Kelsey Baker

Kelsey Baker is a Military and Defense reporting fellow at Business Insider. Previously, she spent six months at The Washington Post as a 2024 Military Veterans in Journalism Fellow on the general assignment and international desks. She’s a graduate of Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism and a Marine Corps veteran.

Latest Articles

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...

A U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor marches a platoon of recruits

Always Faithful, Always On: The Taxing Job of a Marine Corps Drill Instructor

Marine Corps drill instructors represent one of the most legendary roles in the military. From the 1987 war movie "Full Metal...

A drug user prepares heroin, placing a fentanyl test strip into the mixing container to check for contamination

'You Can't Fix the Problem If You're in Denial:' The Military's Surge of Fentanyl Overdoses

Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and tiny amounts can kill.

"Man/Ready" Vietnam by artist Paul MacWiliams.

How Trauma Before Service is Shaping a Generation of Troops

Acknowledging the prevalence of pre-service trauma -- and how it affects adult service members -- can be helpful for many...

An Army Initial Entry Training soldier naps

Troops Still Aren't Getting Enough Sleep, and the Defense Department Isn't Taking Responsibility, Watchdog Says

A recent GAO report recommends more top-level ownership in the military to help improve troop sleeping patterns.

U.S. Army soldiers with the Wichita Recruiting Company hosted a recruitment booth at Hutchinson

The Army's Recruiting Problem Is Male

A decade of declining recruitment numbers for the Army is almost entirely attributable to a significant drop in male...

Feds Arrest Former Navy Europe Commander Alleging Bribery Scheme that Led to $500,000 Civilian Salary

Robert Burke allegedly directed the lucrative Navy contracts to the company in 2021 while serving as a four-star admiral, and...

A cavalry scout fires the M17 9mm pistol at Fort Carson

31 Pistols Went Missing from Fort Moore, Georgia. The Army Is Offering $5,000 for Information.

The M17 is a 9 mm Sig Sauer pistol with a 17-round magazine capacity. The handgun was adopted by the Defense Department in...

Veterans at Risk of Losing Homes Could Get More Time as VA Urges Extended Pause on Foreclosures

The VA's call aims to give nearly 40,000 veterans more time to find ways to stay in their homes, and comes just ahead of the...

Gavel and American flag with scales of justice.

Soldier Who Was Inspector General Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Faces Sexual Assault, Harassment Charges

Master Sgt. Christopher Dehn is set to be arraigned June 5 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state on four counts of...

Veterans Affairs Department in Washington.

VA Says It Cut Wait Times for Primary, Mental Health Care as Veteran Enrollment Surged

The shorter waits come even as the VA has enrolled more than 400,000 veterans in health care over the past year, a 30%...

Clarence Sasser, Vietnam Medic Awarded Medal of Honor for Treating Troops Under Fire, Dies at 76

After returning to the U.S. from Vietnam, Sasser received his Medal of Honor from President Richard Nixon in 1969, in a...

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling Family Child Care provider

Military Must Focus on Efforts to Keep Its Child Care Employees to Shorten Waitlists, Watchdog Says

In 2022, turnover within the DoD child care sector ranged from 34% at Marine Corps child care facilities to 50% turnover...

The new Fort Liberty sign is displayed outside the base

Fort Liberty Soldier Sentenced to Over 3 Years for Romance Scams, Bilked Over $350,000 from Victims

Specialist Sanda G. Frimpong, who was serving on active duty until his arrest in 2023, was ordered to pay back over $350,000...

U.S. Marine retirement ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps

Marines Leaving Service Must Now Notify Corps at Least 6 Months Before Departure

Previously, Marines could resign or retire with as little as four months of advanced notification. The update went into...

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Most Popular Military News

5 Soldiers Wounded in Mass Shooting at Fort Stewart in Georgia

Five soldiers were wounded Wednesday morning in a shooting at Fort Stewart in Georgia, one of the highest-profile Army...

