Matthew Cox

Matthew Cox has been a defense reporter since 1998. During his time with Military.com he covered all the services, with a close eye on Army weapons development and procurement, body armor testing, camouflage, ammunition as well as readiness and training issues. He previously worked for 12 years for Army Times. He traveled to Afghanistan and Iraq numerous times from 2002 to 2008, covering Stryker and light infantry units in combat. He also spent four years in the U.S. Army during the second half of the 1980s, serving as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Latest Articles

American tanks and soldiers take part in a yearly military parade marking the Polish Army Day, in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

Army Growth May Not Keep Pace with Deployments: General

Even as the Army prepares to grow, Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson still worries about units not having enough time between...

A mural for Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen in Austin, Texas.

Army Disciplines 13 Leaders, Confirms Murdered Soldier Vanessa Guillen Was Sexually Harassed

The report found that Guillen twice tried to report that she had been sexually harassed, but leaders failed to take...

AN/PRC 148 2-channel Leader radio to transmit position location.

Army Light Infantry, Stryker and Armored Forces Are Getting This Advanced Comms Gear

Fielding a more robust tactical network that can stand against enemy cyber and EW attacks is one of the Army's top...

Army simulated real world injury and simulated real world MEDEVAC

Army Wants New Medical Gel that Seals Off Hemorrhaging Wounds on the Battlefield

The Army Research Laboratory is providing technical oversight on a new hemostatic gel known as StatBond.

The Army has adjusted its ponytail policy.

Army Allows Female Soldiers to Wear Long Ponytails in All Uniforms

Initially, female soldiers could wear long ponytails only while conducting fitness training and during field training.

Section of the poster for “The Calling.”

Army Embraces Anime in New Recruiting Campaign

"The Calling" is a series of short videos being aired on YouTube focused on five soldiers from difficult backgrounds.

Retired Col. Ralph Puckett Jr visits U.S. Army Rangers.

Army Ranger Legend to Receive Medal of Honor at 94

President Biden will upgrade Ralph Puckett's Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor.

Sig Sauer officials test fire the auto rifle prototype of their NGSW prototype.

New Video Teases Sig Sauer Prototypes for Army's Next Gen-Weapons Effort

The video comes as Sig and its two competitors wait for the Army to complete the final phase of testing.

Col. Christopher Warner at Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Army Commander of JBLM Hospital Removed Over Undisclosed Allegations

Col. Christopher Warner has been suspended from the job since Oct. 5.

Extended Range Cannon Artillery System, or ERCA, being tested.

Army Eyes Autonomous Robotic Arm to Rapidly Resupply its Futuristic Long-Range Howitzer

Apptronik Inc.'s prototype robotic arm features a design that can lift more than current robotic arms while weighing less.

Fort Drum Commander Fired over Alleged Misconduct

A Fort Drum spokesman would not release details about the charges, but said they were "administrative in nature."

Army Identifies Reserve Soldier Found Dead in Kuwait

Staff Sgt. Christopher F. Pantos was found dead in his living quarters at Ali Al Salem Air Base, according to the Pentagon.

Army Platoon Leader Creates App to Help Grunts Earn the Expert Infantryman Badge

First Lt. Egor Krasnonosenkikh created the EIB Pro by teaching himself how to program through YouTube videos.

US Soldier Serving in Kuwait Found Dead

The soldier, who has not been identified, was found dead in his living quarters at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.

U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Luke Blum walks with ExoBoot technology.

Army Scientists Want to Teach Exoskeleton Gear How to Improve Soldier Performance

The study uses sensors to help researchers track and record the soldiers' physical state as they interact with exoskeletons.

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Most Popular Military News

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, offers a silent prayer during a ceremony

77 Years After Battle's End, Okinawa Wants US Base Reduced

Okinawa is marking the 77th anniversary of the end of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II.

Best Warrior Competition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Army Officer Overseeing Safety Gets Prison Sentence After Private's Death on Firing Range

An Army officer was found negligent and sentenced to four months in prison for failing to follow safety procedures at a Fort...

