Joanna Guldin

Joanna Guldin is the community engagement manager at Military.com. She has worked in the military community for more than a decade, and her writing has been featured in national and international publications. She lives in Pennsylvania with her Navy veteran husband.

Latest Articles

Fan favorite R. Lee Ermey stars in the little-known Australian movie ‘The Siege of Firebase Gloria.’

The Best Rarely Seen War Movies, According to Service Members and Veterans

These are the best rarely seen war movies, according to a Military.com survey of U.S. service members and veterans.

An airman from the 121st Air Refueling Wing arrive home from deployment to a crowd of family and friends at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio

What's the Dumbest Thing Someone's Said to You During Your Spouse's Deployment?

Deployments and military separations can be fraught with emotions, especially if you're experiencing one as a military spouse...

nion soldiers entrenched along the west bank of the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg in the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863.

The Other Christmas Truce

Cue the Ken Burns documentary music: We have a Civil War story for you.

Capt. Andrew Cohen, a chaplain, stands behind a lit menorah during the 8th day of Hanukkah at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Dec. 28, 2008. (Senior Airman Jason Epley/U.S. Air Force photo)

Here’s How the US Military Celebrates Hanukkah

Here’s what Hanukkah festivities look like on base, at war, on ships and everywhere in between.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brian Boase, dressed as Santa, waves to Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, before being dropped off by a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.

11 Memorable Military Holiday Stories, as Told by Service Members and Veterans

We asked Military.com readers to share their most memorable holiday stories while in uniform, and they did not disappoint.

Cpl. Larry G. Nabb finds a moment of peace in front of a decorated Christmas tree in December 1968 at Quang Tri Combat Base, Vietnam.

13 Vietnam-Era Holiday Stories to Remember, as Told by Veterans

Christmas in the military is certainly different than celebrating the holidays as a civilian, and Christmas during war is an...

Marines and sailors from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, enter the Boondocker training area at Marine Corps Base Hawaii after a 9-mile hike, Dec. 19, 2011.

Tell Us About Your Most Memorable Holiday Spent in Uniform

There may be no place like home for the holidays, but if you served in the U.S. military, chances are you’ve probably spent...

Staff Sgt. Shawn McGovern sings 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,' accompanied by the Grinch himself, during the 282nd Army Band's holiday performance in Columbia, S.C.

The Little-Known War Stories Behind Your Favorite Christmas Songs

Criscrossing decades, continents and conflict, we’ve collected some of the most intriguing stories behind a variety of...

Marines of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, take a rest on rocky terrain near Dong Ha during Operation Hastings in Vietnam, July 1966.

12 Vietnam-Era Thanksgivings to Remember, as Told by Veterans

Military.com readers share their Vietnam-era Thanksgiving stories.

U.S. soldiers at Forward Operating Base Finley-Shields, Afghanistan, sit down for a mid-afternoon Thanksgiving meal.

9 Memorable Thanksgivings on Deployment, as Told by Service Members and Veterans

We asked Military.com readers to share their most memorable Thanksgivings while on deployment, and they did not disappoint.

Sgt. Michael Carter, a U.S. Army Reserve supply sergeant, takes a bite of food during the command staff's Thanksgiving luncheon at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Tell Us About Your Most Memorable Thanksgiving on Deployment

For deployed service members, Thanksgiving can look very different from celebrations at home.

Veterans enjoy a free meal at Golden Corral, in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Veteran's Day, Nov. 9, 2013.

The Best Veterans Day Deals and Discounts, According to Veterans

Raking in the savings and freebies on everything from retail to restaurants has become a much-anticipated Veterans Day...

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Tony Galloway, 81st Diagnostic and Therapeutics Squadron radiology technician, holds a plate of food during the Air Force Assistance Fund burger burn at the Crotwell Track on Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.

What’s Your Favorite Veterans Day Discount?

Beyond honoring former military members for their service, Veterans Day has become an all-out competition between businesses...

U.S. Army soldiers patrol through the night during Decisive Action Rotation 16-04 at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif.

9 Spooky Military Ghost Stories, as Told by Service Members and Veterans

We asked Military.com readers to share their favorite military-related ghost stories, and they did not disappoint.

'Fixed Bayonets!' is a 1951 film about the Korean War that 'shows the diversity of the military at the time,' according to one Military.com reader.

The Best Korean War Movies, According to Service Members and Veterans

These are the best Korean War movies of the past seven decades, according to a Military.com survey of U.S. service members...

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Most Popular Military News

Troop Pardons Set to Complicate Military's Muddled Response to Jan. 6

As Trump prepares to take office Monday, he has vowed to move quickly on a key campaign promise to pardon many, if not all...

