WASHINGTON - Military transportation officials are seeking alternate routes for supplying U.S. and NATO troops deployed in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The “Sons of Iraq” civilian security group led coalition troops to their biggest operations in recent days.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition forces killed 11 terrorists after coming under fire during an operation in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Doctors and medics with the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan’s Zabul province are teaching medical providers to purify water and reduce waterborne illnesses.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Iraqi officials and U.S. soldiers celebrated the completion of renovations on a primary school.

FRESNO, Calif. - After learning about the Army Reserve from her daughter's recruiter, a postal carrier in California, decided that she, too, would become a soldier.

WASHINGTON - As New Yorkers and visitors gear up for New Year's Eve celebrations, the New York National Guard is ready to support homeland security missions.

WASHINGTON - About 100 U.S. European Command soldiers, airmen and Marines deployed to Israel to help set up an early warning radar system reported no close encounters with air strikes or retaliatory attacks along the Gaza Strip.

BAGHDAD - Along with a new year, Iraq is ringing in an important step toward national reconciliation when the nation’s government takes over control of the “Sons of Iraq” citizen security groups in four key provinces.

WASHINGTON - The buzz of activity at the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee is a notable exception to the traditional holiday lull that settles over the nation’s capital between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition forces detained eight suspected militants, including two members of the Haqqani terrorist group who were the operation’s targets, in the Shamul district of Afghanistan’s Paktiya province, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces found and neutralized a homemade bomb and uncovered an enemy munitions stockpile in Iraq, military officials reported.

BAGHDAD - What began as a grassroots movement in Iraq's Anbar province is in transition, as citizen security volunteers prepare for new jobs in the service of their country.

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - The Army has destroyed the last landmine in its stockpiles containing VX nerve-agent munitions.

BAGHDAD - A deployed soldier is helping to bridge the gap between two cultures by serving as an interpreter in Iraq.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan’s Konar province is working to restore an irrigation system that has become a casualty of decades of war.

WASHINGTON - The general who leads what he calls “an engineer fight” in Baghdad credits attention to sanitation and reconstruction of essential services with creating a dramatic turnaround that’s having a ripple effect throughout Iraq.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition forces killed two armed Taliban militants while targeting the network’s kidnapping and roadside-bombing operations in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces uncovered several enemy weapons stockpiles in recent operations, military officials reported.

FORT MONROE, Va. - The blast of a roadside bomb in Iraq's Sunni Triangle resulted in the amputation of a portion of Richard Ingram's left arm, but it did not rob him of his dream of becoming an Army officer.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Coalition warships in the North Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden have seized more than 20 tons of narcotics since October, with an estimated value of more than $100 million.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An American provincial reconstruction team is working with the Afghan government on using bees to increase crop yields for subsistence farmers.

BAGHDAD - Instructors are teaching job skills to former “Sons of Iraq” citizen security group members in southern Baghdad's Rashid district.

CAMP VICTORY - A transformation in the role of the Reserve and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan make frequent deployments a reality for those once dubbed "weekend warriors," and many reservists are looking at their part-time service as a second career.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi officials recently reported that more than 2,000 Iraqi families have returned to their homes in eastern Baghdad this year.

WASHINGTON - Afghan commandos and coalition forces teamed up to seize enemy weapons and supplies, while the Taliban lost 11 members during separate operations conducted in Afghanistan yesterday, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Residents of Farhitiyah, Iraq, turned over the contents of a weapons cache to a detachment of Iraqi soldiers yesterday, military officials said.

CAMP LIBERTY - Soldiers from the 926th Combat Engineer Brigade took advantage of an opportunity to ask questions and get answers directly from the senior leader in their chain of command, Dec. 24, 2008, at Camp Liberty’s field house.

SHA’AB - An Army soldier serving in Iraq received a special phone call Dec. 24, 2008, and on the other end of the line was the commander-in-chief.

WASHINGTON - After nearly seven months of holding religious services in conference rooms, the Army Strikers at Forward Operating Base War Eagle in the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad christened their new chapel with a Christmas Eve candlelight service Dec. 24, 2008.

JALALABAD AIR FIELD - While people around the world made their final Christmas preparations, members of the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Chaparhar Police Mentor Team visited a village school to distribute clothes and school supplies.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Afghanistan killed 11 Taliban militants and detained two suspects during a firefight with members of a major roadside-bomb emplacing network in Kandahar province Dec. 25.

WASHINGTON - American and Iraqi security forces found and seized a rocket-rail system during a combined operation conducted in Baghdad’s Rashid district Dec. 25.

