WASHINGTON - Three U.S. soldiers died in Iraq on Dec. 29, and military officials have identified 10 earlier casualties.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed four terrorists and detained six others, while Iraqi army soldiers detained 21 suspects as the result of a series of operations conducted in Iraq yesterday.

WASHINGTON - With military members standing a solemn guard over the flag-draped casket in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Vice President Richard B. Cheney yesterday evening eulogized former President Gerald R. Ford.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - After being informed of the passing of former President Gerald R. Ford, Army Sgt. Mike Christian’s job began almost immediately. It was the task of his unit to supply the wiring, hardware and computer support to permit the deployment of more than 500 National Guard members to Grand Rapids.

WASHINGTON - The body of President Gerald R. Ford received a welcoming 21-gun salute at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., early this evening as part of final goodbyes that’ll be made here to the nation’s 38th chief executive.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Field artillery Marines from Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., conducted a 21-gun salute today as part of the departure ceremony for the California portion of the state funeral for former President Gerald R. Ford.

PALM DESERT, Calif. - More than 500 military members are supporting the California portion of the state funeral for former President Gerald R. Ford here yesterday and today. The military is providing ceremonial service, security and logistical support to honor and pay tribute to the 38th commander-in-chief and the Ford family.

WASHINGTON - "Today, Saddam Hussein was executed after receiving a fair trial – the kind of justice he denied the victims of his brutal regime," President Bush said today in a written statement.

WASHINGTON - Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was executed today, according to a statement issued by President Bush. The Iraqi High Tribunal sentenced Saddam and seven other former aides to death Nov. 5 for ordering the massacre of 148 men in Dujail, Iraq, in 1982.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Afghan noncommissioned officers toured the Pakistan Army’s Junior Leader Academy in Shinkiari, Pakistan, Dec. 28 during the second day of an exchange program tour.

WASHINGTON - More than 500 servicemembers are on the ground in California supporting the funeral activities for former president Gerald R. Ford today.

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of Michigan National Guardsmen are preparing to welcome home President Gerald R. Ford, who died Dec. 26 at age 93 at his residence in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Air Force's 89th Airlift Wing, based on Andrews Air Force Base, Md., will transport the body of former President Gerald R. Ford, a U.S. Navy veteran, as his remains are flown between points in California, Washington and Michigan, Air Force military officers based here said.

WASHINGTON - About 165 members of the Colorado National Guard have been activated in the wake of the state’s second blizzard in 10 days, the state adjutant general said today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed six terrorists and captured 32 suspected terrorists today, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - After a three-hour meeting with his national security team today, President Bush noted progress in defining the way forward in Iraq and praised servicemembers and their families for their sacrifices.

WASHINGTON - Combined forces captured 60 suspected insurgents and killed one cell leader over the past four days in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - One U.S. servicemember died in Iraq today, three others died there yesterday, and military officials have identified two earlier casualties.

WASHINGTON - Almost 4,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard members are gearing up to support the national farewell to former President Gerald R. Ford that will span a seven-day period with events in California, Maryland, the nation’s capital and Michigan.

WASHINGTON - Military tradition will be evident throughout the events associated with the Dec. 26 death of former President Gerald R. Ford, as the services join the nation in bidding farewell to their former commander in chief.

WASHINGTON - Americans from all walks of life played a role in the exceptional second year growth of America Supports You, as 2006 saw more than 6 million care packages sent to troops serving overseas and nearly $3.5 million raised by the community groups that make up the program.

WASHINGTON - Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld remembered the late President Gerald R. Ford as a patriot who led the United States through difficult days and helped restore confidence in its government.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed an insurgent cell leader today and discovered a weapons cache yesterday in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Three U.S. servicemembers died in Iraq today, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified 12 earlier casualties.

WASHINGTON - Several Iranian nationals were detained in recent coalition raids conducted in Iraq’s capital city, a senior U.S. military officer said in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - It’s a little-known fact that about 20 percent of servicemembers donate blood, compared to less than 5 percent of the civilian populace, the director of the U.S. military’s blood program said here today.

WASHINGTON - The 82nd Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team received orders today to deploy to Kuwait in early January to become the theater command’s “call forward” force.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi military and police forces are eager to help find solutions for the challenges facing their country, and they are becoming more capable of assuming increased responsibility for security, a senior U.S. military officer said in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - Americans will remember former President Gerald R. Ford as a man with the courage to heal a nation. Ford, who died at his California home last night at age 93, assumed the presidency at a grim time in American history.

