KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan government must address corruption and criminal organizations subverting the will of the people, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The security aspect of operations in Afghanistan is going well, and now governance and development must catch up, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - Plan to come to work as usual this week, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told the Defense Department workforce in a message.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is satisfied that the Afghan national security forces will be able to shoulder the defense burden by 2014.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - As the pressure increases on the federal budget, the Defense Department must make cuts in a balanced way, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told troops in Afghanistan.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is holding troop talks throughout Afghanistan and is fielding questions about the U.S. debt crisis and the future of military benefits.

WASHINGTON - As a longtime financial advocate for military families, Holly Petraeus knew she could bring extensive work experience to the table when she was tapped to lead the new Office of Servicemember Affairs. But for this Army spouse who grew up in a military family, it’s more than just a job. It's personal.

WASHINGTON - Holly Petraeus, wife of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, is heading a newly opened government office to protect service members and their families from financial predators and pitfalls.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Although spikes of insurgent violence have occurred in Kandahar, coalition and Afghan security forces are keeping the initiative, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters traveling with him to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, has been appointed by President Barack Obama to an 11-member board that aims to to cut waste in federal spending.

WASHINGTON - Reserve-component leaders told the House Armed Services Committee they want legislative changes that would give Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta more flexibility in using Guard and reserve members to support theater security cooperation and other military missions.

BASRA, Iraq - Army Spc. Andrew Deason and his brother, Army Spc. Brian Brown, enjoy a friendly rivalry as they progress through their military careers in the Army and National Guard.

WASHINGTON - NATO has joined Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai in condemning the improvised explosive device attack that killed 18 people in Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army general who leads the coalition training effort for Afghanistan’s security forces has been cleared of allegations that he used psychological operations personnel in an attempt to influence visiting dignitaries.

WASHINGTON - Hiring military reservists and veterans is a positive investment for America, said Army Maj. Gen. Jon J. Miller, the deputy director of U.S. Army Reserve Command.

WASHINGTON - The chief of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command will need to build confidence and trust among the many partners involved in both missions, said Army Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., who's been nominated to take charge of the two commands.

WASHINGTON - The NATO training mission has made tremendous progress over the past two years to train Afghan security forces, and Afghans are beginning to assume security responsibility for seven areas of the country covering roughly 25 percent of the population.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert told senators he'd address challenges, build a capable future force, and take care of sailors, Navy civilians and families if he's confirmed as the Navy's No. 1 uniformed officer.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE JACKSON, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Chandra Francisco helps local women and children as part of the female engagement team in Afghanistan's Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has improved its financial processes and is on its way to meet a congressional mandate to have its accounts ready for regular audits in 2017, Comptroller Robert F. Hale told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - NATO joined Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and the country’s Ministry of Interior in condemning insurgent attacks that, according to initial reports, killed and wounded more than 50 people.

WASHINGTON - Army Secretary John M. McHugh said Walter Reed Army Medical Center's legacy of service will live on. The 102-year-old hospital is consolidating with the National Naval Medical Center to form the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s acquisition organization is 18 to 24 months away from completing the integration of practices that are changing the way the Pentagon buys goods and services.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and the top U.S. officer in Korea commemorated the anniversary of the armistice agreement that established a demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, and brought an end to fighting there.

WASHINGTON - The Military Family Life Consultant program offers short-term, nonmedical counseling and life coaching to military families as they face deployment, reintegration and other life issues.

WASHINGTON - Readiness must remain paramount even as the military seeks ways to operate in the face of looming budget cuts, the military services’ vice chiefs told members of Congress.

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - The importance of information-sharing across the intelligence community cannot be overestimated, despite occasional pitfalls such as the WikiLeaks publication of classified material, the U.S. military's top intelligence officer said at a conference.

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Marine Corps Sgt. Jose Hernandez labors to develop good relations with the Afghan people in his area of operations.

WASHINGTON - NATO joined Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai in condemning the suicide-bomber killing of Kandahar City Mayor Ghulam Haidar Hamedi.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs announced nearly $60 million in grants aimed at preventing homelessness among veterans and their families, with particular focus on veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

WASHINGTON - Work ahead for the U.S. military includes completing current conflicts and preparing for the future, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the nominee for the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during his Senate confirmation hearing.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Department clearinghouse for renewable energy projects has approved 229 of 249 projects proposed in 35 states and Puerto Rico, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.

RIO DE JANEIRO - The U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team won four medals, including gold in the women’s overall country competition, to lead Team USA athletes at the 5th Military World Games.

WASHINGTON - The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command workers have one goal: to make it easier for military families to move to new duty stations during an exceptionally busy summer.

WASHINGTON - Afghan forces’ assumption of the security lead in seven provinces and districts is a significant step toward the goal of having Afghans take responsibility for security in their country by the end of 2014.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, unveiled the Joining Forces Community Challenge, a program to honor Americans going the extra mile to help military families.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan-led security force killed two insurgents during a search for a roadside bomb expert operating in the Qush Tepah district of Jowzjan province.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq - Army Sgt. Kevin Chapman said being a part of the transition from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn has shaped his career as a soldier.

