ARLINGTON, Va. - The United States should approach the global war on terrorism as it would an insurgency, a senior military official said today at the 18th annual Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Symposium here.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today thanked a group of people who have dedicated their time and energy to supporting U.S. troops.

WASHINGTON - A musical selection performed during the 2007 National Youth Foundation’s ChalleNGe Champion Award Dinner was the Rodgers-and-Hammerstein classic “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

WASHINGTON - Terror remains the No. 1 threat to the United States and its interests, the new U.S. director of national intelligence said in congressional testimony yesterday.

FORT PICKETT, Va. - The gray clouds seemed to turn darker with each passing minute. The sun was blotted out from the darkened sky as a dark shadow loomed overhead, a whirlwind of air blowing leaves, grass and nearly everything not tied down across the field.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed eight suspected al Qaeda terrorists and detained six today in operations northeast of Taji, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Four soldiers have died and three more were wounded in two roadside-bomb explosions in Iraq in recent days.

WASHINGTON - Americans need to hear and see more about reconstruction in Iraq to fully understand the situation there, the general in charge of Army Corps of Engineers efforts in the Persian Gulf region said today.

WASHINGTON - Defense leaders yesterday called on Congress to approve a further $2.4 billion to defeat the biggest killer of Americans in the Middle East: the improvised explosive device.

WASHINGTON - Retired Army Lt. Col. Bruce Crandall was admitted into the Pentagon Hall of Heroes today, one day after President Bush presented him the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam.

WASHINGTON - Two nonprofit groups that support servicemembers are inviting amateur and professional photographers to look through their viewfinders with a patriotic eye for the 2007 “I Love America Day Photo Contest.”

WASHINGTON - The military is grateful to the civilian employers of National Guardsmen and reservists who support their employees when they’re called to duty, said Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called on Congress to quickly act on the fiscal 2007 supplemental request to fund ongoing operations in the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is committed to implementing changes in policy that will mean fewer, shorter and more predictable deployments for reserve-component troops, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the National Guard’s 54 adjutants general today.

WASHINGTON - The Army and Marine Corps units that will make up the 21,500-troop surge to Iraq will meet the same standards of training as every unit that deploys and have all the equipment they need to accomplish the mission, leaders from the two services said here today.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Special Operations forces will grow by 17,000 active-duty members over the next six years, a senior military official said today at the 18th annual Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Symposium here.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi soldiers and police are doing their part to help secure Baghdad against terrorists as additional U.S. and Iraqi troops flow into the capital city, a senior U.S. military officer told reporters today.

WASHINGTON - Great Britain will deploy an additional 1,400 troops to Afghanistan this summer, British Secretary of State for Defense Desmond Browne told the country’s Parliament yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told a small group of Boy Scouts they were on the right track, during a meeting at the Pentagon yesterday.

WASHINGTON - More than 100 years before the Marine Corps actively recruited women, Lucy Brewer secretly signed up, served on “Old Ironsides,” and fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the War of 1812. That’s just one of many fascinating but little-known facts about women in the military the Pentagon Channel will offer its audience during March’s Women’s History Month.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Richard B. Cheney’s unannounced visit to Pakistan yesterday focused on ways to shore up security along the Afghan-Pakistani border and built on discussions earlier this month between Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, White House officials said.

WASHINGTON - A roadside bomb killed three Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers today, and a Marine assigned to Multinational Force West was killed yesterday, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Special Iraqi army forces detained 16 suspected militiamen during operations today with coalition advisors in Sadr City, and insurgents killed 15 Iraqis and wounded nine in a car-bomb attack in Ramadi yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Saying that changing his itinerary was “never an option,” Vice President Richard B. Cheney stuck to his planned schedule after a suicide bomber’s attack this morning on an entry gate at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, where the vice president was visiting.

WASHINGTON - A special panel of health care officials learned how the military is addressing mental health issues experienced by some troops deployed in support of the global war on terrorism during a series of briefings held here today.

WASHINGTON - For New Orleans native Myeisha Goldston, it’s all about the attitude – and she used to have a “b-a-a-a-a-d” one, she confessed.

WASHINGTON - Celebrities attending the 79th Academy Awards last night took time out from posing for the paparazzi and giving dozens of interviews to thank the men and women of the armed forces for their service.

WASHINGTON - President Bush presented the Medal of Honor today to retired Army Lt. Col. Bruce Crandall, 41 years after heroic actions in Vietnam the president said demonstrate the best of America and its military members.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff fielded questions Feb. 22 and 23 from active duty, National Guard and Reserve troops in Alaska at the Army’s Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, and at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. task force focused on revitalizing Iraqi businesses is in Iraq again this month, this time bringing several dozen American and international business executives to meet with Iraqi officials and connect with the business community.

WASHINGTON - If the United States leaves Iraq before the job is done, the enemy will strike in America, President Bush told the National Governors Association at the White House today.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff fielded questions Feb. 22 and 23 from active duty, National Guard and Reserve troops in Alaska at the Army’s Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, and at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage.

ARLINGTON, Va. - In the long war on terrorism, it takes a network to defeat a network, a senior Defense Department official said today at the 18th annual Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Symposium here.

WASHINGTON - Tips that led to the discovery of a bomb-making factory in western Iraq demonstrate that the Iraqi people are fed up with terrorists operating in their midst and stepping forward to help remove them, military officials in Baghdad told reporters today.