WASHINGTON - A Humvee used for U.S. reconnaissance missions rolled over south of Baghdad today, killing one U.S. soldier and injuring two others, and the Defense Department has identified an earlier casualty.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed three insurgents and detained 10 in Iraq over the past three days.

WASHINGTON - On Dec. 15, they gave outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld a full-honors farewell ceremony on the Pentagon parade field.

BAGHDAD - It was a scene straight from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” or maybe “Willard.” American soldiers walking through a dimly lit, underground command bunker once used by a brutal dictator, now filled with hundreds of rats. Throw in a snake or two, and you have the perfect setting for a horror movie.

FORT WORTH, Texas - The game may have been all about football, but the overall event was a tribute to 1.2 million very special people – the men and women of the United States armed forces.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces working with coalition advisors killed at least four insurgents after being attacked during operations yesterday and Dec. 22, and a high-ranking terrorist has been confirmed as killed in an operation earlier this month, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Three roadside bombs killed five U.S. soldiers and injured two others in Iraq yesterday, and the Defense Department has identified two earlier casualties.

FORT WORTH, Texas - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England received the first Great American Patriot Award here last night at a halftime ceremony during the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

WASHINGTON - A coalition air strike Dec. 19 in Afghanistan’s Helmand province killed a senior member of the Taliban’s inner circle, military officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - During the past two days, coalition and Iraqi forces detained 48 suspected terrorists and disabled three vehicles used to transport explosives, Multinational Corps Iraq officials reported today.

FORT WORTH, Texas - The University of Tulsa and the University of Utah go head to head in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl tonight at Texas Christian University’s Amon G. Carter Stadium. But before the teams take to the field, there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned pep rally the night before the game.

WASHINGTON - Using his weekly radio address to highlight the sacrifices servicemembers and their families make, President Bush today urged Americans to visit the Defense Department’s “America Supports You” Web site for ideas on how to support them.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials today identified two soldiers killed while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, on the last day of three-day visit to Iraq, said he would report his findings from this trip to President Bush as early as this weekend.

WASHINGTON - Members of the U.S. military will be honored during the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl to be held Dec. 23 in Fort Worth, Texas.

WASHINGTON - Military support programs like America Supports You are vitally important to servicemembers, their families and the nation, a celebrated retired Army general said recently.

WASHINGTON - Three Marines, a soldier and a sailor were killed in Iraq, Multinational Forces Iraq officials announced today.

BAGHDAD - New Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today thanked American servicemembers and their families “for the sacrifices they’re all making and for their bravery in pursuit of our nation’s security.”

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today learned from a U.S. Army officer working closely with Iraqi forces that Iraqi units are gaining confidence in their abilities and are doing more to empower noncommissioned officers.

WASHINGTON - A 10-foot tall fir tree, ornamented with pictures of fallen U.S. war veterans and notes of support for today's troops, now stands proudly at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

WASHINGTON - Four Marines have been charged in connection with the deaths of Iraqi civilians in Haditha Nov. 19, 2005, and another four Marines have been charged with failure to properly report and/or investigate the deaths of the Iraqi civilians.

WASHINGTON - Dance legend 92-year-old Frankie Manning was the special guest as the Glenn Miller Orchestra played swinging tunes and 300 dancers hit the floor during a “Home for the Holidays” event to benefit the United Services Organization in Washington Dec. 19.

WASHINGTON - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is healthy and its best years lie ahead, Marine Gen. James L. Jones said today at the Europe Atlantic Council here.

HINESVILLE, Ga. - Two Army wives have joined forces to run an Internet radio show that provides important information to other military wives.

WASHINGTON - About 50 Colorado Army National Guard troops worked through the night, rescuing stranded motorists, clearing roadways for emergency vehicles and delivering American Red Cross supplies in the midst of a blizzard that’s already blanketed the state with more than two feet of snow.

WASHINGTON - Organizers of the annual “Tribute to the Troops” motorcycle ride and benefit concert recently donated more than $18,000 to Minnesota and Wisconsin-based military support groups.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today assured the Iraqi people that the United States is firmly behind them and is working with their government to solve Iraq’s political, military and economic woes.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Santa arrived early for sailors deployed here, as Senior Navy Central Command enlisted officials delivered gifts from 26 U.S. corporate sponsors.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department announced the identities today of two soldiers and a Marine killed in Iraq Dec. 18 and 19 while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed seven terrorists, detained seven suspected terrorists and discovered weapons caches and improvised explosive devices in recent days, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - Elmo and the characters of Sesame Street are going to give Americans a chance to see what military families go through when their loved ones deploy to war zones.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is here to ask tough questions of generals, diplomats and Iraqi leaders. But this morning, he asked some of the same questions to a different group of the people putting their lives on the line every day here: junior enlisted soldiers and Army noncommissioned officers.

WASHINGTON - A soldier died today and a Marine died Dec. 18 in Iraq, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of students from the Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts and New Hampshire donated more than 22,000 gifts for deployed troops this holiday season.

HINESVILLE, Ga. - Santa Claus and some of his friends visited a National Guard armory in this Georgia town today to bring early holiday cheer to more than 200 military families.

FORT GREELY, Alaska - Just a few years ago, this snow-swept central Alaskan post lay dormant, closed through the Base Realignment and Closure process. But today it’s up and running again at full speed, serving as the epicenter of the United States’ Ground-Based Midcourse Defense program.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces captured 10 suspected terrorists, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai participated in the National Police Command Center’s opening ceremony this week in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces captured suspected terrorists and contraband during operations in Iraq over the past three days, and terrorists continued killing and wounding civilians with car bombs.

WASHINGTON - Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, plans to retire from the Army in the spring, he said during a Baghdad press conference today.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi officials in An Najaf assumed security control of the province today during a ceremony in the holy city of Najaf.

BAGHDAD - Succeeding in Iraq is the Defense Department’s top priority, newly sworn-in Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, said here today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush said today he’s counting on new Defense Secretary Robert Gates to bring a fresh perspective to the Pentagon, and he vowed to continue ensuring U.S. troops have what they need to accomplish their mission.

BAGHDAD - New Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, here on a surprise pre-Christmas visit, today urged Americans to remember military members and their families throughout the holiday season.

WASHINGTON - Victory in Iraq is achievable, and retreat from Iraq is not an option, President Bush said today during a White House news conference.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here today on a surprise pre-Christmas visit to meet with troops, generals and Iraqi leaders in order to assess the situation on the ground.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed one insurgent, captured six suspects, and discovered weapons caches around Iraq over the past three days.

WASHINGTON - While stage crews prepared for a wrestling match at the Verizon Center here yesterday, promoter Jimmy “The Mouth of the South” Hart replaced his signature Ray-Ban sunglasses with reading glasses to dial his son’s phone number at Fort Dix, N.J.

WASHINGTON - Behavioral health care was more readily available to deployed soldiers in 2005 than in previous years, and the stigma with seeking this kind of care is decreasing, according to an Army report released today.

WASHINGTON - The improvements in the Iraqi security forces over the next six months will be dramatic, Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey said today.

WASHINGTON - "There are more forces trying to unite Iraq than are trying to pull it apart,” Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey said today in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - The Iraq national reconciliation conference held Dec. 16 in Baghdad was only the first of many such meetings that will serve to "enlarge the circle of reconciliation," said Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh.

WASHINGTON - Thirty wounded servicemembers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center enjoyed a night of professional wrestling fun Dec. 18 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - Increased violence in Iraq threatens, but so far has failed, to stop progress on the political and economic fronts and in building Iraq’s security forces, according to the Defense Department’s latest quarterly report to Congress, released today.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers will receive an average 3.5 percent boost in their basic allowance for housing compensation benefit in 2007, Defense Department officials said.

WASHINGTON - After finding the body of one missing climber on Mount Hood, Ore., members of the Oregon Army National Guard, Nevada Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are continuing the search today for two other lost climbers.

WASHINGTON - An entire Army combat division has been given the mission of training U.S. military advisors for duty within Iraqi army and police units, a senior U.S. military officer in Baghdad said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi soldiers with coalition forces discovered weapons caches and detained 27 suspects around Iraq over the past two days.

WASHINGTON - Robert M. Gates was sworn in as the nation’s 22nd secretary of defense in a ceremony at the Pentagon here today.

WASHINGTON - “Learn” and “adapt” are the key messages of the new Army and Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, which just hit the streets.

WASHINGTON - With the start of the 2007 SemperComm Art Competition, the SemperComm Foundation is challenging all U.S. high school students to stretch their creativity in support of the troops.

WASHINGTON - Safeguarding and protecting vital computer-accessed information is the job of everyone working at the Defense Department, a senior DoD official said.

BLAKESBURG, Iowa - Of the 136 scrapbook pages Blakesburg (Iowa) Elementary School students made for Connect and Join’s “World’s Largest and Greatest Scrapbook,” one in particular stood out.

WASHINGTON - USA Basketball teamed up with the Defense Department’s America Supports You program Dec. 15 to support wounded servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - Three soldiers died yesterday in Iraq, military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identity of five servicemembers killed recently supporting the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi soldiers with coalition advisors killed an enemy fighter and captured 14 during two operations in Baghdad yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The war on terrorism is a difficult task, but it is not hopeless or without purpose, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today.

