells," "on pins and needles," and being "afraid for their careers."
At least seven drill instructors died by suicide in the past five years. In 2023, three DI suicides occurred at Parris Island within less than three months.
Many describe routine 90-hour-plus workweeks, sleep deprivation and an always-on culture that frequently caused the job’s requisite intensity to seep into their personal lives, igniting disputes with loved ones. Others detailed bouts of depression or alcohol dependency.
An internal 2019 USMC study said 29 DIs died by suicide or contemplated it over a 10-year period, startlingly high compared with the occurrence of suicidal ideation among Marines who never held that job, it said. Addiction and divorce among drill instructors also were higher.
We conducted 30+ interviews with service members, their superiors and family members who have lost drill instructors to suicide, and reviewed countless documents related to the environments at the USMC's two recruit depots in Parris Island and San Diego.
In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide.
Kelsey Baker & I spent over a year investigating the mental health crisis among Marine Corps drill instructors.
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Seemingly for months - Ft Carson has struggled to feed its troops. Food shortages, undercooked food, low portions.
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As you tuck into your Thanksgiving feast, just a reminder that folks on bases are having a hell fo a time getting a meal these days. Important story from @stevenbeynon.bsky.social
We need some help next month in our newsroom. A couple of weeks of contract work, reporting with our team covering the military. Beats will vary. It's a role that has been performed to perfection in the past by Kelsey Baker, Rachel Nostrant and others. Email me Zach.Biggs@Military.com
SCOOP: The steel company that made the faulty gear in last year's Osprey crash may still be making parts
Tom Novelly and I tried to get an answer and NAVAIR and
Bell Flight refused to answer
Plus, the same company was sued in '01 also for making bad plane parts
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