CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Two Marines, Staff Sgt. Jason Constable, a watch officer and combat engineer, and Sgt. Jose Guadarramapedraza, an administration specialist, became U.S. citizens before they deployed to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led, coalition-supported security force detained an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan facilitator and several other insurgents during an operation in the Argo district of Badakhshan province.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government’s top information and technology officials today announced a mobile device initiative that’s part of an agency-wide modernization effort.

WASHINGTON - Service members and their families will have free entry into more than 1,600 of the nation’s museums this summer through a joint venture between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families.

WASHINGTON - Military-to-military talks between the U.S. and Pakistan, which recently resumed after a lapse, are going well, Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, told Pentagon reporters.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said significant events will occur in Afghanistan this summer, including the withdrawal of some troops, reposturing the battle space, and moving Afghan forces increasingly into the lead.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama traveled to Colorado Springs, Colo., to address the U.S. Air Force Academy’s graduating class of 2012, reminding them of the Air Force’s critical role and congratulating them as they prepare to build on a new era of American leadership.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta along with Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to urge ratification of the Law of the Sea Convention.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Maribel Valdez, the adjutant with the 1st Marine Division (Forward) at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, knows its difficult for her family when she is deployed and tries to communicate with them daily.

WASHINGTON - As a biker, Air Force Col. Dana Morel knows the dangers of motorcycle riding as well as anyone and is encouraged that the Defense Department actively promotes Motorcycle Safety Foundation standards.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led, coalition-supported security force detained a Taliban leader during an operation in the Dasht-e Qal’ah district of Takhar province.

WASHINGTON - The Army and Air Force are committed to developing one billion watts of renewable energy on their installations by 2025, senior leaders from both services announced.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta met for the first time with his Iraqi counterpart, acting Iraqi Defense Minister Dr. Sadun al-Dulaymi, marking a new phase in the military-to-military relationship between the two countries, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is resolute in its fight against counterfeit parts and has implemented steps to stop them from entering the supply chain and eliminating those already in, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters.

SILVER SPRING, Md. - Featuring artifacts from President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination including the bullet that killed him, and information on the progress of treating traumatic brain injuries, the National Museum of Health and Medicine officially reopened to the public on its 150th anniversary.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will leave May 30 to participate in the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore and will then travel to Vietnam and India, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little announced.

WASHINGTON - A senior U.S. defense official told Congress a lack of foreign language capabilities in the federal government could potentially pose a national security risk.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta believes the punishment by the Air Force of supervisors accused of retaliating against whistleblowers at the Port Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base was appropriate, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - A suicide bombing in Yemen’s capital of Sana that killed or injured more than 100 Yemeni soldiers bears all the hallmarks of having been planned and carried out by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari didn’t meet formally but did have a brief conversation during the Chicago NATO summit, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - As summer approaches, Defense Department officials want military members and civilian employees to think about safety during their recreational pursuits, Joseph J. Angello Jr., the department’s director of operational readiness and safety, said.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Defense Department has named 30 employers as finalists for the 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Awards, DOD’s highest honor for employers who support of Guard and Reserve employees.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force detained a Haqqani facilitator and several additional insurgents during an operation in the Bak district of Afghanistan’s Khost province, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - All of the active components and five of the six reserve components met or exceeded their fiscal 2012 recruiting goals through April, Pentagon officials announced.

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. - Washington state-based meteorologist Dave Law, a retired Air Force master sergeant, said he owes a great deal of his success as a television weatherman to his 23 years of military service.

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. - The United States continues to negotiate with Pakistan toward a resolution that will lead to the reopening of transport routes that have been closed since November to supplies bound for troops in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. - The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments announced a milestone in their effort to combine their health records in what will become the world’s largest electronic system by 2017, the secretaries of both departments announced.

WASHINGTON - Heads of state and government, their foreign and defense ministers and others who gathered in Chicago have accomplished what they set out to do, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

WASHINGTON - NATO hasn’t just endured, it has thrived, President Barack Obama said at the conclusion of the alliance’s summit in Chicago.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta expressed his appreciation to several Central Asian nations for allowing the transit of troops and goods through their territory to supply the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said NATO member nations are committed to the organization’s open-door membership policy, which she called a “powerful motivation” for countries wishing to join the alliance.

