Personnel

The Air Force last week unveiled changes to its Physical Fitness Assessment and a new fitness program that will soon apply to all Airmen across the total Air Force.

Amid a historic surge in military recruiting, the National Guard exceeded its fiscal year 2025 goals. Since November 2024, the U.S. military has achieved its strongest recruiting performance in 30 years.

Three associations that combine to represent all of the nation’s nearly 800,000 National Guardsmen and Reservists are urging congressional leaders to pass fiscal 2026 appropriations for defense, military construction and veterans affairs.

In his most high-profile speech since becoming Air Force secretary in May, Troy Meink emphasized familiar themes — the necessity to modernize, the need to perfect readiness, and remaining focused on “taking care of our people.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Friday paid tribute to the U.S. military’s prisoners of war and personnel missing in action during a ceremony commemorating National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

The Pentagon on Monday announced new grooming standards that require male service members “to be clean shaven” and present “proper military appearance.”

The Army will soon impose stricter appearance, grooming and uniform standards, the service announced Monday. The changes are reflected in an update to the Army’s appearance, grooming and uniform wear standards policy.

Staff Sgt. Zachary Graham (above right), a member of the South Carolina Army National Guard, helped a man who had been struck by a train and thrown across a Washington Metro station platform Aug. 20.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 28, 2025) — The voice of current and former National Guard officers nationwide is applauding a Senate bill that would ensure that every member of the National Guard and Reserves has access to health care.

Introduced by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., the Healthcare for Our Troops Act (S. 2575) would offer premium-free, zero-cost-share medical coverage to every member of the Guard and Reserve through TRICARE, the military’s health insurance program.

As many as 800 District of Columbia National Guard troops were activated Monday to “address the epidemic of crime in our nation’s capital,” President Donald Trump announced during a press conference.

The Space Force will take over all space missions currently performed by nine Air National Guard units Oct. 1, according to a July 30 memo signed by Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink.