Lydia Gordon

Three U.S. soldiers in Germany were turned over to military police this week after allegedly hurling dozens of lit fireworks from a moving car, according to local Bavarian media reports. (from @Lydia_Stripes) stripes.com/branches/army/…

Gas prices are climbing rapidly at U.S. military bases in Germany, home to the largest U.S. military presence in Europe, as the effects of the Iran war push global fuel costs higher. (from @Lydia_Stripes) stripes.com/theaters/europ…

A cost-saving innovation cutting Marine Corps repair expenses and eliminating months-long supply delays didn't come from a major program office. It started with a junior enlisted Marine, whose inventiveness is keeping costs down and troops in contact. stripes.com/branches/marin…

‘Toughest man alive’: 51-year-old former Navy SEAL quietly reenlists in Air Force stripes.com/branches/air_f…

The Army’s ongoing push to upgrade its handheld firepower isn’t slowing down, as it prepares to introduce yet another new rifle later this year, the service confirmed. The service only standardized the M7 as its primary rifle last year, but the XM8 is not intended to replace it. Instead, it is being developed as a companion weapon. Learn more: stripes.com/branches/army/…

A French aircraft carrier’s location was recently exposed in the Mediterranean Sea — not through classified intelligence channels, but via a fitness app. stripes.com/theaters/europ…

FROM THE OMBUDSMAN | Stars and Stripes remains committed to reporting, editing and delivering the news in wartime despite the risks and challenges. It must continue to do so with editorial independence. stripes.com/opinion/2026-0…

BREAKING | Israel launched a daylight attack Saturday on Iran’s capital, with a cloud of smoke rising from the city's downtown. The apparent strike happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. stripes.com/theaters/middl…

BREAKING | Explosions heard in Bahrain as Iran says it launched counterstrike on US naval base stripes.com/theaters/middl…

UPDATE | Shortly after the U.S. announced major combat operations in Iran this morning, military personnel and residents in the region were warned about an incoming missile attack. Within minutes, explosions could be heard across the Bahrain. stripes.com/theaters/middl…

BREAKING | Pentagon authorizes departures for families in Bahrain as US launches ‘major combat operations’ in Iran stripes.com/theaters/middl…

Former Marine sergeant, Tyler Valenzia, 27, accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl over the course of about 10 months, according to filings made Feb. 10 in a U.S. district court in Virginia. stripes.com/theaters/us/20…

Military snipers from across Europe are taking their best shot this week in a revamped U.S. Army-sponsored competition in Germany. But the competition, dubbed Operation Serpent Dawn, demands far more than just expert marksmanship. Read more here from @Lydia_Stripes on site at the Grafenwoehr Training Area: stripes.com/branches/army/…

ANALYSIS | The military could invoke broadly written laws to punish service members who criticize slain political activist Charlie Kirk on social media, though it remains unclear whether such cases would hold up at courts-martial. (from @Lydia_Stripes) stripes.com/theaters/us/20…

The rolling hills of Bavaria this week showcased new strategies for integrating European allies into a U.S. Army artillery brigade’s ranks with the aim of making NATO firepower more formidable. (from @Lydia_Stripes) stripes.com/branches/army/…

WATCH: The USAEURAF Best Squad Competition is underway. Stay tuned to see which squads come out on top, and will travel to the U.S. for a chance to win it all. 🎥: @Lydia_Stripes

The 2nd Cavalry regiment, based in Vilseck, scored its fourth win in a row and will once again represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the Army’s Best Squad Competition. The winning squad was made up of Staff Sgt. Seth Peaton, Sgt. James Tranchina, Spc. Devin Schallert, Spc. Reynoso Ruiz and Pfc. Samuel Vittitow. See @Lydia_Stripes' photos: stripes.com/branches/army/…

British cadets are at the U.S. Army's training grounds in Bavaria for a pivotal exercise that marks the final stage of commissioning and serves as preparation for next week's head-to-head training against counterparts from West Point. (from @Lydia_Stripes) stripes.com/branches/army/…

Pain and leadership: Thousands of service members and civilians recently gathered in the Netherlands for the annual Nijmegen march, a 100-mile military-style trek that tests participants' endurance and collective will. From @Lydia_Stripes on the trail: stripes.com/theaters/europ…

Last week, members of the Army's Germany-based 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force finally got the chance to see if the homemade, 3D-printed drones they'd been working on for a year could get off the ground with an initial round of testing. (from @Lydia_Stripes) stripes.com/branches/army/…