Richard Sisk

Richard Sisk has more than 45 years of journalism experience in reporting and editing in the U.S. and abroad for United Press International, the N.Y. Daily News and now for Military.com. He has covered police beats, the courts, transportation and politics in New York City and Washington, D.C., and had numerous assignments in the Mideast, Europe and Latin America. He has covered six presidential campaigns and since 2016 has been Military.com’s Pentagon reporter. Sisk is a Vietnam veteran who served with the 2nd Battalion, Fourth Marines, in 1967-68.

Latest Articles

A soldier assigned to 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, recovers a bundle off a drop zone during air drop resupply training July 27, 2017, at Udairi Range Complex, Kuwait. Staff Sgt. Leah R. Kilpatrick/Army

Army Goes Back to Basics on Supply, Maintenance

The Army is looking to cut its reliance on contractors for forward supply and maintenance.

Soldiers run to their firing positions during a marksmanship competition as part of the celebration of Marne Week Forward at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Nov. 16, 2017. (Photo by Ellen Lovett/U.S. Forces Afghanistan)

More Than 1K US Troops to Join Afghans on Offense: Nicholson

The U.S. commander in Afghanistan plans to send more than 1,000 U.S. troops on offense with the Afghan army.

A 3rd Infantry Division soldier gives a thumbs-up as he boards a plane to deploy to Afghanistan on Aug. 3, 2017. The Pentagon says a recent surge has boosted the number of U.S. troops on the ground to 14,000. Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt/Army

Troop Surge in Afghanistan Completed; 14,000 Now on Ground

The U.S. has boosted the number of troops in Afghanistan from 11,000 to 14,000.

President Donald Trump, accompanied by U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks, center, shakes hands with South Korean Gen. Kim Byung-joo during a briefing at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, on Nov. 7, 2017. Andrew Harnik/AP

Trump Wants to 'Make A Deal' With North Korea

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wants to "make a deal" with North Korea to avoid war.

Soldiers from, the 101st Airborne Division (AASLT) Corps board a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in preparation for a partnered force protection patrol in Laghman province Sept. 23, 2015. (U.S. Army/Capt. Jarrod Morris)

War in Afghanistan Heats Up as Fight Against ISIS Winds Down

Another telling sign that the wars against ISIS in Iraq and Syria were winding down recently came from the U.S. commander in...

An RQ-4 Global Hawk lands at Robins Air Force Base on May 24, 2017. South Korea has committed to buying billions of dollars worth of American-made weapons systems, including the UAV. Tommie Horton/Air Force

South Korea Renews Vow to Buy Stealth Fighters, Drones, Missile Systems

President Trump came away from his South Korea visit with a renewed commitment for major buys of U.S. weapons programs worth...

Why Did Putin Launch 4 ICBMs? Because He Can, Czech General Says

When he asks the Russians why they do what they do, the invariable response is “because we can,” Czech Gen. Petr Pavel...

Architect Frank Gehry, center, joins Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission members and Eisenhower family members in the groundbreaking for the memorial in Washington, Nov. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

After 17-Year Effort, Construction Begins on Eisenhower Memorial

The government recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Eisenhower Memorial on the National Mall.

President Trump embraces Vietnam War vet Max Morgan at event to sign a proclamation honoring vets at the Hyatt Regency in Danang, Vietnam, Nov. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trump Meets With Vietnam Vets in Danang to Mark Veterans Day

President Trump was in Vietnam on Friday and marked Veterans Day by meeting with several Vietnam War veterans.

The hospital ship USNS Comfort arrives in San Juan, Puerto Rico Oct. 3 to provide medical assistance for victims of Hurricane Maria. (US Navy photo/Ernest Scott)

Life-Saving Hospital Ship Returns from Hurricane Relief

The hospital ship USNS Comfort has ended its relief effort in Puerto Rico for the victims of Hurricane Maria.

Navy Sub-Hunters, Submersibles Search for Argentine Sub

The continuing search is being conducted against fading hopes that the crew of the sub may have survived an apparent...

Services Stall on Renewing Tuition Assistance

The names of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have been engraved on the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial -- the "Iwo Jima Memorial" -- in Arlington, Va. (US Marine Corps photo)

Iwo Jima Memorial Updated to Add Iraq, Afghanistan Wars

Traditionally, wars had to be over before their names were added to the iconic Marine Corps memorial in Arlington, Va.

VA May Expand List of Ailments for Agent Orange Coverage: Shulkin

VA Secretary Dr.David Shulkin said Monday that he's decided to expand the list of ailments eligible for Agent Orange...

