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

Get the Military Insider Newsletter

Get the latest on pay updates, benefit changes and award-winning military content. Right in your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice.

Thank you for subscribing!

View more newsletters on our Subscriptions page.

One last step.

Verify your free subscription by following the instructions in the email sent to:

Most Popular Military News

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover receives a Medal of Honor during the State of the Union Address, Feb. 24, 2026 (AP Photo/Alex Brandon).

Two Heroes, Two Medals of Honor: Inside Trump’s State of the Union Tribute

Trump awarded two Medals of Honor during his State of the Union — one to a wounded helicopter pilot, another to a 100-year...

An F/A-18E Super Hornet streaks across an aircraft carrier flight deck.

Amid Biggest US Military Buildup Since 2003, What Service Members and Families Need to Do Right Now

Nobody knows yet whether the current buildup will result in a strike, a deal or a prolonged standoff. What you can control is...

Repainted in USAF markings and insignia, the MiG-15b is under guard and awaiting flight-testing at Okinawa. (Wikimedia Commons)

The US Failed to Capture a MiG-15. Then a North Korean Defector Delivered One

A secret US operation spent months trying to obtain a Soviet MiG-15 during the Korean War. A North Korean defector who never...

Admiral William J. Fallon attending Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Change of Command ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti 8 Feb., 2008 (U.S. Navy Photo)

25 Years After 9/11: Former CENTCOM Commander’s Strategic Warning on What America Still Gets Wrong

The only U.S. officer to lead PACOM and CENTCOM warns in his memoir that America chases short-term wins over strategy—risking...

Why You Didn’t Get the Job: Understanding How Companies Hire

In today’s turbulent, unpredictable and frustrating hiring market, job-seekers are seemingly doing everything right and...

Latest Military Videos

Vance Responds to Cuba Killing Four People Aboard a Florida Speedboat

Vance responds to Cuba killing four people aboard a Florida speedboat.

US, Thailand, South Korea and Singapore Conduct Amphibious Operations Training

The United States, Thailand, South Korea and Singapore conduct amphibious operations training.

US Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford Docked on Greek Island of Crete

US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford docked at naval base on Greek island of Crete.

Trump Awards a Coast Guard Member with a Medal for Rescuing Flood Victims

Trump awards a U.S. Coast Guard member with a medal for rescuing Texas flood victims.

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 stack of bills looks blurry, as though it's in the process of being flipped through, with one president's face in focus.

Army Continuation Pay Under the Blended Retirement System Is Changing

If you're a mid-career soldier enrolled in the Blended Retirement System (BRS), the rules around your continuation pay just...

Two Heroes, Two Medals of Honor: Inside Trump’s State of the Union Tribute

Trump awarded two Medals of Honor during his State of the Union — one to a wounded helicopter pilot, another to a 100-year...

Navy News

A cleric talks on his phone as he walks in front of domestically-built missiles during an annual rally marking 1979 Islamic Revolution at the Azadi, or Freedom, square in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iran Says Deal ‘Within Reach’ as Talks Resume and US, Israel Brace for Uncertainty

Iran says a nuclear deal with the United States is within reach as indirect talks resume in Oman and Geneva, even as...

Thanks But No Thanks: Trump’s Hospital Ship Plan Provokes Defense of Greenland Health Care System

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would deploy a hospital ship to Greenland, alleging that many people there are sick and...

Air Force News

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over the ttack before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/David Graham)

Ex-US Air Force Pilot Arrested, Claimed to Have Provided Training to China

This latest case mirrors similar criminal charges issued against another U.S. military vet almost a decade ago.

Clouds form over a U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft assigned to the 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, at Joint Base San Antonio-Kelly Field Annex, Texas, Aug. 29, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Preston Cherry)

NATO's Secret Aircraft Acquisition Process After Boeing E-7 Wedgetail Fallout

The U.S. pulled out of NATO negotiations. Documents may show NATO's new line of aircraft acquisition.

Space Force News

A Vulcan rocket carrying the USSF-87 mission successfully launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Feb. 12, 2026. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sergeant Samuel Becker)

The Ultimate High Ground: Space in US Defense Strategy

The 2026 Defense Strategy elevates space as the new high ground. In an exclusive interview, Stephen Kitay explains how AI and...

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)

Russian Satellite Activity Exposes Gaps in Satellite Communications Security

Military.com spoke with Astrolight CEO Laurynas Mačiulis on why laser-based optical communications offer a resilient...

Marine Corps News

Ross F. Gray, a Marine from Alabama, earned the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on Iwo Jima. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Marine Who Crossed a Minefield Unarmed to Wipe Out Japanese Defenses on Iwo Jima

Sgt. Ross F. Gray carried a satchel charge though a minefield while under heavy Japanese fire. What followed became one of...

Football exhibit at the National Museum of the Marine Corps (Photo by Robert Billard, Military.com)

Marine Corps Museum Unveils Football Exhibit: Honoring a Winning Legacy

From wartime roots to the gridiron: Uncover the hidden history of Marine Corps football, where Leathernecks produced 21 NFL...

Coast Guard News

U.S. Coast Guard HU-16E (Albatross) amphibious rescue plane (Tail Number - 7247) on display at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, NC on November 11, 2003. (USCG photo by Joseph P. Cirone, USCGAUX)

Coast Guard Pushes Back As Flight Data Sparks Scrutiny

The Coast Guard confirmed it conducted 886 domestic migrant transfer flights over two fiscal years while insisting search-and...

The U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security partner agencies interdict a suspected maritime smuggling vessel during coordinated operations south of San Clemente Island

Coast Guard Intercepts 6 Vessels, Apprehends 82 Suspected Migrants

Six vessels suspected of maritime smuggling and transporting a total of 82 migrants were intercepted in separate incidents, U...