CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - A signing ceremony marked the start of a Multinational Force Iraq initiative to improve the living standards of area citizens through increased employment opportunities.

WASHINGTON - For one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer, Miss Utah becomes Army Sgt. Jill Stevens of the Utah National Guard.

WASHINGTON - The senior leaders of Iraq’s national police are making progress in reforming and improving the country’s law enforcement body.

ST. JOHN, U.S. Virgin Islands - Five days after their adventure began, seven injured veterans packed up with the satisfaction of knowing they’d done what they set out to do on an adaptive-sports trip to the Virgin Islands.

WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda may not yet be defeated in Iraq, but the group’s terrorists are on the run from coalition forces making inroads in destroying its propaganda and financial networks, a senior official in the area said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed several Taliban fighters and captured three insurgents near Tarin Kowt village in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province.

WASHINGTON - President Bush is urging Americans to recognize veterans’ valor and sacrifice through ceremonies and prayers during “National Veterans Awareness Week."

WASHINGTON - The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have partnered to put in place 10 federal recovery coordinators charged with managing the care of severely injured servicemembers and their families for as long as a lifetime.

WASHINGTON - Highly experienced Afghan pilots soon will take to the skies in newly acquired aircraft as part of a concerted effort to accelerate progress of Afghanistan’s nascent air corps.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured a wanted individual and detained 11 others during an operation in support of ongoing efforts to stabilize the region.

VALLEY CENTER, Calif. - Under a sky still smoky from active wildfires, National Guard citizen-soldiers prepared for the flash floods and mudslides that will come long after the flames are extinguished.

WASHINGTON - Progress in eastern Afghanistan continues as more Afghan security forces take the lead in security operations, more reconstruction and development projects provide sorely needed quality-of-life improvements, and the national government extends its reach.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Operation Rock Avalanche, a recent multi-company mission, flushed out Taliban insurgents from Afghanistan's Chapa Dara, Korengal, Shuryak and Pech river valleys.

WASHINGTON - Ten children of servicemembers killed during the war on terrorism were honored for their sacrifices on behalf of the nation.

WASHINGTON - Broad-based partnerships between the United States and India are critical as the South Asian republic increasingly exerts its influence on the world, a senior Defense Department policy maker said.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - A U.S. Army Military Police platoon has developed a 10-day preparatory class to teach Iraqi police recruits the basics before they attend the Baghdad Police Academy.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met at the Pentagon to discuss proposals about control and coordination of private contractors in Iraq

WASHINGTON - Recruiting experienced pilots and implementing unprecedented training methods are the best ways to fast-track Iraq’s fledgling air force, a coalition commander said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is leaning toward approving a proposal to temporarily hold two Army brigade combat teams in Europe rather than move them to the United States.

JOST VAN DYKE, British Virgin Islands - Seven wounded veterans enjoyed a respite during a Virgin Islands adaptive sea kayaking, snorkeling and camping adventure.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained six suspected insurgents during an operation in Kandahar City, Afghanistan.

LANDSTUHL, Germany - Patients at a new medical transient detachment barracks point to the facility as proof that the military is living up to its promises to ensure troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan get the best care possible.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers from 9th Iraqi Army Division rescued seven sheiks kidnapped in northern Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department personnel continue to help state authorities battle five wildfires still burning in California. Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard C-130s flew 10 sorties yesterday.

BAQOUBA, Iraq - U.S. soldiers conducted an air assault mission to rescue a 19-year-old man was from an al Qaeda-in-Iraq prison in the village of Hammadi, 10 miles southwest of Baqouba.

HIT, Iraq - A Marine oboe player recruited to play in the band is now striking a chord with the infantry in Iraq.

GARDEZ, Afghanistan - U.S. and coalition forces are stepping back into supporting roles as Afghan national security forces continue to take the lead in Gardez to secure their country.

WASHINGTON - Keeping al Qaeda “on the ropes” is job No. 1 for the 1st Armored Division and Multinational Division North, the organization’s commander said.

ST. JOHN, U.S. Virgin Islands - Seven injured veterans geared up to pit themselves against sand and the Caribbean Sea on Oct. 18 as part of an inaugural adaptive adventure trip.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Defense officials are seeking help in countering the deadly homemade bombs used against U.S. troops in Iraq.

FORT KNOX, Ky. - The military’s top enlisted servicemember visited Fort Knox, Ky., and addressed an audience for the post’s Retiree Appreciation Days event.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 11 suspects during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in central Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s largest combat support agency has come to the aid of the thousands of evacuees and Marines and sailors supporting wildfire relief efforts in California.

WASHINGTON - The situation in Kosovo is “stable, but potentially fragile,” the commander of U.S. forces there said. Army Brig. Gen. Douglas B. Earhart, commander of the American contingent in the NATO-led Kosovo Force, said he is proud of the job that his 1,500-member force has done and believes the province is ready for several key events.