CHICAGO - Representatives from 50 nations that contribute to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan will decide at the NATO summit on the next milestone for the transition in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces will fulfill their missions in Afghanistan, Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, told reporters at the beginning of the NATO summit.

KHAN NESHIN DISTRICT, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Brandon M. Barton is on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, yet earlier in his life he’d never thought he would find himself wearing a Marine Corps uniform.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban facilitator in the Zharay district of Kandahar province.

WASHINGTON - Welcoming new Marine rotational deployments in Australia and Navy rotations planned for Singapore, the top U.S. Pacific Command officer said he’ll seek similar arrangements, possibly to include the Army, that will expand the U.S. presence in the region without the need for more permanently based forces.

CHICAGO - During its first session at the 25th NATO Summit, the alliance’s senior governing body declared operational the missile defense system it endorsed at its November 2010 summit in Lisbon, Portugal, NATO’s secretary general said.

CHICAGO - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta met in Chicago with his counterpart from the United Kingdom, Secretary of State of Defense Philip Hammond during the first day of the 25th NATO Summit, the largest and broadest in the alliance’s history.

CHICAGO - A year and a half after the NATO members at their summit in Lisbon, Portugal, pledged bold action to revitalize the future alliance, heads of state and government are reaffirming commitment to their collective defense and security, President Barack Obama said.

CHICAGO - The NATO summit largely will be devoted to ratifying and reflecting broad consensus on long-term support for Afghanistan, President Barack Obama said after a meeting in Chicago with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

CHICAGO - NATO’s largest-ever summit opened in Chicago to focus on keeping Afghanistan secure, ensuring NATO’s capability in the 21st century, and enhancing the alliance’s global network of partners, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta met with newly appointed French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to discuss Afghan transition prior to the upcoming NATO Summit, a senior Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today thanked troops and their families for their service in an Armed Forces Day message, in which he also noted the importance of the upcoming NATO Summit in Chicago.

WASHINGTON - In a proclamation declaring May 19 Armed Forces Day, President Barack Obama urged all Americans to recognize and honor U.S. military members for their “unparalleled service” in defense of the nation.

WASHINGTON - There are three big agenda items and one strategic priority that will occupy center stage at NATO’s May 20-21 summit in Chicago, James J. Townsend Jr., deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO policy, told Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service reporters.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s 2012 Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China report details China’s growing military capabilities, and points to areas of cooperation between the United States and China, a senior DOD official told Pentagon reporters.

WASHINGTON - NATO’s plan for military operations in Afghanistan up to and beyond 2014 will be the top agenda item at the organization’s May 20-21 summit in Chicago, Danish Army Gen. Knud Bartels, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, told American Forces Press Service.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - When Air Force Senior Airman Lanea Trevino noticed abandoned shower supplies in the wash stall next to hers, she set out in search of the items’ rightful owner and ended up saving another airman’s life.

WASHINGTON - With clear direction from President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, the new U.S. Pacific Command chief said he’s using the new strategic guidance as a roadmap as he sets priorities and engages with the region.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force discovered a drug cache of opium during a patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, the commander of U.S. European Command, says preparing a good defense to deter cyber attacks ranks among his top concerns.

WASHINGTON - Service members and their spouses joined Defense Department leaders during a ceremony at the Pentagon to mark the success of a spouse employment program intended to help military families and the economy.

WASHINGTON - During an induction ceremony in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta praised Army Spc. 4 Leslie H. Sabo Jr., whose gallantry and self-sacrifice in Cambodia during the Vietnam War earned him the Medal of Honor posthumously.

WASHINGTON - NATO leaders and those of partner nations will finalize major decisions about Afghanistan and the future of the alliance during the NATO summit in Chicago, George Little, acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, told reporters.

WASHINGTON - While searching for a Haqqani network leader, an Afghan and coalition security force engaged in a firefight and called in a close-air-support strike that killed multiple insurgents in the Jaji district of Afghanistan’s Paktia province.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta praised the level of security cooperation between the United States and Israel following a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in which they discussed Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system.