BASRA, Iraq - Iraqi Security Forces recently uncovered hundreds of historical artifacts during two raids in northern Basra. The 228 ancient artifacts included Sumerian and Babylonian sculpture, gold jewelry and other items from ancient Mesopotamia.

BAGHDAD - As part of a week-long tour to visit soldiers around the world in Korea, Japan, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey made a stop in Baghdad, Dec. 22, 2008, to assess the current situation in country and speak with troops.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush telephoned nine deployed servicemembers from each military branch this morning to pass along holiday greetings and thank them for their service.

WASHINGTON - The highest-ranking U.S. military officer often says he learns as much from the troops as he does from commanders.

WASHINGTON - A civilian orthopedic surgeon who has seen servicemembers’ sacrifices firsthand said he believes the nation owes them a debt of gratitude, and that he’ll bring techniques he saw in the military health system to his own practice.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and U.S. soldiers apprehended suspected criminals and seized weapons caches in operations in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan’s government is preparing a pilot program in community policing that’s expected to debut in the near future, a Defense Department official said .

WASHINGTON - The military command charged with training Iraq’s security forces and the Iraqi Interior Ministry continues to make progress, a senior military official said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan army commandos and coalition forces captured a suspected insurgent commander believed to be responsible for a deadly bombing.

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - A reservist from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., was selected to design a "Team Beale" ornament for the White House tree.

JALALABAD AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team are working with Afghan citizens to install an international ring of communication that someday will span Afghanistan and connect to its neighboring countries.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers gathered at the Ironhorse Oasis Dining Facility on Camp Victory, Iraq, to celebrate the holidays in a traditional way by decorating Christmas cookies.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are relatively insulated from the financial disasters affecting many Americans, and increasingly are taking advantage of programs designed to promote what military leaders call “financial readiness,” military financial counselors say.

WASHINGTON - A federal jury found five men guilty of conspiracy to kill U.S. soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., but acquitted them of attempted murder.

WASHINGTON - At the 926th Engineer Brigade headquarters at Camp Liberty, Iraq, Christmas festivities are planned, but the holiday still remains another duty day for the deployed soldiers.

WASHINGTON - Many Bush administration-appointed employees posted at the Pentagon have been asked by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates if they’d remain in their jobs past the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, a senior Defense Department official said.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces in Baghdad captured a man suspected in a grenade attack against a “Sons of Iraq” civilian security group, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush has signed an updated unified command plan that codifies U.S. Africa Command, shifts responsibility for parts of the Caribbean Sea to U.S. Northern Command and assigns cyberspace and pandemic influenza missions to other combatant commanders.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces killed eight Taliban fighters in separate operations in Afghanistan, military officials reported.

BAGHDAD - U.S. soldiers and Baghdad’s deputy mayor met to discuss progress at a public works substation in the northwestern part of Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - National Guard members who are farmers back home in Missouri are helping to revive and develop the agriculture system in Afghanistan.

BAGHDAD - A National Guardsman deployed to Iraq if finding his civilian skills being put to good use.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff emphasized the importance of U.S.-Pakistan relations in the fight against terrorism after meeting with top military and intelligence officials in Islamabad.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush paid a call at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to visit with wounded warriors, extend holiday greetings to them and their families and check up personally on the care and support they are receiving.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush sent his best wishes for the holiday season and those of first lady Laura Bush to servicemembers around the world in a message broadcast on the Pentagon Channel.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The Army’s top officer stopped at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, during a trip to visit soldiers around the world during the holiday season.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi security forces detained six terrorist suspects in operations, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces traded fire with insurgents in southern Afghanistan after responding to a roadside bomb explosion, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - The absence of new terrorist attacks on the United States since 9/11 reflects the success of the nation’s anti-terror programs and policies, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thanked Pakistani military and intelligence officials for their continued efforts to fight terrorism.

WASHINGTON - The number of daily attacks in Iraq has dropped nearly 95 percent since last year, a U.S. official said.

SCHWEINFURT, Germany - A soldier, wounded in Iraq, wins the battle to stay in the Army so he can continue to serve his country by deploying to Iraq again. In May 2007, Army Spc. Jake Altman's life changed. He was in the lead vehicle scouting for improvised explosive devices.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - More than 60 families from the Winter Haven, Fla., area are working together to brighten the holiday season for soldiers deployed to Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has approved the deployment of an Army aviation brigade to Afghanistan in the spring of 2009.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff evoked the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Trenton in the annual holiday message he issued to U.S. servicemembers and their families.

BUTLERVILLE, Ind. - For soldiers preparing to deploy on a peacekeeping mission, nonlethal weapons instruction is an important part of their deployment training.

