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

Commemorative pistol presented by Sig Sauer to retired Master Chief Special Warfare Operator Britt Slabinski to coincide with the launch of the documentary “For Service As Set Forth: The Story of CMC Britt Slabinski, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient.” (Courtesy of Sig Sauer)

Sig Sauer Honors Navy SEAL Hero With Epic Commemorative Pistol

The maker of the Army's new Modular Handgun System presented Britt Slabinski with a special-edition MK25 pistol.

Gearing Up for SHOT Show 2018

Military.com's crew will be among the 65K attendees expected at SHOT Show 2018, being held from Jan. 23 to Jan. 26.

Organizers Cancel SHOT Show as COVID-19 Cases Spike

The spread of COVID-19 presented too many challenges for the firearm industry trade association to hold the indoor event.

Army Paratrooper Charged in 2013 Kidnapping and Rape of Minor

A soldier in the 82nd Airborne was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.

Colt's Halt to Civilian AR-15 Sales Could Prompt Other Gunmakers to Exit Market

Despite the decrease in demand, the AR-15 is still an extremely popular rifle.

Pentagon Report Predicts Rise of Machine-Enhanced Super Soldiers

Still unclear: whether society will accept human-machine fusion.

Trump Awards Medal of Honor to His Own Secret Service Agent

The most recent recipient of the Medal of Honor is fighting stage 4 lung cancer.

Army Doctors in El Paso Surged to Care for Victims of Mass Shooting

Army doctors who treated victims of the recent mass shooting in El Paso said the emergency room scene was like a war zone,

SecDef: Soleimani’s Killing Dealt Big Setback to Iranian Terrorism

Esper told members of the SASC that it was the right call to kill Iranian Quds Force leader Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani.

General Says He 'Meant No Disrespect' with Tweet About Kobe Bryant's Death

The tweet about Kobe Bryant angered many on Twitter, resulting in more than 100 responses

Capt. Ryan Lewis talks to Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Jones and @twitch.tv shout caster James “jchensor” Chen during the Army Entertainment Esports Street Fighter V tournament 11 August 2018, at the Alternate Escapes Café at Fort Gordon, Georgia. (U.S. Army 2nd Recruiting Brigade)

Thousands of Soldiers Sign Up to Game on Army Esports Team

Recruiting officials are screening more than 4,000 applications f who hope to be chosen to play video games for the Army.

Worldwide Equipment Identification Cards, released by Army Training and Doctrine Command, helps Soldiers recognize and remember potential adversary vehicles and weapons. (U.S. Army/Gary Sheftick)

The Army Is Using Playing Cards to Train Soldiers on Enemy Weapons

Each deck includes the nomenclature and performance stats of primary weapons systems soldiers may face in combat.

The U.S. Army debuted its Esports gaming trailer at the Salt Lake Gaming Con in Salt Lake City.

Army Denies Violating 1st Amendment in Esports Recruiting, Sponsoring Fake Giveaways

The Army has temporarily stopped its esports team from streaming on Twitch while it reviews its policies.

Inside the Army Esports trailer (Facebook photo)

Army Unbans Hundreds of Gamers as It Resumes Streaming on Twitch

The Army esports team will resume gaming on Twitch after taking a five-week pause.

Wearable Health Monitors Could Lead to Mentally Tougher Troops, Experts Say

The U.S. Army is conducting several studies designed to use wearable devices.

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Most Popular Military News

Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

When 50-year-old Paul Douglas showed up at Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, the white-haired economics professor looked more...

Trump Administration Threatens No Back Pay for Federal Workers in Shutdown

President Donald Trump’s administration is warning of no guaranteed back pay for federal workers during a shutdown.

(Staff Sgt. Nancy Spicer/29th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Teen Cadet Says He Was Beaten, Concussed at Camp at Aberdeen Proving Ground

In early August 2022, 17-year-old Nathanael Royal called his parents and begged them to bring him home before he got attacked...

Battle of Franklin. November 30, 1864 (Library of Congress).

The Civil War Battle Where a West Point Professor Defeated His Confederate Student

The Civil War ripped apart nearly every bond Americans shared — classmates, friends, even family members found themselves on...

Army Vet Sentenced to Year In Prison For $80,000 Fraud, Stolen Valor

Sharon Toney-Finch, 43, was indicted in April 2024 on four charges: wire fraud, stolen valor, theft of government funds, and...

Vietnam veterans of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, stand with Army Maj. Gen. John W. Weidner, chief of staff for U.S. Strategic Command, Col. Robert Newbauer, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District, American Legion Post 1 Commander Lennie Roth and others after a ceremony Sept. 18 at American Legion Post 1 in Omaha, Nebraska. Fourteen veterans of Bravo Company were honored for acts of valor and meritorious service in Vietnam more than 50 years ago. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Delanie Stafford)

Bravo Company Vietnam Veterans Honored with Long-Overdue Bronze Stars

While it took more than five decades, 14 veterans of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, were...

Latest Military Videos

UN's Food Agency to Scale Up Operations in Gaza and Take Advantage of Pause in War

World Food Programme officials say they are taking advantage of a ceasefire to feed hundreds of starving people in...

What to Know: Israel and Hamas Agree to 'First Phase' of Peace Deal

In a major breakthrough in the two-year-old war, Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of U.S...

Putin Says Russian Air Defenses Were Responsible for Azerbaijani Jet's Crash Last Year, Killing 38

Russian President Vladimir Putin took partial responsibility Thursday for the striking and downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight in...

Qualifying Life Events for Tricare

To make changes to Tricare outside the annual open enrollment period, these times usually correspond to life events or...

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

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Racheal Balke, a current operations intelligence noncommissioned officer assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), conducted a wargaming event as part of an ongoing deployment readiness exercise at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, Sep. 3, 2025. The wargaming phase, part of the joint planning process, utilized artificial intelligence tools to stress-test the command's response to real-world crises (U.S. Army photo by Brian Andries, DVIDS).

The Army’s New Intel Playbook: How AI and Data Are Rewriting the Battlefield

The U.S. Army is betting big on artificial intelligence and data to reshape how intelligence is gathered, analyzed, and...

Navy News

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Ship Parade Kicks off Events Celebrating 250 Years of the US Navy and Marine Corps

A parade of ships streamed up and down the Delaware River beside Philadelphia to kick off a celebration of the 250th...

Air Force News

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility in Broadview

Veterans, Who Saw One of Their Own Arrested by ICE and Charged, Say Feds Are Undermining Democracy

Days after a 70-year-old Air Force veteran was among five people charged while protesting outside a suburban U.S. Immigration...

Space Force News

U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday for the Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air...

A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

Marine Corps News

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Ship Parade Kicks off Events Celebrating 250 Years of the US Navy and Marine Corps

A parade of ships streamed up and down the Delaware River beside Philadelphia to kick off a celebration of the 250th...

Coast Guard News

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Lt. Cmdr. Brendan Harris receives new shoulder boards from his children during a promotion ceremony June 21, 2018, at the Federal Law Enforcement Training in Charleston, South Carolina. (U.S. Coast Guard/Ryan Dickinson)

Coast Guard Ranks: A Complete Guide to Enlisted and Officer Ranks

Explore U.S. Coast Guard ranks from seaman to admiral. Learn about the rank structure, pay grades, insignia, and promotion...

Matthew Cox

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