WASHINGTON - If a little bit of running is good for keeping warfighters in top form, then a lot of running is better, right? “Wrong!” say officials here at the Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon Channel tomorrow will debut a new program, “Icon,” which takes an in-depth look at iconic figures in the U.S. military and Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - Two of the senior doctors in the United States toured Ramstein Air Base and the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany Feb. 19 to 23.

WASHINGTON - After nearly six years in office, the Defense Department’s top doctor said he will miss the people of the department who make things happen for servicemembers around the world.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 15 suspected terrorists, including a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq emir, in raids throughout Iraq today; Iraqi forces found a large weapons cache Feb. 24; and Iraqi and coalition forces announced the casualty toll from yesterday’s car-bomb attack in Habbaniyah, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - While some American homes have only drapes or blinds in the windows, other households also display a unique flag that signifies a family’s support of a son’s or daughter’s service in the military.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan - U.S. paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division assumed responsibility for five provinces in Afghanistan last week from U.S. soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division.

WASHINGTON - About 160 family members of U.S. troops killed during the Persian Gulf War gathered at an Army officers’ club at Fort Myer, Va., today as part of an annual observance to remember fallen loved ones.

WASHINGTON - Over the past three days in Iraq, U.S. and Iraqi forces killed terrorists, captured suspects, confiscated weapons and responded to bombings.

WASHINGTON - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace and his wife Lynne traveled from Alaska to Florida over the past five days talking to troops and the public. Although the climate, the venues, and the audiences varied, the chairman carried one central message to all “Thank you.”

WASHINGTON - U.S. troops conducted a medical support operation at a school and Polish soldiers handed out humanitarian supplies in two separate operations over the past three days in Iraq.

NAPLES, Fla. - More than 350 former and retired Marines turned out here last night to honor Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at the Ave Maria University Gyrene Gala.

WASHINGTON - Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato honored 70 wounded U.S. vets and their family members yesterday at his residence here.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Anchorage ’s community spirit was in fine form last night as about 1,000 people came out in evening dress and black tie to pay tribute to the men and women of the U.S. armed forces.

ELMENDORF AFB, Alaska - About 60 military spouses here had a chance yesterday to share some of their concerns with the military’s top ranking officer.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Rachel and Kelsi Okun kicked off their organization’s second treasure hunt today to raise scholarship funds for military children and spouses with the help of their classmates at Haycock Elementary School here.

WASHINGTON - Four U.S. soldiers were killed and three wounded during operations in Iraq yesterday.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Representatives from military and civilian agencies that would provide federal hurricane-relief efforts attended the second annual Hurricane Preparation Conference hosted by U.S. Northern Command at its headquarters yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has made significant gains in placing more minorities and women in senior military and civilian positions in recent years, a senior official said at a DoD-sponsored African-American History Month observance luncheon yesterday at Hampton University, Va.

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Marine Gen. Peter Pace presented a Distinguished Service Cross and two Silver Stars here yesterday to three soldiers for heroism displayed in Iraq on Nov. 19, 2005.

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - A new online decision tool created by the Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine helps deployed military units determine if they need individual water-purification systems and, if so, which off-the-shelf systems best fit their specific requirements.

WASHINGTON - Five insurgents were killed, 12 terrorism suspects were captured, and hidden weapons were seized in various operations in Iraq over the last few days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - A new Defense Department agency designed to drive and accelerate improvements to the department’s business operations now has its first director.

WASHINGTON - Citizens who serve in the military, or seek out other selfless civic responsibilities, help to preserve the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans, a university president and retired two-star Army general said here yesterday.

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - The 25th Infantry Division’s 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team here is the first unit to employ the Army’s new “reset” process to rapidly refurbish everything from M-16 rifles to state-of-the-art Stryker combat vehicles.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is putting in place reforms to its disability evaluation system and working to ensure the decisions of the Disability Advisory Council are fast and fair, Pentagon officials said today.

WASHINGTON - When Army Sgt. Brian Horn deployed to Iraq in 2003, his unit was spearheading the war effort. He and his men were ahead of supply lines, and after seven months in country, they were still sleeping on the ground.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Richard B. Cheney today in Australia reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to peace, progress and freedom in the Asia-Pacific region.

WASHINGTON - Injured American troops should not return home to battle the bureaucracies of a broken outpatient health care system, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here Feb. 23.

WASHINGTON - Australia has earned the world’s respect for its firm stance in the war on terror, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said today in Sydney.

WASHINGTON - The Army surgeon general’s staff is putting a “full-court press” on fixing the backed-up repairs needed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s outpatient Building 18, the service’s top medical officer said here today.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department policies that promote diversity and equal treatment for all servicemembers and civilians, regardless of race, have helped to make the U.S. military a force to be reckoned with, a senior DoD official said here today.

WASHINGTON - Basing missile defenses in Eastern Europe would protect the United States, deployed U.S. troops and Europe against Iran and other rogue nations, but would pose no threat to Russia’s missile deterrent, the director of the Missile Defense Agency said here today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Army soldiers and insurgents have something in common: They share a single electromagnetic spectrum to communicate and launch attacks.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney thanked U.S. troops serving in Guam today for representing America in a strategically important part of the world during a critical time.

WASHINGTON - America’s largest carry-out pizza chain is giving veterans the chance to put the leadership and teamwork skills they developed in the service to use and make a good bit of dough in the process.

WASHINGTON - The enemy in Iraq is adaptive, and is interested in “catastrophic attacks,” the commander of coalition ground forces in Iraq said today.