WASHINGTON - With a senior State Department official declaring West Africa under attack by drug traffickers during congressional testimony, a defense official reported progress being made through the interagency West Africa Cooperative Security Initiative to confront this threat.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Defense Department is facing unprecedented times and must have the right balance for the joint force of 2020, a Joint Staff official said at the 2012 Joint Warfighting Conference in Virginia Beach, Va.

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region fighters will be active in the skies over Chicago to prepare for the upcoming May 20-21 NATO summit.

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - Students at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, are learning negotiation skills in an exercise where they encounter a member of the center's staff playing the role of a bellicose warlord in a faraway land.

WASHINGTON - Narcotics trafficking, because of its links to other forms of transnational organized crime, has become a major national security challenge that demands continued close collaboration among the Defense Department and its interagency and international partners, a senior defense official told Congress.

FORT BENNING, Ga. - Five years after he left the Army, former enlisted soldier Don Gomez decided to rejoin and become an Army officer.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon Channel has teamed up with the annual GI Film Festival to produce a movie night for its viewers in a two-hour block of feature and short films each week, Scott Howe, the channel’s operations manager, announced.

WASHINGTON - Chinese and American officials recognize the importance of good, uninterrupted military-to-military relations, and the commander of U.S. Pacific Command will do what he can to further that goal.

STUTTGART, Germany - A robust humanitarian assistance program in Europe is helping to provide essential services while bolstering bilateral relationships and setting conditions for future cooperation in a crisis, U.S. European Command officials reported.

WASHINGTON - In remarks delivered at the foot of the Iwo Jima Memorial, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta spoke of spirit and history at an event commemorating the 100th anniversary of Marine Corps Aviation.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The upcoming NATO summit in Chicago will help determine the long-term commitment to Afghanistan beyond 2014 and create a network of bilateral strategic partnerships, said Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan pointed to indications that Pakistan is preparing to open cross-border NATO supply lines into Afghanistan, said Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force.

WASHINGTON - Military spouses need only the focused attention of employers to improve hiring for the benefit of both sides, Laura Dempsey, an Army wife and military family advocate who works for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told a group of business leaders in Arlington, Va.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to a man who died defending his fellow soldiers 42 years and six days ago, and who the commander-in-chief said represents a generation’s honorable and undervalued service.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban leader during an operation in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - The Army wants to create a leaner and more agile force over the next seven years. But sequestration, the threatened automatic across the board spending cuts required by law, would derail that plan, the service’s top uniformed leader said.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The U.S. military must leverage emerging technologies and capabilities to create Joint Force 2020, the fighting force of the future, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the audience at the 2012 Joint Warfighting Conference.

WASHINGTON - The U.S.-South Korea alliance provides security and stability in Northeast Asia and that partnership will continue into the future, said Brig. Gen. Kang Yong-hee, chief of public affairs for the South Korean Army.

WASHINGTON - Army officers in charge of training and force development are now gathering data to help determine whether -- and how -- to open infantry and armor ranks to women, the service’s senior soldier said.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Marine Corps 1st Lt. Phillip M. Downey has a unique gift to present when his son is born: an American flag that flew 50 feet above the Task Force Leatherneck compound.

WASHINGTON - A new book published by the Historical Office of the Secretary of Defense describes changes in military weapons systems acquisition during the 15 years following World War II.

STUTTGART, Germany - A program started almost two decades ago to support former Soviet bloc militaries following the Cold War has proven to be a U.S. model for building long-standing military-to-military and civil-military relationships around the world.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Joint Chiefs of Staff is developing the framework to tie operational capabilities to the military strategy guidance the Defense Department released in January, a senior Pentagon official said.

WASHINGTON - Unemployed veterans ages 35 to 60 can apply for up to 12 months of paid training through a new program sponsored by the Departments of Labor and Veterans Affairs.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials hope the Pakistani government will reopen the ground supply lines into Afghanistan “in the very near future,” George Little, acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, told reporters.

WASHINGTON - New authority in this year’s Defense Department authorization act allows the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps reserves to be called to duty in response to natural disasters or emergencies in the homeland, and also to be mobilized for extended periods to support theater security missions around the world.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The U.S. military is operating in an increasingly dangerous world in which it is going to have to do more with less, given increasingly tight budgets, the Joint Staff’s director of joint force development told the sixth annual 2012 Joint Warfighting Conference.

