Jim Absher

Jim Absher is Military.com's former benefits editor and columnist. He joined the Navy to see the world and later realized the world is two-thirds water. He also worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in field offices and Washington, D.C. before coming to Military.com in 2015.

Latest Articles

Why You Should Get a Veterans Designation on Your Driver's License

Most states offer a free veteran's designation on their driver's licenses, and if you want to get your full benefits as a...

How to Change or Update Your VA Direct Deposit Information

Learn how to change the bank account where your VA disability payments get deposited in four simple steps.

Should You Sell Back Leave or Take Terminal Leave When You Get Out?

In the final months of active duty, one of the biggest decisions isn’t about paperwork or moving logistics — it’s whether to...

Do Veterans Benefits Expire?

Did you know that many of your VA benefits have an expiration date? If not, you are not alone. Most veterans aren't aware of...

Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance Increase Announced

The benefit will increase by the same percentage as retirement pay every year from now on

Soldiers return from a 11 month long deployment in Kosovo.

Military Permanent Change of Station PCS Overview

The government will reimburse many costs associated with a PCS move. Here is an overview of what you can expect.

A woman holds a military discharge paper.

Understanding the Types of Military Discharge

A military discharge is when a service member is released from their military service obligations. More than 200,000 U.S...

Future airmen take the oath of enlistment.

Everything You Need to Know About the Military Draft

What is the military draft and Selective Service? Here’s everything you need to know.

Airman & Son Place Flag on Veteran's Grave

When You Die, VA Will Provide a Free Grave Marker

The VA provides headstones and markers for the graves of veterans anywhere in the world.

Military PCS Allowances

If you PCS, the government will either provide you transportation between duty stations or will reimburse your travel.

A housekeeper hangs clean towels at the General John K. Cannon Hotel.

PCS Spotlight: Temporary Lodging Allowances

Temporary lodging reimbursement will help to pay some of your expenses while occupying temporary quarters during a PCS move.

Ship Your Household Goods During a PCS Move

The government will ship your household goods when you are transferred to a new permanent duty station.

Ask the Right Questions Before Choosing a School

Deciding whether a school is right for you requires asking smart questions. This guide will help you become a smart consumer.

Social security card indicating retirement income

Can Veterans Get Social Security?

You can get both Social Security benefits and military retirement.

In a silhouette appearing mostly black and gray, an airman walks away from the camera while tossing a wrench in the air.

Air Force Tuition Assistance

The Air Force pays Tuition Assistance for up to 100% of the cost of college courses.

Military News

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Most Popular Military News

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Mujuni Menani, a senior drill instructor with Fox Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, recites the drill instructor creed on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Jan. 31, 2026. These drill instructors will be responsible for training and mentoring their recruits during the 13 weeks of recruit training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jordy Morales)

The Recruiting Surge Was Engineered. Can It Last in a War with Iran?

The military’s recruiting surge didn’t happen by accident. New programs drove gains, but as the war with Iran grows...

New recruits take the oath of enlistment at the Advocate Center for the Eleventh Annual Chicago Bulls Special Recruit Division Enlistment Ceremony in Chicago. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Camilo Fernan)

Could the US Bring Back the Draft? Who Would Be Called First — and Who Qualifies

Could the U.S. bring back the draft? Here’s how Selective Service works today, who would be called first and why only about...

A U.S. Army armored vehicle equipped with advanced targeting and air defense systems maneuvers through a training range, reflecting the service’s push to integrate AI-driven capabilities and rapidly field combat-ready technology. (U.S. Army Materiel Command)

Army Speeds AI Warfighting Push as US Troops are in Active Combat

An Army test used AI tools to hit 15 targets in one hour, signaling a rapid shift in how battlefield decisions are made and...

VA Study: Ozempic, Other GLP-1 Drugs May Fight Addiction Across Every Major Substance

For the more than 48 million Americans with substance use disorders, including a disproportionate share of veterans, GLP-1...

Bonnie Carroll, founder of TAPS, hugging a survivor (Photo courtesy of TAPS).

After the Knock on the Door: How TAPS Supports Military Families for Life

After a service member dies, families face a lifetime of grief. TAPS founder Bonnie Carroll explains how the organization...

Latest Military Videos

Fire at Oil Refinery in Northern Israel City of Haifa

Fire at oil refinery in northern Israel city of Haifa for second time during monthlong Iran war.

North Korean Leader Watches Missile Engine Test, Tanks, and Special Ops Soldiers

North Korean leader watches missile engine test, tanks, and special ops soldiers.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Astronauts Training for the Artemis Moon Mission

A behind-the-scenes look at astronauts training for the Artemis moon mission.

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USS Massachusetts joins the Navy fleet amid ongoing war with Iran.

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

Could a Democrat Really Replace Marjorie Taylor Greene? This Retired Army General Is Trying

Harris, a farmer and retired Army general, is running to replace conservative firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned...

Kid Rock at the White House in 2025. Photo credit: Creative Commons

Kid Rock Army Helicopter Video Sparks Questions About Taxpayer Funding

A video of what appeared to be an Army Apache helicopter next to Kid Rock's home in Nashville has sparked online backlash.

Navy News

Navy Shipyard Workers Approve a Contract Deal with Bath Iron Works, Ending Weeklong Strike

Hundreds of employees at one of the U.S. Navy’s biggest shipbuilding contractors voted to approve a contract deal with Bath...

This image from video provided by U.S. Central Command shows U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arriving in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 27, 2026. (U.S. Central Command via AP)

US Ground Forces Arrive in Middle East as Iran Conflict Escalates

Speculation has ramped up on whether President Trump would escalate the Iran conflict with a ground invasion.

Air Force News

Dieter Dengler is photographed after being rescued following his escape from Vietnam, weighing 93 pounds. (Matthäus Dengler)

25 Years: Nephew Remembers P.O.W. Navy Pilot Dieter Dengler Who Escaped Vietnam

Dieter Dengler, who died about 25 years ago, was "bigger than life."

Air Force pilot Josh Gunderson. (Submitted)

Air Force Fighter Pilot Hopes to Change Nicotine Habits with New Product

Air Force pilot Josh Gunderson has launched a second career, hoping his new product will help millions kick nicotine...

Space Force News

Robbie Robertson, Sedaro CEO and co-founder, presents a live demo to USSF leadership Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, at Spacepower Conference in Orlando, FL. (Photo courtesy of SFA)

National Spacepower Center: Advancing US and Allied Spacepower

The Space Force Association launched the National Space Center in Dec. 2025 to connect government, academia and industry and...

This year's USO 2026 "Service Members of the Year." (USO)

'Exceptional Courage': USO Announces its 2026 Service Members of the Year

This year's crop of USO honorees saved motorcycle crash victims, rescued bodies underwater, saved civilians from a building...

Marine Corps News

The sign at the entrance at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Marine Corporal Accused of Stealing and Selling Weapons From California’s Camp Pendleton

A U.S. Marine who was an ammunition specialist at California’s Camp Pendleton is charged with stealing ammo and weapons...