HAMPTON, Va. - The Defense Department recognized 11 African-American servicemen and women for their service in the global war against terrorism at a ceremony held at Hampton University here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces killed or detained numerous terrorists over the last two days, and soldiers detained an Iraqi police official suspected of involvement in sectarian violence, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The environment in Iraq is extremely complex, and the American people are going to have to be patient, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said in a news conference today.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan - Long hours of stressful work faced by deployed troops, combined with little privacy and not much free time, can end up taking a mental and emotional toll. Fortunately, soldiers serving in every Brigade Combat Team in the Army will now have a greater opportunity to visit a behavioral health clinic and speak to a trained specialist.

VANCOUVER, Wash. - Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, faced some tough questions here yesterday – not from the press, but from a group of fifth-grade students at Marshall Elementary School.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Past and present members of the National Football League joined the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command’s observance of African-American History Month here today.

WASHINGTON - An organization that has distributed more than $3 million in scholarships and interest-free education loans has entered its second half-century of service to the extended Army Aviation family.

ARLINGTON, Va. - America is safer today than before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Defense Department’s top homeland defense official said today.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney today thanked Japan for its support of the United States and praised U.S. troops serving in the Asia-Pacific region during a visit to a naval base shared by U.S. and Japanese forces.

WASHINGTON - Senior defense officials today said they take full responsibility for the recently reported poor-quality outpatient housing and bureaucratic hassles some servicemembers have experienced at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and offered up a “no excuses” approach to fixing the problems.

WASHINGTON - A soldier and a Marine assigned to Multinational Force West were killed yesterday while conducting combat operations in Iraq’s Anbar province, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - No one was seriously injured when a U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter went down near Baghdad today, military officials reported. Meanwhile, coalition forces killed seven terrorists and detained 13 others, and local citizens and Iraqi police denied an al Qaeda convoy entry into a village over the last two days in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has identified seven soldiers who died Feb. 18 in southeastern Afghanistan when the Chinook helicopter they were in crashed.

WASHINGTON - Terrorists know they can’t defeat the United States militarily, so they seek instead to break the nation’s will, Vice President Dick Cheney told the crew of the USS Kitty Hawk today.

WASHINGTON - British forces will begin to withdraw from Iraq, particularly in the southern city of Basra, where Iraqi security forces have taken primary responsibility for operations, British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced today.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Kentucky Army National Guardsman has become the first Guard soldier -- and only the fifth servicemember overall -- to receive the Distinguished Service Cross.

WASHINGTON - Army 1st Lt. Elias Gonzalez wasn’t about to let a deployment to Iraq keep him from an attempt to defend his title as two-time champion of the Gasparilla Distance Classic men’s 15K run in his hometown of Tampa, Fla.

WASHINGTON - The Baghdad security operation that began last week has quelled certain violent acts in the Iraqi capital, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said today.

WASHINGTON - As the only paid state veterans ombudsman in the nation, Pat Kerr spends her time battling bureaucracies, raising money and advocating for servicemembers, their families and veterans in Missouri.

WASHINGTON - Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers helped victims of a vehicle-bomb attack today near the village of Muhammad Baqir, Iraq, and officials have issued a revised count of soldiers injured in an attack on a military compound yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Two Afghan nationals and five American soldiers received recognition from President Bush and U.S. Central Command’s top officer for heroism in preventing a driver from carrying out a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, in January.

WASHINGTON - More than 300 business leaders will visit a southern California military base tomorrow to observe Marine Corps training as part of their support of the military.

WASHINGTON - “The Marines,” a PBS documentary highlighting the history and heart of the smallest branch of the U.S. armed services, airs tomorrow on PBS stations nationwide at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

WASHINGTON - In a new twist on Troops to Teachers, a program that has long been producing teachers out of the ranks of the military, qualified servicemembers can now be hired in advance to work as teachers in certain school districts.

WASHINGTON - As President Bush looked on, retired Navy Vice Adm. John M. “Mike” McConnell took the oath of office as the second director of national intelligence from White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten here today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is working to address patient-care problems recently identified at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the department’s flagship medical facility, a DoD spokesman said today.

WASHINGTON - In operations throughout Afghanistan in the past two days, coalition forces destroyed the wreckage from a helicopter crash, Afghan and coalition forces conducted an air strike against the Taliban, and a suicide bomber injured seven NATO troops.

WASHINGTON - Five U.S. soldiers and two Marines died in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past two days, military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identities of seven troops killed recently supporting the war on terror.

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - Only hours after a helicopter crashed in Afghanistan, airmen from an aeromedical evacuation control team in Southwest Asia got 11 of 14 injured survivors onboard a C-17 Globemaster III bound for Germany.

WASHINGTON - Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed and 17 wounded after insurgent forces executed a coordinated attack on a coalition force combat outpost north of Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces captured 61 suspected terrorists, destroyed five improvised explosive devices and seized several weapons caches during operations across Iraq in the past four days.

WASHINGTON - With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan underway, the San Diego-area community was looking for ways to help wounded servicemembers returning to the area. So in 2004, community members started the Warrior Foundation, an organization that reaches out to wounded troops and their families.

WASHINGTON - One Marine and two soldiers were killed in Iraq Feb. 16 and yesterday, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed four foreign terrorist facilitators and detained 63 other enemy fighters in operations throughout Iraq during the past three days.

WASHINGTON - The government of Iraq and the coalition officially announced the name for the Baghdad security plan yesterday. The operation is named “Fardh Al-Qanoon,” an Iraqi phrase that translates to “Enforcing the Law.”

