TALLADEGA, Ala. - A soldier, a sailor, an airman and a Marine received expressions of thanks over and over again from members of the crowd at Talladega Superspeedway here during the Aaron’s 499 yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Disenfranchised populations lacking hope and self-esteem pose a significant terrorist threat to countries around the world, a top defense official said today.

WASHINGTON - Nathan Potts was one of about 50 seriously wounded servicemembers who went for a two-day, 110-mile bike ride this weekend, just to show they could.

WASHINGTON - “Operation Give” is working to help the military win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people.

WASHINGTON - A major clearing operation that wrapped up last week in Baghdad succeeded in preventing 3,200 roadside bombs, jailing 42 terrorists, and seizing enough weapons and explosives to outfit an enemy infantry battalion, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division’s 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team reported today.

WASHINGTON - Ongoing NATO military and reconstruction operations are helping erode Taliban militants’ power in southern Afghanistan, a senior Dutch officer said today.

WASHINGTON - Four U.S. soldiers and one Marine died in Iraq over the past three days, and one soldier was wounded, military officials reported. The Defense Department released the identities of three soldiers and one Marine who died recently.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 136 Taliban combatants and captured two suspects during operations in Afghanistan over the past four days.

WASHINGTON - National Guard members today commenced a hurricane emergency preparedness and response exercise involving five states in the northeastern United States, a National Guard Bureau spokesman said.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Being an Army wife can be difficult. Being an Army wife at the 10th Mountain Division’s Fort Drum can be even more challenging, since the 10th is one of the Army’s most deployed divisions.

HEIDELBERG, Germany - Soldiers here recently tested two new rations being fielded for servicemembers this year: an on-the-go compact ration based on pocket sandwiches, and a kind of kitchen-in-a-box that prepares hot meals for 18 people with just the pull of a tab.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces nabbed about 94 suspects and discovered several weapons caches during raids across Iraq in the past three days.

WASHINGTON - After traveling nearly 18,000 miles to see the young men and women of the U.S. armed forces in Southwest Asia, members of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference 73 have come away from the experience with a heightened respect for those who are serving the nation.

WASHINGTON - To give college-bound members of military families a leg-up, eKnowledge Corporation, which supplies interactive test-preparation products for college entrance exams, teamed with a group of NFL players and donated $6.9 million worth of multimedia SAT/ACT preparation materials to servicemembers and their families in 2006. In 2007, the partnership will boost its commitment to $10 million.

WASHINGTON - The Marines of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band have put down their instruments and picked up their rifles to become part of the security detachment for the Tactical Air Control Center here.

WASHINGTON - American and Afghan security forces teamed up to shut down a militant suicide-vehicle-bomb-making network during an operation in the Bati Kot area of Nangarhar province April 29, military officials reported.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Participants of the Defense Department’s Joint Civilian Orientation Conference yesterday met some of the men and women of U.S. Central Command Air Forces who serve here as “guardian angels” for troops deployed to this region.

WASHINGTON - Four U.S. soldiers were killed and three were wounded in Iraq April 28, while three U.S. soldiers and two Marines died April 27 during Iraq operations, military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identities of two Marines killed recently in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - U.S. troops captured 21 suspected terrorists April 28 in Iraq during a series of raids across the country that targeted al Qaeda in Iraq, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Popular rock musician John Mellencamp took to the stage at Walter Reed Army Medical Center April 27 and delivered his trademark Americana singing style as a tribute to the wounded soldiers who inspired him at the hospital.

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - Although he’s proud of what his troops do in Kuwait, the commander of the 3rd U.S. Army and U.S. Army Central Command said today that what his troops do to contribute to combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan that is even more important.

WASHINGTON - Sew Much Comfort’s adaptive clothing has always helped injured servicemembers, but now, with the help of the NBA, the troops can proudly display support for their favorite National Basketball Association teams.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SWORD, Kuwait - A group of civic and business leaders had the opportunity to learn more about the capability of the U.S. Army during a visit yesterday and today to troops stationed in Kuwait.

WASHINGTON - About 120 fourth- and fifth-grade students and their chaperones representing J.W. Alvey Elementary School in Haymarket, Va., presented a check for $20,000 to the Pentagon Memorial Fund today during a ceremony at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today repeated his pledge that he’ll veto any congressional war-funding bills that stipulate a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Marines from the 3rd Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team put on an impressive display here today for visiting members of the Defense Department’s Joint Civilian Orientation Conference.

WASHINGTON - In operations throughout Iraq today, coalition forces detained 13 suspected terrorists, military officials reported. Also, a detainee died yesterday at Camp Bucca, Iraq.

MANAMA, Bahrain - The key to bringing stability to the Middle East lies in the success of the military providing security for countries within the region, the deputy commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command told members of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Progress continues in Iraq despite headline-grabbing enemy attacks, a top U.S. general in Iraq said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - A new system unveiled today is designed to better prepare servicemembers to operate with other services, government agencies, foreign militaries and non-governmental organizations while reducing the time they spend away from home or their units for military classes.

WASHINGTON - A coalition servicemember was killed in Afghanistan today and three Marines were killed in Iraq yesterday, military officials reported. The Defense Department also released the identities of 10 soldiers killed recently in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained seven suspected Taliban members and killed five armed militants in operations in Afghanistan today, military officials reported.

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - All systems are moving toward “go” here as officials prepare for upcoming tests on the next-generation strike fighter, the F-35 “Lightning II” Joint Strike Fighter.

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - A team of military and civilian employees and contractors at the Air Force Flight Test Center here is helping to build the Air Force of the future as they improve on air systems in use around the world today in the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department announced today that it has taken a senior al Qaeda operative into custody at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department needs more servicemembers who understand other languages and cultures to meet current and envisioned 21st-century challenges, a senior official said at a Capitol Hill hearing.

