WASHINGTON - The remains of a serviceman from World War II have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

WASHINGTON - As the Defense Department observes Women’s History Month, its second-in-command for Health Affairs, Dr. Karen S. Guice, is a testament to how far women -- and men, too -- can climb when they reach out for new opportunities and have a strong support network.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who served in Vietnam as an Army noncommissioned officer, issued a statement commemorating Vietnam Veterans Day. “This year we also mark forty years since the end of U.S. combat operations in Vietnam," Hagel said.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense has released updated policies and procedures aimed at combating sexual assaults in the military and improving care for victims.

WASHINGTON - Six new appointees have joined the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, according to a Defense Department news release. The group provides advice and recommendations on matters and policies relating to the recruitment and retention, treatment, employment, integration, and well-being of women in the Armed Forces.

WASHINGTON - The world cannot afford a miscalculation when dealing with North Korea, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told CNN. Recent rhetoric emanating from Pyongyang has increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, and this needs to stop, Litte said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a senior Taliban leader and detained one other insurgent during an operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. - A new partnership between U.S. Strategic Command and the University of Nebraska is addressing what Air Force Gen. C. Robert Kehler, Stratcom’s commander, calls one of the most pervasive threats to the United States: weapons of mass destruction.

HONOLULU - Hawaii state legislators gathered at the capitol in Honolulu March 27 to present the Hawaii Medal of Honor to 19 families of Hawaii-born or -based service members who were killed in combat over the past year.

WASHINGTON - Beginning in April, service members and others serving overseas in U.S. Central Command’s area of operations will be issued commercial airline tickets to travel to their rest and recuperation leave destination, officials said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has reduced from 22 to 14 the number of days hundreds of thousands of civilian employees could be furloughed this year due to the budget sequester, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced.

WASHINGTON - Established military and diplomatic partnerships set the tone when it comes time to defend international allies, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

WASHINGTON - The long-standing relationship with South Korea is particularly important to the United States, especially in light of the recent actions by North Korea, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

WASHINGTON - Undersecretary of Defense Robert F. Hale, the Pentagon's comptroller, painted a sobering picture of the Defense Department’s fiscal landscape, telling members of the financial community that unless sequestration is de-triggered soon, military readiness will suffer deeply.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force’s top commander in Europe, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, is President Barack Obama’s choice to be NATO’s next supreme allied commander for Europe and commander of U.S. European Command.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel welcomed representatives of four African nations to the Pentagon to discuss areas of mutual concern.

WASHINGTON - With fewer resources to interdict cocaine traffickers’ transit routes, Joint Interagency Task Force South is adopting new approaches to its counterdrug mission and leveraging partnerships across the interagency and with regional nations, said Air Force Brig. Gen Steve DePalmer, the task force's deputy director.

WASHINGTON - The Transportation Security Administration now offers expedited airport screening to severely injured members of the armed forces.

FORT HOOD, Texas - Former Women's Army Corps member Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jeanne Y. Pace has served for 41 years, and she’s still going strong as a commander and band leader at Fort Hood, Texas.

WASHINGTON - NATO officials are closely analyzing what the future cyber warrior will look like as the war landscape shifts from air, ground and sea to cyberspace, the Allied Command Transformation’s deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and policy said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke by phone with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to the alliance between their two countries during a time of heightened tension brought about by North Korean threats.

WASHINGTON - With the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan shifting from combat to support, ISAF deputy commander British Army Lt. Gen. Nick Carter briefed reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels on progress and the hard work that remains.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials are looking at the recently signed continuing resolution that funds the government for the rest of the fiscal year to discern how the legislation affects personnel and programs, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

CAMP HENRY, South Korea - South Korea-deployed Army Lt. Col. Anthony G. Glaude said his experiences as an enlisted soldier, a warrant officer and now a commissioned officer provide insights that assist him in his daily leadership duties.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Military health care providers now have a mobile application to help keep them productive and emotionally healthy as they cope with burnout and compassion fatigue.

