U.S. military

The Pentagon will take immediate steps to begin addressing discrimination in the armed forces, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday. U.S. Army troops are seen here in Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border in November 2018.

National

Defense Secretary Esper Announces Actions To Address Discrimination In U.S. Military

8:01pm July 15, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

Esper calls the actions "a necessary first step" but says he has "no illusions" that these initial changes will fully address the concerns he has heard from many service members.

An Iraqi soldier stands guard near a U.S. military air carrier at the Qayyarah Airfield West, before the U.S. transferred the base to Iraqi forces in March.

Laid Off By U.S. Contractor, Iraqi Interpreters Fear ISIS Retaliation

1:57pm June 12, 2020

by Jane Arraf

A U.S. military contractor abruptly laid off most of the U.S.-led coalition's Iraqi interpreters. Some have gone into hiding. "We ... will be easily hunted down," a group wrote to the U.S. military.

Capt. Geoffrey Hansen and his men were flying drones after the missiles launched. He was knocked off his feet by the blast. "We didn't know what was coming," he says. "We just knew something was coming so we figured as many eyes as we could get in the sky

The Aftermath Of Iran's Missile Attack On An Iraqi Base Housing U.S. Troops

5:40pm January 14, 2020

by Jane Arraf

NPR international correspondent Jane Arraf and freelance photographer Alexander Tahaov were among journalists invited to tour the Ain al-Assad air base, which houses some 1,500 U.S. troops.

A new U.S. brigade combat team arrives in front of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle at a base in Syria's Hasakah province.

World News

In Syria, U.S. Military Says Fight Will Continue Against ISIS

4:18pm November 13, 2019

by Jane Arraf

Many U.S. special operators have been ordered out of Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria, but other troops have arrived to guard oil installations. The Pentagon says the mission is still to fight ISIS.

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Authorities announced Thursday that a New York-based company and seven of its employees are being charged with fraud, money laundering and illegal importation of equipment manufactured in China.

National

U.S. Company Accused Of Illegally Selling Chinese-Made Security Products To Military

5:59pm November 07, 2019

by Paolo Zialcita

Aventura Technologies Inc. and seven of its employees are facing charges of fraud, money laundering and illegal importation of Chinese equipment, which officials say endangered military personnel.

A U.S. military vehicle drives past an oil pump jack in the countryside of Syria's northeastern city of Qamishli. President Trump is leaving some U.S. troops in Syria, with the goal of controlling Syria's oil fields. But legal experts say exploiting the o

If U.S. Takes Syrian Oil, It May Violate International Laws Against Pillage

3:41pm October 30, 2019

by David Welna

President Trump is leaving some U.S. troops in Syria, with the goal of controlling Syria's oil fields. But legal experts say exploiting the oil could amount to pillaging — a war crime.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper (front right), flanked by South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo (center), arrives at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, on Friday.

World News

Defense Chief Esper Wraps Up Asia Trip As Alliance Comes Under Pressure

2:37pm August 09, 2019

by Anthony Kuhn

The Pentagon has signaled a possible shift in the military balance in the region, calling for the U.S. to deploy land-based, intermediate-range missiles in Asia.

U.S. Marines preparing to build a military site in western Anbar, Iraq, in November 2017, as an outpost in the fight against the Islamic State group.

World News

Trump Wants To Use Iraqi Base To Watch Iran. Now Iraqi Parties Want U.S. Forces Out

11:03am February 15, 2019

by Jane Arraf

Parliamentary groups are pushing for a vote on the U.S. military presence in Iraq after President Trump said its Ain al-Asad base would serve as an Iran watch post.

Swab tests at a military residence in Fort Benning, Ga., reveal the presence of lead.

Military Families In Privatized Housing 'Afraid To Come Forward,' Survey Says

7:32pm February 13, 2019

by Sasha Ingber

The Military Family Advisory Network gathered responses from families in 46 states. It concluded that residents' complaints were ignored and fear of retaliation on service members' careers persisted.

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (R) shakes hands with Timothy Betts, acting Deputy Assistant Secretary and Senior Advisor for Security Negotiations and Agreements in the U.S. Department of State (L) during their meeting on Feb. 10.

World News

U.S. And South Korea Reach Deal On Military Costs

5:59pm February 10, 2019

by Anthony Kuhn

Under the agreement, South Korea will contribute about $890 million a year for the U.S. military presence — less than the billion dollars or more the U.S. had requested.

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