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Richard P. Formica has assumed command of the training program for Afghanistan’s security forces.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program is making progress with partner nations by supporting implementation of HIV prevention, care and treatment programs, educating their militaries and creating awareness of the global epidemic.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A NATO decision to allow its forces to strike drug targets upon the Afghan government's request or a proven link to the Taliban is having a dramatic impact on the battlefield.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Most American troops deploying to Afghanistan in the next year will go to Regional Command South.

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff got a close look at conditions on the ground in western Afghanistan during visits with a provincial reconstruction team and the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces continued to degrade al-Qaida in Iraq networks, killing one terrorist and detaining 25 other suspects during operations throughout the country, military officials reported.

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan - The overarching strategy for success in Afghanistan must be regional in focus and include not just Afghanistan, but also Pakistan and India, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan - While security is important in Afghanistan, “no amount of troops in any amount of time is going to make this successful in the long run,” said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen after arriving in Afghanistan.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The situation in northern Iraq is complex and dangerous, and the upcoming Iraqi elections add further complications, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - The enthusiastic reception servicemembers are giving performers on this year’s USO Holiday Tour have led the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to call the trip “Smiles Around the World.”

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Soldiers of the 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade's security force from Fort Polk, La., have an international mission in Afghanistan, teaming with Afghan and New Zealand forces.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier and his four-legged partner work with other military dog teams in helping to make Baghdad’s streets safer.

WASHINGTON - A Toys for Tots national coordinator is hoping the American public will step in during the last few days before Christmas to ensure the Marine Corps Reserve’s annual Toys for Tots drive doesn’t leave a single needy child empty-handed.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces apprehended a suspected Iranian intelligence agent and an alleged associate, as well as 10 other terrorism suspects, in operations in Iraq, military officials reported.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan National Police and coalition forces killed three armed militants and detained five others during an operation in Afghanistan’s Khowst province.

WASHINGTON - Renewed Pakistani military action targeting al-Qaida and Taliban terrorists lodged in the western part of the country both benefits Pakistan and aids in the fight against insurgents in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in a televised interview.

BAGHDAD - The first local Sadr City newspaper has been published in Iraq, thanks in part to help from an Army officer of Provincial Reconstruction Team 3.

WASHINGTON - American and Ukrainian defense leaders are working together to assist Ukraine in its quest to develop modern, democratically managed armed forces, a senior U.S. military officer said.

BAGHDAD - A deployed Army soldier made his mark in Iraq by working to improve the Iraqi juvenile justice system.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has asked for a proposal to shut down the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates hopes commanders with a “vested interest” in the future role of U.S. forces in Iraq can share their views directly with the incoming president, a Pentagon official said.

SAMARRA, Iraq - The bombs that severely damaged the Golden Mosque in Samarra, Iraq, almost destroyed the foundations of the nation, but the Golden Mosque is rising again in inspiration.

ARLINGTON, Va. - More than 4,000 citizen-soldiers and airmen from at least eight states will provide security, medical and other support during the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration.

WASHINGTON - Among North American Aerospace Command’s diverse and challenging missions, none is more gratifying -- or as downright fun -- as tracking Santa Claus each year for children around the world, the NORAD commander said.

WASHINGTON - A two-year Defense Department campaign has produced nearly $4 billion in savings or cost avoidances.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan National Army commandos, assisted by coalition forces, detained an insurgent leader and two other militants in eastern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Despite militant attacks, improved security is making a U.S. military supply line through Pakistan to Afghanistan a viable means of logistics.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed three enemy fighters and captured 24 suspected terrorists during operations in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The United States would welcome China’s participation in counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast.

BAAJ, Iraq - Marines have been delivering gifts of bottled water and medical aid to their Iraqi neighbors.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan National Army Air Corps has received the first three of six Mil Mi-35 attack helicopters, adding to its growing capabilities.

WASHINGTON - Actor and director Ben Affleck and other celebrities joined volunteers at the National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, Calif., to pack care packages for troops.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Although far from home, a deployed soldier in Afghanistan will continue a long-standng holiday tradition.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Fighting in Afghanistan probably will increase in the coming year, but it will be on U.S. and NATO terms, not on the enemy’s, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The stars of this year's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff USO Holiday Tour have played far more prestigious venues, but probably none as appreciative.

WASHINGTON - U.S. missile defense tests must be operationally focused, the commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command said.

WASHINGTON - Unreported occurrences is the main issue concerning sexual assaults within the three U.S. service academies, the deputy director of the Defense Department’s sexual assault prevention and response program said.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials will take action if an upcoming congressional report on the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody yields new information, a Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - The Army will allow full military funeral honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia starting next year for all soldiers killed in action.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Iraqi security forces, aided by U.S. soldiers, have taken another step toward self-sufficiency by securing the supplies and equipment they need to sustain operations.