ZURBATIYA, Iraq - Coalition commanders and Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement leaders met to discuss issues involving the Zurbatiya port of entry to Iran.

TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq - An auditor with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who goes fishing most Friday mornings at Lake Wisconsin, a manmade lake on a sprawling air base in Iraq, says the fish here are more "finicky" than those back home.

GARDEZ, Afghanistan - Four U.S. Army combat engineers are mentoring Afghans hired to build housing units for military personnel assigned to Forward Operating Base Lightning.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi security forces continue to make progress against al Qaeda and other criminal elements, thanks in large part to the efforts of concerned citizens throughout the country.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces engaged and killed more than six dozen Taliban fighters near the Musa Qaleh Wadi region of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and detained another four suspects during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq

CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif. - Military crews in the planes dropping fire retardant on wildfires in southern California face hazards and challenges unique to their humanitarian mission.

WASHINGTON - Americans who fill the ranks of public service -- the nation’s military members, elected officials, teachers and nurses -- are driven by the romantic and optimistic ideal that they can improve the world, the Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - A remarkable parade in Iraq’s Anbar province, openly attended by citizens from all walks of life, demonstrates that Iraqi reconciliation efforts are working.

WASHINGTON - Nearly 100 U.S. Naval Academy graduates from the class of 1995 are dedicating their participation in the Oct. 28 Marine Corps Marathon to the memory of six fallen comrades.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi government needs to act now, not later, to solidify gains made in the war-torn country, the coalition commander in northern Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - The response to Southern California wildfires this week by civilian first responders, National Guardsmen and other military personnel is "awe-inspiring," said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Paul McHale.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq - Getting potable drinking water to residents of the New Baghdad district of the Iraqi capital was the focus of a meeting with soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen’s top priority as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is to widen the scope of U.S. military strategy to look beyond the borders of Iraq and Afghanistan and strengthen security partnerships, he said.

ST. JOHN, U.S. Virgin Islands - Seven wounded warriors arrived in the U.S. Virgin Islands last week for an adventure set on the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. The mostly double-leg amputees learned adaptive sea kayaking, snorkeling and camping.

WASHINGTON - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen identified pressing questions the country must address as it tries to counter emerging threats while maintaining a leadership position.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard C-130s fitted with modular air firefighting systems hit the California wildfires hard, flying 18 sorties in one day.

WASHINGTON - U.S. ground forces are not broken, but they are capable of breaking, the military’s highest-ranking officer said while vowing to make relieving strains on troops a top priority.

WASHINGTON - A concerned citizen led coalition forces to the largest cache of explosively formed penetrators ever found in a single location in a home in Saada village, Iraq.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Keeping aircraft flying and warfighters supplied in Afghanistan is a challenging job, but one done gladly by members of the 455th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Supply Flight here.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - A National Guard helicopter pilot gets his wish: a Army a full-time career.

WASHINGTON - A sense of duty and patriotism caused a women’s health care specialist to rejoin the Air Force at age 42.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT OVER THE ATLANTIC - The United States has given Russia sufficient concessions regarding a proposed missile defense system in Eastern Europe and supports diplomatic and economic measures to rein in the Iranian missile threat.

WASHINGTON - President Bush pledged that military assets will continue to be available to state and local authorities fighting wildfires in Southern California. There are 214 active-duty personnel, 72 Defense Department civilians, and 2,492 National Guardsmen engaged in the wildfires battle.

HEIDELBERG, Germany - Defense Secretary Robert M Gates urged European military leaders to step up their countries’ contributions in Afghanistan and eliminate restrictions on their forces that threaten the mission’s success.

WASHINGTON - The all-volunteer force has made the nation’s defense the strongest it’s ever been, the U.S. military’s top officer said, adding that he would not want to return to a Vietnam-era military by implementing a draft.

WASHINGTON - The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff received the Department of Defense Executive of the Year Award at the Government Computer News Awards Gala.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained three suspected militants in the Nerkh district of Afghanistan’s Wardak province.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained five suspects during a series of operations to disrupt terrorist networks in central Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Vast improvements to Iraq’s national army are leading to a force that will eventually stand on its own, a coalition commander said.

HEIDELBERG, Germany - The United States supports the concept of the NATO Response Force but needs NATO allies to do their part so the force can live up to its intended purpose, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told European military leaders.

WASHINGTON - The Santa Ana winds in Southern California are subsiding, allowing firefighters – both military and civilian – to make progress against wildfires that are rampaging through the area, California National Guard officials said.

NOORDWIJK, Netherlands - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wrapped up his second day at a NATO defense ministers conference focusing on NATO’s relationship with Russia, as well as Russian objections to some alliance activities.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff got some frank feedback on deployments from soldiers during a two-day visit to statesid Army posts.

WASHINGTON - First lady Laura Bush visited troops in Kuwait to thank them for their service, calling them a force for good in the Middle East.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Though Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joy Flumerfelt's main concern is the care of deployed servicemembers, she also provides medical support to local communities.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces with Multinational Division North continue to work with the government of Iraq to rebuild infrastructure and improve quality of life for people of northern Iraq.

FARAH CITY, Afghanistan - Afghan and American medical personnel recently combined resources to provide quality medical care to residents of Farah City, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - More than 12,000 children of servicemembers each year are getting a foundation for lifelong literacy from their doctors through an effort called “Reach Out and Read.”

WASHINGTON - Throughout the senior reaches of the U.S. government, there is increasing sympathy for the Turkish position that something has to be done about the PKK – a Kurdish terrorist group that is using camps in northern Iraq as safe havens.

SAN DIEGO - Army National Guard helicopters are attacking southern California’s ferocious wildfires, and Guard soldiers on the ground are manning traffic control points and preparing to provide people who had lost their homes with some of the necessities of life

WASHINGTON - The U.S. troop surge in Iraq continues to have positive effects, as violence and casualties are decreasing in many areas of the country, the Joint Staff’s director for operational planning said.

WASHINGTON - Maritime security, which has long been overshadowed by other coalition missions in African nations, will be a top priority for the newly created U.S. Africa Command.

NOORDWIJK, Netherlands - Several NATO members have offered more support in Afghanistan for a mission Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called “a litmus test for the effectiveness of the alliance in the 21st century.”

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and detained 19 suspected terrorists during operations in the central and northern parts of Iraq.

TOJG VILLAGE, Afghanistan - Construction is under way for a $1.7 million bridge across the Farah Rud River in Tojg Village, Afghanistan. The project, funded by the Farah Provisional Reconstruction Team, will employ several hundred Afghans for two years.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Northern Command and interagency partners are recalling Hurrican Katrina during current wildfire response efforts in California.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Sitting in their turrets manning their guns as tracers whizzed over their heads from all directions, Army Sgt. Damon Bligh and Spc. Rick Crothers knew they always had somebody they could count on: each other.

WASHINGTON - Destruction caused by wildfires now raging across southern California constitutes a major disaster requiring additional federal assistance, President Bush declared.

BAGHDAD - When students at the Yarmook Girls' School in Baghdad’s Sadr City neighborhood returned from summer vacation, they found that their school had received an extreme makeover thanks to the government of Iraq and the U.S. Army.

WASHINGTON - Military C-130s with modular air firefighting systems are dropping fire retardant and water on wildfires plaguing California. A total of 16 wildfires have burned more than 360,000 acres in Southern California.

WASHINGTON - The United States and Russia are not headed toward a new Cold War, and the United States still considers Russia a strategic ally, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

NOORDWIJK, Netherlands - Dutch Defense Minister Eimert van Middelkoop joined NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in opening a two-day ministerial conference, attended by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, in which they reminded members of the importance of sharing the NATO’s responsibilities.

DENVER - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen heard some hard truths when he asked hundreds of soldiers about their service.

WASHINGTON - A movement toward peace that began in mostly Sunni areas of Iraq now is moving into Shiite areas as well, a senior commander said in Baghdad.

NOORDWIJK, Netherlands - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is in the Netherlands to discuss the way ahead for the alliance with his NATO counterparts and encourage members to live up to commitments they’ve made to help in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials have provided everything that California officials have asked for and are “leaning forward” to anticipate what they might need.

WASHINGTON - Intelligence sharing between nations needs to be re-examined and improved, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - Americans can now visit an online ballot to cast their vote for five people whose extraordinary contributions to the military go above and beyond the call of duty.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Afghanistan killed five Taliban militants during a firefight in the Jeldak district of Zabul province.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghan national security forces's plans and security helped make the 3rd Annual Chamkani Peace Games in Paktia province a success for the 45 sports teams competing in soccer, cricket, volleyball and other events.

WASHINGTON - Fallen Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy was inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes during a ceremony that honored the lone Medal of Honor recipient from the war in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition troops killed 12 terrorists and detained 26 suspects during a series of operations across Iraq.

FORT SILL, Okla. - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff set off on a two-day trip to visit three Army installations, where he plans to talk to soldiers and gauge the stress caused by the service’s high operational tempo since war on terror began.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates gave an interagency task force studying the disability rating system for wounded warriors its marching orders: “Aside from the war itself, we have no higher priority.”

WASHINGTON - Military personnel and assets are helping out in the most serious outbreak of wildfires in California in years.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed news of the Czech Republic’s decision to send additional troops to Afghanistan as he prepares to pressure other NATO countries to live up to their troop commitments there.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Iraqi security forces took another step toward self-sufficiency when several Iraqi security elements participated in a civil defense drill in Yarmouk, an area in the Mansour district of western Baghdad recently.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters after meeting with Czech leaders he’s confident negotiations to place a radar here for a missile defense system are on track and likely to wrap up within the next few months.

WASHINGTON - America’s memories of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks may recede with time, but citizens shouldn’t become complacent about the real threat of another terrorist assault on the homeland, President Bush said.