WASHINGTON - Eight coalition personnel were killed and 14 others were wounded early today when a coalition CH-47 helicopter had a sudden, unexplained loss of power and control and crashed in eastern Afghanistan, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The Military Health System is a one-of-a-kind worldwide organization that provides superlative medical support for the nation’s 2.2 million servicemembers, the Defense Department’s top medical official testified at a U.S. House subcommittee hearing here this week.

WASHINGTON - Recruiting and retention remain solid despite a difficult recruiting market, a top Defense Department official said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s top reserve official today recognized the nation’s top family readiness programs.

WASHINGTON - Top military family program leaders from across the services gathered here yesterday intent on answering tough questions on how to better work together.

WASHINGTON - About 500 Pennsylvania National Guard members were called up to assist thousands of motorists stranded for almost a day on icy highways, a Pennsylvania state official said today.

WASHINGTON - The 3rd Infantry Division Headquarters, based in Fort Stewart, Ga., will deploy to Iraq sooner than originally scheduled, DoD officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps is reaching out to former Marines in its effort to grow the service, the Marine commandant said today.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon Channel launches a redesign of its Web site Feb. 19, improving its line of products that distribute the channel's military news and information to men and women in uniform.

WASHINGTON - The end-strength increases in the Army and Marine Corps will help reduce strain on the forces and position them for the long war against terrorism, the leaders of the two services said in congressional testimony yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces destroyed a munitions factory, detained two suspects and found scores of weapons in operations around Iraq over the past three days.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces found three weapons caches today and detained two suspected terrorists in operations around Afghanistan over the past three days.

TAMPA, Fla. - Warrant Officer 1 Derrick Rodriguez is literally in the clouds after graduating from the OH-58D flight course at the Army’s Aviation School at Fort Rucker, Ala., where he learned to fly the Kiowa Warrior helicopter. But being in the clouds is not what excites this 26-year-old.

WASHINGTON - The new security plan being implemented in Baghdad will be successful if the United States remains dedicated to the mission and Iraqis commit to resolving their differences, the U.S. commander in charge of forces in the city said today.

MYRIAM RANGE, Djibouti - Marines and sailors from Battalion Landing Team 2/2, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, yesterday wrapped up five days of bilateral, live-fire training with troops from the Djiboutian army as Exercise Image Nautilus 2007 came to a close.

WASHINGTON - He has proudly called himself an American soldier for more than a year, and now he can finally call himself a citizen of the country he serves.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military’s goal in laying out the case against Iranians helping U.S. enemies in Iraq is to “stop these people from killing our troops, period,” Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

WASHINGTON - Is the Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in Iran? Maybe, maybe not. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters today he hasn’t seen “any factual proof of it at this point.” If he is in Iran, Gates said, “I don’t think he went there for a vacation.”

WASHINGTON - A new Defense Department program encourages servicemembers to become better money managers by paying off or avoiding credit card debt and starting savings accounts, a senior official said here today.

WASHINGTON - About 100 troops from the New York Army National Guard are assisting in snow removal in upstate New York, where winter storms have left more than 10 feet of snow in some areas over the past two weeks.

WASHINGTON - When a military family member needs help, the sponsor’s branch of service shouldn’t matter, a top Defense Department officials said here today.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff returned to Washington today following a week-long trip designed to cement ties in the Pacific region and put a face to events halfway around the world.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - American and Indonesian personnel at U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2 here aim to help protect U.S. servicemembers deployed in tropical regions.

WASHINGTON - After sending thousands of homemade Valentines and boxes of candy to troops serving overseas, SI Yellow Ribbon Campaign is gearing up for its fourth “Operation Jellybeans to Heroes Unseen.”

WASHINGTON - The people of Iraq are aligned with the United States in expecting the Iraqi government to do its part in moving the war-torn country forward, President Bush said here today.

WASHINGTON - Five U.S. servicemembers were killed in action in Iraq yesterday, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified two servicemembers who died earlier while deployed in support of the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces are continuing their security crackdown in Iraq, taking suspected terrorists into custody, seizing illegal weapons and freeing a hostage in operations over the last two days.

WASHINGTON - Success against terrorism in Afghanistan is important to U.S. security, and the administration has key areas it will be working on to improve the situation there, President Bush said here today.

WASHINGTON - In spite of understandable skepticism over the fate of ongoing stabilization efforts in Iraq, a top U.S. military official said yesterday, the potential exists for success.

WASHINGTON - An influx of Iranian weapons and munitions into Iraq amounts to a “major force-protection issue,” a senior coalition official in Iraq said today.

HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii - The difference between facts that can be proven and ideas that can be deduced through logic must be clear to users of military intelligence, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush said today he will do whatever it takes to protect U.S. troops in Iraq, and that he is not provoking war with Iran in doing so.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Army soldier died today and one soldier died yesterday in Iraq, military officials reported today. The Defense Department also identified three previous casualties.

WASHINGTON - In operations around Afghanistan over the past two days, coalition forces killed two suspected terrorists and detained six others.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 15 terrorists and detained 44 others in operations around Iraq over the past two days.

WASHINGTON - The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, located in Vicenza, Italy, will deploy to Afghanistan this spring, DoD officials announced today. This Army brigade combat team previously was scheduled to deploy for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - The Baghdad security plan is on track, and the Iraqi government is meeting benchmarks necessary for continued coalition cooperation, President Bush said today.

WASHINGTON - The new phase of the Baghdad security plan, which the Iraqi government announced yesterday, is a step in the right direction, but must be given time to work, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said today.

WASHINGTON - North Korea has agreed to shut down nuclear operations and allow international inspectors into the country, President Bush announced today, hailing it as an important step toward a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.

