Task & Purpose (@taskandpurpose.com)

Task & Purpose

@taskandpurpose.com

News, culture, and analysis by and for the military community. Got a tip or story? Send it here → taskandpurpose.com/got-a-tip

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Task & Purpose

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17h

Air Force tests ‘rocket cargo’ to resupply troops anywhere trib.al/hQAjwqr

trib.alAir Force tests ‘rocket cargo’ to resupply troops anywhereThe idea calls for sending needed equipment into space and then back to Earth, bringing supplies to forward deployed troops in record time.

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18h

Air National Guard to stand up a new special tactics squadron trib.al/zMbPwMa

trib.alAir National Guard to stand up a new special tactics squadronThe Pentagon directed the Air Force to stand up a new Air National Guard Special Tactics Squadron in Florida.

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21h

‘Now is the time’ for Cubans to ‘act’ says top US military commander in South America trib.al/UKXC7Ke

trib.al'Now is the time' for Cubans to 'act' says top US military commander in South AmericaThe head of U.S. Southern Command urged Cubans to work with American intelligence as Trump discusses military action against Cuba.

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Space Force wants to embed more guardians into the joint force trib.al/UN4rbtH

trib.alSpace Force wants to embed more guardians into the joint forceThe service's top officer said the military needs guardians "in key positions to achieve space superiority and drive combat success."

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US expands alcohol restrictions for troops in Japan trib.al/k13DVR7

trib.alUS expands alcohol restrictions for troops in JapanAll personnel participating in the large Keen Sword exercise are banned from drinking during the drills as restrictions on Okinawa grow.

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Army activates new air defense unit in Guam trib.al/Wnxtprk

trib.alArmy activates new air defense unit in GuamThe new battalion will operate Patriot missiles, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense or THAAD system and drones.

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Pentagon bans troops from betting using insider information trib.al/L3RrgN4

trib.alPentagon bans troops from betting using insider informationThe new prohibition bars Defense Department personnel from using classified and unclassified info to gamble on prediction markets.

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Air defense soldiers who shoot down 5 incoming threats could get a new skill badge trib.al/maguujV

trib.alAir defense soldiers who shoot down 5 incoming threats could get a new skill badgeA leaked Army slide shows a new skill badge for air defense soldiers. An official said the slide was “pre-decisional.”

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How a Special Forces veteran with cancer finally got this photo with Chris Pratt trib.al/pOUUgia

trib.alHow a Special Forces veteran with cancer finally got this photo with Chris PrattChris Cathers first met Chris Pratt on the set of "The Terminal List" and promptly missed his chance for a photo. He later made good.

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Air Force suspends rappelling events for special ops training unit after fatal fall trib.al/PkE8KWr

trib.alAir Force suspends rappelling events for special ops training unit after fatal fallThe 6th Combat Training Squadron, which trains TACP airmen, has paused all rappel training after an instructor was killed in a demonstration.

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White House military spouse council floats toll cuts for troops commuting to base trib.al/bdblEpC

trib.alWhite House military spouse council floats toll cuts for troops commuting to baseThe council said toll cuts for troops who commute to MacDill should be a policy that’s expanded to other bases.

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USS Abraham Lincoln crew prepares for base move weeks after extended deployment trib.al/VsujJXG

trib.alUSS Abraham Lincoln crew prepares for base move weeks after extended deploymentThe Navy confirmed a Dec. 31 administrative date for USS Abraham Lincoln's move to Washington after a 321-day combat deployment.

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Air Force special ops trainees are graduating months faster in revised pipeline trib.al/LD8vWuV

trib.alAir Force special ops trainees are graduating months faster in revised pipelineStreamlined class dates and combined training in Air Force special warfare training programs have cut the time to graduation by 70 days.

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The Navy SEALs behind ‘The Terminal List’ break down the new season’s sniper battle trib.al/UAXwWsO

trib.alThe Navy SEALs behind 'The Terminal List' break down the new season’s sniper battleA sniper battle that highlights the new season starring Chris Pratt was the creation of three former SEAL snipers

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Soldiers are using the Army’s new dining halls ‘exponentially’ more, official says trib.al/sPo1LAd

trib.alSoldiers are using the Army's new dining halls 'exponentially' more, official saysArmy officials say meal card use is up at the new dining halls, and they’re looking to expand some programs.

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Army wants to test and field new drone defenses in under six months trib.al/2l5BVyJ

trib.alArmy wants to test and field new drone defenses in under six monthsThe Army plans to test new counter-drone defenses in Morocco in 2027, aiming to get approved systems to soldiers within 180 days.