KIGALI, Rwanda - The U.S. Air Force provided airlift support Oct. 20 to 400 Rwandan soldiers who are supporting the African Union peacekeeping mission in the Darfur region of Sudan.

BANBAR COMMAND POST, Afghanistan - Army Sgt. Jim McKinzie is known for being one of the hardest-working noncommissioned officers in his unit.

WASHINGTON - As panel members convene for the organization’s 50th annual meeting, a five-nation program geared toward collaboration in defense science and technology is looking at its past and charting its future.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces engaged and killed nearly three dozen Taliban fighters in a second day of sustained fighting near the Musa Qaleh Wadi region of Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - The recent surge of troops and embedded provincial reconstruction teams to Iraq is providing unprecedented opportunity for Iraqi citizens to become self-sufficient.

WASHINGTON - President Bush posthumously presented the Medal of Honor to Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a Navy SEAL who sacrificed his life in an attempt to save fellow SEALs during a fierce battle with Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Soldiers have been working day and night to ensure troops on the ground in Baghdad have an extra set of eyes overhead.

WASHINGTON - Retired Air Force Col. Pamela A. Melroy will soon become the second woman to command a NASA space shuttle flight.

WASHINGTON - For volunteers with Va.-based Operation Pinecone, Halloween is already over and the Christmas rush has begun.

KYIV, Ukraine - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged participants at the 12th annual meeting of the Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial to focus on closer cooperation to address the challenges of proliferation, border security and counterterrorism.

WASHINGTON - President Bush has delivered a request to Congress for $42.3 billion in supplemental war spending. The amendment calls for $35.5 billion for Operation Iraqi Freedom and $3.5 billion for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The headquarters of a political organization opposed to al Qaeda and other terrorist groups became the target of a bombing, officials said.

KYIV, Ukraine - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates thanked fellow participants in the Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial conference for their support in Iraq and Afghanistan and said he plans to press NATO to live up to its commitments in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The regime in Iran actively supports terrorism and is directly involved in efforts to disrupt U.S. and allied efforts to stabilize Iraq, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said.

WASHINGTON - Two female U.S. sailors were killed, and a third sailor suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in Bahrain.

KYIV, Ukraine - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed confidence that the reversal of power in Poland following yesterday’s elections won’t upset U.S.-Polish defense cooperation.

BAGHDAD - A U.S. Army lieutenant has worked hard for three months to improve conditions at an orphanage in northern Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - The Army is working quickly to field and fully staff new warrior transition units which provide critical support to wounded soldiers and their families.

KYIV, Ukraine - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates assured his Turkish counterpart that the United States will work closer with Turkey to confront Kurdish terrorists who launched an attack that killed more than a dozen Turkish soldiers.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces working in concert with Iraqi security forces killed four insurgents and nabbed roughly 16 others during recent operations in Iraq, military officials said.

KIEV, Ukraine - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday to meet with Ukrainian leaders as their new government begins to take shape.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force has relieved three commanders and disciplined an undisclosed number of others in connection with an Aug. 29 "Bent Spear" incident in which nuclear-equipped missiles were unknowingly transported nearly 1,500 miles on the wing of a B-52 Stratofortress bomber.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department announced the alert of seven National Guard brigades as replacement forces for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and one National Guard brigade as replacement forces for Operation Enduring Freedom.

WASHINGTON - Defense leaders joined the Minnesota National Guard’s adjutant general in urging Congress to revise the Montgomery GI Bill to improve coverage for reserve-component troops.

FORT LEE, Va. - Saved by a U.S. soldier, Momo S. Larmena Jr., a native of Liberia, decided to show his gratitude by joining the U.S. Army Reserves.

WASHINGTON - Air cavalry helicopter pilots have had to change their tactics to adapt to newer and higher-tech surface-to-air missile systems that officials believe are coming in from Iran.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed five terrorists and detained two suspects during operations targeting al Qaeda networks throughout Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed more than 12 Taliban fighters in Helmand province and captured five suspected militants in Zabul province.

WASHINGTON - Navy Reserve Petty Officer 1st Class Sivenson Guerrier exchanged his “sea legs” and became a “landlubber” during a tour in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has let contracts for an additional 2,400 mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, bringing the total number of the vehicles ordered to 8,800.

WASHINGTON - The number of internationally supplied trainers for Afghanistan’s soldiers and police is slated to quadruple.

WASHINGTON - Multinational Force Iraq and private security contractors too often are working at cross purposes, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told Pentagon reporters today.

WASHINGTON - The new U.S. unified command being established for Africa will consolidate Defense Department efforts on the continent, but will not change the department’s long-standing policy of partnership with African nations, the department official in charge of African affairs said today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has consolidated 14 previous domestic abuse policies into one document that more clearly defines the roles and training of those who deal with the problem.

WASHINGTON - Sailors can continue to expect predictable deployment lengths and new ships on which to serve, the new chief of naval operations said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called on Turkey to refrain from military action into Iraq, which he said “would create an international crisis and further undermine stability in Iraq."

WASHINGTON - Conceived by Garry Trudeau, creator of the long-running, satirical comic strip Doonesbury, “The Sandbox” is a 309-page compilation of roughly 90 online journal entries penned by scores of the military’s most talented scribes.

WASHINGTON - An Army safety team soon will wrap up its month-long analysis conducted at the Multinational Corps Iraq commander’s request to find ways to stop the recent uptick in non-combat injuries and fatalities among deployed troops.

WASHINGTON - Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. William J. Crowe died at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He was 82. Crowe served as chairman from 1985 to 1989 under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 15 suspected terrorists during a series of operations targeting al Qaeda networks throughout Iraq.

WASHINGTON - As some 15,000 federal, state and local officials test their ability to respond to terrorist attacks in Oregon, Arizona and Guam during the largest-yet “TOPOFF” exercise, U.S. Northern Command is fine-tuning its own procedures for supporting a civilian-led response to a potential threat or crisis.

WASHINGTON - Diplomacy is the preferred method for solving the problem the Kurdish terrorist group known as the PKK poses to Turkey and Iraq, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - The return of 1st Cavalry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team to Fort Hood, Texas, proves the surge of American troops into Iraq is working, a coalition commander said.

WASHINGTON - The new U.S. maritime strategy elevates war prevention to the same level of importance as warfighting.

WASHINGTON - A few hundred miles of new roads through rugged, mountainous terrain is key to rebuilding Afghanistan’s economy and improving security in the country’s eastern region along the Pakistan border.

U.S. NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Literacy programs aimed at detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, show signs of success, as many detainees are sharpening their academic skills.

WASHINGTON - President Bush urged Congress to pass legislation that will realize recommendations made by a bipartisan commission tasked to fix problems with wounded servicemembers’ care.

WASHINGTON - From stocking hats to shower shoes, a West Virginia-based group is actively filling requests from U.S. troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, sending them about 50 boxfuls of care packages each week.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 17 suspected terrorists during a series of operations that targeted al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Military gains against al Qaeda are encouraging, but the United States must continue to work with the Iraqi government on reconciliation and political development, President George W. Bush said at a White House news conference.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton as the general ceremonially took the reins of U.S. Strategic Command.

WASHINGTON - A Utah-based troop-support group is providing anyone who wants it the opportunity to play Santa Claus to troops serving in Iraq through the holidays.

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps commandant is worried about the service becoming “a second land army” and said al Qaeda in Iraq is crippled, but not destroyed.

WASHINGTON - Grass-roots security efforts by locals in eastern Baghdad province are helping coalition forces push insurgents out and officials are planning a fifth patrol base in the region, a senior official in the area said.

WASHINGTON - The Joint Staff’s operations director said that he was struck by “noticeable” security improvements throughout the theater while traveling with Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, who recently completed his first tour of Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Turkey is a strong NATO ally and partner in the war on terror, and the best way to handle its conflicts with neighboring Iraq over Kurdish rebels is diplomatically, a senior Joint Staff official told Pentagon reporters.

WASHINGTON - Military transformation is a perpetual work in progress, the chief of U.S. Joint Forces Command said in his last briefing with reporters before he retires next month.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi communities, once lawless and infested with terrorists, are safer today thanks to a just-completed mission, a coalition commander said.

WASHINGTON - Six U.S. military members recognized by a local patriotic organization for their overseas service in the war on terror also received Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ personal thanks during his remarks at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs’ annual award dinner.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained five suspected militants and provided critical medical assistance to suicide-attack victims during recent Afghan operations.

WASHINGTON - Taliban fighters are facing overwhelming coalition firepower and abject rejection from Afghan citizens, a U.S. Army commander said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured four wanted individuals and detained six suspected terrorists today during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in central Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Fairfax County, Va., donated $100,000 toward construction of a planned memorial honoring the 184 people killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon. Twenty Fairfax County residents died in the attack.

WASHINGTON - The United States has stood as a friend and partner of Israel since its independence in 1948, and that situation won’t change, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs’ annual Henry Jackson Award dinner.

WASHINGTON - Changing up flight patterns in response to evolving threats and working together with Iraqi forces are keys to success in the skies over Baghdad, a coalition commander said.

WASHINGTON - Children of servicemembers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here have a new recreation option thanks to the team effort of three nonprofit groups and a defense contractor.

WASHINGTON - Your original design could help “jump start” the new Defense Media Activity by becoming its first logo.

WASHINGTON - Employees assigned to the brand new Defense Media Activity at Fort Meade, Md., can look forward to cutting-edge technology and cool creature comforts, the activity’s transition team director said.

WASHINGTON - The Technical Cooperation Program, which fosters cooperation in defense science and technology applications, is now celebrating its 50th year of existence.

