WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama signed the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, while acknowledging “serious reservations” about parts of the act, particularly provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists.

WASHINGTON - The 2012 National Defense Authorization Act signed by President Barack Obama increases active-duty and reserve pay by 1.6 percent and governs Defense Department activities.

WASHINGTON - The recently announced $29.4 billion sale of F-15SA fighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia is just one part of a broader U.S.-Saudi military sales and defense cooperation effort that’s central to regional security, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Expressing “deep concern” about raids on non-governmental organizations operating in Egypt, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta emphasized to the leader of Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces that it’s time to move the democratic process forward.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced that President Barack Obama has nominated Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III for reappointment to the rank of admiral and for assignment as commander of U.S. Pacific Command.

WASHINGTON - The 10 most-viewed stories on Defense.gov this year are among the nearly 2,500 American Forces Press Service articles published in 2011 that covered topics ranging from the end of the Iraq mission to troop concerns over retirement benefits.

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea - A joint U.S.-South Korean investigation team announced that it has discovered no evidence of Agent Orange during its eight-month probe into claims that the toxic defoliant was buried on Camp Carroll.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin expressed their shared committment to ensure peace and stability on the Korean peninsula during a recent telephone conversation.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, condemned a roadside bomb attack that reportedly killed four civilians in Uruzgan province.

COMBAT OUTPOST CASTLE, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Cpl. Justin Stewart’s childhood was spent moving all over the United States with his mother. Fortunately, he didn’t let the constant relocating deter him from his love of the martial art of taekwondo.

WASHINGTON - Robert D. Ward, a photographer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, documented the activities of defense secretaries and other senior leaders for decades, capturing images of the hustle of their daily schedules and travels.

WASHINGTON - The United States will sell 84 new F-15 fighter jets and upgrades for 70 existing aircraft to Saudi Arabia under a nearly $29.4 billion agreement, U.S. officials announced.

WASHINGTON - Despite questions about whether the Walgreens pharmacy chain will continue as a TRICARE provider, beneficiaries will have several options for filling prescriptions, Defense Department spokeswoman Eileen M. Lainez said.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE JACKSON, Afghanistan - Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Kimberly Ryan said she wants to help as many Afghan women as she can as the team leader for Female Engagement Team 8 in the Sangin district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - A failed two-point conversion gave the Toledo Rockets a 42-41 win over the Air Force Academy Falcons during the 2011 Military Bowl at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.

FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Afghan soldiers, U.S. sailors and members of a local provincial reconstruction team partnered to dispose of more than 250 pieces of confiscated unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive device materials, mines and ammunition.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led, coalition-supported security force captured a Taliban leader in the Ghorak district of Kandahar province.

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan - What started as a simple journey for Army 2nd Lt. Tess White turned into a race against time to see her sister, Army Sgt. Tobey White, before her tour of duty ended in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led and coalition-supported security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta added a pointed anti-bullying directive to a message sent to service members around the world, noting the issue "has my personal attention."

WASHINGTON - In conjunction with the release of the “Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies,” Defense Department officials also announced two new policies relating to sexual assault.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Santa Claus paid a surprise visit to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron in Southwest Asia to assist in an airdrop delivery to remote forward operating bases in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led and coalition-supported security force captured a Taliban facilitator during an operation in the Pul-e ‘Alam district of Afghanistan’s Logar province, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Drawing on findings from the investigation into the deadly Nov. 25-26 incident near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan, U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, commander of U.S. Central Command, ordered a series of corrective actions intended to correct problems of mistrust and miscommunication.

WASHINGTON - During his weekly address on Christmas Eve, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama sent holiday greetings to troops everywhere and their families.

WASHINGTON - The Joint Hometown News Service produces thousands of TV and radio messages each year featuring deployed or overseas-stationed service members sending holiday wishes to loved ones and friends back home.

WASHINGTON - This year, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Peter Blake will watch his daughters open their Christmas presents via Skype from atop the fireplace mantle where his wife plans to prop their computer - one of many creative solutions families are using to reach out to deployed loved ones during the holidays.

WASHINGTON - As children go to bed on Christmas Eve with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, the staff at North American Aerospace Defense Command will be busy tracking Santa Claus’ global flight.