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Rappel demonstrations are risky, but common among elite units trib.al/Dd6iRSQ

trib.alRappel demonstrations are risky, but common among elite unitsThe football stadium demo that killed an Air Force member Saturday was a tragedy, but similar events in front of large crowds are common.

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Pete Hegseth’s plan to restore Confederate memorial at Arlington expected to cost taxpayers $9 million trib.al/uCMInvR

trib.alPete Hegseth's plan to restore Confederate memorial at Arlington expected to cost taxpayers $9 millionArlington National Cemetery officials say Pete Hegseth's plan to restore a Confederate memorial will cost taxpayers an estimated $9 million.

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Why the Army only has one Security Force Assistance Brigade left trib.al/2iF9yon

trib.alWhy the Army only has one Security Force Assistance Brigade leftThe Army has shuttered almost all of its Security Force Assistance Brigades except for one focused on training allies in the Pacific.

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Airman who died in football game rappelling incident identified trib.al/fF1V6Dg

trib.alAirman who died in football game rappelling incident identifiedTech. Sgt. Ian Patterson, with 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, died Saturday after falling to the ground at a football game.

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National Guardsman shot while breaking up fight in DC trib.al/ECqE5hR

trib.alNational Guardsman shot while breaking up fight in DCA National Guardsman deployed to Washington, D.C., was shot late Sunday while trying to break up a fight. The alleged suspect was also shot.

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The Army’s main long-range missile battery in Europe fires new weapon for the first time trib.al/1WSEtho

trib.alThe Army's main long-range missile battery in Europe fires new weapon for the first timeSoldiers with 3rd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, one of the Army’s Typhon batteries, tested out the missile platform.

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Airman dies after rappelling accident at UTSA-Navy football game trib.al/tOlRd2S

trib.alAirman dies after rappelling accident at UTSA-Navy football gameMembers of 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2 were taking part in a pregame demonstration when a service member fell to the ground.

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Pentagon’s wireless services left locations, data exposed, watchdog finds trib.al/53OQQfB

trib.alPentagon’s wireless services left locations, data exposed, watchdog findsAn inspector general report found vulnerabilities with a large military wireless contract left locations and personnel open to being tracked.

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Marine Corps establishes its first medium-range missile battalion trib.al/3whj5r4

trib.alMarine Corps establishes its first medium-range missile battalion1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division is trading in howitzers for anti-ship missiles as part of a force overhaul.

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What would special operations forces do in a really big war? trib.al/hi3b0JS

trib.alWhat would special operations forces do in a really big war?The leaders of the Army’s 22,000-person special operations command are planning what their small units will do in a large-scale war.

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Hundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin America trib.al/dwd7nqg

trib.alHundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin AmericaThe surge of conventional forces into the region comes as the U.S. expands operations against drug traffickers in South America.

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Army releases rare account of soldiers surviving Iranian missile attack and how life has changed back home trib.al/7lycVsz

trib.alArmy releases rare account of soldiers surviving Iranian missile attack and how life has changed back homeThree Purple Heart recipients recount surviving an Iranian missile attack, helping wounded soldiers and adjusting to life back home.

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Korean War soldier’s grave exposed to the elements at Louisiana cemetery for years trib.al/f0VdHXR

trib.alKorean War soldier's grave exposed to the elements at Louisiana cemetery for yearsPhotos show a Korean War soldier's grave marker beside an exposed casket at a neglected Louisiana cemetery with years of documented decay.

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Over 200 troops have been awarded Purple Hearts during the Iran war trib.al/QNIRvI9

trib.alOver 200 troops have been awarded Purple Hearts during the Iran warAccording to numbers provided by the military services, 202 troops have received the award for combat injuries, most of them in the Army.

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The Army’s barracks plan hinges on cheaper buildings with shorter lifespans trib.al/xyuwY4a

trib.alThe Army's barracks plan hinges on cheaper buildings with shorter lifespansThe Army wants cheaper, replaceable barracks, but that has raised concerns that soldiers will end up in rooms that fall apart faster.

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Trump reverses Pentagon’s plan to livestream Hasan execution trib.al/xxGNXaG

trib.alTrump reverses Pentagon's plan to livestream Hasan executionPresident Donald Trump announced that the execution would still happen by firing squad, but would not be livestreamed to the general public.

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Youngest soldier in Army’s Best Squad wanted to win ‘with the guys to my left and right’ trib.al/t3kPHlX

trib.alYoungest soldier in Army’s Best Squad wanted to win ‘with the guys to my left and right’The team of five Army Rangers named Best Squad this week included experienced soldiers and one so new he had yet to earn a Ranger tab.