WASHINGTON - USS Fort McHenry is slated to leave Little Creek, Va., for a seven-month deployment to the Gulf of Guinea that the chief of U.S. Africa Command said will exemplify how his new command will operate. The amphibious dock landing ship will serve as a platform for the Africa Partnership Station.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq captured 10 al Qaeda-linked terrorists during operations in central and northern Iraq, while other troops in Baghdad discovered a huge weapons cache, officials said.

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras - Soldiers, airmen and sailors here completed a remembrance run Oct. 12 in honor of prisoners of war and those missing in action.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained a suspected militant during an operation today in Zabul province, Afghanistan, Combined Joint Task Force 82 officials reported .

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces have positively identified a terrorist killed in a recent operation as al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Duha, coalition officials announced today.

MOSCOW - The United States and Russia face some common security challenges and there are ways to cooperate in meeting those challenges, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

MOSCOW - Russian officers attending the 175 year-old Military Academy of the General Staff in Moscow questioned U.S. Defense Secretary Robert. M. Gates on a variety of topics.

MOSCOW - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates reflected during an Oct. 13 speech at the Military Academy of the General Staff in Moscow on the long history between the United States and Russia – as allies, Cold Warriors and great nations seeking ways to work cooperatively to a more stable future.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Hundreds of soldiers, family members and friends gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor 12 soldiers killed in a helicopter crash Iraq earlier this year.

WASHINGTON - Violence in Iraq’s Diyala River Valley has been slashed in half thanks to citizen volunteers, a coalition commander said.

WASHINGTON - A veteran Air Force combat medic helped to transform the way wounded troops are treated and evacuated during a recent deployment to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces in northwestern Baghdad have stopped the cycle of violence there, and Iraqi citizens are resuming their lives in safe and secure neighborhoods, a coalition commander in the area said today.

WASHINGTON - A South Carolina-based troop-support group and a national restaurant chain have teamed up to see that at least 500,000 servicemembers get a note of thanks this holiday season.

WASHINGTON - Army Staff Sgt. Jason Fetty is the first Army reservist to receive the Silver Star for valor in Afghanistan. His commander said Fetty’s actions had strategic importance in demonstrating the depth of the U.S. commitment to the Afghan people.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces seized a weapons cache and thwarted an insurgent ambush in Afghanistan recently, military officials said.

MOSCOW - U.S. and Russian foreign affairs and defense leaders made no major breakthroughs during what they’re calling their first “two-plus-two” talks on strategic security, but they agreed to meet again in Washington in six months.

WASHINGTON - A coalition air strike yesterday that killed terrorists also claimed the lives of a large number of innocent victims, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - The Army National Guard has launched a new recruiting effort that officials hope will tap into a market that has steadily decreased since the war on terror began -- prior-service soldiers.

MOSCOW - U.S. plans to base missile defense radar and interceptors in Poland and the Czech Republic, and Russia’s opposition to those plans were at the heart of talks between U.S. and Russian leaders.

MOSCOW - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in Moscow to join Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in meetings with top Russian leaders. During his two-day visit to Moscow, Gates is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 13 insurgents during an air strike near the Iraqi capital.

WASHINGTON - Building an Iraqi air force will take years, but the service already is contributing to the counterinsurgency effort in the country, the chief of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers are sweeping through a Baghdad neighborhood to clear out explosives and extremists.

WASHINGTON - Promising to maintain the Navy's warfighting capability while building for the future and taking care of sailors and their families, Navy Adm. Gary Roughead assumed duties as the chief of naval operations.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed concern over the state of U.S.-Turkey relations after Congress passed a symbolic measure that considers Turkey guilty of waging a genocide campaign against Armenians in World War I.

WASHINGTON - A modern-day Mrs. Claus is rallying her helpers once again to fill care packages with goodies for troops serving far from home.

WASHINGTON - A new agreement between the active Army and Army National Guard represents a step toward achieving the force structure balance Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. says is critical.

LONDON - The United Kingdom is a close ally of the United States that has made major contributions to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a news conference in London.

LONDON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in London at the start of a four-day, two-country trip to meet with senior officials in London and Moscow.

WASHINGTON - With elections nearing and the question of independence uncertain, the next few months will be a “telling time” for people in the breakaway Serbian province of Kosovo, NATO’s top military officer said.

WASHINGTON - The Army is exploring new ways to accelerate the development of leaders prepared for the broad challenges they’ll face in what’s expected to be an era of persistent conflict, the Army’s chief of staff said.

WASHINGTON - Training the Afghan National Army remains the key to stability in Afghanistan, the commander of NATO forces said in a Pentagon briefing. He also said NATO must do more to stop narcotics cultivation -- primarily the opium trade -- in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department reported strong recruiting numbers for fiscal 2007, as all four active-duty components met their goals for the year.

WASHINGTON - Volunteers with a Northern Virginia military-support group gather twice a month to fill care packages for troops.

