Secretary Announces FY13 Budget Priorities
DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley
Spending priorities in the fiscal 2013 defense budget request call for reductions in the end strength of the Army and Marine Corps, an increase in special operations forces and maintaining the number of big-deck carriers, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said during a Pentagon press briefing, Jan. 26, 2012.
Panetta Leads Ceremony to Honor Martin Luther King Jr.
DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad McNeeley
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta led the Pentagon's 27th Martin Luther King Jr. observance ceremony, Jan. 26, 2012, noting "the simple power of Dr. King's message resonates across generations." As the son of Italian immigrants, Panetta said King's message changed his whole life in public service.
Special Ops Team Rescues Hostages in Somalia
DOD graphic by Souheil Mechlawi
While President Barack Obama delivered the State of the Union address, Jan. 24, 2012, a joint special operations forces team was finishing up a dramatic rescue of two hostages -- one of whom was seriously ill -- from an armed encampment in Somalia.
Obama: Congress Should Follow Military’s Example
White House photo by Chuck Kennedy
In a State of the Union speech dominated by domestic concerns, President Barack Obama began by extolling the example set by members of the armed services. Today's service members have made the United States safer and more respected around the world, Obama said in the address delivered, Jan. 24, 2012.
U.S. Troops Conduct Classes for Afghan Citizens
U.S. Marine Corps photo Cpl. Ed Galo
A U.S. Navy petty officer holds hands with Afghan children as they walk to the local children's shura near Forward Operating Base Jackson in the Sangin district of Afghanistan's Helmand province, Jan. 20, 2012. U.S. troops assigned to the base have been conducting shuras, or classes, to provide area citizens with a variety of educational opportunities.