WASHINGTON - The Navy and Marine Corps are requesting $4.4 billion to fix or replace worn out or damaged military equipment that has seen hard use in the war against global terrorism, senior military leaders testified before a joint U.S. House committee on Capitol Hill yesterday.

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - The Iranian government is complicit in improvised-explosive-device attacks on coalition and Iraqi forces, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said today in Jakarta, Indonesia.

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials in Iraq today confirmed that a Marine CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter that crashed killing seven servicemembers Feb. 7 was shot down with anti-aircraft munitions.

WASHINGTON - Troops and their families are exchanging Valentine’s Day video messages on air today through the Military Channel’s “Operation V-Day.”

WASHINGTON - When he returned home from an 11-month deployment to Iraq in October 2005, Army Staff Sgt. John Reid realized he’d stashed away a sizeable sum of cash and wanted to put it to work for himself.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan is an important country in the Middle East, and engagement in the region is crucial to U.S. and NATO success there, a top Defense Department leader said in congressional testimony today.

WASHINGTON - The international community, represented by NATO, must increase efforts to improve security in Afghanistan and develop the Afghan government and security forces, a top military leader and a Defense Department leader said in congressional testimony today.

WASHINGTON - Top U.S. officials expressed condolences to the Iraqi people as the country nears the first anniversary of the bombing of one of the holiest sites in Shiia Islam.

WASHINGTON - A California-based home builder has donated a 10-passenger, wheelchair-accessible minibus to the Armed Forces YMCA and the Warrior Foundation to be used to transport wounded servicemembers around San Diego.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Army soldier was killed Feb. 11 in Iraq, military officials reported today. The Defense Department also identified 13 previous casualties.

WASHINGTON - Testing for some of the systems slated for the first “spin out” of the Army’s Future Combat Systems program has gone well, except for one minor glitch: the soldiers testing them don’t want to give the prototypes back.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - The United States will continue to pursue aggressively anyone trying to kill coalition forces in Iraq, U.S. Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he came out of meetings with Indonesian leaders today encouraged by the military-to-military progress the two countries are making.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Trade ties will help bind the Pacific together and will help reduce threats in the region, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

WASHINGTON - Air travel is still the safest way to transport troops and supplies in Iraq, despite the recent rash of downed helicopter incidents, a top official there said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - All active components of the military services met or exceeded their recruiting goals for January, the Defense Department announced today.

CANBERRA, Australia - Australia has made enormous contributions to the global war on terror and has proven it is a world leader, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said during a media roundtable here today.

WASHINGTON - Beginning Feb. 19, three America Supports You members a week will get the chance to shine when the spotlight swings their way.

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. soldiers died in Iraq yesterday, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified five earlier casualties.

WASHINGTON - Acknowledging the challenges ahead and pledging full effort, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus took the helm of the top U.S. command in Iraq on Feb. 10 in Baghdad.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghan, Pakistani and NATO forces in the International Security Assistance Force are actively thwarting terrorism along the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan through communication, coordination and cooperation.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan this morning at the president’s Camp Office in Rawalpindi.

WASHINGTON - American and Iraqi soldiers raided suspected bomb-making sites in eastern Baghdad yesterday, military officials reported, while U.S. and Iraqi troops yesterday nabbed 10 suspected insurgents following a firefight near the village of Ubaydah, Iraq.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Several Taliban fighters were killed during an assault by Afghan National Army and coalition forces early this morning near the town of Gershk, in the Nahr Surkh district of Helmand province.

CANBERRA, Australia - The Iraqi government is doing everything it promised to do under President Bush and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s new strategy, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

CANBERRA, Australia - The top U.S. general today thanked Australia for “decades of friendship between our two countries” and paid his respects to Australian military personnel during a visit Down Under.

WASHINGTON - The Armed Services Blood Program Web site has been redesigned, offering updated content as well as a new look, officials said.

MUNICH, Germany - Consequences for failure in Iraq, European missile defenses and the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are all topics Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates touched on in a broad-ranging question-and-answer session following a speech here today.

MUNICH, Germany - Today’s world is a different and much more complex world than 20 or 30 years ago, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

SYDNEY, Australia - Africa Command, which President Bush announced Feb. 6, may be a chance for the military and other U.S. agencies to forge new command and working relationships, the top U.S. general said.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. servicemember was killed today in Afghanistan and four U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq over the past two days, military officials reported. The Defense Department also identified a previous casualty.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces are “well postured” to deal with Taliban remnants in southern Afghanistan and help spread good governance there, the former commander of Combined Forces Command Afghanistan said today on CNN’s “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer.”

MUNICH, Germany - Three U.S. Marine sergeants serving as security guards at the U.S. Consulate here had special company this morning during their morning run.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq military planner and detained 14 other suspected terrorists during multiple operations today, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s America Supports You program transcends politics in its mission to support the men and women of the U.S. armed forces, a senior defense official said today in an appearance on Fox News Channel's "Fox and Friends" program.

MUNICH, Germany - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today urged NATO allies to back up their commitments to the mission in Afghanistan with money and forces.

MUNICH, Germany - It will take more troops to conduct a combination of security and stability operations to end fighting in Afghanistan, NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe said here today.

SEVILLE, Spain - Multinational forces in Iraq recently captured some Iranians during sweeps to find networks that build and emplace improvised explosive devices, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here yesterday.

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii - No enemy should confuse U.S. debate on the war in Iraq for weakness, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here yesterday.

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa - Visits this week to Australia and Indonesia will help the United States cement military-to-military ties, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said yesterday in Hawaii.