WASHINGTON - Iraq’s growing police force is technically competent and functioning as it should within the country’s legal system, a top U.S. police trainer said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s America Supports You program welcome more than 500 children to the Pentagon as part of “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.”

WASHINGTON - Senior U.S. leaders on the ground in Iraq plan to evaluate the success of the new security plan and provide an assessment of the situation to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates by early September, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said here today.

WASHINGTON - A Multinational Corps Iraq soldier died April 24 in a non-combat-related incident, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified 13 servicemembers killed while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan in recent days.

WASHINGTON - Through interrogations of key detainees in the past month, the United States has learned a great deal about Iranian involvement in terrorist activities in Iraq, specifically the financing and training of insurgent groups, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said here today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq today killed seven terrorists and disrupted a vehicle-bomb network, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Sensational car bomb attacks staged by al Qaeda in Iraq may grab headlines, but coalition and Iraqi forces are making real progress on the ground and steadily achieving significant successes, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq told reporters here today.

BERLIN, Germany - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with German defense leaders yesterday on the last leg of a three-day trip to Moscow, Warsaw and Berlin to discuss U.S. plans to base a missile defense network in Europe.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of active-duty and National Guard servicemembers will take part in a two-week, Defense Department-sponsored nationwide emergency preparedness and response exercise that kicks off April 30, a senior department official said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s woes in wounded warrior care have either been fixed, or are being fixed, the vice chief of staff of the Army said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Dialogue and understanding among members of diverse faiths are vital to overcoming religious extremism, the Pentagon’s second-in-command said here yesterday.

WEST POINT, N.Y. - It seemed very much like the passing of the torch as Marine Gen. Peter Pace spoke to the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2007 here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military officials in Iraq have charged an Army officer with aiding the enemy by providing an unmonitored cell phone to detainees, along with other crimes.

WASHINGTON - Marine Sgt. Paula Payne, whose childhood dream came true when she joined the Marine Corps four years ago, is one of eight servicemembers selected by the Defense Department to participate in the “Why We Serve” outreach program to share their personal experiences with the American public.

USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER - Members of the Defense Department’s Joint Civilian Orientation Conference today walked, or catapulted, away from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with a greater appreciation for what sailors are doing for their nation and the global war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The Army stood up a new brigade today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to improve outpatient care for wounded soldiers.

USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER - Following a six-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf, sailors of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower can return to Norfolk, Va., proudly, knowing that they made a difference in the global war on terror, the ship’s commander said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained six suspected terrorists during operations around Iraq today, and Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers found a weapons cache inside a Baghdad mosque April 23.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. commander in Korea urged Congress yesterday to help him introduce standard three-year rotational tours for military forces in South Korea over the next several years.

WASHINGTON - A series of joint Afghan-coalition raids conducted over the past few days in southern Afghanistan have netted weapons, bomb-making components and suspects, according to U.S. military news releases.

BERLIN - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today said he is not surprised that some Russian officials have different points of view on the U.S. plan to base missile defense assets in Eastern Europe.

WASHINGTON - As it observes its 20th anniversary this week, U.S. Special Operations Command continues to face more demand for its forces than it can accommodate -- a challenge the command’s deputy commander reported yesterday won’t abate even with more special operators in the pipeline.

WASHINGTON - Operation Straight Up Tour is working to help military children and families become stronger through faith-based entertainment, its founder said.

WASHINGTON - Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Hartless, a two-time combat veteran, now will lead a new group of noncommissioned officers, many hand-picked by the sergeant major of the army, tasked with improving soldier care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

WASHINGTON - Employees of the Starbucks Coffee Company have donated thousands of pounds of coffee and other items to enhance the quality of life of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti - Eroding extremism, securing borders and coastlines, and helping African nations prevent a terrorist resurgence is the goal of troops stationed in Djibouti, the commander of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa told a group of visiting business and civic leaders today.

WASHINGTON - The United States has a “five-pillar” plan to counter the Afghan narcotics industry, which supplies about 93 percent of the world’s opium and has a virtual monopoly over the global heroin market, a top Defense Department official said here today.

WASHINGTON - Extended overseas deployments affecting soldiers serving in Afghanistan and other locales overseen by U.S. Central Command should help to alleviate the stress on the Army, a senior U.S. officer in Afghanistan told Pentagon reporters today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 10 suspected terrorists in Iraq today, and three Iraqi civilians and six policemen were killed and 49 people were injured in car bomb attacks yesterday and today, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - A Cleveland-based musician and songwriter is hoping one of his newest works will raise the country’s collective awareness of the sacrifices its servicemembers are making every day.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Efforts by Iraqi security forces and the coalition to reduce the violence in Baghdad continue as Operation Law and Order enters its ninth week.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A senior Navy leader lauded Louisville for its “America Supports You” spirit as hundreds of sailors participated in Louisville Navy Week, April 16-21.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department honored the 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today, unveiling retired Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers’ portrait and legacy board on The Chairman’s Corridor in the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials recently met with leaders in six African countries and had “fruitful” discussions about U.S. Africa Command, the new unified combatant command the department is establishing, a senior department official told reporters at the Pentagon yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Recent suicide-bombing attacks against innocent Afghans indicate a changed Taliban strategy that is backfiring on the radical Islamic group, a senior U.S. military officer in Afghanistan told Pentagon reporters today.

WASHINGTON - The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has worked to gain and maintain the support of America’s employers for the nation’s National Guardsmen and reservists since 1972.

WARSAW, Poland - U.S. and Polish defense leaders agree that basing ground-based, missile defense interceptors in Poland will enhance the country’s security.

WASHINGTON - The global war on terror is more than a military fight; it is a war that will require the work of many U.S. and coalition agencies, a senior military official told a group of civilian leaders attending the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Decked out in their new military-issue combat boots and with bags packed in preparation for a trip to 90-degree climates, 45 civic and business leaders converged on the nation’s capital April 22 to take part in the oldest public affairs program sponsored by the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - Although most Americans would like to see the conflict in Iraq end and U.S. troops come home, America must persevere in Iraq to ensure its own future security, President Bush said here today.

WARSAW, Poland - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here today to meet with President Lech Kaczynski and Minister of National Defense Aleksander Szczyglo and continue talks on European missile defense.

WASHINGTON - Nine Task Force Lightning soldiers died as a result of injuries suffered from an explosion near a patrol base in Iraq’s Diyala province yesterday, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi civilians need to support security force members who sacrifice their own safety for their fellow Iraqis, a top U.S. military official said.

MOSCOW - The United States intends to be prepared for future threats and is inviting Russia to become a partner in a defensive endeavor, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - More than 100 military spouses gathered here April 20 to discuss one thing -- their future.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - In the last month, U.S. troops in Afghanistan have found weapons made in Iran, though how the weapons got there is a vexing question, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told servicemembers during a town hall session here April 21.

WASHINGTON - Graduates from Iraq’s vocational and technical centers are creating a “pool of skilled laborers” that officials hope will reduce the country’s staggering unemployment rates.

WASHINGTON - Success in Iraq is possible, but achieving that success will ultimately be the task of Iraq’s new government and its people, the top U.S. diplomat in Iraq told reporters in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition aircraft killed a key northeastern Taliban leader during an air strike April 20 in the Alishang district of Laghman province, Afghanistan, military officials reported.

MOSCOW - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, here for meetings with Russian leaders, expressed his sympathies on today’s death of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

MOSCOW - The United States and Russia will form a working group of experts to discuss the proposed U.S. plan to base missile defenses in Eastern Europe, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced here today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 16 terrorists, detained 45 suspected terrorists and, along with Iraqi army troops, uncovered multiple weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq over the past three days, military officials reported.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The progress the Afghan National Army is making was on display for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a visit to the Kabul Military Training Center here April 21.

WASHINGTON - About half of the U.S. troops involved in the surge to Baghdad and Anbar province have arrived in Iraq and are beginning their work of providing security so the Iraqi government can move forward, President Bush said here today.

MOSCOW - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here yesterday to meet with President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian security officials to discuss U.S. plans to base missile defense assets in Eastern Europe.

WASHINGTON - Changes in Iraq’s Anbar province and the failure of the Taliban spring offensive in Afghanistan are good signs, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during an interview today on his way home from a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Extensions, training and congressional support topped the list of topics discussed at a town hall meeting here yesterday with Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

ROCKVILLE, Md. - In golf jargon, a “handicap” refers to the number of strokes that separates an amateur golfer from a pro. On the Woodmont Country Club driving range here April 20, the term described a more literal disadvantage.

WASHINGTON - Yesterday’s assassination of Fallujah, Iraq, City Council Chairman Sheikh Sami Abdul-Amir al-Jumaili was a reprehensible and cowardly act, Multinational Force Iraq officials said in a statement today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces killed two and captured 12 militants in separate raids yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Four soldiers died and eight were wounded yesterday in combat operations around Baghdad. Another soldier died of a non-battle-related cause. The Defense Department also released the identities of two soldiers killed previously in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi national police stopped a suicide bomber operating in the Sadr City neighborhood in eastern Baghdad at about 2:30 p.m. yesterday. Elsewhere, Iraqi and coalition forces captured numerous suspected terrorists and found several weapons caches.

WASHINGTON - When Leslie Slusarski got out of the Navy in 1979, her fast-paced military lifestyle didn’t change. Her husband, Walter, was a weapons officer for submarines, so her family still had to move every 18 months or so.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is partnering with the Department of Labor and private-sector health care associations to promote the medical transcription field as an ideal career choice for spouses who make frequent moves with their military mates.

BAGHDAD - U.S. provincial reconstruction teams are helping accelerate progress in many provinces of Iraq, Rick Olson, the director of the PRT national coordination team, said here.

WASHINGTON - Expanded training in combat life-saving procedures has enabled a greater than 98 percent survival rate for U.S. troops injured in Iraq, a coalition surgeon said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The top priority for American reinforcements in Iraq is helping Iraq’s elected leaders secure their population, President Bush today told high school students in East Grand Rapids, Mich.

BAGHDAD - Troops continue to trust senior military leaders, but they will lose that trust if the military does not keep its promises, Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey said here today.

BAGHDAD - The United States is committed to the success of the fledgling Iraqi government, but not to the indefinite use of American troops to secure Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers and their families are being treated to free movies and refreshments, thanks to a member of the motion picture exhibition industry.

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Maintaining superiority in space will go a long way toward protecting U.S. national interests, the commander of the Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center said here.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 10 terrorists and detained 42 in operations throughout Iraq today, and a car bomb detonated in Baghdad yesterday, killing five Iraqis and wounding 10, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - What started out as a way for an Arizona Army mom to support her deployed son has turned into a nonprofit organization that sends about 2,500 care packages to servicemembers each month.

WASHINGTON - A quick-thinking Iraqi soldier thwarted a would-be terrorist, U.S. soldiers found a weapons cache, and a terrorist bomb hit an ambulance, wounding three Iraqis during operations in Iraq April 17.

WASHINGTON - The United States is facing a lethal enemy that is “smart, capable and unpredictable,” President Bush told high school students today in Tipp City, Ohio.

WASHINGTON - To increase troops' morale, three National Football League players, weighing in at a combined 662 pounds, set aside their football gear for a trip to Iraq to visit with Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers April 16.

WASHINGTON - The recent security crackdown in Baghdad has not pushed violence into other parts of Iraq, despite various “high-profile attacks” that might indicate the opposite, a senior U.S. military officer said here today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will work with local schools to try to ensure that military children receive quality education no matter where they attend classes, said the director of the Department of Defense Education Activity.

WASHINGTON - A firm commitment to professionalism and transparency from Iraq’s political leaders are helping the country’s growing civil security force perform well in “a highly challenging environment,” a coalition training official said yesterday

WASHINGTON - Four U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq over the past two days, military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identities of 10 servicemembers who were killed recently in Iraq.

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - The path to reconciliation among Iraqi factions is arduous, but Iraqi leaders from all parties need to step up the pace, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today in Tel Aviv, Israel.

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - Marine leaders here told Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that they are “cautiously optimistic” about the situation in Anbar province during a briefing today.

WASHINGTON - The illicit, but lucrative, opium trade is helping to finance Taliban operations while placing a stranglehold on Afghanistan’s economy, the commander of U.S. Central Command testified during a Congressional hearing yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of school children, community leaders, church members and volunteers throughout the nation are preparing to remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, and to honor military veterans past and present.

WASHINGTON - Keeping the natural environment healthy is essential to the Defense Department’s success, and the department’s officials are committed to being good stewards of the environment.

WASHINGTON - About 1,000 sock monkeys are preparing to deploy to the Middle East with the mission of reminding servicemembers that the American public still supports them.

TEL AVIV, Israel - The United States is committed to continue helping Israel “maintain its qualitative military edge” over other countries in the region that threaten its security, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

WASHINGTON - Four separate car bombs detonated today in the Iraqi capital, killing 131 Iraqi civilians and wounding about 164, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces killed seven terrorists, detained 79 suspected terrorists, and found numerous weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq over the past three days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The Military Officers Association of America recognized actor Gary Sinise, the DuPont company and six other people for their support of the military, during the association’s 10th annual awards ceremony here last night.

WASHINGTON - Coalition efforts are underway to help the Iraqis in the important business of building their nation’s rule of law, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said today during a briefing in Baghdad.

TEL AVIV, Israel - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is visiting this Mediterranean seaside city during a symbolic period, Gates’ Israeli counterpart said here today.

WASHINGTON - Due to budget shortfalls, the Army announced April 16 that spending restrictions will be enforced while waiting for Congress to pass an emergency supplemental for funding requirements associated with the global war on terror.

WASHINGTON - NATO needs to provide more forces to assist in ongoing security and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. Central Command said during his testimony at a Congressional hearing today.

WASHINGTON - The intentions of radical Islamic cleric Muqtada al-Sadr largely remain cloudy amid the shifting sands of power politics in the new Iraq, the commander of U.S. Central Command testified at a Congressional hearing today.

WASHINGTON - Maysan province has become the fourth of 18 Iraqi provinces to transfer to provincial Iraqi control, marking another step toward a stable and secure Iraq, according to Multinational-Force Iraq officials.

WASHINGTON - “The War Tapes,” a documentary film that shows Operation Iraqi Fredom through the eyes of severl New Hampshire National Guard soldiers, will air tomorrow on the Military Channel.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department today unveiled a program that will reward administrative leave to servicemembers whose service in combat does not meet the department’s goal for the time at home station between deployments.

CAIRO, Egypt - The situation in Iraq dominates the political landscape of the United States and of Middle Eastern countries, where citizens have “watched developments in that country with growing concern,” U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told a group of American businessmen here today.

CAIRO, Egypt - Security challenges in the Middle East are significant, but can be overcome by Egypt and the United States working closely together in the region, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

WASHINGTON - Suicide-bomb attacks on coalition and Iraqi troops and civilians, orchestrated by Al Qaeda and Sunni extremists, present the top challenge in establishing security and stability in Iraq, the commander of U.S. Central Command testified at a Congressional hearing on Capitol Hill today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan National Army operations have blunted the Taliban spring offensive in eastern Afghanistan, Army Brig. Gen. Joseph Votel said at a Pentagon news conference today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Central Command is the shield behind which nations of the Middle East and Central Asia can find non-violent, political solutions to the problems that plague the region, said the command’s retiring senior enlisted advisor.

WASHINGTON - The Wounded Warriors organization is striving to provide injured servicemembers and their families a way to regroup and reconnect, the organization’s founder said.

WASHINGTON - Today’s Iraqi army officers, noncommissioned officers and junior soldiers prefer the American military system as opposed to life in Saddam Hussein’s military, a U.S. Marine intelligence officer and military advisor who served two tours in Iraq said.

NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE NEW LONDON, Conn. - Ground operations in the Middle East may dominate national headlines, but the 107-year-old submarine force is a critical part of current and future U.S. operations, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a meeting here yesterday with Submarine League members.

NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE NEW LONDON, Conn. - Integration between services and becoming part of the joint community are vital to the U.S. military's ability to transform, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told members of Submarine Group Two and students at the submarine school here yesterday.

CAIRO, Egypt - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here this morning for a series of meetings with Egyptian leaders, including President Hosni Mubarak.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces found three caches containing weapons and explosive materials during operations around Afghanistan the past two days.

WASHINGTON - While thousands of runners braved the remnants of a late spring storm to run the Boston Marathon, servicemembers deployed overseas, and one in space, joined in to participate in the prestigious race.

