Matthew Cox

Matthew Cox has been a defense reporter since 1998. During his time with Military.com he covered all the services, with a close eye on Army weapons development and procurement, body armor testing, camouflage, ammunition as well as readiness and training issues. He previously worked for 12 years for Army Times. He traveled to Afghanistan and Iraq numerous times from 2002 to 2008, covering Stryker and light infantry units in combat. He also spent four years in the U.S. Army during the second half of the 1980s, serving as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Latest Articles

The 41st Medical Detachment prepares for an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise,

Army Orders All Medical Units to Prepare for Possible Response to Virus Outbreak

The Army's chief of Staff has asked medical units to assess their capabilities in the event that they are needed to respond.

Staff Sgt. Justin Zorn, a recruiter with Tempe Recruiting Company, engages a potential lead prior to Arizona State University's Salute to Service college football game between ASU and the University of Southern California on Nov. 9, 2019, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (U.S. Army Photo by Alun Thomas, USAREC Public Affairs)

Army Shutters Recruiting Stations as 6 Recruits Show COVID-19 Symptoms at Basic Training

The Army's top general said that the service is closing all of its recruiting stations and switching to virtual recruiting.

A U.S. soldier supervises the unpacking of her household items on Wheeler Army Airfield.

Army to Offer Special Pay, Assignment Extensions to Ease Stop-Movement Pain

The temporary stop-movement order halted many PCS moves as service members were in the process of moving household goods.

Florida National Guard Sgt. Jeff Betancourt reviews the scripting process with medics at a COVID-19 testing site.

'Tens of Thousands' of Guard Personnel to Be Called Up in Coronavirus Response

2,050 citizen soldiers and airmen have been activated by state governors, and that number will likely double by the weekend.

Sig Sauer marketing new P320 XFive Legion at SHOT Show 2020

Sig Sauer to Settle Lawsuit Over Alleged Safety Glitch in P320 Pistol

Sig Sauer has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit over its P320, on which the Army's Modular Handgun System is based.

Army National Training Center in Fort Irwin

Virus Outbreak Begins to Delay Units' Army Combat Training Center Rotations

The U.S. Army announced Wednesday it is adjusting the rotation schedule for the service's National Training Center.

Initial entry trainees arrive on Fort Benning

Army Clears 1,200 Recruits for Basic Training After Setting Up Virus Screening Measures

The temporary delay to shipping dates for recruits occurred over the weekend.

Sikorsky-Boeing’s SB-1 Defiant helicopter prototype (left) and Bell Textron V-280 Valor helicopter prototype (right).

These 2 Futuristic Aircraft Will Compete to Replace the Army’s Black Hawk

Army officials have selected the two firms that will move forward into the next phase of the effort to replace the UH-60.

Jonathan Rath Hoffman and Joint Staff Surgeon Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Paul Friedrichs brief the media about the DoD’s response to COVID-19.

Army, White House Issue Warnings About Coronavirus Hoaxes and Scams

The White House is warning the public to ignore rumors of a national quarantine for the novel coronavirus.

Two soldiers ruck march together on Fort Carson, Colorado.

2 Army Engineers Prepare to Compete as 1st All-Female Team in Best Sapper Competition

The competition is designed to push teams to their mental and physical breaking point.

Soldiers arrive in Korat, Thailand for Hanuman Guardian.

Army Offers to Repay Soldiers’ College Loans if They Go Infantry

The U.S. Army is offering to pay off student loans of up to $65,000 to recruits willing to sign up for the infantry.

Marine is welcomed by a loved one following a graduation ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.

Marine Corps, Army Bar Families from Boot Camp Graduations as Virus Spreads

Families are now barred from attending all four Defense Department branches' boot camp graduation ceremonies.

U.S. Army Soldiers discuss security patrol operations during a security patrol stop in Somalia.

Some US Soldiers Now Authorized to Wear Combat Patch for Somalia Deployments

The shoulder insignia is authorized for soldiers who have been "deployed, temporarily stationed or permanently assigned."

F/A-18 Super Hornet taxis the runway at Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) Fort Worth

Navy Defends Cutting 36 Super Hornets from Budget Amid Strike Fighter Shortfall

A top Navy modernization official had to justify the service's decision to kill plans to build 36 new F/A-18 Super Hornets.

Green Berets conducting room clearing and close quarters battle training

Pentagon to Decide if it Still Needs Green Beret Crisis Response Forces

"Over the years, we have stacked up crisis response forces and ... we never actually use them," Esper said.

Military News

Get the Military Insider Newsletter

Get the latest on pay updates, benefit changes and award-winning military content. Right in your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice.

Thank you for subscribing!

View more newsletters on our Subscriptions page.

One last step.

Verify your free subscription by following the instructions in the email sent to:

Most Popular Military News

A demonstrator holds a sign at a Unite for Veterans rally, Friday, June 6, 2025, on the National Mall

Watchdog Finds 50% Increase in VA Medical Center Jobs with 'Severe' Shortages

This year, Veterans Health Administration facilities reported 4,434 severe occupational staffing shortages in jobs ranging...