WASHINGTON - Military operations that brought the fight to terrorists are helping to safeguard America against another attack, President George W. Bush said at the Army War College.

WASHINGTON - Three terrorists were killed and 14 suspects were detained as coalition forces continued to degrade al-Qaida in Iraq facilitation and leadership networks.

WASHINGTON - A resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council authorizes foreign forces to pursue pirates inside Somalia.

WASHINGTON - The coalition's top officer in the effort to train Afghan security forces called the growth of the Afghan National Army one of the most signficant accomplishments of his 18-month tour.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Northern Command is urging closer collaboration between first responders and the federal entities that stand ready to step in and assist in the wake of a national disaster.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team has completed an eight-well project that will provide much-needed water sources to six districts throughout the eastern Afghanistan province.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - A former war refugee traveled across countries and continents in search of a better life.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush shared his perspective on the last eight years during an interview with the Pentagon Channel.

WASHINGTON - Although her son was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq on Nov. 13, 2003, Dorine Kenney continues to honor his comrades in arms each year.

WASHINGTON - In his 42 years of service in the national security arena, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said an appreciation of limits and a sense of humility are the most important insights he’s gained.

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - The USO’s new president and chief executive officer told troops on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, that the organization is doing its best to bring a touch of home to them.

WASHINGTON - Although military recruiting is less difficult in a waning economy and low job market, attracting recruits remains an ongoing challenge.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed three insurgents and captured 31 others, including a key Iranian-backed suspect, in operations in Iraq.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan army commandos assisted by coalition forces detained two Taliban commanders and an additional suspect in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Massachusetts National Guard members are getting a helping hand as they continue to assist with recovery operations from a severe winter storm.

BAGHDAD - Local Iraqi leaders and U.S. soldiers celebrated the reopening of the Bawi water pump and filter facility in Salman Pak, south of Baghdad.

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - Army Sgt. Shandy Erisman and Army Sgt. Abbi Erisman are siblings and Arkansas National Guardsmen who serve together in Iraq.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Air Force explosive ordnance disposal teams are responsible for about 46 percent of the EOD missions in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - As the military institutionalizes new and unconventional warfighting skills, it also must work to maintain its conventional dominance, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wrote in the January/February issue of Foreign Affairs magazine.

WASHINGTON - Musician Kid Rock and comedian Lewis Black will headline a United Service Organizations tour to bases in the Central Command and European Command areas of operations.

WASHINGTON - In his final trip to Iraq and Afghanistan as commander in chief, President George W. Bush brought season’s greetings from “a proud and grateful nation” to deployed U.S. troops and thanked them for their service.

WASHINGTON - Housing allowances for military members will go up an average of 6.9 percent, or about $95 per month, in 2009.

WASHINGTON - Progress in East Baghdad is going so well that the area is “beyond counterinsurgency” and into development, U.S. officials with responsibility for the area said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers detained five suspected terrorists in separate operations in Baghdad’s Rashid district.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush and Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have signed a security pact in Baghdad, putting an end in sight for the Iraq war after nearly six years of fighting.

WASHINGTON - Recognizing the risk of burnout among caregivers providing warrior and family support, U.S. European Command plans to kick off a program that incorporates principles introduced by bestselling author and lecturer Dr. Stephen Covey.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan is making progress, and despite challenges, it can rely on America to help it defeat terrorists and grow its fledgling democracy, President George W. Bush told Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi police training continues as the focus moves from a counterinsurgency mission to a routine police mission, a senior Army official said.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Coalition soldiers are working with Iraq’s Department of Veterinary Medicine to help improve animal care in a southwestern Iraqi province.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Hundreds of people in Afghanistan’s Zabul province received the gifts of medical care and humanitarian assistance.

ARLINGTON, Va. - A round of winter storms that left several northeastern states covered in ice kept many National Guard units busy.

KARMAH, Iraq - A deployed Marine lived through war as a child, but he did not hesitate when it came time to defend the freedom he almost lost.

WASHINGTON - A Christmas tree farm in Whitehouse, Ohio, is celebrating the holiday season by giving away 100 Christmas trees to military families.

WASHINGTON - The military procurement system needs to broaden its focus beyond high-end, high-tech systems so it’s better prepared to meet warfighters’ current requirements, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wrote in Foreign Affairs magazine.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces killed at least two enemy fighters, detained 32 suspects and seized weapons in Afghanistan during operations last week.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces detained eight suspected terrorists and seized weapons in Iraq over the past three days.

