Career & Pay

Pentagon Orders Review of Religious Beard Waivers Already Approved Across the Military

Service members who have already received approval to wear beards for religious reasons could soon find those accommodations under review. A March 11...

Air Force SkillBridge Policy Changes Could Shorten Transition Timelines for Service Members

The Department of the Air Force has updated its guidance surrounding the SkillBridge program, and the changes could significantly alter how some service...

Return to Base: Performance, Decision-Making, and Leading in High Pressure Environments

An in-depth exploration of military leadership principles focusing on performance optimization, critical decision-making processes, and effective leadership...

Is Your Military Kid Graduating? Here’s How to Keep Their TRICARE Coverage

Graduation season has a way of turning military parents sentimental and logistical at the exact same time. You’re making party plans, asking whether they...

As Automatic Draft Registration Looms, a Bipartisan Bill Aims to Abolish the Selective Service

For years, Selective Service barely registered for most people, outside of one moment: males turning 18. Registration automatically happens, with little more...

The Air Force is Testing AI for Promotion Boards — What This Means for Your Career

The Air Force is experimenting with artificial intelligence to streamline its talent management and promotion board process - a quiet but significant shift...

On The Radar: Navy Running Out of Cash, Ford Strike Group Returns Home

Weekly military news roundup covering Navy funding crisis amid Iran conflict costs, USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group's record 322-day deployment...

Danger Pay for Troops Could Double Under FY2027 Budget Proposal

If you've deployed to a combat zone, a hostile fire area, or any of the dozens of regions the Pentagon officially designates as dangerous, you've drawn Hostile...

Paychecks Restored: Coast Guard Funded as 76-Day DHS Shutdown Ends

For 76 days, the Department of Homeland Security operated without full funding. Coast Guard units stayed on mission the entire time, continuing patrols,...

Aviators Lose Path to Amphibious Command in Sudden Navy Policy Shift

The Navy is moving to reshape who commands its amphibious warships, and it’s happening without a formal plan in place. A signed April 24 memo from Chief of...

New Shaving Rules Give Marines 12 Months to Meet Standards or Face Separation

For years, a shaving waiver bought time, meaning a Marine could stay in, do the job, and manage a condition that didn’t always clear up when they wanted it to....

Air Force Aviation Bonuses Hit $50,000 a Year for FY26 Amid Massive Budget Push

The Air Force’s latest effort to keep experienced pilots in the cockpit is here, and for Fiscal Year 2026, the incentives are substantial. To help address the...

Return to Base: Inside the Fight for Veteran Policy and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for PTSD with Zachary Federico

Zachary Federico, director of Veterans and Military Affairs Task Force at ALEC, discusses the major shift in veteran mental health policy including Trump's...

New Drones, Missiles, and Pay Hikes: Inside the Pentagon’s $1.5 Trillion Budget

The Department of Defense unveiled its detailed fiscal year 2027 budget request on April 21, 2026, following the White House's initial release on April 3. The...

The Flu Shot Is Now Optional for All Troops. Which Vaccines Are Still Mandatory?

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum on April 20, 2026, ending the Department of Defense's longstanding mandatory influenza vaccination...

Starting in December, U.S. Men Will Be Automatically Registered for Selective Service

For the first time in over four decades, Congress has fundamentally changed how the United States registers young men for a potential military draft. This...