WASHINGTON - NATO’s supreme allied commander for transformation encouraged about 70 college students to apply their talent and motivation in assessing current and future crisis management and security challenges.

WASHINGTON - The United States is committed to an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said during his first visit to Kabul since becoming America's top diplomat.

BETHESDA, Md. - Service members who have suffered severe traumatic brain injuries and psychological ills can benefit from an intensive four-week program at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence.

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps enters the Quadrennial Defense Review process confident that examination will show the Marines' trajectory is on the right track, said Maj. Gen. Kenneth F. “Frank” McKenzie Jr., the Marine Corps’ representative to the process.

WASHINGTON - Now that Congress has passed a continuing resolution that will fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year, Defense Department officials are trying to find the best way to make $46 billion in spending cuts, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters.

WASHINGTON - The newest threats by North Korea follow a well-worn pattern designed to raise tensions and intimidate others, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Thomas L. Conant, U.S. Pacific Command’s deputy commander, opened a multinational peacekeeping exercise in Nepal, praising planners and participants for the role they will play in promoting peace operations regionally and around the world.

WASHINGTON - Twenty-one Medal of Honor recipients who put their lives on the line in extraordinary ways and circumstances paid tribute to four citizen-heroes who also went above and beyond for their fellow man.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Nickolas Franklin joined the Corps to see the world, and he hopes to eventually be posted in South America.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader and detained another insurgent in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province.

WASHINGTON - Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu made a congratulatory call to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, and the two leaders discussed a range of issues, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Twenty-eight people representing 26 countries, including 13 service members, took their oath of U.S. citizenship during a naturalization ceremony hosted by President Barack Obama in the White House’s East Room.

WASHINGTON - Noting increased cooperation between NATO and Russia, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, the top NATO and U.S. European Command commander, emphasized the importance of working through stumbling blocks in what he called a “complicated partnership.”

ARLINGTON, Va. - Members of the National Guard and reserves submitted 2,899 nominations for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, officials with Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, an operational Defense Department committee, announced.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHANK, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Army Spc. Takisha S. Brock said she'd always wanted to join the military because three of her cousins served during Operation Desert Storm.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition military officials confirmed that two key Taliban leaders in Helmand province were killed in recent operations.

WASHINGTON - As service members start to receive their orders for summer moves, it’s time for working spouses to update resumes, start networking for job opportunities and contact career counselors at their new locations, a Pentagon official recommends.

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea - The chairman of the South Korean military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and the U.S. Army general who leads the Republic of Korea-United States Combined Forces Command have signed a combined plan to counter future threats from North Korea.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed an agreement to transfer control of the Parwan detention facility to the Afghan government with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The military and its leaders have a responsibility to prepare service members to become productive members of society, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - Asian defense leaders are eager for U.S. presence and involvement in the region and will “very palpably” feel the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter said after a week of meetings there.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The war in Afghanistan and maintaining contacts throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility will be Centcom’s continuing mission, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III said today.

WASHINGTON - Japan’s government has moved forward with the submission of a landfill request permit to the Okinawa prefectural government in the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has presided over the change of command of U.S. Central Command from Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis to Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III.

WASHINGTON - The outgoing commander of U.S. Central Command bid farewell to his team during a ceremony hosted by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Tampa, Fla.

NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI, Japan - Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class John Skoblicki worked construction after high school. Now, he’s a builder in the Seabees.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a senior Taliban leader and two high-profile attack facilitators and detained two other insurgents in Wardak province.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials recognize that an unemployed spouse can affect a service member’s retention an initiative for states to allow spouses’ professional licenses to transfer from other states.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, BEAUFORT, S.C. - After a decade of growth, the budget is shrinking, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Marines and their families as he addressed their concerns during a town hall meeting, adding "we really do have challenges."

WASHINGTON - Three active-duty Marines are dead after a shooting incident at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. - The initial decision to cut tuition assistance was not taken lightly, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told Marines and their families, adding that readiness accounts which include tuition assistance are already nearly empty.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - The Defense Department has begun to shift its intellectual and physical weight to the Asia-Pacific to reinforce longstanding military commitments to the region, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in Jakarta, Indonesia.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. - The Marine Corps is the “rock upon which this great military of ours rests,” Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a town hall meeting at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., adding that the military and especially the Marines must be constant.

