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

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

Ex-Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill sued a pair of podcasters for $25 million, claiming that they have tarnished his reputation going back to the raid, killing of Osama bin Laden. (Robert O'Neill website)

The Latest in Ex-Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill's $25 Million Defamation Lawsuit

The $25 million defamation lawsuit by ex-Navy SEAL Rob O'Neill could be decided by a jury in state or federal court.

A veteran in a wheelchair exits a van to a crowd waving American flags.

Veterans Can Now Get VA Auto Grants Every 10 Years. Here's What Changed

A disabled veteran who received a Department of Veterans Affairs automobile grant decades ago can now apply for another one.

U.S. Space Force Capt. Erin Davis, 1st Range Operations Squadron range operations commander, maintains situational awareness inside the Morrell Operations Center during support for the Falcon 9 Starlink 6-78 mission, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, Nov. 20, 2025. The Starlink 6-78 mission marks the 100th launch from the Eastern Range this year. The MOC supports every space launch from CCSFS and Kennedy Space Center. (U.S. Space Force photo by Gwendolyn Kurzen)

US Space Force Turns 6: Has It Met Expectations?

The U.S. Space Force marked its sixth anniversary in December, reflecting a shift from stand-up to sustained operations as...

U-486 at sea, the submarine sank the SS Léopoldville, causing the largest loss of life for an American division in a ship incident during WWII. (Armed Conflicts)

A U-Boat Killed 763 American Soldiers on Christmas Eve in 1944. The Army Kept It Secret for 50 Years

Howard woke up around midnight in a hospital in Cherbourg, France. He was among the lucky ones. On that Christmas Eve in 1944...

An Airman fills out tax forms, Feb. 9, 2017, at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. (U.S. Air Force photo/Daniel Brosam)

Free and Discounted Tax Preparation for Military

Military personnel and their families have access to a variety of tax preparation and filing services for free.

HL7442, the aircraft involved, pictured in 1980 with a previous livery. (Wikimedia Commons)

In 1983, the Soviets Shot Down a Passenger Plane and Killed a US Congressman

The 48-year-old Democrat was arguably the most anti-communist voice in Congress. He had introduced legislation to ban all...

Latest Military Videos

US Navy Destroyer Docks at Israeli Red Sea Port

US Navy destroyer docks at Israeli Red Sea port.

EU Lists Iran's Revolutionary Guard as Terrorist Organization

EU lists Iran's Revolutionary Guard as terrorist organization.

Hegseth Warns Iran Against Developing Nuclear Weapons

Hegseth warns Iran against developing nuclear weapons, saying US military 'prepared to deliver.'

Moscow Has Agreed to Trump's Proposal to Halt Strikes on Kyiv

Moscow has agreed to Trump's proposal to halt strikes on Kyiv, Kremlin says.

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

Portrait of Italian-American Medal of Honor recipient Luigi Palma di Cesnola, by Jacob D. Blondel. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. James Bradley Cook, 1967)

Arrested and Unarmed, He Led a Cavalry Charge and Became the First Italian-American Medal of Honor Recipient

On June 17, 1863, Col. Luigi Palma di Cesnola was forced to watch his men get slaughtered near the village of Aldie, Virginia...

"Mino" Ohye salutes during a party at the West Sacramento VFW. (Submitted)

Veteran Who Served for Both Japanese and US Forces Turns 100

"Mino" Ohye, who pulled off quite a rare feat during his military service, celebrated his 100 birthday on Thursday in West...

Navy News

Patriotic Kenny, an 84-year-old Navy veteran, rides his mobility scooter alongside another veteran during a neighborhood outing that has become a symbol of his viral TikTok campaign to combat isolation and promote veteran mobility. (Patriotic Kenny Foundation)

84-Year-Old 'Patriotic Kenny' Helps Veterans, Goes Viral on TikTok

An 84-year-old Navy veteran turned viral TikTok fame into a grassroots effort that helps isolated veterans regain mobility...

US Aircraft Carrier Arrives in the Middle East as Tensions With Iran Remain High

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three accompanying warships have arrived in the Middle East.

Air Force News

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Commander Warns the US, Says His Force Has its 'Finger on the Trigger'

Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, warned the United States and Israel “to avoid any miscalculation.”

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Paul A. Millis, crew chief assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 252, raises a lift in preparation for a Flight In Support of a Deployed Unit (FISDU) at the Shannon Airport, Ireland, March 12, 2015. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Koby I. Saunders/Released)

Irish Lawmaker Wants Legislation Requiring US Military Aircraft Inspections

Conor Sheehan, an Irish Labour Party politician, called Ireland's lack of aircraft inspections "troubling."

Space Force News

US Space Force Turns 6: Has It Met Expectations?

The U.S. Space Force marked its sixth anniversary in December, reflecting a shift from stand-up to sustained operations as...

Space Force basic training candidates undergo inspection.

Space Force Education Programs: What Guardians Need to Know

The Space Force offers guardians multiple education pathways, from automatic enrollment in the Community College of the Air...

Marine Corps News

A U.S. Marine with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, fires a Switchblade 300 loitering munition system during Black Diamond at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 14, 2024. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Jaye Townsend)

Marines Field Anduril Loitering Munitions for Infantry in 2026

The Marine Corps is rolling out the Bolt-M loitering munition to infantry squads in 2026, delivering more than 600 man...

Marine veteran Jimmy Friesenhahn holds his child while receiving medical care after being shot and paralyzed outside a San Antonio bar in May 2025. The criminal case against the accused gunman remains pending. (GoFundMe)

Paralyzed Marine, Family Wait for Justice as Bar Shooting Case Stalls

A Marine Corps veteran paralyzed following a San Antonio bar shooting is waiting for a trial date as prosecutors said the...

Coast Guard News

Coast Guard Cutter Neah Bay breaks ice on Lake Erie in February 2015.

Coast Guard Battles Winter Ice on Great Lakes

Two Coast Guard cutters — the Mackinaw and the Neah Bay — broke ice so other ships could continue moving or reach safe harbor...

A U.S. Coast Guardsman, a member of Port Security Unit (PSU) 308, mans a Browning M2HB heavy machine gun while on patrol near South Padre Island, Texas, Nov. 2, 2025. PSU 308 was deployed to South Padre Island in support of Operation River Wall, the Coast Guard’s response to increased drug and human trafficking along the Rio Grande River. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Cheyenne Basurto)

Station South Padre Island Receives Record $200M Facelift From Coast Guard

Multi-million-dollar renovations near the U.S.-Mexico border will deter illegal migrants in southern Texas, officials said.