National Guard troops load supplies into a car trunk outside the District of Columbia National Guard Headquarters

4 Out of 5 US Troops Surveyed Understand the Duty to Disobey Illegal Orders

With his Aug. 11, 2025, announcement that he was sending the National Guard – along with federal law enforcement – into...

Federal agents ride on horseback at MacArthur Park

National Guard Rehearsed Show of Force Against Immigration Raid Protesters, General Testifies

National Guard troops repeatedly rehearsed their role in an operation at a Los Angeles park intended as a show of force...

The USS Essex transits the Gulf of Oman.

San Diego Espionage Trial Begins for Sailor Accused of Spying for His Native China

Jinchao “Patrick” Wei, 25, is accused of seven counts of conspiracy, espionage and charges related to unlawfully sending...

President Trump waves after greeting troops at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

Trump and Putin Will Meet at an Alaska Military Base Long Used to Counter Russia

The base created by merging Elmendorf Air Force Base and Army Fort Richardson in 2010 has played a key strategic role in...

Marine Corps Ranks: A Complete Guide to Enlisted and Officer Ranks

Explore U.S. Marine Corps ranks from private to general. Learn rank structure, pay grades, insignia and promotion paths in...

Latest Military Videos

US Discusses Possible Deployment of More Missile Launchers to the Philippines

The United States is discussing the possible deployment of more missile launchers to the Philippines to strengthen deterrence against...

Judge Weighs Trump's Deployment of National Guard in Los Angeles

A federal judge in San Francisco is weighing whether the Trump administration violated federal law by sending National Guard...

China and Japan Commemorate World War II Anniversary on Different Dates

Eighty years after the end of World War II, China and Japan are marking the anniversary with major events...

Expert on Why an Alaskan US Military Base Is a Win-Win Summit Spot for Putin and Trump

President Donald Trump is set to discuss the war in Ukraine with Vladimir Putin at a military base in...

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

Contractors hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clean up a property damaged by wildfire in Pacific Palisades, California.

Homeowners Say the Army Corps and its Contractors Mishandled LA Fire Debris Cleanup

More than 800 complaints were submitted to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hotline dedicated to the agency's debris removal...

A sign welcoming people to Fort Stewart in Georgia is seen

Army Sergeant Charged with Attempted Murder in the Shootings of 5 Fort Stewart Soldiers

The charges were issued as Sgt. Quornelius Radford made his first appearance Tuesday in a military courtroom at Fort Stewart...

Navy News

San Diego Espionage Trial Begins for Sailor Accused of Spying for His Native China

Jinchao “Patrick” Wei, 25, is accused of seven counts of conspiracy, espionage and charges related to unlawfully sending...

USS Higgins conducts freedom of navigation operations

US Briefly Deploys 2 Warships to a Disputed South China Sea Shoal After Chinese Collision

Both China and the Philippines claim Scarborough Shoal and other outcroppings in the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia...

Air Force News

U.S. Air Force Academy cadets participate in the annual Acceptance Day Parade at Stillman Field

Lawsuit Settled Against Air Force Academy over Former Race-Based Admissions Practices

More than four months after the U.S. Air Force Academy announced it no longer would consider race as a factor in its...

U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper receives maintenance

A $13 Million Military Drone Was Lost in the Mediterranean Sea Because the Propeller Fell Off

The new details, released late last month by Air Combat Command, revealed some of the circumstances that caused the...

Space Force News

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Alabama) speaks to the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber.

Alabama Congressman ‘100% Sure’ US Space Command Coming to Huntsville

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Alabama) said he has been assured by President Donald Trump that U.S. Space Command is coming to...

U.S. Space Force Brig. Gen. Brian Denaro, newly appointed U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific commander, gives a speech

First Leader of Space Force Pacific Command Ends Tenure

The first leader of the U.S. Space Force’s Pacific command officially ended his tenure in Hawaii in a change of command...

Marine Corps News

Marine Corps Ranks: A Complete Guide to Enlisted and Officer Ranks

Explore U.S. Marine Corps ranks from private to general. Learn rank structure, pay grades, insignia and promotion paths in...

California National Guard members are positioned at the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles

Trial to Start on Whether Deployment of National Guard to Los Angeles Violated Federal Law

A federal judge in San Francisco will consider evidence and hear arguments on whether the Trump administration violated...

Coast Guard News

Some of the 32 survivors of the stricken tanker Pendleton that broke up and sank in a northeast storm near Chatham, Mass., Feb. 18, 1952, are pictured as they were rescued by a Coast Guard vessel.

How the Coast Guard Pulled off One of its Greatest Rescues During a Nor'easter

A menacing nor'easter pummeled the SS Pendleton on Feb. 18, 1952, causing the oil tanker to be broken in two a mile off the...

.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis crew stand during the commissioning ceremony

Coast Guard Commissions New Icebreaker, Sends it Directly to Sea

The scheduled ceremony corresponded with the largest deployment ever of Chinese research vessels to the Arctic.