WASHINGTON - Emphasizing that bullying and hazing undermine everything the military stands for, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the top U.S. military officer, said every member of the armed forces has a personal responsibility to uphold its “zero tolerance” standard and intervene to stop any occurrences.

WASHINGTON - When Army Spc. Dustin Morrison gathers with his family to celebrate the holidays, he said he knows he’ll be experiencing a Christmas miracle.

KABUL, Afghanistan - As the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan looks to 2012 as a time to build on gains made and extend the security zone east of Kabul, the soldiers of Regional Command East know they have a vital role to play in making that possible.

FORT MEADE, Md. - The prosecution and defense rested after delivering their closing statements in the Article 32 hearing of Army Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, a soldier charged with leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - A group of Marines joined forces to save the life of Dingo, a military working dog they consider a fellow Marine, after it was bitten by a poisonous snake during a training exercise.

WASHINGTON - U.S. forces acted in self-defense and responded with appropriate force after being fired upon during a Nov. 25-26 incident on Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan, according to findings from a Defense Department investigation.

WASHINGTON - Navy Capt. John Kirby, deputy assistant secretary of defense for media operations, underscored the military’s “zero tolerance” policy against bullying and hazing in light of charges brought against eight soldiers.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno visited with soldiers deployed to Afghanistan to share a holiday message and convey his gratitude to troops deployed overseas during the holiday season.

WASHINGTON - The military is at a turning point following a remarkable and historic year marked both by unexpected challenges and great successes, Defense Department officials told reporters during a Pentagon news briefing.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps reservist Lance Cpl. Aaron Leeks has asked First Lady Michelle Obama to be his date at the Marine Corps Ball next November -- with her husband’s permission, of course.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, surveyed coalition troop outposts positioned along the country's border with Pakistan.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Army Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Vallade and his son, Army Sgt. Joseph Vallade, made the holiday season a family affair by parachuting together during an annual charity toy drop event near Fort Bragg, N.C.

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Eight U.S. soldiers deployed to southern Afghanistan were charged in connection with the death of fellow soldier, Army Pvt. Danny Chen who was found in a guard tower with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. - President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, welcomed the final group of U.S. troops home from Iraq during a ceremony on Joint Base Andrews, Md.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department and National Guard support of southwest U.S. border security will change in the next few months from a ground effort to primarily an air operation, Defense and Homeland Security officials said.

WASHINGTON - Navy Capt. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters Japan’s purchase of 42 F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft will be “a critical component of strengthening our partnership in the alliance, and working to improve security in the region.”

WASHINGTON - A small but star-studded ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Md., marked the return of U.S. Forces Iraq’s last troops. Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the last commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, called the repositioning "one of the most extraordinary feats in our military's history."

WASHINGTON - Returning home from his first multi-country USO holiday tour, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, continued a popular tradition that’s become part of the United Services Organization’s 70-year legacy.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Warrant Officer Julia Armstrong and Sgt. 1st Class Everett Armstrong have endured almost 35 years of combined military service, all while raising a family, balancing work schedules and keeping open lines of communication.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a weapons cache containing various ammunitions and explosive materials during a patrol in the Deh Yak district of Ghazni province.

WASHINGTON - Returning from a recent trip that included stops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Djibouti, Libya and Turkey, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta issued a message in which he praised U.S. troops and thanked them for their service.

WASHINGTON - All four active-duty services and four of the six reserve components met or exceeded their recruiting goals in November, the second month of fiscal 2012.

RAMSTEIN, Germany - On the final stop of his multi-country USO holiday tour, U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited wounded warriors and held a town hall meeting with troops in Germany.

WASHINGTON - The United States is committed to the U.S.-South Korea alliance and promoting stability on the peninsula, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin in a phone conversation.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Army Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai in condemning Saturday’s assassination of Abdul Baqi Raghbat in the Shikar Por Darwaza area of Kandahar province.

