Matthew Cox

Matthew Cox has been a defense reporter since 1998. During his time with Military.com he covered all the services, with a close eye on Army weapons development and procurement, body armor testing, camouflage, ammunition as well as readiness and training issues. He previously worked for 12 years for Army Times. He traveled to Afghanistan and Iraq numerous times from 2002 to 2008, covering Stryker and light infantry units in combat. 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.

Latest Articles

Paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, conduct the Army Combat Fitness Test at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Oct. 2, 2019. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Cody Parsons)

Army Considering Pass/Fail Option on ACFT for Sergeant Promotions

The Army may do away with making sergeant promotions dependent on high Army Combat Fitness Test scores.

Soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division participate in a large-scale air assault training exercise January 19, 2018 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky (U.S. Army/Sgt. 1st Class Andrew McClure)

After Almost 5 Years, Army's 101st Airborne Will Return to Full Air Assault Power

U.S. Army aviation officials have launched an effort to restore full air assault capability to the 101st Airborne Division.

First 11 Soldiers Get Army's Newest Skill Badge

The U.S. Army recently recognized 11 soldiers for helping create the Expert Soldier Badge, or ESB, test program.

Soldiers of the 1-294th Infantry Regiment, Guam Army National Guard, start the two-mile run portion of a diagnostic Army Combat Fitness Test in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt on September 10, 2019. (U.S. Army/Capt. Mark Scott)

Men and Women Seeing Different Failure Rates on Army's Gender-Neutral Fitness Test

The Army general in charge of the service's new combat fitness test said he's confident it will remain gender-neutral.

The U.S. Army’s new Integrated Head Protection System. (Military.com/Matthew Cox)

Army Secretly Fields Lighter Helmet that Offers More Ballistic Protection

The Army recently fielded a small number of helmets that offer increased protection against high-performance sniper rounds.

FILE – Then Army Under Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy outlined the Army's key priorities for Army Futures Command and its potential impact to the force during the opening ceremony at the 2018 Association of the U.S. Army Global Force Symposium and Exhibition, March 26, 2018. (U.S. Army/ Devon Suits)

Army Secretary Says It's OK for Soldiers to Sound Off on Syria Withdrawal

The administration's recent move to endorse a Turkish incursion into Syria sparked outrage among some U.S. Special Forces.

A team made up of Textron Systems, Howe & Howe and FLIR Systems, Inc. is debuting the new Ripsaw M5 unmanned vehicle it intends to offer for the U.S. Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle effort at the 2019 Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting. (Courtesy Textron)

Meet Ripsaw M5, Textron's Unmanned Battle Wagon

"You are going to need to have smaller robots come out of this robot for [situational awareness] purposes."

Marines train aboard an amphibious assault ship. (Marine Corps/U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Abraham Becerra (right), a scout sniper team leader with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), performs a speed reload with an M4A1 carbine during an immediate action drill aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer. (Marine Corps/Dalton Swanbeck)

Drill Sergeant to SMA: Non-Grunt Army Recruits Need Marine Combat Training

The new sergeant major of the Army was told that non-combat arms recruits need something like Marine Combat Training.

Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta dragging a wounded comrade and firing at the enemy in the mountains of Afghanistan from AUSA Medal of Honor: Sal Giunta. (AUSA)

New Graphic Novels Honor Hero Medal of Honor Recipients

"Medal of Honor: Audie Murphy" and "Medal of Honor: Sal Giunta" will be featured in a new book .

Mechanical Engineer Jason Pusey inspects actuators on a robotic dog prototype called LLAMA during an experimental integration event. (Image courtesy CCDC Army Research Laboratory)

Robot Army Working Dog May One Day Accompany Soldiers into Combat

Army scientists are working to design a near-fully autonomous robot capable of going anywhere a soldier can go.

Army M1 Tanks Are Getting the Ability to Locate and Destroy Enemy Missiles

Ultimately, four brigades of tanks will get the new system.

Master Sgt. Matthew Williams (U.S. Army)

Active-Duty Green Beret to Receive Medal of Honor for Heroic Afghanistan Rescue

In an Oct. 30 ceremony, President Trump will present the Medal of Honor to Master Sgt. Matthew Williams.

Sgt. 1st Class Bryson Briles (left) and Staff Sgt. Jorge Flechas enjoy a relaxing moment vaping before heading to class at U.S. Army Recruiting and Retention College Sept. 5, 2019. Briles said he vapes as a safer alternative to cigarettes. Flechas said he vapes for recreational purposes. Health officials say they suspect the more than 200 recent deaths and serious illnesses across a 15-state area in the United States are the result of vaping. (Eric Pilgrim/Army)

Army Confirms Two Soldiers Being Treated for Severe Lung Injuries from Vaping

The cigarette alternative is now responsible for 18 deaths, officials say.

Staff Sgt. Gabriel Wright, a signals intelligence analyst with the 780th Military intelligence Brigade, grades the Hand-Release Push-Up event May 17, 2019, as part of Army Combat Fitness Test Level II Grader validation training, held at Fort Meade, Maryland. (Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Osvaldo Equite)

Army Unveils Major Changes to New Combat Fitness Test

Some standards changed, and troops in initial military training must pass the test as a graduation requirement after Oct. 1.

Here's What Soldiers on a Permanent Profile Need to Know About the ACFT

The Army released new guidelines for injured soldiers on permanent profile to follow when they take an altered ACFT.

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