WASHINGTON - Tuition assistance is an important program, but should be weighed against the military’s imperative requirement to maintain readiness, a Defense Department spokeswoman said.

WASHINGTON - Invisible wounds such as depression and post-traumatic stress take a significant toll on service members, a panel of Defense Department and service officials told Congress while emphasizing their efforts to address military suicides will persist.

WASHINGTON - The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., has earned distinction as one of the top-ranked U.S. graduate schools.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials have put off sending furlough notices to civilian employees until they’ve had a chance to analyze how pending legislation that would fund the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year will affect the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - Military lands serve a critical role in protecting the nation and the nation’s natural resources, the acting deputy undersecretary of defense for environment and installations said.

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Army Spc. Kevin Wear was riding in an armored vehicle in Afghanistan last summer when a roadside bomb exploded, tearing the vehicle into three pieces and killing three of the five passengers inside.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., - Though he’s been in the Navy for just a little less than two years, Seaman Bryant P. Jordan already has begun paving a path for a bright future.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban weapons facilitator and detained another insurgent in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province.

WILMINGTON, Del. - The National Guard has kicked off a new effort to support service members, veterans and their families at the community level.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama pledged in Jerusalem that the United States stands by its commitment to Israel’s security, noting the alliance between the two countries “has never been stronger.”

WASHINGTON - A potential connection between crime syndicates and terrorists in Latin America would constitute a clear danger to the region, Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly, commander of U.S. Southern Command, told reporters at the Pentagon.

BETHESDA, Md. - Bearing a large Easter basket brimming with cookies, First Lady Michelle Obama visited seven families of recuperating service members at Fisher House No. 4 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

WASHINGTON - Iran is actively working to expand its presence in Latin America to cultivate allies at a time when Tehran is facing tough U.S and international sanctions for its alleged nuclear weapons program, Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly, commander of U.S. Southern Command, told a House panel.

WASHINGTON - The top enlisted members of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps underscored to lawmakers the quality-of-life challenges the services face in tough fiscal times.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Northern Command is working with its partners to improve its ability to support civil authorities during disaster responses, and is now better postured to do so through a new construct that improves coordination among the forces involved, Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., Northcom's commander, told a House panel.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan’s political situation and its people’s confidence will be essential to a successful shift to Afghan-led security, a top commander of NATO troops in Afghanistan told reporters.

SPRINGFIELD, Va. - Expressing the hope that a bill will pass through Congress this week to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year, Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defense for acquisitions, technology and logistics, told an audience in Springfield, Va., that while the bill would fix some problems, other fiscal challenges will remain.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Twin brothers Taylor and Tyler Adair have joined the Missouri Army National Guard and are slated to attend basic training this summer at Fort Jackson, S.C.

WASHINGTON - Post-9/11 military veterans are finding and keeping jobs in larger numbers, according to 2012 veteran employment data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator in the city of Kandahar in Kandahar province.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - On the last leg of his weeklong trip to Asia, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter spent two days in Jakarta, Indonesia, visiting defense and government officials, delivering remarks at an international conference, and holding bilateral talks with leaders from nations in the region.

WASHINGTON - Military children can go through six to nine household moves while they’re growing up -- and even more in many cases -- so their parents must be sensitive to how the disruption affects them, a DOD official said.

WASHINGTON - As thousands of service members and military families prepare to travel to new duty assignments, the Defense Department has a variety of resources in place to make their summer moves as smooth as possible, a DOD official said.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered keynote remarks as the head of a star-studded Pentagon delegation to a gala hosted by and benefiting the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS.

FORT MEADE, Md. - The Defense Information System Agency’s Enterprise Email System, a cost-efficient system that allows warfighters to keep the same email address when they move or deploy among other benefits, passed a milestone recently when it reached 1 million users.

