Stephen Ruiz

Stephen Ruiz is an associate editor and content writer for Military.com. He previously worked for more than 30 years as a copy editor, writer and online producer for various newspapers. Stephen enjoys running, spending time with his girlfriend, Audrea, and dog, Holly, and rooting on his favorite sports teams, including his alma mater, LSU.

Email: stephen.ruiz@military.com.

Latest Articles

The 1912 Army football team was mediocre on the football field but produced some of the best military leaders of the early 20th century.

The Greatest Service Academy Football Lineup in Army-Navy Game History

At least eight of the young men on the 1912 Army football team became highly ranked military officers who led troops in as...

The undefeated 1944 Army football team was led by future Heisman Trophy winners Glenn Davis, left, and Felix ‘Doc’ Blanchard.

80 Years Ago, a Historic Army-Navy Game Captivated a Nation During World War II

The 1944 Army-Navy Game pitted the top two ranked teams in college football that season and raised more than $58 million for...

Three of the Douglas World Cruisers that attempted to become the first to circumnavigate the globe by air are shown in an undated 1924 photo.

How These US Military Aviators Became the First to Fly Around the World

To say the least, the eight Army Air Force aviators who departed Seattle on April 6, 1924, did not face an easy assignment.

Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben helped develop a training program for the Continental Army at Valley Forge during the American Revolution.

How a Prussian Baron Helped the Colonists Win the American Revolution

In a mere two months, soldiers learned how to load and fire a musket quicker and more efficiently, and were introduced to the...

Capt. Roy 'Butch' Voris, a fighter pilot who was credited with shooting down 8 Japanese planes during World War II, served 2 tours as the leader of the Blue Angels.

The World War II Fighter Ace Behind the Navy's Blue Angels

For the rest of his life, the Blue Angel pilots who came after him viewed Voris with reverence -- and with good reason.

The gaping hole, circled, at the 78th and 79th floors of the Empire State Building in New York marks the place where a B-25 Army bomber crashed into the structure on July 28, 1945, killing 14 people. The photo was taken on July 29 after the dense fog that caused the crash dissipated.

The Time an Army Bomber Crashed into the Empire State Building During WWII

The crash, which caused about $1 million in damage (roughly $17.5 million in 2024), represented the first time that an...

Periodontist Theresa Cheng founded Everyone for Veterans in 2017, about a decade after she first began providing free dental care to eligible veterans and their caregivers.

This Dental Nonprofit Will Fix Veterans’ Teeth for Free

Since 2008, nearly 900 veterans and their spouses have had their oral issues through the efforts of Cheng and then E4V.

Shelton 'Ivan' Ware, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, retired as a lieutenant colonel after 32 years of military service.

How This 101-Year-Old Tuskegee Airman Helped Keep the 'Red Ball Express' Running During WWII

Nearly 75% of soldiers assigned to the Red Ball Express were Black, and collectively, they did yeoman's work until the...

Several leis hang around the neck of Elvis Presley after his arrival on March 25, 1961, for a concert to benefit the USS Arizona Memorial Fund.

How Elvis Presley Revitalized Efforts to Build a Pearl Harbor Memorial

Support for a USS Arizona memorial received a huge boost on March 25, 1961, when Elvis Presley performed a benefit concert at...

Most people know Julia Child, here showing off a salade nicoise on Aug. 21, 1978, for her culinary skills, but she also served in the Office of Strategic Services during World War II.

How Julia Child Helped the Navy Develop a Shark Repellent During World War II

While Child was not one of the driving forces behind the U.S. Navy's quest to develop a shark repellent during World War II...

In this image circa 1944, Lt. Archie Williams (2nd from left in front row), who won the 400-meter gold medal at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, was part of the Tuskegee Weather Detachment that served with both the 332nd Fighter Group and 477th Bombardment Group.

How Jesse Owens' Olympic Teammate Kept the Tuskegee Airmen Safe During World War II

Because of their groundbreaking service in World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen were awarded eight Purple Hearts, 14 Bronze...

Mildred Fish-Harnack, a native of Milwaukee, was guillotined on Feb. 16, 1943, by the Nazis for spying.

Why the Only American Killed on Hitler’s Direct Order ‘Couldn’t Turn Her Back on Germany’

When Mildred Fish-Harnack was guillotined on Feb. 16, 1943, she became the only American killed on a direct order from the...

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, who played 2 seasons of college baseball for the Air Force Academy, throws during the 4th inning of a baseball game against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

How the Air Force Academy Molded Paul Skenes into the Biggest Story in Baseball

Coming from a military family, Paul Skenes had a pretty good idea of what awaited him at Basic Cadet Training before his...

Brig. Gen. Charles P. Stone's military career suffered greatly after the Union's humiliating defeat at the Battle of Ball's Bluff in Virginia on Oct. 21, 1861, during the Civil War.