WASHINGTON - Programs in U.S. detention facilities in Iraq are improving the education and vocational skills of detainees and preparing those who are no longer a threat for release to their families.

WASHINGTON - Coalition troops in Iraq killed 14 terrorists and captured 12 others during a series of operations in the central part of the country.

WASHINGTON - Relief for the Army is on the way in the form of an expanded force, reconstituted equipment, new programs and resources, and a reduced presence in Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi citizens are reaching across sectarian lines and volunteering in unprecedented numbers to drive out terrorists and reconcile their country.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition security forces captured four suspected terrorists and seized a large weapons cache during two separate joint operations.

WASHINGTON - The Army chief of staff told attendees at the annual Association of the U.S. Army convention that the Army must focus on four critical imperatives if it is to remain “The Strength of the Nation.”

WASHINGTON - Security improvements in Fallujah, Iraq, are allowing coalition forces and Iraqis to reinforce success, the city’s provincial reconstruction team leader said.

WASHINGTON - Microsoft Corp. is committed to supporting the troops and those who serve them.

WASHINGTON - The British government is cutting its forces in Iraq from 5,000 to 2,500 in spring 2008, a decision that has been well-coordinated with U.S. and Multinational Force Iraq commanders.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of U.S. troops around the world took part in this year's Army Ten-Miler.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials announced that 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, will deploy to Iraq in summer 2008.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq killed seven terrorists and detained 21 others during a series of anti-al Qaeda in Iraq operations in the central and northern parts of the country.

PARAMARIBO, Suriname - New initiatives to increase humanitarian efforts in Central and South America are part of the “evolving mission” of U.S. Southern Command, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in Paramaribo, Suriname, Oct. 6.

LIMA, Peru - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with top Peruvian leaders here to hear their plans to step-up the fight against drug trafficking along the country’s rivers and coasts.

WASHINGTON - While the stand-up of U.S. Africa Command is a testament to the growing geopolitical importance of the continent, officials say the command still has a long way to go to be effective.

WASHINGTON - About 40 exceptional students from high schools nationwide assembled at the Pentagon yesterday to learn about national security careers.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi citizens increasingly are providing crucial information to rout out terrorists in southern Baghdad, a military commander said.

BAGHDAD - The new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited Task Force Marne troops to administer the oath of re-enlistment to 31 U.S. Army soldiers and prepare them for the challenges that lay ahead in the war on terrorism.

WASHINGTON - The United States stands with citizens across the Middle East in facing an enemy intent on destroying not just American society, but also the advance of freedom in Muslim societies, President Bush said Oct. 4.

WASHINGTON - Tired of al Qaeda-committed brutal acts, armed groups of Euphrates River Valley residents are working with Iraqi army and coalition forces to pacify an area once known as the “triangle of death,” a senior U.S. military officer said.

WASHINGTON - Provincial reconstruction teams are extending the reach of the Afghan government and helping stabilize Iraq as its government transitions to self-reliance, a panel of Defense Department officials told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers who lose limbs should be enabled to resume active duty, the administrator of Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Amputee Care Center said.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces killed 37 enemy fighters, detained four suspects and seized weapons caches in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody swore in six new recruits and re-enlisted six soldiers in a ceremony celebrating the service’s success in recruiting and retention for fiscal 2007.

WASHINGTON - Country music fans soon will be invited to join top country artists and the Grand Ole Opry in creating the “World’s Largest Care Package” for troops serving overseas.

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps announced today that it exceeded its recruiting and retention expectations for the year, marking the first milestone in a push to significantly expand the overall force by 2011.

WASHINGTON - The surge of additional U.S. forces into Iraq continues to improve circumstances for the Iraqi government, a Joint Staff spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - Members of the new U.S. Africa Command are going to listen to the people of the continent and help them realize their plans, the first commander of the organization said.

SANTIAGO, Chile - The U.S. military will strengthen its ties with Chile by encouraging the country’s peacekeeping efforts and increasing interoperability with more foreign military exchanges and bilateral operations, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a visit to Santiago.

WASHINGTON - Iraqis are taking solid steps toward self-sufficiency in Fallujah, Iraq, the leader of a provincial reconstruction team embedded with U.S. troops there told online journalists and "bloggers."

WASHINGTON - The SemperComm Foundation is accepting award nominations from the military community for its 2008 SemperComm Award.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces killed five insurgents, detained 20 suspects and seized weapons in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - When Muslim U.S. servicemembers join other Muslim-American citizens and representatives of Washington’s diplomatic community at an iftar dinner at the White House, one of just 10 Muslim chaplains serving in the U.S. military will have the honors of administering the call to prayer and leading prayers.

WASHINGTON - A record number of military amputees are among a record crowd of 26,000 participants registered to run the Army Ten-Miler on Oct. 7.

WASHINGTON - Sharing military experiences with the American public injects a human element into events often conveyed through the cold glare of television’s nightly news, a group of well-spoken servicemembers said.