WASHINGTON - Army Staff Sgt. Peter Woken has received a prestigious German military medal for saving the life of a German noncommisioned officer in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and South Korean leaders are carefully watching the situation on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of news that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il recently died of a massive heart attack.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Hours after the last U.S. Forces Iraq convoy crossed the border into Kuwait, U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sat down with Saudi officials to discuss Iraq and other developments in the region.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - It’s too soon to calculate how the end of U.S. Forces Iraq will affect the region’s military dynamics, but the U.S. focus on the Middle East and its partner countries is unwavering, said U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took time on a multicountry USO holiday tour to thank Kuwaiti officials for that nation’s critical help to U.S. Forces Iraq over the past eight years and now, as the mission is ending.

TRIPOLI, Libya - Paying tribute to the courage and determination of the Libyan people, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta joined Libyan leaders in welcoming a new chapter in U.S.-Libyan bilateral relations.

WASHINGTON - A safe and stable Iraq with a democratically elected government is an incredible achievement, and it was made possible through the hard work and sacrifices of the American military, President Barack Obama said in his weekly address.

TRIPOLI, Libya - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta paused during his historic visit to Libya to lay a wreath on the graves of U.S. sailors lost aboard the USS Intrepid more than 200 years ago.

TRIPOLI, Libya - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta arrived in Tripoli to congratulate the Libyan people for their accomplishments and determine what help the United States can offer to help them succeed as they move forward.

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, Washington, D.C. - First Lady Michelle Obama joined forces with Toys for Tots volunteers and Marines on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., to sort through toys donated from the White House staff.

FORT MEADE, Md. - The Article 32 hearing for Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, the soldier allegedly involved in what’s considered one of the largest leaks of classified material in U.S. history, has begun in a courthouse on Fort Meade, Md.

ANKARA, Turkey - The military campaign that established a free, stable and sovereign Iraq was worth the costs, said U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta after participating in ceremonies marking the end of the U.S. mission there.

ANKARA, Turkey - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta praised Turkish leaders for their leadership in the region at a time of sweeping change, including its efforts to quell the Syrian government’s violent crackdown.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Many of the 60 dancers who perform in the North Carolina State Ballet troupe's production of “The Nutcracker” in Fayetteville, N.C., are the daughters of service members stationed at nearby Fort Bragg.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed Malawi Sahib, a Taliban leader, during an operation in the Baraki Barak district of Logar province.

BAGHDAD - American service members became an adaptive force during their service in Iraq, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, told reporters at a Baghdad ceremony that marked the end of the U.S. military mission in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department announced a 90-day deadline extension for schools seeking to participate in the department’s tuition assistance program. The deadline for interested schools has been shifted from Jan. 1 to March 30, 2012.

BETHESDA, MD. - The National Intrepid Center of Excellence, a major medical center dedicated to helping troops heal from the most severe of traumatic brain injuries, will soon be adding expressive writing workshops as a key ingredient to the comprehensive care program offered there.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama called on Americans to demonstrate their appreciation for the nation’s military veterans and their families as troops begin to return home following the end of nearly nine years of war in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department announced that BAH rates, along with basic allowance for subsistence rates, will increase slightly in 2012. Service members stationed in the U.S. will see an average rate increase of 2 percent beginning Jan. 1.

BAGHDAD - U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he is proud of everything that the United States, its coalition partners and the Iraqi people have accomplished together in Iraq.

ANKARA, Turkey - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta arrived in Turkey to reinforce the United States’ strong relationship with a critical security partner within the region and NATO.

TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan - Air Force reservists Col. David Pond and Lt. Col. Sherry Hemby met up during their deployments in Afghanistan and got engaged.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed one insurgent and detained two suspects during a search for a Taliban leader in the Panjwa’i district of Kandahar province.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta joined Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey and other U.S. and Iraq leaders in honoring eight years of service and sacrifice as they commemorated the end of the U.S. military mission in Iraq.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta arrived in Baghdad to join Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in ceremonies marking the end of the U.S. military mission in Iraq.

KUWAIT CITY - As the last U.S. troops leave Iraq, the best way for the United States to support that country’s success is to stay broadly engaged in the region, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - International Security Assistance Force operations continue in Afghanistan along the Pakistan border, but are conducted with special care to avoid escalating current tensions, said Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, commander of the ISAF Joint Command and deputy commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - When the last U.S. troops depart Iraq they can leave with their heads held high, secure in the knowledge they did what was right for America and peace in the region, President Barack Obama said while addressing service members at Fort Bragg, N.C.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Declining to discuss details about a U.S. RQ-170 drone aircraft that went missing in Iran, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta defended the use of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to protect the United States during a press briefing in Kabul, Afghanistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul to laud the progress that’s been made in Afghanistan as they conducted meetings about the continuation of joint efforts in the country.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Cousins Cpl. Lucas Chambers, Cpl. Josey Chambers and Cpl. Steven Kries, who grew up together, graduated high school together, and joined the Marine Corps together, are serving together in Afghanistan for the second time in two years.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation in the Kandahar district of Kandahar province.

