Matthew Cox
Matthew Cox has been a defense reporter since 1998. Prior to working for three years in media relations at Thales, he worked for Military.com from 2011 to 2021, covering Army and Marine Corps readiness and modernizations with a focus on weapons development and procurement. Before that he worked for more than 12 years at Army Times. He focused on modernization, training, and readiness as well as covering light infantry units in combat in both Afghanistan from 2002 to 2008. 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.
Recent stories by Matthew Cox
NORAD Exercises, Space Force Missions: What US Military Does in Greenland
U.S. and Canadian military aircraft are on their way to Greenland for a “long-planned” North American Aerospace Defense Command exercise as the future of the Arctic territory’s sovereignty remains in the spotlight.
DOD Task Force Moves Closer to Launching a Counter-Drone Shopping Site
The Pentagon’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401 took a step toward making an Amazon-like online marketplace for counter-drone tech a reality this week with its first acquisition under the Replicator 2 effort.
Space Force Sets Mandatory Wear Date for PT Uniform, Service Dress Remains Optional
The Space Force put Guardians on notice to purchase the service’s new physical training gear uniform by the end of January, but it isn’t ready to set a mandatory wear date for its new service dress uniform.
Pentagon Sets New Body Composition Standards Matching Existing Air Force Policy
Airmen and Guardians preparing to take updated physical fitness assessments this year won’t be surprised by the Pentagon’s updated body composition standards that all service members will have to meet; the Air Force worked up similar standards three years ago.
Air Force Clamps Down on Airmen Walking with Phones
The Air Force is clamping down on digital multitasking while on duty, ending a previous policy that allowed Airmen to use phones and other digital devices while walking in uniform.
New Legislation Aims to Protect Guard, Reserve Benefits by Simplifying Duty Statuses
Lawmakers in Congress have introduced new legislation aimed at fixing a complex system that has many times prevented Airmen serving on Air National Guard and Reserve duty status from getting the same benefits as their Active-duty counterparts.
B-2 Units That Flew Midnight Hammer Win Awards from Air Force Historical Foundation
The Air Force Historical Foundation has recognized two Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber wings among the winners of its 2025-2026 prestigious annual awards, selecting both for their part in Operation Midnight Hammer, the daring raid on Iran’s fortified nuclear weapons sites.
Air Force Drops Mandatory 2-Mile Run on New PT Test, Moves Start Date Up to July
Airman will start being officially scored on the new physical fitness assessment in July rather than September and will have an alternative to a two-mile run to prove their cardio fitness, the Air Force announced Jan. 6.
Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Promotions Soar to Decade-High
The Air Force is promoting 640 senior master sergeants to chief master sergeant this year, about a 27 percent increase over last cycle’s numbers. The Space Force is also increasing its senior master sergeant promotions by 48 percent.
Procedural Failures, Poor Supervision Led to F-22 Maintainer Death: Report
An Air Force maintenance team in Alaska failed to follow “prescribed procedures” while working on an F-22 weapons bay, leading to a mishap March 25, 2024 that killed Staff Sgt. Charles A. Crumlett, according to a recent accident investigation report.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, ...
Inside the Air Force Plan to Start Its Own Experimental One-Way Attack Drone Unit
The Air Force will stand up a new unit next year to shape how the service fights with one-way attack drones.
Airmen Won’t Be Booted from Courses for Failed Fitness Tests During Shift to New PT
Airmen won’t be sent home from enlisted professional military education schools next year for failing the course’s mandatory fitness assessment.
Air Force Cuts Inspections for Airmen to One a Year: ‘Heard Your Feedback’
Air Force senior leaders are dialing back a forcewide requirement for commanders to hold quarterly “standards and readiness reviews” of their Airmen to once per year.
Air Force: Medical Shaving Profiles Issued Before March Will Soon Be Invalid
The Department of the Air Force is limiting medical shaving profiles to a maximum of six months, down from the previous limit of five years, and will soon require Airmen and Guardians with profiles issued in the last 10 months to be reevaluated as part ...
