Oriana Pawlyk

Oriana Pawlyk is Military.com’s air warfare reporter covering everything from the latest personnel trends, aircraft, investigations, defense technology, to Air Force operations all over the world. Pawlyk is also an active member of the Pentagon Press Association.

She previously covered air campaign operations in the Middle East and Europe, plus uniforms, cyber, Guard and Reserve duties, physical training and technology for Air Force Times. Pawlyk edited the Military Times Early Bird Brief newsletter in 2015, compiling the top national security stories driving the day. Pawlyk attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she received a bachelor’s in Journalism and English Literature.

Email: oriana.pawlyk@monster.com

Latest Articles

Ryan McCarthy, the current under secretary of the Army, and former diplomat and businesswoman Barbara Barrett (Images: U.S. Army and NASA)

Senate Schedules Joint Confirmation Hearing for Army, Air Force Leaders

The Senate Armed Services Committee is planning to hear from both Ryan McCarthy and Barbara Barrett on Sept. 12.

An E-2D Hawkeye assigned to the "Bluetails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121 launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Feb. 19, 2019. (U.S. Navy photo/Michael Singley)

4 Super Hornets Damaged in Carrier Landing Gone Wrong

An E-2D Hawkeye struck two aircraft and sent debris flying into two others in a Class A mishap on the USS Abraham Lincoln.

A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon pilot maneuvers into position to conduct refueling operations with a KC-135 Stratotanker over Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel, March 11, 2018. (U.S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Gregory Brook)

F-16 May Be the Only Air Force Fighter to Achieve Mattis' Readiness Goal, General Says

The former SecDef had ordered the F-16, F-22, F-35 and F-18 fleets brought to 80 percent mission capable rates.

An Air Force B-1B Lancer aircraft moves out of position after receiving fuel from a KC-135R Stratotanker during a mission over Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force/Master Sgt. Andy Dunaway)

The Air Force Is Ready to Scrap Older Aircraft to Prepare for Future Wars

"We want to be a cutting-edge Air Force working on the pediatric side of the hospital, not the geriatric side."

The Pentagon may develop laser weapons in the future. DARPA photo illustration

Pentagon Halts Work on Directed-Energy Beam to Stop Enemy Missiles

The Pentagon is shelving a directed-energy program it was hoping to use in space to destroy enemy ICBMs.

Senior Airman Tori Payne salutes a pilot from the 74th Fighter Squadron prior to takeoff for Little Rock AFB, Ark., Aug. 30, 2019, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Moody’s A-10C Thunderbolt II’s were relocated to Little Rock in anticipation of Hurricane Dorian. (U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class Eugene Oliver)

Air Force Evacuates Dozens of Aircraft as Hurricane Dorian Nears

The unpredictable storm has forced the Air Force to evacuate dozens of its aircraft in recent days.

First Lt. Chelsey Hibsch, 821st Contingency Response Squadron, receives her Ranger tab after graduating from the U.S. Army Ranger School Aug. 30, 2019, at Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army/John Tongret)

First Female Airman Earns Army Ranger Tab

First Lt. Chelsey Hibsch became the first female airman to earn the coveted Ranger tab on Aug. 30.

U.S. Air Force airmen assigned to the 52nd Combat Communications Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, construct the communications tent during the New Horizons exercise at Camp Seweyo, Guyana, May 11, 2019. The New Horizons exercise 2019 provides U.S. military members an opportunity to train for an overseas deployment and the logistical requirements it entails. The exercise promotes bilateral cooperation by providing opportunities for U.S. and partner nation military engineers, medical personnel and

With Unrest Next Door in Venezuela, Air Force Hopes to Make Strides in Guyana

Roughly 600 service members participated in the Air Force's New Horizons humanitarian outreach program.

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie addressed the American Legion's national convention in Indianapolis on Aug. 28, 2019. Twitter photo

Wilkie Promises No VA Budget Cuts in 2021 Request

"I'm the only member of the president's cabinet who was ordered not to present any budget cuts," Wilkie said.

Hurricane Hunters from the U.S. Air Force Reserve's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron conduct a storm tasking mission into Hurricane Florence using a WC-130J Hercules on Sept. 13, 2018. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Technical Sgt. Chris Hibben)

The Air Force Isn't Planning to Nuke Hurricanes. Here's What It's Doing Instead

Using nuclear weapons against major storms has been proposed before.

Airman 1st Class Austin Sawchuk, a crew chief assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing, marshals in a B-2 Spirit on the flight line at Royal Air Base Fairford, England, on Aug. 27, 2019. A Bomber Task Force deployment of the stealth bomber aircraft, airmen and support equipment from the 509th BW at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, arrived in the U.S. European Command area of operations for a deployment to conduct theater integration and flying training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kayla White)

B-2 Stealth Bombers Deploy to Europe for Training with Allied Nations

Aircraft spotters on social media saw at least three bombers touch down at RAF Fairford this week.

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen M. Lord holds a press briefing to update media on acquisition, reform and innovation at the Pentagon on Aug. 26, 2019. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class James K. Lee)

Pentagon to Debut Intellectual Property Protection Team

The Pentagon is about to debut a new program to secure military technology against malign actors such as China.

A C-130H Hercules assigned to the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron receives fuel Nov. 6, 2018, at an undisclosed location. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Clayton Cupit)

Air Force Returns C-130s to Flight After Safety Inspections

The service has inspected 113 aircraft, and 112 have been cleared for operational duty, according to an Aug. 21 news release.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Valarie waters the flowers around the NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan (NATC-A) Nine Memorial at Forward Operating Base Oqab, Afghanistan, on Sept. 22, 2015. The 438th Air Expeditionary Advisor Group, with funds and donations by the Enlisted Coalition Council, built the NATC-A Nine Memorial in April 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sandra Welch)

Families of Afghanistan Fallen Fear Their Memorials Will Be Left Behind

Families of the fallen want combat-zone memorials in Afghanistan brought back to the United States.