WASHINGTON - More than 40 years after demonstrating the heroism immortalized in the bestselling book and movie, “We Were Soldiers Once … and Young,” retired Army Lt. Col. Bruce P. Crandall will receive the Medal of Honor, the White House announced yesterday.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - “Snail mail” is quickly becoming a thing of the past for deployed soldiers thanks to the 1st Cavalry Division’s commitment to keeping families close through video teleconferences.

WASHINGTON - Iraq is at a pivotal crossroad, the new commander of Multinational Force Iraq said in a letter to the command’s troops today.

WASHINGTON - As the Army investigates the recent spate of helicopter crashes in Iraq, it’s working to get lessons being learned from them back to air crews in the field as quickly as possible.

WASHINGTON - A day before leaving his command in Iraq, Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. today expressed gratitude for the 30 months he served in the country and optimism for the Iraq’s future.

WASHINGTON - A Marine Corps CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter that went down in Iraq’s Anbar province Feb. 7 most likely experienced a mechanical failure, the director of operations for the Joint Staff told Pentagon reporters today.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers in the national capital region were honored by the Washington Capitals hockey team last night during a “Salute to the Military Night” at the Verizon Center.

WASHINGTON - Three U.S. Army soldiers were killed in Iraq yesterday, military officials reported today. The Defense Department also identified a previous casualty.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed nine terrorists, detained 12 others, and discovered a large weapons cache in operations around Iraq over the past three days.

WASHINGTON - The new security plan for Baghdad is progressing as planned, with Iraqi brigades arriving as promised and the first elements of the U.S. “surge” force operating with them in the capital city, Defense Department officials told Pentagon reporters today.

SEVILLE, Spain - As a second day of informal NATO meetings unfolded here today, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters traveling with him that his former career with the Central Intelligence Agency was attracting other former intelligence officers.

WASHINGTON - The Army is the best equipped, trained and led force it’s ever been, but it needs continued funding to ensure it’s ready to face future conflicts, the Army’s top two leaders said in congressional testimony today.

WASHINGTON - Findings of a Defense Department Inspector General report sent to Congress today offer the third determination that activities within DoD’s policy office regarding pre-war intelligence were both legal and authorized.

WASHINGTON - The New York National Guard is preparing to assist local communities stricken by a winter storm that has dumped as much as 10 feet of snow in some areas, a state National Guard spokesman said today.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - When local contractor Asil Khan first thought of building a bridge over the Gogamanda River, he was knee-deep in it, evading the Soviet army on a trip to Pakistan to procure weapons for the Mujahadeen.

WASHINGTON - Operation Homefront is encouraging Americans to have a heart and “Share the Love” with a servicemember or military family this Valentine’s Day through its “eCarePackages.org” program.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. veteran who lost both legs in 2004 when a roadside bomb exploded in Iraq will begin a new career because his indomitable spirit moved a total stranger to give back to those who have served their country.

HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii - A Marine wounded in Iraq traveled the final leg of his journey back to his unit in style yesterday.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - The new commander and top enlisted soldier of Combined Joint Task Force 76 emphasized their commitment to success In Afghanistan at a news conference here yesterday.

SEVILLE, Spain - NATO-led forces can counter the traditional Taliban-led spring offensive in Afghanistan if the allies prepare now, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here at a press conference following a day of informal NATO meetings.

WASHINGTON - The Army’s Future Combat System program has been restructured as part of a “balancing act” between equipping the current force and modernizing the future force, a top Army acquisition official said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - During his State of the Union address in January, President Bush uttered these chilling words: “The situation in Iraq is unacceptable to the American people, and it is unacceptable to me.” The president went on to say “It’s clear we need to change our strategy in Iraq.”

STERLING, Va. - Marissa Strock and Jake Kessler sat in adjacent wheelchairs while prosthetic specialists attached carbon-fiber feet to their titanium legs.

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras - U.S. military personnel here helped medically evacuate a group of American volunteers after a bus crash near the village of Mal Pais, Honduras, Feb. 6.

WASHINGTON - The Senate today confirmed Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. to be the next Army chief of staff.

WASHINGTON - Four U.S. Marines were killed in Iraq yesterday, military officials reported today. The Defense Department also identified a previous casualty.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured a Ministry of Health senior official, killed 20 terrorists and detained five others in operations around Iraq over the past two days.

WASHINGTON - This Valentine’s season, Sears and Kmart customers will lend a hand, and a heart, to military families.

SEVILLE, Spain - The entire international community will step up its support for the Afghan people this year, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said here today at the start of the Seville Summit.

SEVILLE, Spain - After an overnight flight from Washington aboard an Air Force Air Combat Command E-4B aircraft, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here to attend informal NATO meetings today and tomorrow.

WASHINGTON - Military personnel going to Iraq or Afghanistan are trained, equipped and ready to do their jobs, but there is more to defending the United States and its interests than counterinsurgency operations, the nation’s top military officer said today.

WASHINGTON - The president’s fiscal 2008 defense budget request may be high, but the expenditure is necessary, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the House Armed Services Committee today.

WASHINGTON - Despite ongoing violence and intimidation around the country, Iraq’s police forces are steadily growing in numbers and professionalism, the U.S. Army general who oversees Iraqi police training said today.

WASHINGTON - The debate on the war in Iraq strengthens U.S. democracy, defense leaders said in congressional testimony today. The danger, they added, comes when enemies see the debate and believe it signifies a lack of will.

WASHINGTON - Military Health System officials are working on several ways to improve health care delivery and management and save servicemembers money, the Defense Department's top doctor said here.