WASHINGTON - President Bush paid a surprise visit to Iraq, praising lawmakers in Baghdad for passing the status of forces agreement with the United States and offering a farewell message of thanks to U.S. troops serving there.

BALAD, Iraq - The mission in Iraq is still relevant despite the recent political attention on the fight in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told U.S. servicemembers during a visit to Balad, Iraq.

BALAD, Iraq - U.S. combat forces are on track to be out of Iraqi cities by June 30, in accordance with the recently signed status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq, the top U.S. general in Iraq said today.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates opened the first session of the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, pledging continued U.S. participation in the security of the Gulf and encouraging the Arab world to embrace Iraq and Afghanistan diplomatically and economically.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department Inspector General reports that the America Supports You program was being managed in a “questionable and irregular manner."

WASHINGTON - More emphasis on “holistic development” of rural Afghanistan is needed to weaken the enemy, a recently redeployed officer told bloggers in a teleconference.

WASHINGTON - Three new national rapid-response task forces will help civil authorities during possible terrorist attacks or natural disasters, but they won’t perform law-enforcement missions.

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. - Nearly 100 California National Guardsmen are preparing for a deployment to Kosovo in the spring, where they will serve as the NATO Kosovo Force’s quick-reaction force.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s top public affairs official stressed the importance of credible communication and reinforced the policy on altering images.

WASHINGTON - Humanitarian missions will be an important element of U.S. 4th Fleet’s long-term planning efforts, the fleet commander told bloggers and online journalists.

WASHINGTON - A newly created rapid-response joint task force, and a plan to create two more, will bolster assistance to civil authorities following potential chemical, biological or nuclear attacks or natural disasters.

WASHINGTON - Defense leaders worldwide are working with the U.S. to devise the best strategy to meet changing and challenging conditions in Afghanistan.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - A team of certified mail handlers is helping to boost morale for deployed soldiers by ensuring they receive their holiday care packages from family and friends back home.

WASHINGTON - Volunteers will gather at Arlington National Cemetery to place holiday wreaths on veterans’ gravesites as part of the nationwide “Wreaths Across America” project.

WASHINGTON - The United States has sent a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council that reportedly seeks to allow forces to pursue Somalia-based pirates onto Somali turf, but is urging a broader response.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition forces detained nine suspected militants during an operation to disrupt the Haqqani terrorist network in Afghanistan’s Paktia province, military officials said.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited U.S. Naval Forces Central Command headquarters prior to the start of the 5th annual International Institute for Strategic Studies Manama Dialogue in Bahrain.

WASHINGTON - Eleven suspected terrorists, including two wanted men, were removed from al-Qaida in Iraq networks as coalition forces targeted the terrorist organization in central Iraq, military officials reported.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - A need for a pair of shoes provided the catalyst for a donation that benefited an entire Afghan village.

WASHINGTON - The public is invited to comment on proposed rules to speed up the hiring process for some military spouses seeking federal jobs.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The National Guard is celebrating its 372nd birthday, tracing its origin to Dec. 13, 1636, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony divided its citizen-soldiers, or militia, into three regiments.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, in a Foreign Affairs magazine article, calls on the defense establishment to recognize the importance of low-intensity, irregular capabilities and unconventional thinking to succeed in the war on violent extremism.

CAMP DENALI, Alaska - Children from rural Alaskan communities were treated to an early Christmas, thanks to the Alaska National Guard’s “Operation Santa Claus.”

BAGHDAD - An 18-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department is achieving another veteran status, this time as a soldier.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is working to foster better relations with Persian Gulf countries by reassuring leaders attending a multinational conference in Bahrain this week and allies that they can continue to count on the United States.

WASHINGTON - For only the second time since 9/11, a U.S. Army National Guard division headquarters will deploy to command active-duty forces in combat.

WASHINGTON - Without American sacrifices in Iraq, the country would still be under the rule of a brutal dictator, according to a spokesman for the Iraqi government, who spoke to reporters at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Financial scams and predatory lending against servicemembers and veterans is so common that the Arizona attorney general has created an advisory board to stop it.

WASHINGTON - A congressional assessment of how the Pentagon is implementing its language strategy reflects the Defense Department’s progress and shortfalls, a Pentagon official said.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told several hundred troops in southern Afghanistan that a sense of duty caused him to agree to stay on in his current job through the administration change.

NAVAL SUPPORT FACILITY INDIAN HEAD, Md. - The first active-duty unit dedicated to supporting U.S. civilian authorities in the event of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack is wrapping up three days of intensive training its members hope they never have to apply in real life.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pledged more resources to top commanders in southern Afghanistan for what he said likely will be a protracted fight.

