Start with the record, not the rumor

What does a military and national security reporter cover?

A military and national security reporter covers the armed forces, defense spending and weapons, deployments, veterans, and the threats the government says it is guarding against, including terrorism. The beat runs from local bases and veterans' benefits to wars and arms treaties.

Get the official statement from the service branch or agency, then test it against documents, records and people who were there. Much of the record is classified or delayed, so say what you could not confirm.

Start here

Service branches

Official news and press contacts. Treat these as the government's account and ask for the underlying documents.

• U.S. Army: Official home page of the U.S. Army, with Army news and statements.
• U.S. Navy Press Office: Navy press releases and media contacts.
• U.S. Marine Corps: Official Marine Corps site with current news.
• U.S. Coast Guard News: Official Coast Guard news site with releases and stories from Coast Guard units.

Veterans and service records

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Federal agency for veterans' benefits and health care.
• National Personnel Records Center: Military Personnel Records: National Archives repository for personnel and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans. Explains how to request records and what was lost in the 1973 fire.
• Military.com: Commercial site with military news, benefits guides and veteran job listings.

Veterans service organizations

These groups help veterans file claims and lobby for them in Washington. Quote them as interested parties.

• The American Legion (Advocacy): Wartime veterans service organization chartered by Congress. Advocates for service members, veterans and families.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (Advocacy): War veterans service organization. Assistance programs and lobbying on veterans' benefits.
• Disabled American Veterans (Advocacy): Nonprofit serving disabled veterans, with local offices and help with benefits.
• AMVETS (Advocacy): Veterans organization that helps file VA claims, runs career centers and lobbies in Washington.
• Vietnam Veterans of America (Advocacy): Membership group for Vietnam-era veterans. Claims assistance and legislative action.

Terrorism and declassified records

Archives of released documents and older research collections. Check the date on each page, since some are frozen in time.

• National Security Archive: Terrorism and U.S. Policy: Electronic Briefing Book No. 55. Declassified documents on terrorism and Osama bin Laden, published in September 2001.
• National Security Archive: U.S. nuclear deployments abroad: Electronic Briefing Book No. 20. Declassified history of U.S. nuclear weapons kept in other countries during the Cold War.

Defense research and policy

• RAND: Nonprofit research institution. Reports on national security, international affairs and other policy areas.
• Arms Control Association (Advocacy): Membership group that promotes arms control. Analysis of treaties and nuclear policy.
• Journal of Electromagnetic Dominance (Trade group): Publication of the Association of Old Crows covering electronic warfare, radar and signals intelligence.

Reporting checks for this beat

• Is the statement from the service branch backed by a document, and did you ask for it?
• Have you confirmed a person's rank, service dates and awards through records, not just their own account?
• Is a casualty, cost or troop number official, estimated or leaked, and what date does it cover?
• Does a terrorism label come from a government designation, an official charge or a commentator?
• Who funds the think tank or trade publication you are citing, and does it have a stake in the outcome?
• Could a detail you publish endanger troops, sources or operations, and have you weighed that against the public interest?

Links were checked in September 2026 for a live page from the same organization. Advocacy groups, trade groups and party sites are labeled and should be treated as interested parties. Verify ownership, date and context before publication.