Stephen Ruiz

Stephen Ruiz is an associate editor and content writer for Military.com. He previously worked for more than 30 years as a copy editor, writer and online producer for various newspapers, including the Orlando Sentinel. His writing also has appeared in Reserve & National Guard, Military Families and Military Influencer magazines. In his spare time, Stephen enjoys running, playing with his dog, Holly, and rooting on his hometown New Orleans Saints.

Latest Articles

Taylor Swift co-wrote the song 'Epiphany' in 2020 to honor of the memory of her grandfather, Archie Dean Swift Jr., who served as a Marine Corps medic during World War II and was at the Battle of Guadalcanal.

This Taylor Swift Song Is a Tribute to Her Marine Grandfather's Service at Guadalcanal

Written during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, "Epiphany" explores the similar emotions experienced by soldiers...

Test pilot Tom Attridge was at the controls of a F11F Tiger when he accidentally shot down his own plane on Sept. 21, 1956.

The Navy Test Pilot Who Shot Down His Own Fighter Jet

Not every military test pilot can set records like Chuck Yeager, but what happened to Tom Attridge on Sept. 21, 1956, was...

Hedy Lamarr autographs the cement court at the United Service Organizations (USO) Hollywood Canteen as servicemen surround the movie actress on Dec. 13, 1942.

Hedy Lamarr’s Invention Changed Communications. Here’s Why the Navy Rejected it During WWII

Along with a composer named George Antheil, Lamarr developed the technological concept of frequency hopping to address a...

Sixteen years before she founded the American Red Cross, Clara Barton established the Missing Soldiers Office in 1865.

How Red Cross Founder Clara Barton Helped Expose the Truth of a Notorious Confederate Prison

Two decades before founding the American Red Cross, Clara Barton was a humanitarian without a cause.

Artist Junius Brutus Stearns depicts the United States’ first president, George Washington, on his deathbed in 1799.

A Medical Mystery Almost as Old as America: What Actually Killed George Washington?

Anecdotal evidence and empirical data show that Americans are infatuated with true crime, from cold-case television shows to...

Thanks in part to the recollections of former slave James Parks, Arlington House was restored to how it looked at the start of the Civil War.

Cradle to Grave: The Only American Both Born and Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

Two days after his death, James Parks was laid to rest on Aug. 23, 1929, in what is now Section 15, Grave 2 at Arlington...

An American Signal Corps pigeon struts before his quarters at Tebessa, Algeria, on May 13, 1943, after flying from Gafsa, Tunisia, with the message that reported that U.S. troops had stormed and taken Gafsa.

How a German Homing Pigeon Who Served in 2 World Wars Became an American Hero

Less than a month before the guns of World War I fell silent, American soldiers from the 28th Infantry Division overtook a...

Army Maj. Gen. Abner Doubleday poses for a portrait during the Civil War.

'His Best Day During the Civil War': How Abner Doubleday Helped the Union Win at Gettysburg

Doubleday's name resonates today widely as the supposed inventor of baseball. While that contention has been largely debunked...

Baseball players Paul Skenes, Sam Kulasingam and Aerik Joe pose in their military uniforms.

How the Air Force Academy Molded Paul Skenes, the Best Pitching Prospect in This Year’s Baseball Draft

Coming from a military family, Paul Skenes had a pretty good idea of what awaited him at Basic Cadet Training before his...

'Did I Make the Right Decision?' How to Take the Guesswork out of Army Basic Training

The goal of basic training is to transform a recruit into a soldier. It's as much about constructing the proper mindset as it...

A self-portrait by former Army and professional football player DeWitt 'Tex' Coulter.

The Last First-Round NFL Draft Pick from a Service Academy Was Also a Respected Artist

A self-portrait of the last player from a U.S. service academy to be drafted by an NFL team in the first round is for sale by...

Pvt. Henry Johnson, shown circa 1919, was nicknamed 'Black Death' after surviving 21 wounds, killing 4 Germans and injuring 10-20 others during an encounter in the Argonne Forest in France during World War I.

How the Story of This Medal of Honor Recipient Wounded 21 Times Was Almost Lost to History

Henry Johnson's discharge papers contained no mention of his heroic actions or injuries, depriving him of any awards or...

Army Brig. Gen. George Owen Squier, also a notable inventor and aviation enthusiast, is shown in his military uniform.

Before He Founded Muzak, This General Brought Innovation to the Army

Looking to improve the military's long-range communications, George Owen Squier tested his theories on whatever resources...

Vets2Industry founder Brian Arrington participates in a Feeding the Homeless event on Thanksgiving in 2019.

How a 'Mad' Former Airman Is Helping Transitioning Service Members

Vets2Industry (V2I) compiles information about military transition resources onto one website to support service members...

Facilitator Christina Kim prepares to record Nancy St. Claire and her husband, Tom Garcia, as part of StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative tour in Nashville, Tennessee.

You Can Record With StoryCorps' Military Voices Initiative in 2023 in These States

In 2020, former Army cavalry scout and sniper Garett Reppenhagen spoke with StoryCorps -- a nonprofit that chronicles the...

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Airmen Uniforms hanging on a rack at Altus Air Force Base

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Roger A. Towberman poses in front of his Mercedes Sprinter van

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