WASHINGTON - A recent Defense Department policy change widens the eligibility window for some Reserve-component troops who want to use their Montgomery G.I. Bill education benefits, a senior DoD official said here today.

WASHINGTON - To prevent “Shaken Baby Syndrome,” which can seriously harm or kill infants, mothers who deliver their babies at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., receive a series of mandatory briefings, a 15-year Navy nurse who works at the center said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is launching a new military family initiative aimed at stopping or reducing the incidence of “Shaken Baby Syndrome,” a senior DoD official said here last week.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces captured 12 suspects and seized a dump truck transporting explosive materials during raids across Iraq the past two days. Also, an investigation into an operation yesterday revealed no Iraq police were killed or injured, as original reports indicated.

WASHINGTON - Three Marines and five U.S. Army soldiers died, and six soldiers were wounded, in Iraq recently, defense officials said. The Defense Department also released the identities of three soldiers killed previously in Iraq.

AMMAN, Jordan - Jordan’s King Abdallah today pledged his country’s continued support to Iraq’s fledgling democracy, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

AMMAN, Jordan - The resignation of six Iraqi Cabinet ministers loyal to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr can become a positive development if the country’s prime minister appoints new ministers that are more representative of the Iraqi population, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

AMMAN, Jordan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today expressed condolences to the victims and families of yesterday’s mass shooting that killed 33 people at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, in Blacksburg, Va.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today thanked families of troops serving overseas for their sacrifices and praised organizations that support veterans and military families. He also urged Congress to quickly pass an emergency war spending bill so that the troops can get the funding they need to accomplish their mission.

WASHINGTON - The United Services Organization of Metropolitan Washington officially opened its much-anticipated lounge at Dulles International Airport here today.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Army soldier and two Marines died during operations in Iraq recently, and another soldier died in Qatar, defense officials said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed at least three enemy fighters and captured 11 others during operations across Iraq the past three days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces nabbed eight enemy combatants and found a weapons cache during operations in Afghanistan over the past two days.

WASHINGTON - An alleged terrorist being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, denied U.S. government accusations that he managed al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan or facilitated a failed terrorist attack on Los Angeles in 1999, according to a transcript released today from his March 27 tribunal hearing.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will soon partner with private-sector hospitals in the Tampa, Fla., area to share electronic medical record-keeping expertise and technology.

WASHINGTON - Stars for Stripes knows troops deployed to remote locations don’t have the luxury of heading out to their favorite venue to take in a concert, so it takes the concerts to them.

AMMAN, Jordan - Iran and Iraq are set to be lead topics in discussions Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is slated to have with Jordanian leaders during a visit here.

WASHINGTON - Two coalition forces troops were killed and five injured earlier today when two helicopters crashed in a rural area southwest of Taji, Iraq, coalition officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed and captured several extremists in Afghanistan over the past few days, U.S. military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces killed five terrorist suspects and detained two others during an operation yesterday in Basrah, U.S. military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Retreating from Iraq will endanger U.S. national security and stunt democracy in the Middle East, Vice President Dick Cheney said today on CBS's “Face the Nation.”

PEORIA, Ariz. - Servicemembers stationed in Baghdad got an earful – and an eyeful – yesterday from about 4,000 supporters who gathered here to show their appreciation during the third Cyclerides.com “Hearts to Heroes” motorcycle ride.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Yesterday, through the magic of technology, more than 50 soldiers, airmen and civilians in Iraq were able to personally thank a group of citizens in Phoenix, Ariz., for supporting the troops and the families they leave behind.

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff wrapped up a visit to Okinawa April 13, meeting with Marines at Camp Hansen and Camp Courtney.

WASHINGTON - President Bush yesterday once again called for Congress to send him a clean emergency war-spending bill that does not include tacked on funding measures and a timeline for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.

WASHINGTON - A Marine aircraft with dual personalities -- part airplane, part helicopter -- will soon buzz and hover above Iraq’s deserts, providing assault and medical support.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured 18 suspected al Qaeda terrorists this week, while Iraqi forces took the lead in operations throughout the country, detaining five suspects, military officials report.

WASHINGTON - National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers will mobilize and deploy for only one year, despite a new policy that active soldiers will deploy for 15-month tours, a top defense official stressed today.

WASHINGTON - Yesterday’s terrorist attack on the Iraqi parliament that killed one member of Parliament and wounded 22 other people has only strengthened the resolve of the government of Iraq and its Council of Representatives, a top U.S. commander in Iraq said Army Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno today.

WASHINGTON - Combat-wounded troops have suffered enough from their injuries and shouldn’t have to suffer more because of bureaucratic red tape, Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson said.

WASHINGTON - Leaks to the media forced Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to speed up releasing his decision to increase tour lengths for soldiers assigned to U.S. Central Command from a year to 15 months.

WASHINGTON - Armed Forces Entertainment makes it a mission to bring a piece of home to servicemembers stationed far away.

WASHINGTON - With more than half of the U.S. surge troops in Baghdad, there has been steady progress in the Baghdad security plan, a top U.S. commander in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Four Army soldiers died and three were wounded during operations in Baghdad over the past three days, defense officials said.

WASHINGTON - An alleged al Qaeda leader being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, denied involvement in bombings in both Indonesia and Singapore, according to a transcript of his hearing released yesterday.

PHOENIX - The Defense Department recognized the city of Peoria, Ariz., yesterday for its stalwart support of the military.

WASHINGTON - An Army Medical Department Center and School program was ranked second in the nation by U.S. News and World Report magazine in this year’s edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” which hit the stands in early April.