WASHINGTON - The commander of a U.S. Army brigade that partners with and trains Iraqi soldiers and police in Iraq’s Diyala province today praised the recent actions of local security forces and civilians there.

WASHINGTON - Even while waging a global campaign against terrorism, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld kept his focus on the future and transformed the Defense Department into a more agile organization better suited for the 21st century, President Bush said here today.

WASHINGTON - Donald Rumsfeld is “the finest defense secretary the nation has ever had,” Vice President Richard B Cheney said at today’s Pentagon farewell to Rumsfeld.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department bid farewell to the 21st secretary of defense, Donald H. Rumsfeld, in a full honors parade at the Pentagon today.

WASHINGTON - Two Marines died yesterday, and one soldier died Dec. 12 in Iraq, military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identity of 11 servicemembers killed recently supporting the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - A new commissary being built in southern California heralds the future for the Defense Commissary Agency, the organization’s top official said today.

WASHINGTON - A B-52 Stratofortress took off from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., today on a flight-test mission using a blend of synthetic fuel and “JP-8” in all eight engines. This is the first time a "Buff" has flown using a “synfuel-blend” as the only fuel on board, Air Force officials said.

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Christmas came early this year for the Skeen family as they celebrated what Joanna Skeen called the best gift she could ever ask for: the safe return of her husband.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces and Iraqi police this week detained 13 suspected terrorists in Iraq and discovered three weapons caches.

WASHINGTON - The pennywise students of Hawthorne Middle School, in Pocatello, Idaho, can afford to be proud of themselves.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Army leaders praised military families here during ceremonies this week for standing solidly behind the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team during its 16-month deployment to Iraq.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - The 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team was officially redesignated the 25th Infantry Division’s 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team during a ‘reflagging’ ceremony here yesterday.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Nearly 300 people gathered outside Al Faw Palace here yesterday for a ceremony that marked the transfer of authority over Multinational Corps Iraq, which includes more than 160,000 U.S. and coalition troops, from the U.S. Army’s 5th Corps to 3rd Corps.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military can’t lose in Iraq or Afghanistan, but the situation won’t improve beyond a certain point without significant political progress, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said last night.

PODGORICA, Montenegro - The ripples from the first muster of Dec. 13, 1636, have reached the shores of the Adriatic Sea, where the world’s youngest country joined America’s oldest military service in the National Guard’s State Partnership Program on Dec. 7.

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va. - Morrill Worcester was 12 years old and on his first trip outside of Maine when he first visited Arlington National Cemetery. He vowed then that he would always honor America’s veterans, and he has kept that promise.

FORT GREELEY, Alaska - Members of the Alaska Army National Guard here are sizzling with excitement about their new cold weather gear that keeps them toasty warm even when temperatures dip to double digits below zero.

WASHINGTON - Upholding the legality of October’s Military Commissions Act, a federal court ruled here yesterday that detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, do not have the right to challenge their detention in U.S. courts.

WASHINGTON - Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who leaves office Dec. 18, issues a farewell message to the men and women of the military services and the Department of Defense.

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of servicemembers lined up to receive an autograph and photo from Carrie Underwood, country music star and 2005 American Idol winner, at Camp Arifjan’s Combined Operations and Intelligence Center yesterday.

SAN ANTONIO - Nearly 300 servicemembers and their families, many dressed in their holiday best, flocked to the Texas National Guard Armory early yesterday for “Operation Christmas,” a campaign aimed at brightening the holidays for military families.

WASHINGTON - Clutching a camo-clad teddy bear named “Hero” that she received from a soldier in Iraq, fifth-grader Bailey Reese stood out among the troop-support organization leaders who gathered at the Pentagon today for the second annual America Supports You Community Group Summit.

WASHINGTON - After a holiday tour of the White House, participants in today’s America Supports You Community Group Summit met at the Pentagon for a welcome from the program’s architect, a look at the past year, and a glimpse into the America Supports You program’s future.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld thanked men and women of the Defense Department during a ceremony at the Pentagon today.

WASHINGTON - Discussions on Iraq between President Bush and military and civilian leaders at the Pentagon today were “candid and fruitful,” Bush said after the meeting.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today thanked members of the Defense Department’s “America Supports You” program for their unwavering support to the men and women of the armed forces.