WASHINGTON - During a “Champions of Change” event at the White House, First Lady Michelle Obama pledged to continue to address veterans' employment challenges as she honored 14 women veterans who have continued to serve as leaders at local, state, regional or national levels.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to work to be a good steward of the American people’s money, as the department continues to seek better and cheaper ways to perform assigned missions, Robert F. Hale, DOD comptroller and chief financial officer, told a House panel.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly, commander of U.S. Southern Command, told a Senate panel he is concerned about the effects sequestration and other budget constraints will have on the United States’ ability to deter and respond to regional security challenges.

MANILA, Philippines - In the Philippines on his the third stop of his trip to Asia, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with top officials and carried greetings from President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to be delivered to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III.

WASHINGTON - The effects of spending cuts on personnel, force structure and programs reduce morale, efficiency and the ability to support the mission, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, the commander of U.S. European Command, told Congress.

WASHINGTON - In an era of leaner budgets and other uncertainties, U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Commandwill remain committed to deterring, preventing and defeating aggression against the United States and Canada, Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., the chief of the two commands, told a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - U.S. defenses are sufficient to stand up to current ballistic missile threats, but must continue to evolve because “the threat of ballistic missiles is not going down,” Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., the commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, told a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - Afghan security forces are on track to assume complete control of security in the country, and NATO is monitoring the situation in Syria, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe, told a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, commander of U.S. European Command, emphasized to Congress the importance of the region to future U.S. interests.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Seven service members were killed and several others were injured when an incident occurred during a training exercise at Hawthorne Army Depot, Nev.

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii - Air Force Capt. Matt Adams received the Airman's Medal for rescuing his friend, Air Force Capt. John Barbour, who'd fallen off a cliff during a holiday trip to the Central American nation of Costa Rica in 2011.

WASHINGTON - On the 10th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel released a statement honoring the sacrifices made by service members, their families and the Iraqi people.

WASHINGTON - Thirteen installations will be assessed for their success in promoting healthy lifestyles for a better total workforce in the Healthy Base Initiative, Defense Department officials announced.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. commitment to security in the Persian Gulf remains firm, the nation’s senior military officer said at a Persian Gulf forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a think tank audience in Washington, D.C., that while U.S. forces face rising security and financial risk, he offers “a little peace of mind in the context of uncertainty.”

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has tasked senior civilian and military personnel to examine the Defense Department’s strategic assumptions, given changes in the fiscal environment, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

SEOUL, South Korea - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with President Park Geun-hye’s new administration duiring a series of meetings in Seoul, during which Carter reaffirmed the United States' commitment to South Korea.

WASHINGTON - American capabilities such as B-52 Stratofortress bombers based in Guam as well other capabilities in South Korea figure into the strategic calculus North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has to consider, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard’s State Partnership Program is an extraordinarily effective, enduring, low-cost tool to advance the national security objective of building partnership capacity, two veteran combatant commanders told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Though setbacks may happen, real progress is taking place in Afghanistan, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in Brussels.

WASHINGTON - Thirteen pilot sites will participate in the Healthy Base Initiative, a demonstration project for the Defense Department’s Operation Live Well, Pentagon officials announced.

WASHINGTON - United States military and other agency participants in the Southern Partnership Station 2013 exercise are supporting U.S. Southern Command’s outreach to Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, and by extension, U.S. national security.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in the Kunduz district of Kunduz province.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE APACHE, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Army Staff Sgt. Bonnie Clark says she stays as active in her children's lives as possible, by emailing their teachers weekly and being involved in every decision which affects them

WASHINGTON - As the peak household goods moving season -- which typically runs from May to August -- rapidly approaches, military members are being urged to request a preferred move date as soon as they receive their orders.

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with his Japanese counterpart outside Tokyo to discuss issues affecting the U.S.-Japanese alliance.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter is traveling to Asia to meet with U.S. allies and partners to discuss a range of common security challenges.