WASHINGTON - Coalition soldiers and Iraqi security forces captured suspected criminals and terrorists, disarmed a roadside bomb and found enemy weapons stockpiles in recent operations, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Express delivery company DHL is spreading holiday cheer to troops serving in the Middle East by sending hundreds of Christmas trees, holiday decorations and messages of support.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan National Police and coalition forces detained five suspected militants during a combined operation to disrupt the Haqqani terrorist network in Afghanistan’s Khowst province yesterday.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - For Army Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Matthews, frequent deployments have become a way of life.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Soldiers at Camp Victory, Iraq, are getting an education in personal finance that commanders say goes a long way in promoting battle readiness.

MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan - During a brief stopover, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates thanked airmen and soldiers at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, for their work at an important hub for air operations supporting the war in Afghanistan.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he wants to send two combat brigades to Afghanistan by summer in addition to the brigade combat team already scheduled to deploy there in January.

WASHINGTON - Two retired milltary officers, actor Gary Sinise and an individual who supports veterans were among 23 individuals to receive the Presidential Citizens Medal from President George W. Bush.

WASHINGTON - The recent terrorist attack in Mumbai, India, is just the latest evidence of the danger that terrorist safe havens present to the world, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - All active-duty and reserve-component U.S. military services met or exceeded their November recruiting goals.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he came away from his recent trip to Pakistan and India relieved that the two countries showed restraint in wake of the recent attacks in Mumbai, India.

WASHINGTON - Tour lengths for some family-accompanied assignments in South Korea will be extended to three years, Pentagon officials announced.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department recognized some of its outstanding disabled employees in a ceremony that doubled as a forum to advance the cause of disabled workers.

BAGHDAD - Two deployed soldiers decided to make their re-enlistment a family affair.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials thanked the founder of the musical group Mannheim Steamroller, which has supported U.S. troops by giving away its Christmas CDs and concert tickets.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed an armed attacker and detained 18 suspected terrorists while targeting al-Qaida in Iraq leadership and bombing networks in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Military spouses with an eye on professional certification or a post-secondary education may not have to foot the entire bill, thanks to a National Military Family Association scholarship program.

BAGHDAD - Coalition troops have newfound friends in a town near Baghdad, thanks to the re-opening of a water and electric substation, an effort that has resulted in running water and electricity that works.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq - One hundred Iraqi women became the first class of graduates of an adult literacy course that officials say is a sign of more good things to come from the partnership between Iraq and the United States.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The small, artificial Christmas tree on Army Col. Roger Nell’s desk at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, is the same one his father displayed on his desk in Vietnam in 1967.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with Vice President-elect Joe Biden as Gates continues to aim for a seamless department transition between the two administrations.

RAWAH, Iraq - Marine Lance Cpl. Allan Desruisseaux wowed recruiters by losing more than 100 pounds, explaining: “I was told it would be impossible for me to join."

WASHINGTON - The Air Force’s only traumatic brain injury center is treating predominantly Army patients, hoping to improve their chances of a full recovery.

WASHINGTON - Relatives of 9/11 victims observed legal proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for alleged co-conspirators charged in the attack.

VICENZA, Italy - Southern European Task Force ended the airborne chapter of its history and uncased its new colors, signifying its mission as the Army component supporting U.S. Africa Command.

WASHINGTON - In his last scheduled visit to a service academy while in office, President George W. Bush told Army cadets the U.S. military has transformed to meet the threats America faces long into the future.

WASHINGTON - Apple iTunes has named the Pentagon Channel program “The Grill Sergeants” one of its top 25 videos of the year.

WASHINGTON - U.S. troops engaged in the global war on terrorism are doing “an exceptionally hard job exceptionally well,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs’ annual awards dinner.

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. - Afghanistan is the top priority for U.S. military leaders in re-allocating forces as they become available.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces detained 21 suspected terrorists during operations targeting terrorist networks throughout Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The crash of a Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter jet in San Diego killed three people, and one person is missing.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed two militants in Helmand province.

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. - The Defense Department will feel effects from the current financial crisis, though the extent of its impact is not clear.

WASHINGTON - Wounded troops, veterans and their families can turn to Arkansas State University for a variety of services through a new program.

WASHINGTON - An F/A-18D Hornet jet based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., crashed today into a civilian neighborhood about two miles northwest of the airfield.

WASHINGTON - Regional conflicts driven by competition for food, water and energy and the ability of terrorists to enhance lower-tech weapons are among the global challenges U.S. joint military leaders likely will face over the next quarter-century.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has improved security for laptop computers and saved taxpayers more than $92 million by participating in a new procurement initiative.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised Army Gen. William S. Wallace for making Training and Doctrine Command the Army’s institutional and intellectual epicenter.