Entrance to the Fort McPherson VA Clinic.

VA Employee Caught on Camera Beating, Kicking Veteran Patient in Head

The employee, a patient advocate at a VA clinic in Atlanta, was arrested in April and charged with assault.

Soldier 'Sextortion' Cases Surged During the Pandemic, Army Statistics Show

In 2022, Army CID says that it has already received 61 reports of sextortion nearing the year's midpoint.

Capitol Hill stock photo taken in Washington D.C.

Inflation Bonuses for Troops Make it into Sweeping Defense Bill

Bonuses to help low-paid service members cope with rising consumer prices are a step closer to reality.

Nasirullah Mohammadi with a certification of appreciation.

10 Months Later, Afghan Refugees Labor to Build New Lives in US

Nasirullah Mohammadi is one of the 76,000 Afghans who were lucky enough to get on a U.S. military flight out of Kabul in...

Latest Military Videos

T Rowe Price: Meet Our Veterans

Spotlight on Amy Bennett and Katie Milazzo – VALOR leaders at T. Rowe Price.

Ukraine Disposes of Shells, Mines From Kyiv Farms

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Ukrainian Rapper-Soldier Puts War Into Words

From Ukraine's battlefronts comes rap music, filled with the fury of a young generation that will certainly never forget...

Army News

High school military recruits receive their oath of enlistment.

Army Drops Requirement for High School Diploma Amid Recruiting Crisis

The service announced that individuals may enlist without previously required education certifications if they ship to basic...

U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Europe and Africa commanding general.

New Leader of US Forces in Europe Confirmed Amid Raging War in Ukraine

The Senate confirmed Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli to become the new head of U.S. European Command, or EUCOM.

Army Relaxes Tattoo Rules as It Scrambles for New Recruits

Tattoos are still forbidden on the face and other parts of the head, with some exceptions for permanent makeup.

Navy News

U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Sam Paparo, left, and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi

US Pacific Admiral: Ties with Japan Key to Regional Security

The U.S. Navy’s top commander in the Pacific and the Japanese defense minister on Friday said that close cooperation between...

Navy, Air Force and Marines Say Transfers over Discriminatory State Laws Possible, But No Sign of Requests Yet

The three services all say that they have policies and procedures in place to help service members transfer to new duty...

USS Wichita Survives a Fight With the Navy that Could Have Sent It into Early Retirement

A budget compromise in the Senate Armed Services Committee now is expected to save five littoral combat ships, including the...

Air Force News

Sgt. Claudia Villegas poses in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and Washington Monument.

Military Photos of the Week: An LGBTQ Soldier Speaks Up, Marines Make Things Go Boom

Military.com's top photos of the week, June 19 - June 24.

Navy, Air Force and Marines Say Transfers over Discriminatory State Laws Possible, But No Sign of Requests Yet

The three services all say that they have policies and procedures in place to help service members transfer to new duty...

U.S. military convoy conducting a patrol outside Manbij, Syria.

Airman Arrested in Connection with Attack on US Base in Syria that Injured 4 Troops

Further details on the identity of the airman were not made available by the Department of the Air Force and no charges have...

Marine Corps News

A Ukrainian tank on the front line in Severodonetsk.

Russia Indicates Captured Vets Face Trial as Death Penalty Looms and US Grasps for Details

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov called Drueke and Huynh "soldiers of fortune" who are being held for trial.

U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs park on the Air Dominance Center flight line at the Air Dominance Center, a Combat Training Readiness Center in Savannah, Georgia.

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A U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee said it will not move forward in closing a military facility in Savannah that has...

The superstructure of the future USS Basilone

Navy Destroyer Bears Name of Decorated Marine Killed in WWII

The christening ceremony marked a milestone in construction of the 509-foot guided-missile destroyer.

Coast Guard News

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All 108 passengers and crew members have been accounted for. No injuries were reported.

Ingalls Shipbuilding held a christening ceremony for National Security Cutter Calhoun

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Army CH-47 assists in Coast Guard training exercise

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