WASHINGTON - The United States is adding more ground-based ballistic missile interceptors to guard against threats from North Korea and Iran, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced during a news conference at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - A senior Pentagon official said progress has occurred in reducing the unemployment rate for Guard and Reserve veterans, but also told a House panel that more work needs to be done.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. commander in Europe emphasized the importance of NATO and the United States’ forward presence in Europe, while acknowledging that European allies need to meet their financial defense commitments.

WASHINGTON - Work has begun on the Quadrennial Defense Review, and Air Force Maj. Gen. Steven L. Kwast believes it can help leaders best operate in a new world.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Africa Command brings “markedly increased” capabilities to its mission of defending U.S. interests and developing regional militaries, the command’s leader told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Asked by Congress where the United States needs to focus attention to promote its national security interests, the longest-serving U.S. combatant commander cited three areas: cyberspace, trafficking and special operations.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator and detained another insurgent in the Kandahar district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Service members, public figures and performers were honored for their service or support of the U.S. military at the USO of Metropolitan Washington’s 31st awards dinner in Crystal City, Va.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has more real estate than it needs, a senior DOD official told a House panel.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel took the ceremonial oath of office in a Pentagon ceremony hosted by Vice President Joe Biden and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.

WASHINGTON - An Iranian military jet tried to intercept an unarmed American MQ-1 remotely piloted aircraft over international waters March 12 but it was discouraged from accomplishing that mission, Pentagon officials said.

WASHINGTON - A transformation is under way in the Defense Department’s understanding and treatment of cyber requirements in everything from communication networks to military operations in cyberspace, DOD officials told a House panel.

FORT MEADE, Md. - The Defense Information School honored seven alumni with induction into an inaugural Hall of Fame for excelling in journalism, photography and videography following graduation from the school.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials will do what it takes to end sexual assault in the military, the Pentagon’s top acting general counsel told Congress.

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy - Air Force Airman 1st Class Emily Beckerjeck said her motivation to become a military firefighter stemmed from the idea of proving that women can do whatever men can do. "There's no limit anymore," she said.

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea - The Army's top operational command in Korea is training for its primary mission as a combined and joint task force headquarters during Exercise Key Resolve 2013.

WASHINGTON - Upcoming furloughs for Army civilians, along with budget cuts, will affect the Army's ability to provide behavioral health care to soldiers, the service’s chief of behavioral health care said during a recent Defense Writers Group breakfast.

WASHINGTON - Brigade advisory teams will continue to train and advise their Afghan counterparts as American forces draw down as part of President Barack Obama’s directive to conclude U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan by the end of 2014, said Army Maj. Gen. Robert B. Abrams, commander of Regional Command-South.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan’s national security forces are better-equipped, better-trained and better-led than ever before, said Army Maj. Gen. Robert B. Abrams, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command-South.

WASHINGTON - Veterans and military spouses make good hires because they know how to develop and execute complex plans and work best in high-pressure situations, First Lady Michelle Obama told attendees at the Business Roundtable Conference Center in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - Federal civilian employees could see their Thrift Savings Plan contributions reduced if furloughs take effect.

WASHINGTON - The terror threat is still potent, but it is much more dispersed than it once was, James R. Clapper, the director of national intelligence, told a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - After undergoing adjustments, the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program is making slow and steady progress and is on track, said Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan, the F-35 program executive officer.

WASHINGTON - Spending cuts that took effect March 1 will diminish recruiting, training, and medical and support programs that sustain the all-volunteer force, Jessica L. Wright, acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told a House panel.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military efforts in Africa will remain low key, and will be geared toward building relationships with African nations, a senior Defense Department official said.

WASHINGTON - Defense spending cuts that took effect March 1 will affect military health system patients, staff and facilities, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, told the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Members of the last Army Stryker brigade combat team slated to deploy to Afghanistan are preparing for a distinctly different mission there, while also instituting new measures to promote resilience for soldiers and their families during the deployment.

FORT MEADE, Md. - The benefits of dancing for recreation have put a new spin on life for Army Lt. Col. Anne Marie Theriault, a civil affairs officer who said she has had a love for dance since she was a child.