WASHINGTON - The solution in Iraq is not only a military one; it will take political will to convince the Iraqis to take responsibility for securing their own country, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said in a radio interview yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi police responded to several explosions at both Sunni and Shiite mosques in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - The military has made tremendous advances in health care in the last decade and specifically since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the top Defense Department official for health care said here yesterday.

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - The Arctic Wolves bid an emotional farewell to 36 of their own yesterday as they gathered here to dedicate the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Memorial Wall.

WASHINGTON - Language training and awareness of Iraqi and Arab culture are absolutely necessary for servicemembers deploying to Iraq, the outgoing commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said in Baghdad yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The military is doing all it can to calm Iraq, but the country needs political and economic solutions to function, the outgoing commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said yesterday.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - The servicemen and women performing tough, dangerous work to protect America against terrorism deserve the public’s full support, a senior professional golf organization official said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - To speed the development of Iraqi security forces, the United States is accelerating its use of military, police and border transition teams, a coalition spokesman in Baghdad said today.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Some 4,000 members of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team gathered here yesterday to celebrate their accomplishments during 16 months in Iraq and mourn their losses as they uncased the unit’s colors during a stirring redeployment ceremony.

WASHINGTON - With the first flight of the Joint Strike Fighter set for this week, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia have “re-enlisted” for the program.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - The Defense Department today honored the PGA Tour organization and its network of affiliated golf clubs for their exemplary support of U.S. servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - All active-duty components made their recruiting goals in November, Defense Department officials said today.

WASHINGTON - Five U.S. servicemembers died yesterday in Iraq, military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identity of one servicemember killed recently supporting the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. objective in Iraq is to help the Iraqi government deal with extremists and killers, and to support the vast majority of Iraqis, who are reasonable people who want peace, President Bush said here today.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Soldiers with the 277th Aviation Support Battalion will have a brighter Christmas, thanks to one soldier’s mother and the generosity of her co-workers.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces detonated a bomb in Samarra today and freed 23 kidnap victims yesterday. Earlier this week, combined forces killed three terrorists and detained one.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed four terrorists and one civilian this morning, and Afghan National Police arrested six suspected Taliban extremists yesterday.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq - Army Pfc. Ross A. McGinnis packed only 136 pounds into his 6-foot frame, but few have ever matched his inner strength.

FORT KNOX, Ky. - Kaziah Hancock, an artist and patriot in Manti, Utah, has put her professional life on hold as a result of channel-surfing on the radio.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard turns 370 years old tomorrow, and the National Guard Bureau is celebrating with a Web site dedicated to the organization and its history.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers and families can now communicate by video e-mail through the Army Knowledge Online intranet portal. On the first day, more than 3,500 video e-mails were transmitted.

FORT BLISS, Texas - A new brigade here will test some of the most revolutionary concepts and systems being developed for future warfighters, report how they operate under field conditions, and ultimately speed their fielding to troops on the battlefield.

BAGHDAD - Saying he feels fortunate to have served as defense secretary during this momentous period in history, Donald H. Rumsfeld said he has been inspired by working with the nation’s men and women in uniform.

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. - More than 17,000 cookie-swap parties took place Dec. 9 during the “Great American Cookie Swap” to benefit “Treat the Troops,” but only one was “Road Tasted.”

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers, military retirees and annuitants, and federal civilian employees paid by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service can expect to receive their 2006 tax statements beginning this month, DFAS officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - Thanks to a partnership with Hollywood Video and Game Craze rental stores in five states, “Tunes 4 the Troops” anticipates sending troops 5,000 DVDs this holiday season.

WASHINGTON - A new system coming in 2008 to the Army and Air Force will integrate pay and personnel and make life easier for servicemembers everywhere, the general in charge of the system’s deployment said.

WASHINGTON - Success in Iraq will help protect the United States in the long run, President Bush said here today.

WASHINGTON - Roadside-bomb explosions in Iraq killed four U.S. soldiers yesterday, and the Defense Department has identified 11 other servicemembers who died in Iraq in recent days.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces captured 16 suspected terrorists yesterday, and a Dec. 9 air strike killed two others, military officials in Iraq reported.

WASHINGTON - Several improvements have been made to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service’s online system for military members and civilian DoD employees known as “myPay.”

MOSUL, Iraq - A soldier in Mosul told Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld he was worried because the American people seemed to have lost the combined will they had immediately following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld decorated two senior members of the Multinational Corps Iraq during a ceremony here yesterday.