WASHINGTON - The Army will be able to sustain 20 combat brigades in Iraq for at least a year, officials said during a news conference today.

WASHINGTON - As part of a sweeping review of the systems serving wounded troops, the Defense Department and several panels are working to make the DoD Disability Evaluation System smoother, less bureaucratic and more responsive.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today condemned a suicide attack on the Iraqi parliament building in Baghdad’s heavily fortified International Zone.

WASHINGTON - The stress of repeated overseas deployments for National Guard and Reserve members has lessened in recent years, the Defense Department’s reserve-component chief told a special commission today at a Capitol Hill hearing.

WASHINGTON - An accused terrorist accomplice held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, denied any involvement with al Qaeda, as well as possessing knowledge that money he had wired from overseas to the United States was used to finance the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to a transcript from his March 30 tribunal hearing.

WASHINGTON - The problems wounded servicemembers and their families experienced at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here are systemic, members of the Independent Review Group said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England today called for a new policy that moves wounded troops from Iraq and Afghanistan to the front of the line in the disability rating process while system-wide fixes to the disability and health care systems are put in place.

TORII STATION, Japan - On the second day of a visit to Okinawa, the U.S. military’s top enlisted servicemember today expressed his pleasure that the services seem to be working together better than he could have imagined a decade ago.

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Retired Lt. Col. Charles Stein, a Holocaust survivor and World War II veteran, shared the tragic events that changed the course of his life nearly 70 years ago during a Days of Remembrance ceremony here April 10.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two suspected terrorists, detained 17 others, and seized weapons and documents owned by terrorists during operations in Iraq over the past two days.

WASHINGTON - With the support of 33 state congress members, American Military Family has succeeded in getting a license plate dedicated to the troops for residents of the Colorado.

CAMP SHIELDS, Japan - The philosophy that has guided and shaped the life of the U.S. military’s top enlisted member grew from advice he received from the most decorated enlisted sailor in Navy history -- a war hero who earned the Medal of Honor and also happened to be his first cousin.

WASHINGTON - The stories of servicemembers who earned some of the country’s highest military honors during the global war on terrorism are told in a brand new edition of the Pentagon Channel documentary “Recon” scheduled to debut April 13.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces have killed 37 Taliban fighters and detained three others during operations in Afghanistan over the past three days.

WASHINGTON - The policy change extending Army deployments is an attempt to provide some long-term predictability for soldiers and their families on the length of deployments and how long the soldiers will be home, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a briefing today.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers who have lost limbs as a result of wounds received in Afghanistan or Iraq are receiving the best medical care available, the future director of the new U.S. Army Amputee Patient Care Center annex slated to open at Walter Reed by October 2007 told Defense Health Board members here today.

WASHINGTON - “Walter Reed is one of the pivotal academic medical centers and casualty receiving hospitals for the joint medical force,” Army Maj. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker told members of the Defense Health Board assembled at the medical center here for a meeting today.

WASHINGTON - Four soldiers died and one was wounded during operations in Iraq April 9, military officials reported today. Also, officials released the names of 22 servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces engaged suspected terrorists in multiple operations throughout Iraq using ground forces and aircraft over the past several days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Today’s citizen-soldiers, -sailors, -airmen and -Marines are committed to serving the country, but they need the manpower, training and equipment required to carry out their missions, their chiefs told Congress today.

WASHINGTON - The United States military is fully committed to its mission of providing the Iraqi people the opportunity for stability and security at home, no matter how long it takes, the top enlisted U.S. servicemember in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Organized protests in Iraq four years after the country’s liberation are symbols of new political freedom that was suppressed by Saddam, a coalition spokesman in Baghdad said today.

WASHINGTON - South Asia and Southeast Asia are crucial fronts in the long war, and U.S. policies in the region are paying off, a top Defense Department expert on Asia said.

WASHINGTON - All soldiers in the U.S. Central Command area of operations will serve 15-month tours in the region beginning immediately, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard force is second to none in terms of the quality of its people, but severe equipment shortfalls are keeping it from being fully ready, the chief of the National Guard Bureau told Congress today.

WASHINGTON - Army Capt. Jessica Murphy, a military police officer who served in Iraq, shares her military experiences while speaking to groups in communities throughout the nation.

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - The Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy here gives students the tools to lead, but they need to use these tools in a way that works for them individually, the Defense Department’s top NCO told graduates here today.

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - The Defense Department needs the contributions of each service to succeed, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told airmen, soldiers and sailors here today.

WASHINGTON - All service branches met or exceeded their active-duty recruiting goals in March, but three of the six reserve components missed their targets, Defense Department officials announced yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Taliban capabilities have gotten more robust, but so have the capabilities of the Afghan National Army and police to deal with them, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan said today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today praised the troops defending the United States and the veterans who set a powerful example and continue to support them.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense is establishing a home for human intelligence at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. Defense Intelligence Agency Director Army Lt. Gen. Michael Maples participated in ceremonies opening the new Joint Center of Excellence for Human Intelligence Training today.

WASHINGTON - After nearly four decades of military service, Gen. Peter Schoomaker today handed the reins of Army chief of staff to Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who most recently served as commander of Multinational Forces Iraq.

WASHINGTON - It’s time for the Iraqi government to step up and “do hard work,” but withdrawing U.S. troops too quickly would ultimately backfire, President Bush told an American Legion post in Fairfax, Va., today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today reiterated his call for Congress to pass an Iraq war supplemental appropriations bill and called for a meeting with congressional leaders from both parties to move the process ahead.

WASHINGTON - Military children missing deployed parents can take comfort in quilts the Armed Services YMCA’s Operation Kid Comfort program is making especially for them.