WASHINGTON - All four active services met or exceeded their numerical recruiting goals over the first four months of fiscal year 2013, which began Oct. 1, Defense Department officials reported.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani network facilitator and another insurgent in the Tanai district of Khost province.

WASHINGTON - A ceremonial swearing-in for Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will take place at the Pentagon March 14.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter pledged that the Pentagon will not allow a $46 billion cut in spending and uncertainty over future funding to keep it from focusing on challenges facing the nation even though the current fiscal situation will lead to “perverse, unsafe and wasteful consequences.”

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon’s acquisitions chief reviewed the five priorities he set in 2010, and a new one he has since added.

WASHINGTON - Though budget woes led the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force to suspend their tuition assistance programs and the Navy continues to consider its options, the program is important to the Defense Department and to service members, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and South Korean forces remain “postured for any contingency” on the Korean Peninsula, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said as he called on North Korea to tone down its rhetoric and comply with its international obligations.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department faces many fiscal challenges, but is doing what it can to reduce impacts on national security, said Robert F. Hale, the department’s comptroller.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered a review of the new Distinguished Warfare Medal and its order of precedence relative to other military decorations, in light of recent discussions concerning the award, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Cyber Command is standing up a highly trained cadre focused on national defense in cyberspace, Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander, commander of U.S. Cyber Command, told Congress.

WASHINGTON - The strategic pivot toward the Asia-Pacific region will help to rebalance the projection and focus of U.S. power, said Tom Donilon, President Barack Obama’s national security advisor.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has directed two separate reviews to ensure that the U.S. military justice system is appropriately protecting victims of sexual assault as well as dispensing justice to the accused, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will see effects to long-term military readiness and support programs, said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - The new defense strategic guidance addresses upcoming budgetary changes, the drawdown in Afghanistan, and the need to renew focus on the Asia-Pacific region, all without losing influence in the Middle East, said Navy Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, chief of naval operations.

WASHINGTON - Even as the U.S. military transitions after more than a decade of conflict, it faces an uncertain, complex national security landscape, Air Force Gen. C. Robert Kehler, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, told Senators.

WASHINGTON - Cyber threats directed against the United States are more diverse, interconnected and viral than at any time in American history, James R. Clapper, the director of national intelligence, told a Senate panel.

FORT HOOD, Texas - After more than nine years and four back-to-back deployments with the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Air Combat Brigade, Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Wayne Turner is hanging up his flight suit.

WASHINGTON - A free iPhone app for the Thrift Savings Plan available at the Apple App Store could pose a security risk, program officials warned.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials are developing research-based methods to curb substance abuse among service members, their families and veterans, a senior DOD medical official said.

WASHINGTON - Five International Security Assistance Force service members died following a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Trust is an important bonding agent between military members, their families, and their communities, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said in remarks at the National League of Cities Congressional Cities Conference.

WASHINGTON - Two key steps are complete that will further the goals of President Barack Obama’s 2009 Export Control Reform Initiative, an approach to overhauling the nation’s export control system, senior administration officials said.

WASHINGTON - Furloughs for Defense Department civilian employees can begin April 26 unless Congress acts to end sequestration, the department’s comptroller said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor posthumously to an Army chaplain for conspicuous gallantry during the Korean War, White House officials announced.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The transition in Afghanistan that’s gradually moving Afghan forces into the security lead brings significant tensions for that nation’s people, said Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.

WASHINGTON - Two American service members were killed and 10 were wounded in an apparent insider-attack incident in Afghanistan’s Wardak province.

WASHINGTON - Through its Joint Cyber Center and other endeavors U.S. Pacific Comand aims to bolster its cyber capabilities and make them integral to the entire command structure.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and South Korean forces kicked off the annual Key Resolve exercise, with the North Korean army’s supreme command reportedly responding by nullifying the armistice agreement that has maintained peace on the Korean Peninsula for six decades.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader and detained another insurgent in the Nawah-ye Barakzai district of Helmand province.