MOSUL, Iraq - Military transformation will continue, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told servicemembers here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - An early withdrawal of U.S. and British forces from Iraq before the Iraqis can stand on their own could produce serious consequences for the region, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on ABC’s “This Week” television news show today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iraqi forces captured 50 insurgents and found numerous enemy weapons caches during operations conducted over the past three days, U.S. military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military headquarters in Afghanistan today denounced the Taliban extremists who murdered five members of an Afghan family, Dec. 8.

WASHINGTON - The Iraq Study Group report agrees with the main U.S. government goal of what should occur in that Middle Eastern country, President Bush said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Two Marines assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 were killed Dec. 8 and yesterday in Iraq, military officials reported. Both died from wounds suffered due to enemy action while operating in Anbar province.

AL ASAD, Iraq - Even with all the debate in the U.S. over Iraq strategy, morale on the ground here is good, the commander of Multinational Force West said today.

BALAD, Iraq - As he prepares to enter his final week in office, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was greeted warmly here by the men and women in uniform he has led for the past six years.

AL ASAD, Iraq - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld paid a surprise visit to Iraq today to thank servicemembers for their dedication, sacrifices and patriotism.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces captured a senior al Qaeda in Iraq leader yesterday and detained three insurgents the previous day. Earlier this week, multinational leaders met in Tikrit to discuss security operations in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Improvised explosive devices killed three U.S. servicemembers yesterday in Baghdad, and the Defense Department released the identities of six servicemembers killed recently supporting the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - World Wrestling Entertainment personalities delivered a milestone “thank you” message to a U.S. servicemember in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took today’s Pentagon town hall meeting as an opportunity to praise the drive, energy, courage and loyalty Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld brought to his job.

WASHINGTON - An early withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq or Afghanistan would aid terrorists and cause more instability in those countries, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told military and civilian employees at the Pentagon today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military transition teams in Iraq and Afghanistan are making a big contribution as they not only advise and mentor local security forces, but also set an example of professionalism in daily operations, senior military officers told the House Armed Services Committee yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Two Defense Department civilians, James N. Templeman and Donald C. Cobert, have not let severe disabilities keep them from success.

WASHINGTON - The terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and concerns that another similar attack might follow, gave Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld “a tremendous sense of urgency” in pushing his transformation effort, he told Pentagon workers today.

ANDAR, Afghanistan - A new program designed to bolster the Afghan National Police is taking shape, as training sites all across Afghanistan are standing up to receive recruits for the Afghan National Auxiliary Police force.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today told members of the Defense Department that he will leave his office proud to have served with them and of what they have accomplished and inspired by their dedication, patriotism and sacrifice.

WASHINGTON - More servicemembers need to take advantage of the Thrift Savings Plan, because it is an attractive investment option with unique benefits for military members, the military officer in charge of the Armed Forces Tax Council said here today.

WASHINGTON - The situation in Iraq would be much worse “if not for the American heroes that are out on the street every day in Baghdad and across (Iraq),” the commander of combat troops in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Iraq could be “the most significant power in the region” if the coalition can help the Iraqi government to stabilize the country and improve its economy, the commander of maneuver forces in Iraq said today.

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. - A year of planning culminated in the orchestration of more than five aircraft, 13 organizations and numerous flight surgeons, nurses, technicians, administrators and air and ground crew who conducted collaborative patient care and transport during Exercise Capital Shield here Dec. 4-7.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 20 terrorists this morning while targeting al Qaeda terrorists in the Thar Thar area, military officials reported.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Annual Defense Spectrum Summit focused on the sweeping transformation under way to ensure that troops have access to the information and communications they need without having to worry about other systems degrading them.

WASHINGTON - Fighting in Ramadi killed a coalition servicemember and 14 insurgents yesterday, and Iraqi and coalition forces captured other insurgents in three raids around Iraq this week.

WASHINGTON - President Bush said today he knows the U.S. and coalition will succeed in Iraq and that he would never put the nation’s troops at risk if he didn’t believe that and recognize how important it is to U.S. long-term security.

WASHINGTON - There has to be peace between Israel and the Palestinians as part of a greater solution in the Middle East, President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said during a White House news conference this morning.

WASHINGTON - Twelve U.S. servicemembers were killed yesterday and today in Iraq, military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identities of 12 servicemembers killed recently supporting the war on terror.

ABOARD USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER - Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower have received eight natural Christmas trees from “Trees for Troops.”

WASHINGTON - President Bush said today he welcomes closer coordination with Iraq’s regional neighbors to promote peace there, but draws the line when it comes to working with countries like Syria and Iran unless they stop supporting terrorism or defying U.N. resolutions regarding nuclear weapons.

WASHINGTON - Three Navy astronauts are part of the crew for NASA’s latest Discovery shuttle mission, which is set to launch at 9:35 p.m. Eastern Time today.