A U.S. Air Force RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft assigned to the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron takes off from Offutt Air Force Base (AFB), Nebraska, May 8, 2019. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jacob Skovo)

RC-135 Training 'Bottlenecks' After Flooding Destroys Simulators

The Air Force is sending RC-135 crew members to the United Kingdom and Texas to train after the massive flood at Offutt.

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

President Donald Trump greets troops at at Fort Bragg

Bragg Soldiers Who Cheered Trump's Political Attacks While in Uniform Were Checked for Allegiance, Appearance

As President Donald Trump viciously attacked his perceived political foes, he whipped up boos from the gathered troops...

Sondria Linford, 533rd Commodities Maintenance Squadron, stands at attention with her Airman Leadership School classmates at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

Deep Workforce Cuts at VA, Pentagon Backed by Republican Spending Bills

House Republicans are on track to allow job cuts at the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs to proceed in the annual...

President Trump delivers a speech at Fort Bragg

Army Officials Pushed Back on Pop-Up MAGA Shop Ahead of Fort Bragg Trump Speech

Ahead of President Donald Trump's rally-style appearance at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Tuesday, Army officials raised...

California National Guard in downtown Los Angeles

Guard Soldiers Deployed in Trump's LA Crackdown Aren't Getting Paid Yet

According to more than a dozen Guardsmen across four units who spoke to Military.com, none has received formal activation...

Customs and Border Protection agent places concertina wire along the border

Pentagon Encourages Troops to Join Immigration Enforcement, Border Security Job Training Program

Hegseth ordered the Pentagon to "prioritize and broadly advertise" opportunities troops who are nearing separation or...

A Bonus Army encampment burns after the U.S. Army attacks WWI veterans protesting their treatment by the federal government.

That Time the Army Gassed Veterans Protesting for Benefits

In May 1932, a group of World War veterans and their families -- numbering in the tens of thousands -- set up camps along the...

Latest Military Videos

Noem Vows to Continue Trump's Immigration Crackdown as Judge Says Guard Deployment Was Illegal

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order directing President Donald Trump to return control of the National Guard...

Israeli Strikes on Iran Damage Residential Buildings in Tehran

Israel launched a major attack on Iran, bringing their long-running shadow war into the open conflict in a way...

NATO Chief Calls for De-escalation in Region as Israel Attacks Iran

NATO chief Mark Rutte called for de-escalation in the Middle East on Friday after Israel launched strikes on Iran...

Israel Attacks Iran's Nuclear and Missile Sites, AP Explains

Israel attacked Iran’s capital early Friday in strikes that targeted the country’s nuclear program and killed at least two...

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

U.S. Army soldiers work on an M1 Abrams tank staged in West Potomac Park ahead of an upcoming military parade commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary and coinciding with Donald Trump's 79th birthday.

The Army Parade Poses Potential Pitfalls like a Tank Breakdown. Soldiers Say They're Prepared.

Thousands of soldiers have descended upon Washington, D.C., from more than a dozen Army divisions across the force, and many...

U.S. Army fire teams head over the bunker during a squad live fire assault mission

Army Eliminates Office for Minimizing Civilian Deaths on Battlefields

The Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, which once housed roughly 30 staff, has been folded into the Army's dense web...

Navy News

US Shifts Military Resources in Mideast in Response to Israel Strikes and Possible Iran Attack

The Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin...

A Navy contractor tests a drinking water sample collected at a military housing residence in Honolulu.

US Navy Requesting Permission to Sample Private Drinking Water for PFAS Near Pennsylvania Base

The Navy wants to test private wells for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, within its sampling area near Naval...

Air Force News

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship makes a test flight from Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX Plans up to 76 Starship Launches Annually from Old Delta IV Launch Site

The first of two Environmental Impact Statements around SpaceX plans for Starship launch sites on the Space Coast was...

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One.

What it Would Take to Convert a Jet From Qatar into Air Force One to Safely Fly Trump

Air Force One has to have the highest level of classified communications, anti-jamming capabilities and external protections...

Space Force News

Five of the Air and Space Force’s newest officers stand at attention during a University of New Mexico Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 510 Commissioning Ceremony at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial, N.M., May 16, 2025. During the ceremony, five of the Air and Space Force’s newest officers were sworn into service. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Spencer Kanar)

How to Become a Space Force Officer

U.S. Space Force officers, who plan and manage personnel, make up about half the service.

SpaceX Plans up to 76 Starship Launches Annually from Old Delta IV Launch Site

The first of two Environmental Impact Statements around SpaceX plans for Starship launch sites on the Space Coast was...

Marine Corps News

(Photo by Erica Knight/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

ICE Arrests Louisiana Mother of 9-Week-Old, Wife of Marine at Immigration Hearing

Since immigration agents detained his wife in New Orleans last month, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran has ferried the couple's 9...

National Guard Troops Will Stay Under Trump’s Control, for Now, Under 9th Circuit Order

A three-judge panel on the 9th Circuit, including two judges appointed by President Donald Trump and one by former President...

Coast Guard News

the National Coast Guard Museum keel-laying ceremony

Construction of $150M Coast Guard Museum Set to Begin Next Month as Donations Rise

The Coast Guard Museum Association’s Board of Directors a year ago approved allotting $40 million for the installation of...

smoke rises from cargo vessel Morning Midas approximately 300 miles south of Adak, Alaska

Coast Guard Helps Rescue Crew After Vehicle Cargo Ship Catches Fire

The crew of a cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles to Mexico, including 800 electric vehicles, abandoned ship after they could...