WASHINGTON - Potentially career-impacting financial issues are among the top concerns for service members and their families, military finance expert Holly Petraeus said while addressing the audience at the Financial Fitness Forum in Washington, D.C.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta traveled to the eastern reaches of Afghanistan's Paktika province to thank troops on the front lines he credited with making the gains that are turning the tide against the insurgents.

WASHINGTON - Service members and their families may seek assistance for financial challenges during the holiday season through family centers and other financial planning resources on their local installations.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department, other government agencies and financial institutions must continue working together to improve military families’ financial well-being, a Defense Department official told a group of financial experts.

WASHINGTON - Vets4Warriors is a toll-free, peer-to-peer counseling hotline that provides Guard and reserve component members with the ability to speak with counselors on the phone or online.

WASHINGTON - Nearly 29 percent of federal government hires in fiscal 2011 went to military veterans, marking a 20-year high, according to the director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, speaking with reporters traveling with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, cited the “substantial progress” made in Afghanistan over the last 18 months, particularly in the country's northern, southern and western regions.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development announced that a new national report shows that homelessness among veterans has been reduced by nearly 12 percent between January 2010 and January 2011.

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. - Air Force Master Sgt. Perry Woods uses his magic skills to benefit his fellow airmen as well as the local community surrounding Joint Base Charleston, S.C.

KABUL. Afghanistan - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has arrived in Afghanistan to thank U.S. troops for their role in reversing momentum against the Taliban, and to assure Afghan leaders of the United States’ continuing commitment as transition moves forward.

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta kicked off a trip to various countries, thanking members of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa in Djibouti for their role in maintaining stability and preventing conflict in the region.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache containing 500 pounds of hashish in the Maiwand district of Kandahar province.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta expressed confidence that the United States and Pakistan can patch up their differences, emphasizing that success in Afghanistan depends upon a stable relationship with Pakistan.

WASHINGTON - Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, invited about 25 elementary school students, a few teachers -- and one special guest in Afghanistan -- to a military-themed holiday party in their home at the U.S. Naval Observatory.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s fourth most senior official and top female leader has resigned, but will remain in position until February to ensure a smooth transition, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced.

WASHINGTON - With the last U.S. troops leaving Iraq, a new relationship between Iraq and the United States will stand front and center as the countries enter into “an equal partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect,” President Barack Obama said .

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department plans to recognize blood donors early next year for their critical contributions to saving lives by giving blood to the Armed Services Blood Program.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Army Pfc. Amanda Hagy received a special surprise when six months into her deployment in Afghanistan she had a visit from her father, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bobby Hagy.

ARLINGTON, Va. - America’s growth and expansion has made it a large military force around the world, but the National Guard remains a community cornerstone -- just as it did when it was born on Dec. 13, 1636.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani terrorist network leader, detained several other suspected insurgents, and seized multiple firearms in the Ghazni district of Ghazni province.

WASHINGTON - Military leaders are committed to reducing suicides in the ranks, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, the Defense Department’s top enlisted leader, said during a recent interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel.

ARLINGTON, VA - Placing 100,000 holiday wreaths at the graves where veterans "lie in rest and peace on the hallowed grounds" of Arlington National Cemetery is a tribute to their sacrifices for the nation, the Defense Department’s top enlisted service member said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama, who attended the 112th Army-Navy game, said the annual game tradition goes far beyond friendly rivalry, showcasing the men and women in uniform who represent America’s best.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he is encouraged by the success of the surge of 30,000 U.S. troops into Afghanistan, and by the decision Afghan leaders made during the recent loya jurga council meeting.

