Gina Harkins

Gina Harkins previously covered the Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard for Military.com. She has covered troops and their families for nearly a decade, reporting from the U.S., Central and South America, and at sea. Before joining Military.com, Gina was a longtime reporter and managing editor for the independent Marine Corps Times. Her story on two recruits trapped at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina was runner up for the 2013 Military Reporters and Editors award for domestic military coverage. She holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and studied political science and international relations in her undergrad at Northeastern Illinois University.

Latest Articles

Why the USS Cole's Commander Pushed to Keep His Crew Together After Deadly Bombing

Seventeen crew members were killed and dozens more hurt in the late-morning blast after explosives ripped a 40-by-40-foot...

Military News

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Most Popular Military News

Army Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis serving in Afghanistan. (I Have Your Back/Facebook)

New York Soldier Killed in Afghanistan Will Finally Receive Medal of Honor

Advocates pushed for years for Michael Ollis to receive the nation's highest honor. On Tuesday, their dream became a reality.

The West Pittston United Methodist Church, where hundreds of residents and veterans gathered to honor U.S. Navy veteran Jeffrey Kalnas, who died without immediate family, ensuring he was not buried alone. (Facebook)

Hundreds Turn Out to Honor Navy Veteran Who Would Have Been Buried Alone

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An enlisted soldier's rank insignia on a uniform jacket.

Why Some Disabled Veterans Can't Get Both VA Disability and Military Retirement Pay

Military service members planning medical retirement face a critical decision point at the 20-year mark.

Cher Ami, the heroic messenger pigeon who saved the Lost Battalion in WWI. (Army Photo)

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First Black Marine Medal of Honor Recipientv

This 20-Year-Old Sacrificed His Life and Became the First Black Marine Medal of Honor Recipient

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Latest Military Videos

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US Forces Transfer IS Prisoners from Syria to Iraq by Buses

US forces transfer IS prisoners from Syria to Iraq by buses.

Investigations and Features

In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide

Marine Corps drill instructors are a national symbol of discipline. But for some, their imposing persona belies a dark...

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...

Army News

A KC-135 refueling aircraft flies over the Dale Mabry Highway entrance to Macdill Air Force Base in Tampa. A base employee who shared classified information with a woman to impress her learned his fate on Tuesday morning in federal court.

Ex-Army Colonel at Macdill Shared Classified Battle Plans to Woo Woman

A retired Army combat veteran who worked as a high-level civilian contractor at Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base...

Fort Leonard Wood Missouri Army Spc. Wooster Rancy sentenced to life in prison in the murder of Sgt. Sarah Roque in 2024.

Missouri US Army Soldier Sentenced to Life for Murder of Sergeant

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Navy News

Navy Leader Wants to Move Faster and Leaner Instead of Turning to Aircraft Carriers in Crisis

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Air Force News

Military spouse Erica Thompson and her children are photographed inside a Washington lawmaker's office. (Erica Thompson)

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A military spouse from Alabama told Military.com that her children are seeing what old-fashioned advocacy can do to fix...

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The process of taking and performing well on a swimming test in the military requires technique first, conditioning second...

Space Force News

POLARIS at NATO Exercise REPMUS 25 in October 2025. POLARIS is a small, gimballed free space optical communication solution for naval vessels and unmanned surface vessels. (Photo source: NATO DIANA, courtesy of Astrolight)

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Marine Corps News

Then-Marine Recon team leader Brad Colbert rides in a Humvee during the early days of the Iraq invasion in 2003. Photo credit: Evan Wright.

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Lieutenant General Karsten "Hazel" Heckl leads the Combat Development and Integration and Marine Corps Warfighting Lab Marines and sailors on a farewell run, Aug. 8, 2024, aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. (Matthew Krogull)

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Coast Guard News

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The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) transits the Philippine Sea. Stockdale is underway and conducting operations in international waters as part of a dual carrier strike force exercise. The U.S. Navy has patrolled the Indo-Pacific region routinely for more than 70 years promoting regional security, stability and prosperity. (U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Connor D. Loessin)

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