Before January 10, 2025 this display of pregame patriotism was actually against Defense Department policy. (U.S. Marine Corps/ Sgt. Lillian Stephens)

Service Members Are No Longer Banned from Displaying the American Flag Horizontally at Major Events

It might come as a surprise, but U.S. service members weren't technically allowed to unfurl giant U.S. flags at major events...

Army Secretary Christine Wormuth at Fort Jackson

In Her Final Days in Office, Army Secretary Formally Establishes Service's Command Review Program

The service's Command Assessment Program was established to remove bias from the selection process for command billets.

Matthew Livelsberger's Widow Breaks Silence, Refutes 'Misinformation About My Family'

The widow of Matthew Livelsberger — the Colorado Springs Green Beret who died by suicide in a rented Tesla Cybertruck seconds...

The Battle over Veterans’ Health Care: How the Republican Majority Hopes to Reshape the VA

With the new Congress sworn in and President-elect Trump poised for his second inauguration, Republicans have queued up a...

Sen. Joni Ernst speaks at the SASC confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth

Combat Veteran, Sexual Assault Survivor Senator Backs Hegseth for Defense Secretary

In an interview with a radio station in her home state, followed by a written statement, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, announced...

Latest Military Videos

President-Elect Donald Trump Pays Respects To Former President Jimmy Carter in the Capitol Rotunda

President-elect Donald Trump, who has alternated among praising, criticizing and even mocking Jimmy Carter, came Wednesday to the Capitol...

Ukraine President Says Deadly Russian Strike On Zaporizhzhia ‘Absolutely Deliberate'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia's latest attack on Zaporizhzhia, which killed at least 13 people and injured around...

Why Greenland? Remote but Resource-Rich Island Occupies Key Position in Warming World

Remote, icy and mostly pristine, Greenland plays an outsized role in the daily weather experienced by billions of people...

Denmark Prime Minister Responds After Trump Refuses To Rule Out Taking Control of Greenland

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the US Denmark’s “most important and closest ally" in response to President-elect Donald...

Investigations and Features

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

A patch in the home of retired missileer Paul Hunke

They Stood Sentry over America's Nuclear Missile Arsenal. Many Worry It Gave Them Cancer.

For years, it was an open secret among missileers that the Cold War-era missile alert facilities and launch control centers...

Army News

Veterans Affairs signage. (Dreamstime/TNS)

Veteran’s Ex-Wife Tried Hiding Divorce After He Died to Steal His VA Benefits, Feds Say

A U.S. Army veteran’s ex-wife insisted she was his surviving spouse after he died so she could steal his military benefits...

Bob Uecker greets the crowd at Miller Park stadium in Milwaukee before a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks in October 2011. (Department of Defense/Courtesy of Steve Paluch)

Bob Uecker, Army Veteran and Longtime Baseball Announcer, Dies at 90

Before becoming a Baseball Hall of Famer, Uecker played the sport in high school and in the Army before landing a gig in the...

Navy News

This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa.

Yemen's Houthis Signal They'll Now Limit Their Attacks in the Red Sea Corridor to Israeli Ships

The Houthis' announcement, made in an email sent to shippers, likely won't be enough to encourage global firms to reenter the...

Signage is seen at the CNN Center in Atlanta

Florida Jury Says CNN Defamed Navy Veteran in Story About Endangered Afghans

The jury awarded Zachary Young $5 million in damages and is now being asked to determine whether CNN must pay additional...

Air Force News

Dr. Troy E. Meink, principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office

Trump Names Former KC-135 Navigator, Spy Agency Official to Be Next Air Force Secretary

Trump said on social media that Troy Meink, currently the principal director of the National Reconnaissance Office, was his...

Troop Pay Is Competitive with Civilian Workers, Pentagon Finds in Quadrennial Review

The Quadrenial Review of Military Compensation was unveiled and reported that "the department's compensation package is...

Space Force News

Trump Names Former KC-135 Navigator, Spy Agency Official to Be Next Air Force Secretary

Trump said on social media that Troy Meink, currently the principal director of the National Reconnaissance Office, was his...

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall presents the keynote address

Air Force Secretary Kendall's Parting Advice: Military Needs a 'Much More Powerful Space Force'

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has less than a week left on the job and, on Monday, he took the opportunity to offer his...

Marine Corps News

Gen. Eric M. Smith departs an UH-Y at Marine Corps Base Camp Schwab on Okinawa

'Going the Wrong Way:' Booting Marines from Okinawa Could Embolden China, Commandant Says

Gen. Eric Smith said the planned transfer of Okinawa-based Marines to Guam in the coming years will distance the force from a...