Independent military reporting for those who’ve served — and won’t stay silent.
ALEXANDRIA, VA – A former U.S. Army private was sentenced Friday to 15 years in federal prison for two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of sexual abuse stemming from incidents that occurred in 2012 and 2013 while he was stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Austin Blair Johnson, 35, pleaded…
While the rest of his unit are prepping rucks and packing duffel bags, one Army Staff Sergeant won’t be showing up for mobilization — because he’s currently in a Missouri jail for allegedly raping his 9-year-old daughter. SSG Brian Thomas Criss, a Reservist assigned to the 428th Transportation Company (Missouri Army Reserve), was supposed to…
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The Army has identified Pvt. Andrey Okunev, 18, as the soldier who died during a training incident at Fort Leonard Wood on September 5. Okunev was assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment, and was participating in rifle range training when he sustained what officials described as a…
Editor’s Note: The claims made in this article regarding drill sergeant misconduct and the nature of the Soldier’s death are based on statements from an anonymous source who identifies as both an active duty Soldier and family member of a trainee within the affected unit. At the time of publication, The Salty Soldier has not…
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA – A 20-year-old soldier has become the first to be convicted in a disturbing case of barracks sexual assault involving four service members and a female college student—an incident that has shaken the ranks at one of the Army’s largest installations. Pvt. Deron J. Gordon, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 94th…
An 18-year-old U.S. Army Soldier from California was killed Friday, September 5, during a training event on a rifle range at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The Soldier was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment, a unit responsible for conducting Basic Combat Training (BCT) for new recruits. The fatal incident occurred during a scheduled…
Staff Sergeant Arthur Meyerowitz was just 25 years old when his B-24 Liberator was blasted out of the sky over Nazi-occupied France in 1943. Alone, injured, and behind enemy lines, the Bronx-born Jew spent the next six months evading capture by the Gestapo with the help of the French Resistance. Now, his harrowing story is…
A Special Forces noncommissioned officer was convicted this week at Fort Bragg, marking the end of a once-promising military career and adding a deeply personal chapter to a family long tied to elite Army service. Sergeant First Class Nathaniel G. Lightfield, 31, was found guilty—contrary to his plea—of one specification of domestic violence in violation…
After leaving the Army, one female veteran has taken an unexpected and wildly controversial turn in civilian life. What began as lighthearted social media flirting with military-themed content has since evolved into something much more extreme — and more profitable. Once known for her brash online persona and openness about her personal experiences in uniform,…
The U.S. Army has officially fielded a reconnaissance drone to troops that’s been around since before Grand Theft Auto V was released—yes, the same GTA V that came out in 2013 and is still waiting on a sequel that is expected to release in May of 2026. Dubbed the Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS), this “new”…