WASHINGTON - With safety remaining his top concern, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has ordered the Air Force to take additional steps to mitigate risks to F-22 pilots, George Little, acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, said.

WASHINGTON - Service members and their families will be able to enter all of America’s national parks free of charge for a year thanks to a Joining Forces initiative that will take effect beginning on Armed Services Day, May 19.

WASHINGTON - NATO commitments to Afghanistan expected at the alliance’s summit in Chicago next week will build on progress and will demonstrate long-term international support for Afghanistan while setting the stage for continued progress, the deputy U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan said.

STUTTGART, Germany - The United States will announce at next week’s NATO summit in Chicago that the new missile defense system in Europe has reached interim operational capability, the alliance’s supreme allied commander for Europe said.

WASHINGTON - Actor Gary Sinise’s efforts to help wounded warriors were highlighted by journalist David Martin on a recent broadcast of the CBS television program “60 Minutes.”

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led, coalition-supported security force detained a Taliban facilitator and another insurgent in the Kandahar district of Kandahar province. Officials said the facilitator was responsible for supplying weapons, ammunition and equipment to insurgents.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. - Marine Corps Sgt. Donald Edmonston strives every day to set a good example, to accomplish his mission safely and to embody the core values of honor, courage and commitment.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan will top the agenda items at the upcoming NATO Summit in Chicago as coalition members consider an agreement on a long-term strategic partnership that promotes security and stability there, said Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta said he is “very pleased” to see that Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai identified the areas that have been selected for the next phase of security transition in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama welcomed Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s announcement of his government’s list of areas intended for the third stage of the transition of security responsibility from NATO’s International Security Assistance Force to Afghan security forces.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, urged Norwich University graduates to live “uncommon lives” of leadership based on time-honored virtues.

WASHINGTON - The "Joining Forces" campaign issued a special Mother’s Day card that thanks the nation’s military spouses.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, met with Gen. Sher Muhammad Karimi, chief of general staff of the Afghan army, and Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Pakistan’s chief of army staff, for talks in Islamabad, Pakistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An influential member of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council and Islamic Council member, Moulavi Arsala Rahmani, was murdered while reportedly riding in a vehicle on his way to work, International Security Assistance Force officials reported.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The International Security Assistance Force welcomes the release of the Afghan government's list of areas intended for the third stage of the transition of security responsibility in the country, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Bahraini Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa met at the Pentagon to discuss regional and bilateral issues.

WASHINGTON - America’s military spouses play a critical role in making the nation’s military the finest in the world, and service members’ mothers and grandmothers also provide key contributions to the nation’s security, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama honored the “tremendous service,” and “great sacrifices,” military spouses make on behalf of the country by proclaiming May 11 as Military Spouse Appreciation Day.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department believes recent incidents in which members of the Afghan National Security Forces have attacked their coalition trainers are individual acts of grievance, a senior DOD spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is expanding one pilot program and enhancing another, both of which involve sharing cyber-threat data with cleared defense contractors who work with DOD intellectual property.

WASHINGTON - A new mobile application developed by mental health experts combines behavioral therapy with satellite navigation technology to offer returning service members options for adjusting to the slower pace of life at home.

STUTTGART, Germany - Some staff members at U.S. European Command, the oldest and in some people’s view, most traditional of the U.S. combatant commands, thought the “whole-of-government” concept introduced about three years ago was nothing but a fad.

WASHINGTON - The International Security Assistance Force condemned a Taliban roadside-bomb attack that killed seven innocent civilians in Helmand province. The bomb was detonated by remote control in the Musulmanai area of the province’s Musa Qala district.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Marilyn Durso cherishes a Mother’s Day gift from her son, an Army ranger who served in Afghanistan, and considers it "a sweet acknowledgment from a son to his mother.”

WASHINGTON - A husband who championed the progression of disability policy and the exceptional family member program received the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year Award.

WASHINGTON - A new report shows the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law is being implemented successfully in the military, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered their perspectives on the ongoing unrest in Syria and the threat al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula poses in Yemen.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden welcomed military wives, mothers, grandmothers and children to the White House for a tea to mark Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Mother’s Day.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said the Pentagon is doing everything possible to secure the return of an Army sergeant who has been in Taliban hands for nearly three years.

WASHINGTON - As Congress marks up the military budget, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said they stand ready to work with lawmakers to maintain the balance they built into their budget proposal.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced the nomination of Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III to be the next Air Force chief of staff.

WASHINGTON - Priority issues on the agenda at the 25th NATO summit in Chicago this month will include Afghanistan and NATO capabilities and partnerships, senior U.S. officials said while testifying before a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - The services’ vice chiefs testified on readiness during a Capitol Hill hearing, with most stressing the continuing need for overseas contingency operations funding.

STUTTGART, Germany - A rotational concept stood up in Europe and now extended to Africa is providing valuable lessons in partnership sustainment despite force reductions and tightened resources.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban facilitator and another suspected insurgent in the Arghistan district of Kandahar province.

IWAKUNI, Japan - Marine Corps Sgt. Gaylon Summers, ground safety manager, hopes to be counted among those who have handled the stress of being a Marine and professional wrestler.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama met with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in the Oval Office to discuss preparations for the May 20-21 NATO summit meeting in Chicago, according to a White House press release.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force has instituted measures designed to protect its pilots, ensure mission completion and assess the possible physiological effects of flying the F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft, Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Daniel O. Wyman, the command surgeon for Air Combat Command, told reporters.

WASHINGTON - Military families regard the possible change of military retirement benefits as their top concern, according to the results of the 2012 Military Family Lifestyle Survey.

WASHINGTON - As the globe's preeminent maritime power, the United States has much to gain in ratifying the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said during his remarks at the at the Law of the Sea Convention Forum in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan will dominate the NATO summit in Chicago later this month, but alliance leaders will deal with other issues as well, French air force Gen. Stephane Abrial, commander of NATO’s transformation command, said.

WASHINGTON - Senior Air Force and Navy leaders affirm that the F-35 joint strike fighter remains the centerpiece of the tactical aircraft program and will play a large part in the services’ ongoing modernization plans.

WASHINGTON - Ratifying the Law of the Sea Convention is the right thing to do for American national security, said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter recognized 31 civil service employees for their service to the nation as part of the Defense Department’s observance of Public Service Recognition Week.

WASHINGTON - The message from coalition commanders in Afghanistan is loud and clear that the campaign is “in a good place right now,” the deputy commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said.

WASHINGTON - Though the location of its headquarters and the way it works with the U.S. military has changed, NATO’s Allied Command Transformation has forged a stronger relationship with the United States, its supreme allied commander for transformation said.

WASHINGTON - As a senior Navy official, Roger Natsuhara says part of his role is to support Asian-Americans and Pacific islanders who want to enter senior government service.

STUTTGART, Germany - Budget tightening won’t mean an end to U.S. European Command’s robust exercise program, but it could bring big changes to the program that keeps U.S. and allied forces at the top of their game, officials said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition security forces detain multiple suspected insurgents during an operation to capture a Taliban leader in the Zharay district of Kandahar province.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Dr. Ron Furstenau, a chemistry instructor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, is an enthusiastic person -- whether he's mentoring students in the academy’s chemistry labs or performing instructive magic shows for young students in the local community.

WASHINGTON - The United States recently began reintroducing a small number of military trainers into Yemen after having suspended the mission due to political instability, Navy Capt. John Kirby, Pentagon spokesman, told reporters.

WASHINGTON - A recent attempt by Yemeni-based terrorists to plant an explosive device on an airliner bound for the United States shows the nation needs to remain vigilant against new acts of terrorism, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Army Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Moon graduated from Motlow State Community College in the middle of a war zone, nearly 20 years after his high school graduation.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. non-commissioned officer accepted the Distinguished Military Leadership Award from the Atlantic Council on behalf of all enlisted service members. The award recognizes the contributions toward a better world made by enlisted soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen.

WASHINGTON - Great Britain’s Prince Harry urged the U.S. and British publics last night to unify in supporting wounded warriors and families of the fallen, particularly as the drawdown of military operations in Afghanistan takes the media spotlight off their continuing needs.