WASHINGTON - Victory in Iraq requires doing all that’s necessary to support the country’s newly elected government, ensuring its regional neighbors do the same, and promoting peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today.

WASHINGTON - Robert M. Gates will take over as defense secretary Dec. 18, and the department will wish current Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld farewell at a Pentagon ceremony Dec. 15, a Defense Department spokesman announced today.

WASHINGTON - Three terrorists were captured in Afghanistan yesterday, and 26 detainees were released from a Bagram facility. Earlier this week, U.S. troops provided humanitarian assistance in eastern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Holiday shoppers turning to the Internet to avoid the mall crowds have an easy way to support servicemembers and their families this year thanks to a partnership between Sears Holdings Corporation and “USA Cares.”

HEIDELBERG, Germany - In today's global political environment, when something goes awry, the United States – rightly or wrongly -- can often get the brunt of the blame. This was the blunt assessment of retired German army Gen. Leopold Chalupa as he explained why it is so important for he and other former European leaders to tell the story of U.S. Army, Europe.

WASHINGTON - The Senate confirmed Robert M. Gates in a 95-2 vote today to be the 22nd U.S. secretary of defense. Gates will succeed Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who will retain the job until Gates' official swearing-in ceremony.

WASHINGTON - Sixty-five years ago tomorrow, the United States endured an attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, that for the next 60 years -- until Sept. 11, 2001 -- stood as the most devastating enemy attack on U.S. soil.

WASHINGTON - The Iraq Study Group released its findings today in a report made available this morning to President Bush and Congress, and later to the general public.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials continue to examine the idea of establishing a U.S. Africa Command, a top DoD official said here this week.

WASHINGTON - A coalition air strike killed a terrorist near Khanaqin, Iraq, and Iraqi soldiers responded to two bombings in Baghdad today, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Lisa Marie Waugh offers tried-and-true advice to people with disabilities who want to get ahead in life: “You should let nothing stop you.”

FORT BLISS, Texas - Bases slated to grow as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure process need look no farther for lessons learned than this sprawling post that’s tripling its population and transforming from an air-defense center to an armor center.

WASHINGTON - Increased alcohol consumption and dangerous road conditions are two of many holiday hazards a Defense Department safety committee is working to remind servicemembers about this season.

WASHINGTON - Just in time for the holiday season, Marvel Comics’ “The New Avengers” and the Army and Air Force Exchange Service have teamed up to bring troops stationed around the world another free, military-exclusive comic book.

WASHINGTON - The report issued today by the Iraq Study Group offers an opportunity for government leaders to come together and work toward a solution in Iraq, and the administration will take the report’s recommendations very seriously, President Bush said here today.

WASHINGTON - The Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously recommended Robert M. Gates to be the next U.S. defense secretary.

WASHINGTON - If the situation in Iraq is mishandled, regional powers may be tempted to become involved in the country -- causing greater problems for the future, defense secretary nominee Robert M. Gates said today.

WASHINGTON - Milk cartons stuffed with goodies and fashioned into presents, snowmen, elves and reindeer will be sent to Iraq to deliver troops a dose of holiday cheer from Hero Hugs.

WASHINGTON - While defense secretary nominee Robert M. Gates considers it important to continue searching for Osama bin Laden, he told senators today the al Qaeda leader “has become more of a symbol for jihadist terrorists than an active planner and organizer of terrorist attacks.”

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - U.S. Transportation Command is working with the services and Defense Logistics Agency on one end of the spectrum and with the combatant commanders on the other to smooth the flow of goods and supplies to warfighters.

WASHINGTON - The State Department and the Office of Personnel Management have combined resources to process security clearances for overseas Defense Department installations. The joint effort will make the clearance process more efficient and cost effective, officials said.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s nominee to be the next defense secretary told Congress today that if confirmed, he’ll bring important lessons to the job: the importance of working collaboratively with other federal partners and of tapping into the expertise of the professionals who carry out the mission, among them.

WASHINGTON - Three soldiers died in Iraq yesterday, and Defense officials have identified four earlier casualties.

WASHINGTON - Defense secretary nominee Robert M. Gates spoke today on how the war in Iraq has touched him personally -- 12 graduates of Texas A&M University, which he has led as president for the last four years, have been killed in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces are stepping up their efforts to make Iraqi security forces capable enough to take over security for their own country, which is something the Iraqi and U.S. governments both want, a coalition spokesman in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Robert M. Gates vowed today to be an independent voice if he is confirmed as defense secretary.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi soldiers responded to a vehicle bomb explosion near Baghdad earlier today, and Iraqi and coalition troops have detained several suspects and found numerous weapons caches over the past few days.