WASHINGTON - Considering budget requests in their historical contexts is important when experiencing "sticker shock at their combined price tags," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee during testimony yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The main goal of the new U.S. command in Africa will be to develop a stable environment on the continent to promote civil society and improved quality of life for the people there, a top Defense Department official said here today.

WASHINGTON - Developing a modern, professional police force that enjoys the confidence of all Iraqis is critical, a senior U.S. military officer based in Baghdad said today.

WASHINGTON - All seven crewmembers and passengers were killed when a Marine Corps CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter went down in Iraq’s Anbar province this morning, a senior U.S. military officer based in Baghdad confirmed today.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military is committed to supporting Afghanistan and the NATO International Security Assistance Force mission there, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said after a visit to Afghanistan on Feb. 4 and 5.

WASHINGTON - Coalition troops based in Afghanistan captured two suspected al Qaeda operatives during a morning raid in Nangarhar province today, military officials reported, while elsewhere in Afghanistan today a coalition convey blunted an insurgent attack, killing two terrorists.

WASHINGTON - Friends and family back home will have a chance to see their servicemembers in action and hear their personal messages via video thanks to the efforts of a cable network dedicated to the military.

WASHINGTON - A troop-support group has launched an essay contest to award scholarships to military children in gratitude for the sacrifices they have made while their parents serve the nation.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Marine and a soldier were killed in Iraq yesterday, military officials reported today. The Defense Department also identified seven previous casualties.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces nabbed two suspected al Qaeda-affiliated bombers during a morning raid in west Taji, Iraq, today, military officials reported, while three Iraqi children were killed and a dozen other residents were wounded today as the result of a insurgent mortar attack on a village north of Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Pakistan has proven to be a dedicated ally of the United States since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in an interview.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will head to Europe tonight to attend NATO meetings in Seville, Spain, and to address the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy, in Munich, Germany.

WASHINGTON - The war on terrorism has cost $545 billion to date, the department’s top budget official said today.

DALLAS - Good grades in school can yield more than a sense of satisfaction for children of military families, as students can cash in on the Army and Air Force Exchange Service's "You Made the Grade" program.

WASHINGTON - The new U.S. Africa Command, which President Bush announced today, will consolidate U.S. government efforts in Africa and the ability to work with partner nations, the officer in charge of the command’s transition team said today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed one terrorist and detained 17 in operations across Iraq this week. In addition, car bombs in Iraq have killed 10 locals and wounded 26 in the past three days.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The United States transferred 213 Humvees and more than 12,000 light weapons to the Afghan National Army during a ceremony Feb. 2 at a depot in Pol-e-charkhi, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Marine was killed in Iraq yesterday, military officials reported today. The Defense Department also identified five previous casualties.

WASHINGTON - Cooperation among government agencies is crucial for success in the war on terrorism, the top U.S. general told members of Congress today.

WASHINGTON - The troop-support group SemperComm is asking for nominations for its 2007 awards program recognizing the morale-raising efforts of troops stationed throughout the world.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military will establish a separate U.S. Africa Command to oversee military operations on the African continent, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced during Congressional testimony today.

FORT LEE, Va. - The first woman to win the Silver Star Medal for direct actions against an enemy force turned out for the opening of the Global War on Terrorism exhibit Feb. 3 at the U.S. Army Women’s Museum here.

STERLING, Va. - At the Sport Rock Indoor Climbing Center here, a sign warns that climbing can cause serious injury. If Army Capt. Scott Smiley could see the cautionary sign, he would probably disregard it.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces conducted progress assessments in Nuristan province, and government leaders in Logar province discussed spending for future projects Feb. 3 in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s fiscal 2008 budget request seeks to pump more money into the development of future capabilities that will support America’s warfighters.

WASHINGTON - The defense budget requests President Bush submitted to Congress today will “make the necessary strategic investments to modernize and recapitalize key capabilities in the armed forces,” Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said at a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - A 3-percent pay raise for servicemembers, an increase in ground forces and continued funding of the global war on terrorism are on the table now that President Bush has delivered his fiscal 2008 defense budget request and 2007 emergency supplemental request to Congress today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed four insurgents and detained 26 others during operations across Iraq in the past two days, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s defense budget request for fiscal 2008 includes a 3 percent military pay raise as well as increases for housing, health care and other quality-of-life benefits and programs.

WASHINGTON - Newman’s Own, the Fisher House Foundation, and the Military Times Media Group are inviting volunteer organizations that serve military families to compete for a share of $75,000 in grants.

WASHINGTON - In the fiscal 2008 defense budget request, submitted to Congress today, President Bush is requesting $235.1 billion to fight the global war on terror through 2008.

WASHINGTON - Florida National Guard soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, will deploy from Orlando to help Central Floridians recover from Feb. 2 tornadoes that left widespread devastation in several Florida counties week and killed 19 people.

STERLING, Va. - The sky was the limit for six wounded Iraq war veterans who met here Feb. 2 at Sport Rock Indoor Climbing Center.

WASHINGTON - Two soldiers were killed while operating in Iraq and another died while on rest and recuperation leave, military officials reported. The Defense Department also identified six previous casualties.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi army and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers uncovered more than 1,100 81mm high-explosive mortar rounds yesterday at a cache near Route Tampa, the main highway leading into Baghdad, officials said

WASHINGTON - Seven car bombs, including one suspected suicide car bomb, detonated in various parts of Kirkuk this morning, killing three people and injuring 22 others, Multinational Forces Iraq officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed a suspected terror-cell leader in Iraq this morning as anti-insurgent operations continue, with dozens of suspects and multiple weapons caches seized since Feb. 1, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The nation’s second-highest-ranking military officer said he is cautiously optimistic about the new approach to Iraq after a three-day visit there that ended yesterday.