WASHINGTON - Seriously wounded in Afghanistan, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Israel Del Toro refused to leave his 3-year-old son fatherless.

CAMP Victory, Iraq - A soldier deployed to Iraq met up with a World Wrestling Entertainment star he tried to recruit for the Army when she was in high school.

WASHINGTON - Citing “monumental” improvements since his soldiers arrived in Iraq last year, the outgoing commander of Multinational Division North credited his troops, Iraqi security forces and the Iraqi people with creating a historic turnaround.

WASHINGTON - The Army’s Wounded Warrior Program will support those it was created to serve for as long as it is needed.

WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama has selected retired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. Shinseki as his nominee to be secretary of veterans affairs.

TAMPA, Fla. - Nearly a thousand servicemembers got a big “thank you” gift with free tickets to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship football game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Boston College Eagles in Tampa, Fla.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces apprehended three alleged Kataib Hezbollah terrorists in two operations in Baghdad's Rusafa district, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed six militants during a security patrol in the Sangin district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - More than 50 local Wal-Mart associates donated time and tinsel to bring holiday cheer to wounded warriors at Fisher Houses in the Washington, D.C., area.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq apprehended an alleged key member of the Kataib Hezbollah network and two other suspects in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Operations to disrupt the Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin terrorist network in Afghanistan’s Kapisa province targeted a network commander known to facilitate the movement of weapons and foreign fighters into the area.

WASHINGTON - The war in Iraq isn’t over, but a successful end is in sight, thanks to hard work between the United States and Iraq, President George W. Bush said in his weekly radio address.

WASHINGTON - The military has shot down a mock enemy missile, employing a synchronized network of sensors in what officials called the largest and most complex test of the missile defense system to date.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A battalion, or “kandak,” of Afghan soldiers have celebrated a milestone with a ceremony in which the U.S. Army decorated them for their military achievements.

WASHINGTON - Remotely controlled robots are being explored in military hospitals as a means of projecting doctors’ expertise beyond the walls of their own medical facilities and into places where troops need their specialty care.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has launched a year-long pilot program to recruit about 1,000 non-U.S. citizen health care workers and language and cultural specialists for service in America’s military.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush signed proclamations establishing a World War II monument to those who fought in the Pacific theater and commemorating the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

WASHINGTON - As they have for 85 years, Americans gathered in front of the White House on the area known as the Ellipse for a ceremony to light the national Christmas tree.

WASHINGTON - The pending deployment of thousands of additional U.S. troops and extra equipment to Afghanistan in tandem with a streamlined command structure will boost the campaign to win the war there, a senior U.S. officer posted there said.

BAGHDAD - The water is flowing freely in the Sadr City district of Baghdad, thanks to the completion of a new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water treatment plant that has been three years in the making.

WASHINGTON - A troop-support group is sending more than 20,000 Christmas stockings to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Operations across Iraq left one terrorist dead, brought in five wanted men and resulted in the detention of 18 additional suspects, military officials reported.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - The New Jersey National Guard is celebrating the 15th anniversary of an alliance with Albania aimed at modernizing the country's defense forces and preparing it for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

WASHINGTON - With help from coalition troops, Afghan security forces killed two militants and detained two others in the Shindand district of western Afghanistan’s Herat province, military officials said.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - A recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross has chosen to serve in Iraq for the third time to pass on the lessons he learned in combat to his soldiers.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers and their spouses are flocking to a broad array of programs to help them strengthen their family relationships as the services step up efforts to curb divorce rates.

WASHINGTON - A revised Defense Department acquisition policy aims to reduce delays and cost overruns to maximize the warfighting effort and be "good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars," a senior official said.

WASHINGTON - The new U.S.-Iraq security pact has been ratified by Iraq’s Presidency Council. Senior U.S. officials said they welcomed the actions and would begin immediately to implement them with their Iraqi partners.

WASHINGTON - Department of Defense education officials are urging students, parents and administrators to nominate science and mathematics teachers for a prestigious presidential award.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces dealt a heavy blow to al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist networks during multiple operations throughout Iraq, killing four terrorists and detaining 33 suspects.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition forces killed two armed Taliban militants and detained three others during an operation to disrupt the foreign-fighter and roadside-bomb networks in eastern Afghanistan.

BAGHDAD - Children helped celebrate the opening of a school in Baghdad’s Ghazaliya district, which recently has become a thriving neighborhood.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq - A soldier who trains as a boxer is dedicated to doing a good job in and out of the ring -- and hopes to prove he's no longer a street fighter.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Zabul province's reconstruction team has installed 90 solar lights to improve commerce and security.