WASHINGTON - Following the latest round of defense talks between the United States and China, Michèle Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy, said that both countries share mutual defense goals and agree to continue engagements in the coming year.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department considers strategy and capabilities as key factors in budget decisions that will cut $450 billion over the next 10 years, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The annual Warrior Games, featuring wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans competing in several sporting events, will return to Colorado Springs, Colo., in 2012, U.S. Olympic Committee officials announced.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained several suspected insurgents who were carrying small-arms and bomb-making materials during a patrol in the Charkh district of Afghanistan’s Logar province.

BANGKOK - U.S. Marines, airmen and sailors worked in tandem with their Thai military counterparts to provide flood relief at the Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok.

WASHINGTON - The Army and Navy football teams are preparing to face off at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., continuing a tradition of athletic competition and military tradition that has spanned more than a century.

WASHINGTON - As soon as officials at the Air Force Port Mortuary in Dover, Del., realized cremated and incinerated service member remains were being disposed of in a landfill, they changed the process, Air Force Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones said.

WASHINGTON - Alongside hundreds of military family members and friends, Vice President Joe Biden welcomed about 350 sailors home as the USS Gettysburg returned to Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, Fla., after a seven-month deployment.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan will receive the supplies they need to perform their missions regardless of Pakistan’s closure of its border with Afghanistan, Pentagon officials said.

WASHINGTON - Permanently removing insurgents from the fight and reintegrating them into their Afghan communities is a gradual process that will take time, the NATO officer directing coalition support to that Afghan-led effort said.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force confiscated a drug cache containing about 10,000 pounds of hashish during a patrol in the Zurmat district of Paktiya province.

SAN ANTONIO - Army 1st Lt. Matthew Anderson and other wounded warriors are discovering astounding results in a new leg brace designed by prosthetist Ryan Blanck at the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - When Army rotary-wing aviator Kyle Hill recently was promoted to the top warrant officer rank, he called the milestone bittersweet, noting his time in service is running short.

NEW YORK - A Medal of Honor recipient, a Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan, a soldier and an Air Force search-and-rescue team member, and a Coast Guardsman who led maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf have received the USO’s most prestigious leadership award.

NEW YORK - The annual USO Gala turned out to be a family affair for Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as he accepted the USO’s Distinguished Service award honoring the 2.2 million men and women in uniform.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is the largest energy user in the country, but the military services are doing their part to further renewable energy, with the Navy leading the way, a senior Pentagon official said.

BETHESDA, Md. - The 19 employees chosen to receive one of the annual Department of Defense Disability Awards work have helped tear down barriers for those who will follow them, the Pentagon's director of disability programs and equal opportunity said.

BETHESDA, Md. - The Defense Department has honored 19 disabled employees for outstanding performance and four organizations for efforts to hire workers with disabilities, the Pentagon's director of disabiity programs and equal opportunity said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator and detained seven suspected insurgents during an operation in the Qalat district of Zabul province.

WASHINGTON - As the final U.S. military convoys roll out of Iraq these next three weeks, marking the end of eight years of operations, Americans can be proud of the work service members did there, Army Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick, U.S. Forces Iraq’s deputy commanding general said.

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - Air Force Col. Paul W. Tibbets IV, the Air Force Inspection Agency’s commander, is the grandson of retired Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., the pilot in command of the "Enola Gay" when it dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Department task force working with the U.S. Geological Survey is modernizing Afghanistan’s geological enterprise so the war-torn nation can stimulate international investment in its rich deposits of minerals, fossil fuels and rare-earth elements.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Voting Assistance Program and the Military Postal Service Agency announced absentee ballot mailing date guidelines that apply to various overseas locations.

WASHINGTON - Commemorations are under way at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and in Washington, D.C., where Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta placed a wreath at the Navy Memorial in memory of those killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

WASHINGTON - Pearl Harbor survivors represent the best of America and serve as role models for the current generation that responded to another deadly surprise attack, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said in a message to Pearl Harbor veterans.

WASHINGTON - Afghan President Hamid Karzai and senior U.S. military and diplomatic leaders in Afghanistan condemned terrorist attacks in Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif that reportedly killed and wounded dozens of innocent Afghan civilians observing the Ashura religious festival.