WASHINGTON - While the situation in Iraq is challenging, it is “winnable,” U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mark Fox told a group of online journalists and bloggers yesterday during an operational update by telephone.

WASHINGTON, IN - Soldiers of the 450th Movement Control Battalion are training here to ensure that they will be able to accomplish their mission when they deploy to Afghanistan in a few months.

WASHINGTON - Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces killed more than 10 Taliban fighters today in a small-arms engagement near the village of Farah in Farah province, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - More Marines in the ranks will mean a less stressed Corps, which translates to a higher state of readiness, officials said today at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - More than 8,000 Florida National Guard members are ready to assist local authorities after a tornado touched down in the central part of the state early this morning, a Florida National Guard spokesman said today.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials today announced nominations for the top posts at two major commands and the resignation of the deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs.

WASHINGTON - Under wintry skies at Arlington National Cemetery today, a California teenager who has generated 2.6 million messages of gratitude to U.S. servicemembers placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

WASHINGTON - American and Iraqi forces posted north of Baghdad are preparing checkpoints to net any insurgents who flee Iraq’s capital city to avoid an expected anti-terrorist dragnet there, a senior U.S. military officer told Pentagon reporters today.

WASHINGTON - Debate about operations in Iraq is completely appropriate, Defense Secretary Robert W. Gates said today, but he added that he believes those debates center not on whether there’s any option except to win, but on the best way to reach that objective.

BAGHDAD - Two U.S. soldiers were killed this morning when their Multinational Division Baghdad helicopter crashed while conducting operations northwest of the Iraqi capital, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - A strong U.S.-China relationship is important in promoting peace and stability in Asia, and the United States is working to shape China’s choices positively, a top Defense Department official said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The United States has no plans to go to war with Iran, but it won’t tolerate Iranian activities that are endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters today during a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - Military families have an opportunity to apply for scholarships for their children at certain commissaries, but they better do it soon -- the deadline is Feb. 21.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Lightning soldier died from injuries suffered in a vehicle rollover accident in Tikrit, Iraq, yesterday, and two Multinational Corps Iraq soldiers died last night as a result of a vehicle accident on Camp Liberty, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - A coalition air strike targeted al Qaeda leaders today in Iraq, and Iraqi and coalition forces detained 45 terrorists and foiled attacks throughout Iraq this week, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s Military OneSource family support program is once again offering free, online tax preparation and filing for servicemembers and their families, officials said.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - The 82nd Airborne Division accepted responsibility for Combined Joint Task Force 76 from the 10th Mountain Division in a transfer-of-authority ceremony here today.

WASHINGTON - “A Million Thanks” presented its milestone 2.6 millionth letter of support for the troops to the Defense Department’s top enlisted servicemember during a ceremony in his Pentagon office today.

LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, Iraq - Many soldiers from the 1744th Transportation Company weren't alive the last time the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl, in 1986.

WASHINGTON - Gen. George S. Patton, famed commander of the U.S. 3rd Army during World War II, was indebted to the courageous efforts of African-American truck drivers who kept tankers and infantry supplied during Patton’s push toward Germany in the fall of 1944.

WASHINGTON - The African-American cavalrymen known as “Buffalo Soldiers” proved that they could ride, shoot and fight as well as anyone else during their service on the American frontier.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department recognized a California high school at the Pentagon today for supporting one of its students and a program she undertook for the nation’s servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - African-Americans have a long tradition of honorable and distinguished service in America’s armed forces, going back 231 years to the nation’s birth -- and even before.

WASHINGTON - African Americans were grounded in the U.S. military until the establishment in Alabama of a unique combat flight training program that began on the eve of America’s entry into World War II.

WASHINGTON - The combination of available money and around-the-clock work is enabling the Army to increase the pace of refurbishment of equipment that’s damaged or worn out from service in Afghanistan and Iraq, senior military leaders testified before a joint U.S. House committee on Capitol Hill yesterday.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s new strategy for Iraq can work and set the conditions for the Iraqi government to deal with sectarian and ethnic divisions that are hurting the country’s fledgling democracy, the top U.S. general in Iraq said here today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has learned from its mistakes in resourcing the National Guard and now has systems in place to prevent those mistakes from happening again, the nation’s top military officer said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Members of the Pentagon Memorial Fund Committee gave a sneak preview today of a prototype of the 184 benches incorporated in the memorial’s design to honor those killed during the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attack on the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - One U.S. Army soldier assigned to Multinational Force West died today from wounds suffered during combat in Iraq’s Anbar province, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Information is the lifeblood of the military and the defense of the United States. To that end, the Defense Department is working to recruit the next generation of information technology professionals.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed seven suspected terrorists and detained 10 more, and troops discovered six weapons caches during recent operations in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates hosted his first Latin-American defense minister visit in his new post today when he and Colombian National Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos met to discuss ways the two countries can step up their cooperation to confront drug trafficking and terrorism.

WASHINGTON - Tens of thousands of football fans will flock to Florida this weekend, passionate about their pigskin picks, but a handful of Florida Guardsmen are hoping that the game is anything but exciting for them.

WASHINGTON - The Army faces significant challenges in the years ahead, but it is still the world’s preeminent land power and has not been overly strained by the war on terror, Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said here today.