WASHINGTON - The wife of a combat pilot whose remains were identified through Defense Department efforts 36 years after he was shot down plans to tell her story.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - A new National Guard database that will track personnel injured by blasts could improve long-term medical treatment for servicemembers in all branches, and boost research into traumatic brain injury and other health issues.

WASHINGTON - Former soldier and country music star Craig Morgan can relate to the veterans he meets. That's why he's offering troops a free download of his song "Let Me Take You Home."

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials share the concerns of some 100 countries that gathered in Norway Dec. 3 to sign a treaty banning cluster bombs, but the United States opted not to sign the treaty.

WASHINGTON - With the help of mentors from several countries and all the services, the 205th Corps of the Afghan National Army can plan and execute operations.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi security forces seized multiple weapons caches in Iraq in their ongoing effort to remove weapons from insurgents, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Violence in Iraq is at an all-time low since the beginning of the war, but challenges remain as a result of the improved security situation, the commander of coalition ground forces said.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff met with Pakistani officials in Islamabad to thank them for their willingness to work with Indian authorities as they investigate recent terror attacks in Mumbai, India.

NEW YORK - A 22-year-old U.S. Army sergeant, wounded during a deployment to Afghanistan, said that his injury and the journey to recovery have taught him an important lesson about life.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition troops detained three militants in Afghanistan’s westernmost province, a day after troops killed 10 and detained four others in separate battles with insurgents, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - MilitaryAvenue.com, an online resource for the military community, recently launched a new platform to help military members aid one another by exchanging relocation information.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A new bridge in Afghanistan is expected to ease access to areas around Kandahar city.

BAGHDAD - Once considered one of the worst places to live in Iraq, Baghdad’s Sadr City district is starting to thrive.

WASHINGTON - A retired Army sergeant is benefiting from a “Sentinels of Freedom” scholarship, aimed at helping severely wounded veterans become self-sufficient.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Department team is heading to the Pacific Northwest to help drive home the point that financial readiness is a big part of mission readiness.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England said he will not be staying with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in President-elect Barack Obama's administration.

WASHINGTON - The terrorist threat has shifted from Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he will work to resolve defense challenges while serving with President-elect Barack Obama's administration.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - An Afghan woman working with a provincial reconstruction team is leading a project that uses chicken coops to improve women's lives.

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. - About 4,000 soldiers in the National Guard’s only Stryker brigade will deploy to Iraq in early 2009. They will bring their weapons and navigation skills as well as the right frame of mind to the fight.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces have captured 13 people in three days of operations targeting terrorist networks in Iraq.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi civilian and military dignitaries broke ground on a canal project in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, marking the Iraqi government's commitment to spend $50 million in reconstruction.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - A senior enlisted soldier in Iraq says he is proud of what his soldiers personify, calling them the "only goodness a lot of people will ever know."

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told about 1,000 airmen at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., that he shares their commitment to service and feels both compelled and honored to retain his post into the next administration.

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates traveled to Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to emphasize the importance of the Air Force’s nuclear mission -- and in maintaining its long tradition of excellence -- to the men and women entrusted with carrying it out.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces officials in Iraq’s Babil and Karbala provinces have not seen tensions rise among political groups vying for power as elections approach next month, a senior U.S. military officer posted in Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - Iraqis in Karbala and Babil provinces have welcomed the passing of the U.S.-Iraq status-of-forces agreement, recognizing the important role the United States plays.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces captured suspected terrorists during separate operations in northern provinces in recent days, including two men believed to have helped inmates escape from Badush Prison in 2006, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - An Army medic is ready to return to Iraq despite being wounded three times during his last deployment.

WASHINGTON - Air Force family liaison officers have an important role in assisting wounded warriors and their families, a San Antonio-based Air Force senior noncommissioned officer said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained six militants while continuing to target terrorist networks in Afghanistan’s Paktia province, military officials reported.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq - National Guard soldiers have spent nearly $450,000 during the past three months to improve living conditions for residents of eastern Baghdad’s Rusafa district.

WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama cited the need for continuity in announcing that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will remain at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he is “deeply honored” that President-elect Barack Obama asked him to continue serving.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Army Spc. Rodolfo Delatorre gives ground troops in Iraq an “eye in the sky” by launching and maintaining the Shadow unmanned aerial system.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - A soldier deployed to Afghanistan and his father, a Vietnam vet, were simultaneously decorated with Silver Stars during a joint long-distance ceremony.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military is helping the Lebanese military establish itself as the sole arm of the democratically elected Lebanese government, a senior Pentagon official said.