With over 20 years reporting on defense institutions, Todd South combines technical expertise with deep human insight. His current work for Military Times focuses on three key areas:
When approaching South, consider these guidelines:
South began his career in 2004 covering crime and justice systems, developing a keen eye for institutional accountability. This foundation proved invaluable when he transitioned to military reporting in the late 2000s. His early defense pieces for Army Times revealed a signature approach: using procurement contracts to explain soldier lived experiences.
“The ROGUE-Fires platform isn’t just about payload capacity—it’s about keeping Marines out of artillery range while maintaining precision strike capabilities.”
South’s April 2025 analysis of the ROGUE-Fires vehicle exemplifies his ability to translate technical specifications into strategic insights. The 2,400-word piece details how modular launch systems could reshape littoral warfare while questioning cybersecurity vulnerabilities in unmanned platforms. By interviewing engineers at Oshkosh’s Wisconsin testing grounds and Marine strategists at Quantico, he creates a dialogue between creators and end-users rarely seen in defense tech coverage.
This March 2025 investigation into the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program showcases South’s commitment to soldier welfare reporting. Through embedded access to National Guard units in Texas and interviews with Pentagon health officials, he reveals how physiological monitoring systems are reducing musculoskeletal injuries by 22% in pilot units. The article’s methodology section explaining biometric data collection protocols has become required reading in Army medical courses.
South’s harrowing April 2025 account of Captain Emma Torres’ actions during the MV-22B Osprey disaster demonstrates his narrative mastery. By reconstructing the 87-second emergency through flight data recorders and survivor testimonies, he turns technical accident analysis into a profound meditation on leadership under fire. The piece has been cited in multiple Congressional hearings on aviation safety reforms.
South’s coverage of the ROGUE-Fires vehicle demonstrates his interest in how emerging technologies force doctrinal changes. Pitches should connect technical specs to real-world deployment scenarios—for instance, how AI targeting systems might require updated Rules of Engagement. Reference his 2023 series on autonomous drone swarms to align with his analytical framework.
The H2F program analysis shows South’s preference for data-driven wellness stories. Successful pitches might explore how new physical training protocols affect retention rates or how sleep monitoring tech reduces operational errors. Avoid anecdotal health stories without longitudinal data sets.
His Osprey crash reporting reveals deep interest in military honor systems. Compelling pitches could examine disparities in award distribution across service branches or how valor criteria adapt to cyber warfare contexts. Cite his 2022 investigation into Navy Cross approval rates as a model.
South frequently traces procurement decisions to their frontline consequences. A strong pitch might analyze how the Army’s 2025 $2.4 billion artillery ammunition budget aligns with European theater expenditure rates. Reference his 2021 breakdown of Bradley fighting vehicle maintenance costs.
While South covers emerging technologies, he prioritizes field-tested systems over hypotheticals. Pitches about quantum computing or hypersonic weapons should focus on current prototype testing rather than decade-out projections. His 2024 critique of metaverse military training programs illustrates this preference for present-day applications.
The National Reporting nomination recognized South’s 18-month investigation into VA hospital wait times, which combined statistical analysis with heartbreaking patient narratives. His discovery of suppressed internal audits led directly to six state attorney general investigations and two federal law reforms.
This peer-nominated honor celebrated South’s embedded reporting from Syria, where he documented special forces’ partnerships with Kurdish militias. The judging panel particularly noted his balanced portrayal of cultural friction points in coalition warfare.
South’s three-part series on Navy shipyard modernization challenges earned this industry-specific accolade. By explaining electromagnetic catapult engineering through the lens of sailor training challenges, he set a new standard for accessible technical journalism.
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