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How the Army’s training ‘crucible’ bases are changing trib.al/klFku9X

trib.alHow the Army’s training ‘crucible’ bases are changingIn Germany, skies fill with thousands of drones, and soldiers in Hawaii and Alaska are likely to see changes as training centers adapt.

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Civilian data centers face massive pushback. Army says they won’t ‘repeat that mistake’ trib.al/4XiQ09J

trib.alCivilian data centers face massive pushback. Army says they won’t ‘repeat that mistake’The top Army official for installations said they want to host roundtables with families living on those bases to discuss data centers.

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Eighth Army awarded South Korean Presidential Unit Citation once again trib.al/Jtyb0Ve

trib.alEighth Army awarded South Korean Presidential Unit Citation once againThe Eighth Army received South Korea’s highest military honor weeks after joint exercises on the peninsula were cut short.

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Here’s what the commander of the 101st Airborne says the future of air assault looks like trib.al/TLfRzBh

trib.alHere’s what the commander of the 101st Airborne says the future of air assault looks likeTask & Purpose spoke to the commander of the 101st Airborne Division to get a sense of how the unit is training for future air assaults.

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Army’s newly named XM1776 howitzer prototype can shoot twice as far as predecessor trib.al/4Zr73PT

trib.alArmy’s newly named XM1776 howitzer prototype can shoot twice as far as predecessorThe XM1776, based on Hanwha’s K9 Mobile Howitzer, can fire twice as far as the M777 and uses a smaller crew.

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Rangers sweep the Army’s Best Squad and Best Soldier awards trib.al/Tngk9tx

trib.alRangers sweep the Army's Best Squad and Best Soldier awardsRangers have now won three of the last four Army-wide Best Squad titles after a team from 3rd Ranger Battalion was named winners Monday.

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In first public speech, acting Army Secretary promotes Amazon-like drone marketplace trib.al/1am13rS

trib.alIn first public speech, acting Army Secretary promotes Amazon-like drone marketplaceThe acting Army Secretary promoted a new website for buying drones on a marketplace that they compared to Amazon.

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Army finds ‘several systematic failures’ contributed to DC helicopter crash trib.al/Nt1aOCL

trib.alArmy finds ‘several systematic failures’ contributed to DC helicopter crashBroken communications, errors with altimeters and bright local lighting played a role in the UH-60L’s collision with a commercial airplane.

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The future of mechanized infantry is charging your phone trib.al/NdB0dUD

trib.alThe future of mechanized infantry is charging your phoneIn the words of one commander in a mechanized unit: “Everything you need lives on your phone," but keeping it powered is another matter.

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US forces mobilize to help Panama after major earthquake trib.al/PIHoEC5

trib.alUS forces mobilize to help Panama after major earthquakeTroops are airlifting in supplies and personnel after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit southern Panama on Friday.

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Pentagon raises Iran war death toll to 21 trib.al/FFqAKiZ

trib.alPentagon raises Iran war death toll to 21The number of U.S. troops who died in the course of the war includes a soldier who died in March and a sailor who died in September.

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Army activates its fourth multi-domain task force trib.al/6bTTYTa

trib.alArmy activates its fourth multi-domain task forceThe 4th Multi-Domain Task Force, based out of Fort Carson, combines long-range missile capabilities with cyber and surveillance personnel.

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Army releases ‘Know the Threat’ guide on Iranian soldiers trib.al/3byUG6n

trib.alArmy releases ‘Know the Threat’ guide on Iranian soldiersThe “quick recognition” infographic, published late last month, is meant to help soldiers learn identifying elements of Iran’s ground forces.

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The “quick recognition” infographic, published late last month, is meant to help soldiers learn identifying elements of Iran’s ground forces.

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National Guard says it is ‘actively addressing’ incident of troops near DC ballot drop box trib.al/iqvkwGW

trib.alNational Guard says it is 'actively addressing' incident of troops near DC ballot drop boxThe District of Columbia’s Board of Elections sent a formal request after National Guard members were spotted near a drop box on Thursday.

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This is the engine Rolls-Royce wants the Army to use for its Bradley replacement trib.al/TkxXH53

trib.alThis is the engine Rolls-Royce wants the Army to use for its Bradley replacementRolls-Royce will be submitting its MTU 8V 199 engine to be used with General Dynamics Land Systems' Wolf XM30 replacement for the M2 Bradley.

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Pentagon confirms first military execution in 60 years will be ‘livestreamed’ trib.al/x6rFWfa

trib.alPentagon confirms first military execution in 60 years will be ‘livestreamed’The military will publicly broadcast the firing squad execution of a death row prisoner, Pentagon oficials have announced.