WASHINGTON - In his latest "Chairman's Corner" blog post, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, calls upon military leaders focus on preventing sexual assault crimes.

STUTTGART, Germany - A new task force at U.S. European Command is helping other U.S. government agencies and their international counterparts confront trafficking in illicit goods and services that officials call a major national security threat to the United States.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan-led and coalition supported security force detained a senior Taliban leader in Afghanistan’s Faryab province. The leader organized roadside bombings, suicide attacks and other operations against Afghan and coalition forces, officials said.

WASHINGTON - Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commandant of the Coast Guard are dissatisfied with progress made in reducing sexual assault in the military, and have released strategic direction to increase the emphasis on combating the crime.

WASHINGTON - Because the United States and China have developed technological capabilities in the cyber arena, the nations must work together to avoid misperception that could lead to a crisis, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta welcomed Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Liang Guanglie to the Pentagon as part of the first U.S. visit by a Chinese defense minister in nine years.

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials believe the Taliban are on their heels. “It is much more difficult for them to move around, to resource, to plan and execute,” Navy Capt. John Kirby, Pentagon spokesman, told reporters, though he added it’s too early to count them out.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led security force supported by coalition troops detained a Taliban leader in Kandahar province’s Arghistan district. The leader conducted roadside bombings against Afghan and coalition troops and was responsible for moving explosive devices.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - One of the reasons why Cpl. Erica Adams decided to join the Marine Corps, other than to be a mechanic, was to see the world. Two years after enlisting, she's now been around the globe.

STUTTGART, Germany - With major force changes set to unfold across Europe, U.S. European Command remains committed to its mission of ensuring a ready force prepared to respond if called upon, officials said.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Defense and prosecution teams said they expect the trial of five alleged 9/11 co-conspirators to take many months or years, while family members of those killed Sept. 11, 2001, said they’re glad the trial is in the military’s hands.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Five defendants facing arraignment in what has been called the biggest post-9/11 terrorism case refused to respond to the judge in court at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. - The commander of the Air Force’s Air Combat Command discussed the national security imperative for the F-22 Raptor fighter jet, the status of efforts to identify a root cause for unexplained physiological incidents with the aircraft, and risk mitigation efforts since the Raptor’s return to flying operations in September 2011.

WASHINGTON - Progress in Afghanistan was among the topics Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta discussed in a wide-ranging interview with Bloomberg Television’s Judy Woodruff.

WASHINGTON - In his weekly address, President Barack Obama discussed his trip to Afghanistan, where he signed a historic agreement setting the stage for a long-term partnership.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau officials at a Pentagon ceremony signed a joint statement of shared principles that underscores their partnership to protect the finances of service members.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Two planeloads of people arrived at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to participate in or watch court proceedings against five detainees who allegedly conspired in the 9/11 attacks on the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people.

WASHINGTON - It is more important than ever that service members exercise judgment in the age of Twitter, You Tube, Flickr, I-Phones and Facebook, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told troops at Fort Benning, Ga.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials announced decisions designed to strengthen telework and make it more attractive to supervisors and employees, said Paige Hinkle-Bowles, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for civilian personnel policy.

WASHINGTON - Preventing motorcycle accidents and fatalities remains a top priority for Defense Department leaders, said Joseph Angello, DOD’s director of operational readiness and safety, with training and awareness reducing the number of incidents.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led, coalition-supported security force detained a Taliban leader and two additional insurgents during an operation in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C., - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jay R. Wright knew the sky was the limit when he decided to pursue a military career.

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea - As he meets with U.S. service members in South Korea, the military's top enlisted leader is stressing the importance of their mission and the need for resilience.

STUTTGART, Germany - Using the new defense strategic guidance as its roadmap, officials at U.S. European Command say they’ve fixed their compasses on four basic priorities: maintaining ready forces, completing a successful transition in Afghanistan, sustaining strategic partnerships and countering transnational threats.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will travel to Fort Benning, Ga., to speak to deploying soldiers and their families, and answer questions during a town hall meeting.

WASHINGTON - Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy left Naval Station San Diego to begin its part in Pacific Partnership 2012, a humanitarian and civic assistance mission to Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia.