WASHINGTON - Phoenix Express, a two-weeklong exercise designed to strengthen U.S. and European maritime partnerships with North Africa, began today in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

KER KHOT CASTLE, Afghanistan - Army Chaplain (Capt.) Andrew Shriver dedicated the first “expeditionary portable chapel kit” on Good Friday, April 6, during a ceremony at a small forward operating base in the southeastern region of Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today thanked National Guard members deployed across Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico for helping the Border Patrol crack down on illegal entry across America’s southern border.

WASHINGTON - Plans are under way to double the number of provincial reconstruction teams now operating in Iraq by the end of the year, a senior U.S. official said during a news conference in Iraq today.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation is lending a helping hand to those serving in the global war on terrorism, a foundation official said

WASHINGTON - The image of thousands of Iraqi citizens peacefully voicing their views in Najaf today illustrates the freedoms they’ve gained since U.S. and coalition forces liberated the country from Saddam Hussein’s iron grip four years ago, a senior U.S. military officer in Baghdad said today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured 14 suspected terrorists during operations across Iraq today, and terrorists killed 17 Iraqis and wounded 26 in a car bomb yesterday.

WASHINGTON - In a “16-star letter” to Congress, the services’ uniformed leaders are urging a quick passage of the fiscal 2007 emergency supplemental request.

WASHINGTON - Six Army soldiers were killed and four wounded yesterday during operations across Iraq, defense officials said.

WASHINGTON - Four National Guard brigade combat teams have been notified for possible deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, DoD officials said today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces and Afghan National Army forces killed six Taliban combatants and destroyed a weapons cache in Afghanistan over the past two days.

WASHINGTON - TV cooking-show icon Emeril Lagasse offered a culinary salute to the military Friday when he filmed two episodes of “Emeril Live” featuring servicemembers and their winning recipes.

WASHINGTON - A suicide bomber attacked a coalition patrol southeast of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, today, and two Taliban fighters were killed in an airstrike, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Four Task Force Lightning soldiers were killed and one wounded Saturday as a result of an explosion near their vehicle in Iraq's Diyala Province, defense officials said.

WASHINGTON - The success of combat outposts and joint security stations within the Baghdad area have been so successful that there is talk of increasing the number of combined Iraqi and coalition force stations, according to U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell IV, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.

WASHINGTON - Afghan National Army and coalition forces killed five Taliban fighters near the city of Qalat in Zabul Province today, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - On the surface, the market seems perfectly ordinary. Men outside the shops gather to play dominoes, smoke, and drink tea. On hot afternoons, an ice cream stand does a brisk business. But in the dark back rooms of some of the shops, murderous plans are hatched.

WASHINGTON - One terrorist was killed and three others detained during an assault by coalition forces in southwest Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - One of our greatest blessings as Americans is that we have brave citizens who step forward to defend us, President Bush said during his weekly radio address today. Noting that men and women in uniform deserve the gratitude of every American, Bush stressed military members need the funds, resources, and equipment to do their jobs.

WASHINGTON - Purple Heart recipient Spc. Joseph D. Bacani will embark on 45 days of much-deserved convalescent leave in his hometown of Tustin, Calif., tomorrow, but he says he’d rather be elsewhere.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Two Afghan National Policemen were wounded today by small-arms fire during an attack on their patrol in Nahr Surkh District, Helmand Province.

WASHINGTON - Six wounded U.S. Army soldiers today received Purple Heart medals here at Walter Reed Army Medical Center before an audience of nearly 250 family and friends, fellow servicemembers and medical staff.

WASHINGTON - Two American soldiers were killed in northern Iraq yesterday: one by gunfire in Kirkuk, another by an improvised explosive device in Diyala, defense officials said.

WASHINGTON - About 13,000 National Guardsmen will be alerted for possible deployment to Iraq in fiscal 2008, a senior defense official said on background today.

WASHINGTON - The partnership between Iraqi and U.S. soldiers is helping to tamp down insurgent violence northwest of Baghdad, a senior U.S. military officer assigned in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Members of a troop-support group are using their experience as parents of servicemembers to offer support to other military families in Ohio.

WASHINGTON - National Guard and Reserve members now need turn no farther than their computers to get help with employment issues arising from their military service or mobilization.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - About 100 troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan are demonstrating their resilience at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here. The six-day event that continues through tomorrow is jam-packed with activities designed to push them to new heights and enhance their rehabilitation.

WASHINGTON - People in Baghdad are being tortured and killed by "death squads," and a precipitous withdrawal from Baghdad at this point would result in "a significant increase in violence," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials work every day to ensure service requirements and resources are integrated, and to improve the overall acquisition process, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

WASHINGTON - Five soldiers from Multinational Division Baghdad were killed during separate operations in Baghdad yesterday, military officials reported.

BAGRAM AIR BASE - Acting on reports from Afghan civilians, coalition forces and Afghan National Army discovered several weapons caches in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province April 3.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured 39 suspected terrorists during operations over the past two days throughout Iraq, officials report.

SAN DIEGO - The United States gained 59 new citizens here yesterday, as 59 servicemembers took the oath of citizenship aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Cleveland.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Nick Bennett said he’ll take away lifetime memories and new discoveries from his experience here at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic. He said the experience will steel him through his upcoming—and 27th--surgery since he was wounded in Mamadiyah, Iraq.

FAIRFAX, Va. - More than 150 servicemembers and their families spent last night enjoying circus antics for free during Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus' Military Appreciation Night.

WASHINGTON - Tangible gains in Baghdad’s security situation have been made possible in part by the cooperation of vastly improved Iraqi security forces, a coalition spokesman said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The hard work U.S. troops are doing in Iraq is “laying the foundations of peace for generations to come,” President Bush told soldiers and family members today at Fort Irwin, Calif.