My Job Was Army Cook. But Ranger School Didn’t Care, and I Wasn’t Going Home Without a Tab

I joined the Army as a cook, thinking it would keep me out of trouble. I wasn’t looking to be a hero; I just needed a reset...

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins testifies

VA to Give Veterans One-Year Authorizations to Seek Care from Private Providers in 30 Specialties

The move allows veterans to get 12 months of private treatment without having to request a reauthorization.

Donald Trump displays a set of 1984 Los Angeles Olympic medals

Trump Names Himself Chair of LA Olympics Task Force, Sees Role for Military During Games

In past Olympic Games held on American soil, sitting presidents have served in passive, ceremonial roles. President Donald...

A sign outside the main gate of Fort Stewart, Georgia

Military Base Shootings Have Ranged from Isolated Incidents to Workplace Violence and Terrorism

The shooting of five U.S. Army soldiers at a base in Georgia on Wednesday is the latest in a growing list of violent...

President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera

Russia Asks Central African Republic to Replace Wagner with State-Run Africa Corps and Pay for It

The Central African Republic's government has been reluctant to agree to Moscow's demands, because it sees Wagner as more...

Latest Military Videos

With Only One Nuclear Arms Pact Left Between US and Russia, a New Arms Race Is Possible: AP Explains

For decades, the threat of nuclear conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union hung over humanity — and...

UN Says Expansion of War in Gaza Would Be Alarming; Hostage's Brother Addresses Council

The United Nations says an expansion of the war in Gaza would be "deeply alarming" and would risk catastrophic...

Footage Released by the World Food Program Shows Crowds Running Toward Aid Vehicles and Trucks in Gaza

Footage released by the World Food Program of recent aid deliveries to Gaza shows crowds running toward UN vehicles...

Putin Meets US Special Envoy Witkoff at the Kremlin: AP Explains

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday...

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

Valor medals for soldiers who intervened in active-shooter incident at Fort Stewart

Fort Stewart Soldiers Who Fought Gunman, Provided Care to Wounded Recognized for Valor

The soldiers were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for what Secretary of the Army Dan Driscol described as a combination...

A sign welcoming people to Fort Stewart in Georgia is seen

Fort Stewart Army Base Shooting Raises Questions About Military Gun Policies

A shooting that injured five soldiers at one of the country's largest military bases has resurfaced questions about a long...

Navy News

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore waves to the media

Navy Veteran Butch Wilmore, Who Spent Months Stuck in Space as a NASA Astronaut, Retires

Barry “Butch” Wilmore has flown on the space shuttle, a Russian Soyuz, Boeing’s Starliner and a SpaceX Crew Dragon.

President Barack Obama awards retired Marine Cpl. William "Kyle" Carpenter, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry

A South Carolina War Hero Is the Namesake for the Navy’s Newest Destroyer

The U.S. Navy is adding a new battleship, and its namesake will be a South Carolina war hero.

Air Force News

US Air Force to Deny Retirement Pay to Transgender Service Members Being Separated from the Service

The U.S. Air Force has decided to deny early retirement options for transgender service members with 15 to 18 years of...

U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit lands at Whiteman Air Force Base

Report: Landing Gear Mishap Caused B-2 Bomber to Crash, Catch on Fire in 2022 Incident

The B-2 stealth bomber attempted to land on Dec. 10, 2022, after a training mission and experienced a hydraulic system...

Space Force News

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Alabama) speaks to the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber.

Alabama Congressman ‘100% Sure’ US Space Command Coming to Huntsville

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Alabama) said he has been assured by President Donald Trump that U.S. Space Command is coming to...

U.S. Space Force Brig. Gen. Brian Denaro, newly appointed U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific commander, gives a speech

First Leader of Space Force Pacific Command Ends Tenure

The first leader of the U.S. Space Force’s Pacific command officially ended his tenure in Hawaii in a change of command...

Marine Corps News