WASHINGTON - First responders to the 9/11 attack sites will be able to view military commissions proceedings resulting from the attacks that begin May 5 from a site specifically set up for their use.

WASHINGTON - Osama bin Laden’s letters urged jihadist groups to stop domestic attacks that killed Muslim civilians and focus on the United States, “our desired goal,” says a study of declassified documents captured during last year’s U.S. raid on his compound in Pakistan.

WASHINGTON - Climate and environmental change are emerging as national security threats that weigh heavily in the Pentagon’s new strategy, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said at a Washington, D.C., reception hosted by the Environmental Defense Fund.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led, coalition-supported security force detained an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan terrorist group leader in the Iman Sahib district of Kunduz province. Officials said the insurgent leader was responsible for planning suicide attacks against Afghan and coalition troops.

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. - Now a U.S. citizen, Mexico-born Airman 1st Class Abraham Garduza wants to realize another personal goal by becoming an Air Force officer.

WASHINGTON - The network of people, government and private organizations that tends to America’s wounded, injured and ill service members has achieved results over the last decade that are “absolutely remarkable,” said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - U.S. European Command, along with NATO allies and other close partnerships in Europe, remains critical to the United States, even as it implements new defense strategic guidance focused on challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East, said Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, Eucom and NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe.

WASHINGTON - The mission that killed al-Qaida chieftain Osama bin Laden a year ago was the culmination of years of painstaking intelligence gathering, put to good use by an excellent joint service team, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

WASHINGTON - Frank Kendall, acting undersecretary of defense for acquisitions, technology and logistics, hosted a Pentagon ceremony featuring five installations recognized as the military’s best for 2012.

WASHINGTON - The agreement between the United States and Japan to relocate some 9,000 Marines from Okinawa is an example of how American troops will build a more flexible, deployable force structure in the Asia-Pacific region, Robert Scher, deputy assistant secretary of defense for plans, said.

WASHINGTON - At Russia’s international missile defense conference held in Moscow May 3-4, U.S. experts will make their case for the European missile defense plan “in a broader forum,” one of the U.S. delegation leaders said.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is a symbol of American military might, and that makes it a target that must be protected, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said during a 10th anniversary celebration of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.

WASHINGTON - Afghan security forces led a capable and quick response in containing a Taliban attack in the capital of Kabul.

TREK NAWA, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Marine Corps Cpl. Jeffery Rodriguez said he loves being a military dog handler working with his partner, Dharma, a 4-year-old Labrador retriever.

WASHINGTON - After joining Afghan President Hamid Karzai in signing a strategic partnership agreement, President Barack Obama took to the airwaves to update the American people on the mission in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed the new national defense strategy and its core pillars while delivering remarks at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

WASHINGTON - The sacrifices service members have made, are what make America free and secure, U.S. President Barack Obama told U.S. service members on Bagram Airfield during a surprise visit to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed an agreement that commits the nations to negotiating and building a strategic partnership that will frame their future relationship.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama traveled to Afghanistan to sign the strategic partnership agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and to reinforce the level of American commitment to the country, a senior administration official traveling with him said.

WASHINGTON - The strategic partnership agreement that U.S. President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed demonstrates that the relationship between the United States and Afghanistan is strong and resilient, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

WASHINGTON - As the nation’s top energy user, the Defense Department is pushing commercialization of the technology it needs to lower costs and keep its facilities secure, the deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama is meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and the press pool traveling with him reported that the two leaders signed the recently agreed-upon strategic partnership agreement between their governments.

WASHINGTON - Beginning this month, some National Guard and reserve members will need to pay dental premiums directly rather than through payroll deduction, a senior official of the TRICARE military health plan said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and NATO forces are building on the progress made in Afghanistan, but problems -- specifically with safe havens in Pakistan and with endemic corruption -- still plague efforts in the country, senior defense and diplomatic officials said.

EUREKA, Calif. - Following an injury, Army Sgt. Norman Montes De Oca, a former Ranger, traded in his M-16 rifle for cymbals and a guitar to become a military musician.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban leader and several other suspected insurgents in the Washer district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The leader was responsible for roadside bombings, suicide attacks and other insurgent operations.