WASHINGTON - Sesame Street’s Elmo and his friends at Sesame Workshop are helping military children deal with a parent’s deployment through a new project called “Talk, Listen, Connect: Helping Families During Military Deployment.”

WASHINGTON - An Air Force logistics officer essentially traded in his blue uniform for Army green during his stint as a convoy commander in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Murders and kidnappings, the hallmarks of sectarian violence, have decreased in Baghdad since reinforcements of U.S. and Iraqi security forces began to flow into the city in mid-February as part of Operation Fahrd al-Qanoon, a senior U.S. military official said in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Marine Corps has created a new regiment focused on tracking and assisting wounded Marines and sailors across the nation, the regiment’s first commander announced at a Pentagon news conference today.

WASHINGTON - Without delay, the United States needs to provide American men and women in uniform with the funds, supplies and weapons they need to get the job done, the deputy secretary of defense said here today.

WASHINGTON - The government of Iraq took a step toward national reconciliation April 2 when it opened criminal cases against a Sunni and a Shiite man accused of “crimes against the Iraqi people,” a coalition legal official said.

WASHINGTON - Since 2002, Project Prayer Flag’s goal has been to put an American flag into the pocket of every American servicemember fighting in the global war on terrorism.

WASHINGTON - For some participants at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here, it’s not enough simply to make it down the mountain. They’ve set their sights on conquering it — and any other obstacle that stands between them and the U.S. Paralympic Ski Team.

WASHINGTON - Sexual assault is a crime that is incompatible with military values and will not be tolerated within the Defense Department, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Security in Baghdad has improved even though only part of the planned increase of U.S. troops is in place, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today on a nationally syndicated radio program.

WASHINGTON - American troops serving in Iraq have an additional opportunity to share their experiences with the U.S. public, thanks to a new public outreach initiative, a senior U.S. military officer said today in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department Education Activity officials are encouraging families of children attending its overseas schools to reapply for free and reduced price school lunches.

WASHINGTON - Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, respectively 16 and 15, got a pleasant surprise recently when telecommunications giant AT&T responded to their request for help and agreed to support Cell Phones for Soldiers, their troop-support organization.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi people are starting to show more confidence in their security forces, and this is paying off with better security in Baghdad, coalition officials said today.

WASHINGTON - The United States and Russia have agreed to discuss ballistic missile defense even as the U.S. moves to help defend European allies from a rogue missile threat, a senior defense official said today.

WASHINGTON - Members of Daniel Acosta’s family already had a lot on their minds when he arrived at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio from serving in Iraq with injuries that ultimately cost him an arm.

DALLAS - The Army and Air Force Exchange Service marks four years of service to deployed troops in Iraq this week.

WASHINGTON - Further congressional delay in forwarding an appropriate emergency war spending bill to the White House will damage military readiness and morale as well as endanger the nation, President Bush told reporters today at a White House news conference.

WASHINGTON - A soldier and a Marine died in Iraq yesterday, and the Defense Department identified six soldiers who died previously.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq this week killed 13 suspected terrorists, captured 14 others and netted weapons and bomb-making materials in various operations, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Virtual reality made its way into the operating room last week when an Army doctor performed the military’s first three-dimensional minimally invasive surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson and event organizers praised the army of volunteers who are making the 21st National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here a success.

WASHINGTON - Nine U.S. soldiers and a Marine have died in Iraq in recent days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today congratulated the U.S. Naval Academy football team for its feats on the gridiron, and thanked members for their service to America.

WASHINGTON - Army Command Sgt. Maj. Althea Green Dixon has dedicated herself to make sure that wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center receive the treatment they deserve.

WASHINGTON - The new commander of U.S. Central Command met with U.S. military leaders in Afghanistan last week as part of an introductory tour of U.S. operations in the Middle East and Horn of Africa.

WASHINGTON - After spending three weeks organizing a fundraiser for an organization that recycles used cell phones to purchase prepaid calling cards for deployed troops, 23-year-old Joe Finn was killed in an accident on his way to the event.

WASHINGTON - Army reserve-component training and equipment reset will be immediately affected if an emergency supplemental funding request isn’t signed into law by April 15, Defense Department officials said here today.

WASHINGTON - More than 7,000 servicemembers will deploy to Iraq in the coming months, including two units that will not have been back at their home stations for the year they expected when they returned home from their last deployments, Defense Department officials said today.

WASHINGTON - Over the past month in Baghdad, Iraqi security and coalition forces seized more than 300 weapons caches, detained more than 1,400 suspects, and found and cleared more than 300 improvised explosive devices, a coalition spokesman told reporters in the Iraqi capital yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed six terrorists and detained 10 suspects yesterday and today during operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq couriers and vehicle-bomb cells, military officials reported.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson opened the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here last night, offering special thanks to wounded warriors of Iraq and Afghanistan and encouraging them to seize the opportunities that await them here.

WASHINGTON - Eight servicemembers with duty experience in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa, who have been selected to tell the military’s story to the American public, met with Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England here March 30.

WASHINGTON - The Spirit of America Tour has provided more than 80 opportunities for entertainers to express their appreciation for America’s military since Sept. 11, 2001.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - Some 450 disabled veterans are kicking off the 21st National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, six days jam-packed with activities designed to push them to new heights and enhance their rehabilitation.

WASHINGTON - Recent military operations resulted in the death of one terrorist and the detention of 22, while car bombings in Iraq yesterday killed seven Iraqi civilians, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. soldier died in Baghdad of non-battle-related causes March 30, and the Defense Department has identified an earlier casualty.