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl of Hailey, Idaho, leaves a military courthouse on December 22, 2015 in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina (Photo by Sara D. Davis/Getty Images)

Bergdahl's Attorney Wants Him to Receive POW Medal

His civilian lawyer, Eugene Fidell, said his client should be recognized for the five years he spent in Taliban captivity.

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Most Popular Military News

Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., left, confronts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Federal Government Shutdown Grinds into a Second Week as Tempers Flare at the Capitol

As the federal government shutdown enters a second week, there’s no discernible endgame in sight.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) questions U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Trump Targets Blumenthal, Calling for Investigation into Senator's Vietnam Service Claims

President Donald Trump is targeting U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal again after Connecticut’s senior U.S. senator grilled U.S...

Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

When 50-year-old Paul Douglas showed up at Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, the white-haired economics professor looked more...

Pack and transport platoon of the Russian army. Southern Military District. Ministry of Defense of Russia (Wikimedia Commons).

Ukrainian Drones Attack Russian Cavalry Troops in Rare 21st-Century Encounter

A short video circulating online this month appears to show a Russian mounted patrol being struck by a Ukrainian drone near...

When The Government Can Afford Everything Except The Essentials

Every shutdown forces the government to decide what counts as “essential.” Air traffic controllers and TSA agents fall into...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Latest Military Videos

US Destroyer Crew Fought U-Boat Sailors Hand to Hand

During World War II, the crew of a brand-new destroyer escort, USS Buckley, slugged it out in hand-to-hand combat...

Soldier Born into Life of Crime Received Medal of Honor

Charles Barger's life began under difficult circumstances and never really got any easier.

8 Legendary US Military Snipers

The most notable snipers in U.S. military history aren’t just legends. They include real soldiers, sailors and Marines who...

VIDEO: How a Former Waffen-SS Officer Became an American War Hero Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

A headstone in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery marks the remains of the only known former Waffen-SS member...

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

Rin Tin Tin poses in his personalized director's chair during his Hollywood heyday in the 1920s. The German shepherd earned $1,000 per week at Warner Bros.—more than most human actors—and starred in 27 films between 1922 and 1931. Warner Bros. maintained 18 trained stand-in dogs to reduce stress on their canine star. (Vintage Everyday)

Rescued From a WWI Battlefield, This Dog Became Hollywood's Biggest Star and Saved Warner Bros. From Bankruptcy

On Sept. 15, 1918, Corporal Lee Duncan walked through the bombed-out ruins of a German camp near Flirey, France. There, he...

Soldiers of the 27th Infantry Division advance inland on Saipan in June 1944. The New York National Guard unit faced brutal terrain in Death Valley while attacking Japanese positions on Purple Heart Ridge and Mount Tapotchau, leading to the controversial relief of their commander, Maj. Gen. Ralph C. Smith. (Wikimedia Commons)

Command Crisis on Saipan: The Only Time a Marine General Ever Fired an Army General

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Holland M. “Howlin' Mad” Smith—commanding the V Amphibious Corps—had just done something unprecedented...

Navy News

U.S. Air Force transport aircrafts are seen on the tarmac at Ramstein Air Base, in Germany.

US Government Shutdown Forces Local Workers at Some Overseas Bases to Go Without Pay

At least 2,000 people working at overseas bases in Europe have had their salaries interrupted since the shutdown began almost...

A U.S. Marine Corps plane captain assigned to the Marine Fighter Attach Squadron (VFMA) 225, signals to a pilot in a F35B Lightning II as it taxis on the flightline after landing in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility, Sept. 13, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the USSOUTHCOM mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson)

U.S. Deploys F-35 Fighters to Cold War-Era Puerto Rico Base as Venezuela Tensions Escalate

The U.S. military has reactivated a Cold War-era naval base in Puerto Rico and deployed thousands of troops to the Caribbean...

Air Force News

US Government Shutdown Forces Local Workers at Some Overseas Bases to Go Without Pay

At least 2,000 people working at overseas bases in Europe have had their salaries interrupted since the shutdown began almost...

Rick Bottoroff with his wife, Stefanie, new owners of an Office Pride business. (Submitted photo)

How a 20-Year Air Force Veteran Made the Leap to Small Business Owner

With tactical and leadership skills honed from decades in the Air Force, along with his wife's business savvy, Rick Bottoroff...

Space Force News

U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday for the Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air...

A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

Marine Corps News

Marine K9 Handler Marcus Gill and his Military Working Dog, Izzy, on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2009. (Marcus Gill)

Wounded K9 Handler Overcame Near-Fatal IED Blast, Found Faith to Help Others

Gill would eventually earn a degree in theological leadership and dedicate his life to protecting others—especially children...