TARIN KOT, Afghanistan - As part of the Arkansas National Guard’s 1039th “Razorback” Engineer Company, supply specialist Army Staff Sgt. James B. Duboise is in high demand at Multinational Base Tarin Kot in Afghanistan’s Uruzgan province.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel found his first trip to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief to be extremely informative, a senior defense official said in a statement issued to reporters traveling with Hagel.

KABUL, Afghanistan - After his first meeting with Afghanistan’s president as head of the U.S. military, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the encounter featured “clear, direct conversation.”

JALALABAD AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited the soldiers of the Army’s 101st Airborne Division’s “Bastogne” 1st Brigade Combat Team in eastern Afghanistan.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with conventional and special operations forces leaders on his first full day in Afghanistan as the 24th secretary.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was in a briefing at a NATO International Security Assistance Force facility in Kabul, Afghanistan, when a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb outside the Afghan Defense Ministry.

WASHINGTON - Budget problems have forced the Army and Marine Corps to cancel the tuition assistance program, service officials said.

WASHINGTON - Shortly after arriving in Kabul, Afghanistan, for his first visit to the country since taking office last week, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel issued a message to all members of the International Security Assistance Force.

ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed soldiers 1st Lt. Timothy Russell and his brother, Spc.Travis Russell, have both set their sights on careers in the Army.

WASHINGTON - Engineers, scientists and analysts of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center assess foreign missile and space systems and other critical intelligence products to help keep warfighters safe.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Afghanistan to meet with and thank U.S. troops serving there and to assess the current situation.

WASHINGTON - Describing himself as both a student and a teacher, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed the importance of learning in remarks at the annual education gala hosted by the World Affairs Council's branch in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - Experts in the public and private sectors have been working to make cyberspace an inherently collaborative, adaptable environment suitable for military command and control.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, who will step down as U.S. Africa Command's chief next month, said the five-year-old command has increased operational capabilities and capacities and has worked to build and focus security cooperation on the continent.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Command is working to ensure security and reduce vulnerabilities to vital mission networks, Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III, Transcom's commander, told senators.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. and United Nations commander in Korea reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to South Korea’s defense and urged North Korea to cease provocative actions.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Shannon R. Bandy wanted to become a military police officer. That didn’t happen, but as an aircraft rescue and firefighting specialist, she’s happy with the way it turned out.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani network facilitator and detained a wounded insurgent after a firefight in the Sayyid Karam district of Afghanistan’s Paktia province.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Central Command told Congress that he supports the decision to release high-value prisoners to the Afghan justice system and described how he envisions ending the threat of IEDs.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Special Operations Command discussed the Leahy Amendment, which prohibits U.S. military assistance to foreign military units that violate human rights and restricts U.S. aid to abusive security forces overseas, during testimony on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON - The chief of U.S Transportation Command told Congress that cuts triggered by the budget sequester should not impact the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, but may have unintended consequences.

WASHINGTON - Expanding global partnerships is essential to continue meeting mission goals as the 2014 drawdown in Afghanistan nears, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command told members of the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Effective counterintelligence training and vigilance has helped to reduce the threat of insider attacks to one this year, Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, the commander of U.S. Central Command said.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis expressed concern about the potential for a perceived lack of U.S. commitment to the Middle East as forces draw down in Afghanistan and provided suggestions on preventing that problem to members of the House Armed Services Committee.

COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina Adjutant General Army Maj. Gen. Robert E. Livingston Jr. led a team of 10 soldiers and airmen to Bogotá, Colombia, Feb. 19-22 for the latest engagement of the newly formed State Partnership Program between South Carolina and the Republic of Colombia.

WASHINGTON - As fiscal constraints require more teamwork on the world stage, the National Guard’s State Partnership Program supports U.S. national and security interests through military, socio-political and economic partner nation engagement.

WASHINGTON - Retired Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Michele Flournoy, former undersecretary of defense for policy, are among four appointments to the Quadrennial Defense Review’s independent panel.

