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

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...

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.

Montana State Veteran Benefits

The state of Montana provides several veteran benefits. This page explains those benefits.

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.

Your 2025 State Veteran Benefits

There are great federal benefits offered to veterans. Did you know there are also state-specific veteran benefits? Find out...

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...

The chest and arms of a soldier in a camouflage uniform, one hand holding a pen, appear poised over a textbook and note paper.

Army Tuition Assistance

The Army's Tuition Assistance (TA) benefit pays up to 100% of educational expenses for college courses.

Shundra Johnson returns a wedding ring to her husband Coast Guard Lt. Sancho Johnson after his seated discus practice Navy’s wounded warrior training camp. Shundra is also her husband’s caregiver. (DoD News photo by EJ Hersom)

What Benefits Are You Eligible For as a Spouse of a Disabled Veteran?

Spouses of disabled veterans are eligible for many benefits, but getting them can be difficult. We make it easy with this...

U.S. military retirees listen to guest speaker Mark E. Overberg, the Army Retirement Services director, as part of the Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, Retiree Appreciation Day, Sept. 30, 2023. (Chad Menegay/Army)

Hearing Aids for Military Retirees

DoD and VA offer programs to help military retirees get hearing aids.

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

U.S. Marines guard a federal building in Los Angeles

A Veteran Was Detained by Marines. It Highlights Concerns over the Military's Growing Ties to Law Enforcement.

Marcos Leao's detention by Marines marks what many legal, defense and policy experts say is an unprecedented violation of the...

Moving boxes sit in a U.S. Air Force airman’s home in Las Vegas

Hegseth Cancels Massive Contract for Military Family Moves, Pledges Fixes

The company, HomeSafe Alliance, had been struggling to manage the U.S. military's domestic moves this year.

Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington

VA Changes Discrimination Policy for Health Care Staff, Denies Doctors Could Withhold Treatment

The department said the change was made in order to comply with executive orders and the updates would "have no impact...

Smokes rises from the Soroka hospital after it was hit by a missile fired from Iran.

Trump Says He'll Decide Whether US Will Directly Attack Iran Within 2 Weeks

Trump has been weighing whether to attack Iran by striking its well-defended Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is...

Ships move through the Taiwan Strait as seen from the 68-nautical-mile scenic spot

China Sends Scores of Planes Across Central Line in Taiwan Strait

China sent 74 warplanes toward Taiwan, 61 of which crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that unofficially divides...

Dwight D. Eisenhower was a central figure in American politics and the military during much of the 20th century.

Trump Is Renaming 7 Army Installations. Here Are the Stories Behind the Names Being Scrubbed.

President Donald Trump's announcement is the administration's latest move in its concerted effort to shift the people and...

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

Three Purple Heart Medals displayed in a box.

West Virginia Museum Honoring Veterans Plans for the Future

The museum’s supporters want to honor as many veterans as possible, but space is limited.

The US Commemorates 250th Anniversary of the 'Great American Battle,' the Battle of Bunker Hill

Bunker Hill was an early showcase for two long-running themes in American history — improvisation and how an inspired band of...

Navy News

A B-2 bomber arrives at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

How the US Bombarded Iranian Nuclear Sites Without Detection

“Our B-2s went in and out and back without the world knowing at all,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters Sunday...

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine speaks during a news conference

Pentagon Says US Doesn't Want to Pursue War with Iran After Bombing 3 of its Nuclear Sites

The mission, called “Operation Midnight Hammer,” involved decoys and deception, and met with no Iranian resistance, Hegseth...

Air Force News

How the US Bombarded Iranian Nuclear Sites Without Detection

“Our B-2s went in and out and back without the world knowing at all,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters Sunday...

Pentagon Says US Doesn't Want to Pursue War with Iran After Bombing 3 of its Nuclear Sites

The mission, called “Operation Midnight Hammer,” involved decoys and deception, and met with no Iranian resistance, Hegseth...

Space Force News

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong speaks at Drake State Community and Technical College

Trump Talks Space Command Move to Alabama in Video Posted to Social Media

President Donald Trump was talking to U.S. Rep. Dale Strong when he seemed to confirm U.S. Space Command’s headquarters was...

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.

Marine Corps News

FedEx Founder Fred Smith, a Marine Corps Veteran who Revolutionized Package Delivery, Dies at 80

He told The Associated Press in a 2023 interview that everything he did running FedEx came from his experience in the Marines...

U.S. Marines conduct a vehicle inspection at Marine Corps Base Hawaii

ICE Arrests Russian National at Marine Corps Installation in Hawaii

Military police at Marine Corps Base Hawaii stopped Anastasiia Vorobeva on June 12 at an entry control point on the southern...

Coast Guard News

Hawaii Coast Guard Crew Wraps Up Enforcement Mission in Cook Islands

The Lane, a 270-foot Medium Class Endurance Cutter arrived in Hawaii in late 2023 to serve as the U.S. Coast Guard’s first...

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.

Report Details Long-Standing Mold Problems at Coast Guard Academy

A federal agency has released the final report of its yearslong evaluation of indoor dampness and mold at the U.S. Coast...