J.D. Simkins
Executive Editor
J.D. Simkins is the executive editor of Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.
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‘Warfare’ directors talk filmmaking process, capturing combat realism
Directors Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland discuss everything that went into creating one of the most realistic depictions of combat ever made.
White House taps Global Strike head as next Air Force vice chief
The last Air Force vice chief, Gen. Jim Slife, was fired by President Trump in February without explanation as part of a broader purge of military leaders.
VA leaders push back deadline for caregiver program changes to 2028
Some families could have been disenrolled from the caregiver benefits program in late 2026, but will now get two more years of support.
How WWII brought about the normalization of tattoos
Finding an ink-free service member is infinitely more rare than the alternative, but that is a relatively new phenomenon.
House advances $832 billion military budget plan for next fiscal year
Only a few Democrats broke ranks to support the House's spending plan for Defense Department operations in fiscal 2026.
VA’s #2 leader downplays political strife between Congress, department
Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence said his relationship with congressional Democrats is strong, despite public fighting.
VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence: ‘Veterans issues are bipartisan’
Veterans Affairs second in command sees opportunity for compromise and cooperation between Democrats and administration leaders on VA issues.
Navy pledges almost $300 million for new housing on Guam
In May, an independent government watchdog released a report on subpar barracks conditions on Andersen Air Force Base.
Senate panel backs plans for $456 billion VA budget next year
The proposed appropriations package would push total VA spending about $400 billion for the first time.
Senators criticize CFPB for dropping action on troops’ overdraft fees
CFPB ordered Navy Federal in November 2024 to pay $80 million to service members unfairly charged overdraft fees. CFPB terminated that mandate this month.