WASHINGTON - The Senate confirmed Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III as the next commander of U.S. Central Command and Army Gen. David M. Rodriguez as the next commander of U.S. Africa Command.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Preston Crider, an operating room nurse, is lending his much-needed skills to the military.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force killed one insurgent and wounded two others, including a Taliban commander, during an operation in the Giro district of Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The complexity of today’s financial environment combined with the realities of military life, including frequent moves and deployments, present service members and military families with special financial challenges, that, however, can be managed.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Special Operations Command has told Congress the impact of severe budget cuts will have a “dramatic impact” on current and future missions.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, the chief of U.S. Central Command, highlighted progress in Afghanistan and outlined sequestration-related budget challenges in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - North Korea has threatened to nullify the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, in an apparent response to threatened United Nations sanctions that may be put in place following the Feb. 12 North Korean test of a nuclear weapon.

WASHINGTON - The senior officers from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have appealed to Congress for more spending flexibility to maintain military readiness in light of across-the-board budget cuts.

WASHINGTON - Thanks to ongoing training and integration with the Maryland National Guard, armed forces from Bosnia and Herzegovina deployed with a military police task force to Afghanistan’s Kandahar province in January.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, credited strong partnerships with allies and an understanding of terrorist networks for helping build the command’s capacity to meet its mission in his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Gen. C. Robert Kehler, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, told the House Armed Services Committee that fiscal uncertainty and declining resources could threaten the command's responsibilities.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak discussed a range of issues including Iran and Syria during a meeting at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Iran’s behavior poses the greatest risk to stability in the Middle East, Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, the commander of U.S. Central Command told Congress.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Pakistani born Shafak Pervez, one of the few female electrical engineers in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, thrives on new experiences while striving to help others.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces have arrested a Taliban facilitator and detained two other insurgents during an operation in Kandahar City.

WASHINGTON - Dr. Laura Stubbs, who served as the Navy’s first African-American nuclear power school instructor, credits her career success to many things, in particular an encounter with an infamous Navy admiral.

WASHINGTON - The 2013 USO spring tour, hosted by Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reunited a USO entertainer with her brother, Army Maj. David Evans, who is deployed to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Sequestration will affect Department of Defense Education Activity schools and the Defense Commissary Agency, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Large, sudden U.S. spending cuts and an unstable budget environment promise long-term damage to a critical segement of the defense industrial base, the top defense maintenance official said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani leader during an operation in the Nadir Shah Kot district of Khost province.

FORT MEADE, Md. - Two women, from completely opposite economic, social and cultural backgrounds, walked parallel paths during the early days of World War II, clearing boundaries for women in aviation.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff committed to leading through the effects of sequestration in a video message to service members.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter has sent warning letters to the governors of the states whose residents will suffer most from the serious and real effects of sequestration.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department civilian employees will particularly feel the pain sequester will bring to the entire defense workforce, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said during his first Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - Soldier and Marine training, Air Force flying hours and Navy steaming days are being curtailed thanks to the $47 billion in cuts the Defense Department must make before Sept. 30, 2013, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department lifted its grounding of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter jet after analysis concluded that a cracked turbine blade in an engine on a single plane resulted from overuse in test operations, according to an official with the F-35 Joint Program Office.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The “duty, honor and pride” of the 2 million women who served to defend the United States, from the beginning of the Revolutionary War through today’s war in Afghanistan, are depicted in a living legacy inside the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

GALVESTON, Texas - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District project manager Sharon Tirpak guides multidisciplinary teams through complex projects that energize the economy and reduce risks from disasters.

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Super Bowl champion and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning thrilled troops at Bagram Air Field, even throwing a few passes into the audience, during a USO show hosted by Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator and detained three other insurgents during an operation in the Nawah-ye Barakzai district of Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - Germany-based elements of the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team will relocate within Germany and to Italy this summer.

OVERSEAS WITH THE USO TOUR - Two Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, currently on a USO overseas troop entertainment tour with Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said they take pride in entertaining and supporting the troops.

WASHINGTON - Senior Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security leaders met Feb. 25 with representatives of the Council of Governors to find how the entities can better work together, officials said.