WAKE ISLAND AIRFIELD, Wake Island - Air Force Master Sgt. Jean-Guy Fleury has made it his mission to return a treasure trove of 1960s record albums, specially recorded for deployed troops, to the American Forces Radio and Television Service.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Navy will employ a biofuel blend to power aircraft and most vessels participating in a maritime exercise that's slated to be conducted near Hawaii next summer.

WASHINGTON - As the U.S. military departs Iraq and scales back in Afghanistan, it is important to ensure that both countries'national security forces have the logistics capabilities they’ll need, said John B. Johns, deputy assistant secretary of defense for maintenance policy and programs.

WASHINGTON - The North American Aerospace Defense Command based on Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., will again track Santa Claus on his annual Christmas Eve flight as he delivers presents to children around the globe.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained several suspected insurgents and destroyed an explosives-laden building during a search for a Taliban leader in the Wali Muhammad Shahid Khugyani district of Ghazni province.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - A Marine's Christmas song to his wife resounds with other deployed service members separated from their families over the holidays.

SAN ANTONIO - The Warrior and Family Support Center in San Antonio serves as an oasis for wounded warriors and their families.

WASHINGTON - The 40-year-old Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute trains military leaders and rank-and-file troops on how to understand and accept each others’ differences as they work together to accomplish the department's worldwide missions.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta emphasized that despite upheaval in the Middle East, the United States remains committed to safeguarding Israel.

WASHINGTON - The United States and its allies and partners in the international community must do everything possible to make sure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

WASHINGTON - Cooperation with Pakistan is essential to the United States, and the Defense Department is working hard to shore up the damaged relationship, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will deliver a keynote speech focusing on the Middle Eastat the 2011 Saban Forum, sponsored by the Brookings Saban Center for Middle East Policy.

WASHINGTON - Praising the way the United States has maintained and sustained its forces on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, John B. Johns, deputy assistant secretary of defense for maintenance policy and programs, said the military needs to do even better.

WASHINGTON - As the logistical drawdown continues full-steam-ahead in Iraq, U.S. Transportation Command is working with the Joint Staff and Defense Logistics Agency to ensure the State Department has what it needs to continue the mission there, Transcom’s deputy commander said.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter paid tribute to the military’s enlisted members while recognizing two enlisted service members deemed the best of the best during a Pentagon ceremony.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hosted a video conference with commanders of the Navy’s newest carrier, USS George H.W. Bush, during a gala commemorating the centennial of naval aviation.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta hosted a multi-starred Pentagon welcome for Iraq War veteran and “Dancing with the Stars” champion Jose Rene “J.R.” Martinez, a former Army infantryman who was severely burned by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2003.

PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan C. Crocker witnessed the security responsibilities for Parwan province transferred to Afghan forces at a ceremony held in the provincial capital of Charikar.

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Army Capt. Dennis Edwards has received the Soldier's Medal for his efforts to extract two drivers whose vehicles had caught fire during a traffic accident in Killeen, Texas, Jan. 27, 2011.

WASHINGTON - Joined by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad, Vice President Joe Biden thanked U.S. and Iraqi armed forces for their sacrifices, commitment and success.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta commemorated the 100th anniversary of naval aviation, praising military aviators’ boldness and courage and expressing hope that Congress will draw inspiration from it in tackling the nation’s financial challenges.

WASHINGTON - J. Paul Reid, the State Department's senior U.S. civilian representative in Afghanistan, described as “rich” and “complex” the military-civilian partnership he and others say has brought great progress to the country’s southwest region.

WASHINGTON - U.S. troops may be leaving Iraq by year’s end, but meetings between U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Iraqi leaders promise continuing civilian engagement between the two sovereign nations, a senior administration official said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to seek enhanced energy security, while investing in alternative fuel resources, Edward Thomas Morehouse Jr., principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for operational energy plans and programs, said.

WASHINGTON - During an operation in the Khugyani district of Nangarhar province, a combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader who was responsible for distributing bomb-making materials and planning roadside-bomb attacks.

FORT MEADE, Md. - Three days before Thanksgiving, Navy Lt. Cmdr. John T. Schofield, a 15-year military veteran, donated bone marrow to save a seriously ill woman who may die without the donation.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is commemorating World AIDS Day with a broad range of activities aimed at helping more than 70 partner militaries with their prevention, care and treatment programs.