WASHINGTON - Defense secretary nominee Robert M. Gates told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing today that if he’s confirmed to the top Pentagon post, his highest calling will be to ensure success in Iraq and look out for the men and women in uniform.

WASHINGTON - President Bush gave a hearty endorsement to defense secretary nominee Robert M. Gates today, on the morning of Gates’ U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing.

WASHINGTON - An America Supports You corporate team member is coordinating creation of what it calls the world’s largest scrapbook as a way for the nation’s students to show their support for America’s servicemembers.

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - A Post-It note over one of the computers in the Deployment and Distribution Operations Center here says, “Nothing happens until something moves.” You get a feeling for this saying and the mission of U.S. Transportation Command at the Balad Air Base-Anaconda Logistics Support Area complex in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The United States is committed to working with the Iraqi government to make it capable of securing Iraq from the extremists seeking to derail the young democracy there, President Bush said here today after meeting with a top Iraq Shiite leader.

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of National Guardsmen responded over the weekend and today to devastating winter storms in Illinois, Missouri and Kansas, National Guard officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces captured eight suspected insurgents and provided security in a northern Iraqi town, coalition forces foiled a mortar attack, and two Iraqi children were wounded by a rocket-propelled-grenade attack yesterday and Dec. 2 throughout Iraq, military officials reported.

STUTTGART, Germany - Army Gen. John Craddock took the reins of U.S. European Command during a change of command ceremony at Patch Barracks here today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces have recovered the bodies of all three missing servicemembers lost during an emergency water landing by a helicopter yesterday.

WASHINGTON - A Marine died yesterday in the crash of a CH-46 Chinook helicopter in western Anbar Province, Iraq. Three other servicemembers are missing following the accident.

WASHINGTON - His recent trip to the Middle East reaffirmed his conviction to help the unity government in Baghdad find a political solution to the situation in Iraq, President Bush said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Eight U.S. servicemembers have died in fighting in Iraq since Dec. 1, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces are getting more results as they move into the lead in many areas of the country. Many Iraqi units have embedded coalition trainers with them, and those units are killing or capturing more insurgents.

WASHINGTON - As the sun sank below Philadelphia’s skyline yesterday, gold helmets shone under the Lincoln Financial Field lights while the Naval Academy Midshipmen ground out a 26-14 win over the Black Knights of the Military Academy in the 107th Army-Navy football game.

DALLAS - While many Americans plan to spend the next few weeks eating, shopping and generally having a great time with friends and family, some Defense Department civilians will be leaving their homes and families for 6- to-12 month voluntary deployments to support post and base exchanges in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - Thumps from bass drums marked the cadence of the Army and Navy marching bands and cheerleaders as they made their rounds through the halls of the Pentagon in the buildup toward the 107th Army-Navy football game tomorrow.

WASHINGTON - Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed during combat operations in Baghdad yesterday, and one Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed in Baghdad Nov. 29, military officials reported.

DEMING, N.M. - The National Guard Bureau chief got a look this week at how the forward operating base concept used for U.S. military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world can work for domestic missions, too.

WASHINGTON - In a string of operations across Iraq this week, Iraqi forces detained 28 suspects, coalition forces killed 17 insurgents and rescued three Iraqi hostages, and four Iraqis were killed in a suicide attack, military officials in Iraq reported.

WASHINGTON - With its 4th annual “Holiday Hugs to Our Heroes” drive officially concluded, the SI Yellow Ribbon Campaign is unofficially still working to meet the group’s goal of providing holiday packages to 1,000 troops.

WASHINGTON - In an effort to increase the supplier base in key acquisition areas and smooth the transition of wounded veterans into the civilian business world, the Defense Department is showcasing its program aimed at small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military is increasing the number of embedded trainers assisting Iraqi army and police units to become more proficient and independent, the senior U.S. military officer overseeing operations in northern Iraq said today.

DEMING, N.M. - The National Guard Bureau chief assured members of the Army and Air National Guard during a visit here earlier this week that relief is on the way for the Guard’s chronic equipment shortages.

U.S. NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - A 28-year-old block guard here whose mission is to ensure the safe care and custody of enemy combatants said he wishes the world had an accurate picture of the place where he serves.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Commissary Agency and the Fisher House Foundation have teamed up for the seventh year to offer educational scholarships to children of military families and retirees.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi officers will soon command all four Iraqi army divisions operating in northern Iraq, a senior U.S. officer said today.