BOGOTA, Colombia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates discussed with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe the situation of three American hostages held in Colombia by guerilla fighters.

BOGOTA, Colombia - Into his second day of a five-day, five-country trip to Central and South America, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has faced as many questions from the press about private security contractor issues in Iraq as he has regional security issues in the Americas.

BOGOTA, Colombia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates finished up his second day in Latin America pledging continued support for what he called a “strong partnership” with Colombia. Gates met with the country’s president and minister of defense to discuss shared interests and continued cooperation between the United States and Colombia.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Army Secretary Pete Geren visited homes on Fort Belvoir, Va., and talked with Army families about the privatized housing initiative on the installation.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces have “tactical momentum” in the country, but they need to develop “irreversible momentum,” Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno said today during a Pentagon interview.

WASHINGTON - A multi-pronged approach to conflict resolution that includes military force coupled with a powerful social push is vital to winning over hearts and minds and countering insurgents’ lure, a U.S. Central Command official said.

WASHINGTON - Success in Iraq and the Middle East is essential to U.S. security, and American troops will stay there as long as is necessary to complete the mission, President Bush said during an address at the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Lancaster, Pa.

WASHINGTON - United States-backed programs designed to jump-start Iraq’s battered infrastructure are making meaningful progress, a senior U.S. Army engineer general said in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - The annual Defense Department Combined Federal Campaign Charity Fair kicked off at the Pentagon to provide employees insight into some of the nonprofit organizations that benefit from their donations.

WASHINGTON - Efforts to oust al Qaeda and other insurgents from Iraq and to revitalize the country’s worn infrastructure continue to make progress, a senior U.S. military officer said in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces are finding more evidence that Iran is directly supporting insurgents in Iraq, a U.S. military officer told online journalists and "bloggers."

WASHINGTON - Balancing global risk and stability in the Middle East, and resetting and reconstituting U.S. forces are vital missions for the U.S. military, according to guidance from the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen.

WASHINGTON - Patients, not process, must always come first, the Navy’s surgeon general told online journalists and "bloggers."

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed six terrorists and captured 14 in operations over the past three days in central and northern Iraq, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The surge of additional forces into Baghdad and other areas of Iraq is working, according to Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq. Even as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan continues, levels of violence in Iraq have dropped.

BOGOTA, Colombia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pledged U.S. funds to provide music education and other services to children displaced by the years of war in Colombia. The new $343,000 grant will help about 3,600 children along the remote areas of the Pacific Coast.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. missile defense system intercepted a warhead during a test over the Pacific Ocean last week, boosting military officials’ confidence in the program’s ability to neutralize threats from missile-wielding nations like North Korea and Iran.

WASHINGTON - Closer cooperation between coalition troops and Afghan security forces and assistance from Afghasn is combining to help stem the violence that has been on the rise in eastern Afghanistan, the commander of an international task force operating there told Pentagon reporters today.

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met briefly with the Salvadoran president and minister of defense discussing shared security interests in the region and the country’s continued participation in peacekeeping operations worldwide.

WASHINGTON - The stress of deployments, especially during war time, can take a toll on servicemembers and their families. A group of licensed mental health professionals in Southern California is helping to minimize that impact.

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates set off on a five-day, five-country Latin America trip with his first stop in San Salvador to meet with the country’s president and other senior political and military officials. The trip is a symbol of President Bush’s interest in Latin America.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed one terrorist and detained 10 suspects during a series of raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq in central and northern Iraq today, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The new U.S. military organization responsible for operations across Africa marked the startup of its initial operations Oct. 1, according to a U.S. Africa Command news release.

FORT MYER, Va. - President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today praised retiring Marine Gen. Peter Pace as a gifted leader and an advisor who used sound judgment and who spoke with candor.

FORT MYER, Va. - Reasoned discourse allows American democracy to grow and flourish, but some people seem more intent on spewing personal venom than in finding solutions, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today as he retired from the Marine Corps after more than 40 years of service.

WASHINGTON - A coalition airstrike killed more than 20 militants, and Iraqi security forces accompanied by coalition advisors captured 34 suspected terrorists during operations across Iraq Sept. 29, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Military families have a new Web-based tool to help them share everyday happenings with deployed loved ones thanks to a national troop-support group.

WASHINGTON - The military’s new top officer thanked troops and their families for their service and sacrifice, and he told them their efforts are “vital” to national security interests.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen took the helm today as the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, vowing to work to give servicemembers “clear direction, outstanding equipment and focused policies” to accomplish current missions and prepare for future ones.

WASHINGTON - A new Pentagon Channel documentary airing this week focuses on planning, constructing and renovating the world's largest-capacity office building -- the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan troops killed 22 militants and captured seven during separate operations in Afghanistan’s Zabul and Helmand provinces today.

WASHINGTON - Nearly 40 years ago, Lynne Pace dedicated her life to her family. Little did she know at the time that her family ultimately would include the nation’s 2.4 million troops.