How This 'Most Unfortunate' Civil War General Helped Give America the Statue of Liberty

Charles Pomeroy Stone served as the statue’s chief engineer, and in that capacity, he was in charge of overseeing shipments...

Coast Guard Academy graduate Andre Douglas, shown in a portrait taken on Dec. 3, 2021, was among 10 selected for NASA's 2021 Astronaut Candidate Program.

From the Coast Guard to NASA: How Andre Douglas Became a Rarity Among Astronauts

Since NASA introduced its first group of astronauts, the so-called “Mercury 7,” in 1959, Douglas' selection marked only the...

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Most Popular Military News

Child gets an intravenous gets his intravenous immunoglobulin infusion

Tricare Patients Fear Losing Preferred Health Care Providers Amid Contract Transition

Doctors and patients said they have been caught off guard by the shift from Health Net Federal Services to TriWest Healthcare...

Lessons from the Air Force Kitchen Police: Volunteer for Everything. Even Pots and Pans

When Ed Meagher reported to Air Force basic training on June 15, 1966, he was a 19-year-old college dropout. Despite two...

A fighter jet maneuvers on the deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea.

2 US Navy Pilots Shot Down over Red Sea in Apparent 'Friendly Fire' Incident, US Military Says

Both pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries.

U.S. Marine reenlists during a ceremony on Camp Courtney, Okinawa

How the Marine Corps Is Changing to Keep Talented Marines in the Service

For decades, the Marine Corps incurred a "remarkably high turnover rate" among its first-term Marines as it prioritized, and...

Lights shine inside the U.S. Capitol Building as night falls in Washington.

Troop Pay Safe After Congress Approves Extension of Government Funding

Troop pay is no longer in jeopardy after Congress approved legislation to keep the government funded through mid-March and...

U.S. Army soldiers at Al-Tanf Garrison, Syria

It's Time for US Troops to Leave Syria

"There are roughly 4,500 U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria today, and they represent a potentially significant strategic...

Latest Military Videos

Trump Claims Government Knows What Drones Are

In a far-ranging interview news conference, President-elect Donald Trump said the U.S. government "knows what is happening" with the...

Russian Forces Seen Withdrawing Toward Northern Syrian City of Tartus

A lengthy convoy of Russian military vehicles were seen withdrawing from Latakia toward the Syrian city of Tartus on...

Schumer Calls on US Agencies to Use Advanced Technology to Identify Mysterious Drones

After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey, U.S...

Mother of American Found in Syria: 'We All Want You Home'

An American citizen who disappeared seven months ago into former Syrian President Bashar Assad’s notorious prison system said he...

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

A photograph of the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint against Joshua James.

Army Veteran Sentenced to Probation for Milestone Conviction in Oath Keepers Sedition Plot

The judge described Joshua James as a “true American hero” for his military service and praised him for having the courage to...

U.S. Army soldiers conduct a tactical movement in Northeast Syria

Pentagon Reveals 2,000 US Troops Are in Syria – More than Double What Was Previously Reported

In a surprise announcement, the Pentagon revealed that it has not been offering an accurate count of how many U.S. troops it...

Navy News

Rare Corruption Case Against 4-Star Admiral Runs Headlong into Mistress Testimony Issues, Pentagon Culture

The witness in question is a woman with whom Burke was having an affair and who, according to court filings, went to...

tunnels of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, near Pearl Harbor

Defense Officials Fined $5,000 for Skipping Hawaii Red Hill Water Contamination Meeting

The Environmental Protection Agency says the military violated a federal consent decree when officials chose not to attend a...

Air Force News

NORAD Tracks Santa center at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs

Is the NORAD Santa Tracker Safe from a Government Shutdown?

NORAD's annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War, predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics.

A sign at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

Air Force Tears Down Historic Wright-Patterson House After $1.2M Renovation

A little over a decade after the Air Force spent some $1.2 million to renovate a former officer's home on Wright-Patterson...

Space Force News

President-elect Trump and Elon Musk at a SpaceX Starship rocket launch

As Space Force Marks 5-Year Anniversary, Republicans and Trump Aim to Take it Higher

In a month, the president who created the Space Force will be back in the White House, and one of the service's biggest...

Chief Master Sgt. Stephen Moore, senior enlisted leader, 138th Space Control Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Air National Guard, secures equipment aboard a C-17 Globemaster.

Senate OKs Move of Space-Focused National Guard Units. Colorado Governor Says Air Force Wouldn't Negotiate.

The Senate approved the annual defense bill Wednesday that moves National Guard units into the active-duty Space Force after...

Marine Corps News

CH-53E Super Stallion at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Marines Safe After Super Stallion Fire Caused Emergency Landing, Engulfing Helicopter in Flames

A Marine Corps helicopter's engine caught fire, forcing its crew to make an emergency landing near Camp Pendleton in Southern...