WASHINGTON - The French government presented six U.S. Special Forces soldiers with the equivalent of the U.S. Silver Star for helping a French unit during a deadly fight against Taliban and al-Qaida extremists in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Transnational organized crime is a multitrillion-dollar per year business "that ties in very nicely with the support of terrorists" and must be addressed, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

WASHINGTON - New U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan C. Crocker told employees during his first day on the job in the Afghan capital of Kabul today that there will be “no rush for the exits” during this critical transition period in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - A bumper crop of new high school graduates who joined the military in June helped the Defense Department continue its strong recruiting and retention streak.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The ABC reality show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” helped Navy veteran Barbara Marshall expand her home to assist more homeless female military veterans.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has launched a new website to highlight its first unified strategy for cyberspace.

WASHINGTON - America’s national security strategy priorities for the Asia-Pacific region encompass both a burgeoning relationship with China and enduring security commitments to other countries there, Joint Chiefs Chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, delivered messages of thanks at a Joining Forces military family cookout for National Guard and reserve families.

WASHINGTON - Continued talks between the United States and North Korea are the necessary steps needed to resume denuclearization negotiations between the two nations, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said.

WASHINGTON - An International Security Assistance Force helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan and all of its passengers and crew were safely transported to a base.

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Sgt. Billy Hill, a cable installer and maintainer, and his crew in Afghanistan spend their days working to ensure soldiers in the combat theater can communicate with each other.

RIO DE JANEIRO - U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program Spc. Dennis Bowsher finished fourth in the men’s modern pentathlon at the 5th CISM Military World Games.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen issued statements expressing their condolences on the death of retired Army Gen. John M. Shalikashvili.

RIO DE JANEIRO - The U.S. women's sailing team took home the bronze medal at the 5th International Military Sports Council's World Games - the third medal for U.S. teams in the games.

WASHINGTON - Repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law can be accomplished with no effect on military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention, Clifford L. Stanley, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told Pentagon reporters.

WASHINGTON - The 1993 law that has banned gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military “undermines our military readiness and violates American principles of fairness and equality,” President Barack Obama said in announcing his certification of the law's repeal.

WASHINGTON - Based on recommendations from military leaders, President Barack Obama has certified to Congress that the U.S. armed forces are prepared for repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law.

WASHINGTON - Leon E. Panetta took the oath of office as the nation’s 23rd secretary of defense in a Pentagon ceremony, saying he is humbled by the responsibilitiy and opportunity to lead the department.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden formally swore in Leon E. Panetta as the 23rd secretary of defense, saying it will be his most honorable service in the long list of senior government positions he has held.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Combined security forces killed more than 50 insurgents during the clearance of a Haqqani network foreign fighter encampment in Paktika province.

DENTON, Texas - Army recruiter Staff Sgt. Marcus A. Stone risked his life to pull an injured man from a burning vehicle on a freeway in a Dallas suburb.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - First Lady Michelle Obama and other well-wishers congratulated a Navy veteran as she became the latest winner on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - A former sailor who houses homeless female veterans received the surprise of her life when First Lady Michelle Obama was on hand as she became the latest winner on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

WASHINGTON - The U.S. National Library of Medicine is adding the Defense Department’s Medical Surveillance Monthly Report to the library’s vast wealth of medical research publications.

WASHINGTON - The United States must study ways to resupply troops in Afghanistan if Pakistan closes the supply corridor through that country, President Barack Obama’s choice to lead U.S. Transportation Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Families from the Army and the Air Force are sharing the honors as the National Military Family Association’s 2011 Family of the Year for their service to the nation and their communities.

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - With realignments, base closures and joint basing initiatives bringing together all four services at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., the Air Force’s 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron has taken jointness to a new level to keep their broad mix of aircraft fueled.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military must be ready to address a broad range of potential future conflicts, President Barack Obama’s nominee to be the next vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama brought the national “Joining Forces” initiative to Naval Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va., where she attended a screening of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” with military family members.

WASHINGTON - The Army and Air Force held their first joint energy forum to demonstrate that they are making responsible and efficient energy development a priority.

WASHINGTON - The United States must ensure the Army remains “our national force of decisive action,” Army Chief of Staff nominee Gen. Raymond T. Odierno said during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

RIO DE JANEIRO - The honorary president of the 5th International Military Sports Council's World Games says he has seen, firsthand, how the games promote friendship and peace among the participating athletes.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed several insurgents and detained a suspected insurgent while searching for a Taliban leader.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq - Army Sgt. Cynthia Philip prides herself in mentoring soldiers as she serves her third deployment with a 1st Cavalry Division advise and assist brigade company in Iraq.

RIO DE JANEIRO - Team USA’s No. 1 men’s beach volleyball squad defeated Lithuania, 2-0, in their opening match of the 5th Conseil International du Sport Militaire Military World Games in Rio de Janeiro.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to be concerned that airborne dust and smoke may pose health risks to deployed service members, the department’s chief of health assurance said.

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - The Air Force's 621st Contingency Response Wing stands ready to respond within 12 hours to deliver anything from troops to humanitarian assistance globally where no operational airfield exists.

WASHINGTON - The Women’s Bureau of the Department of Labor has released an online publication that will help community service providers aid homeless women veterans, Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis announced.

WASHINGTON - Safety is an individual responsibility of all Defense Department personnel, especially during summer, when accidents historically increase.

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The drive for freedom and a better way of life led Ali Baharanyi, now a soldier in the U.S. Army, to seek asylum in America to escape a tyrannical regime in his native Africa.

WASHINGTON - The transfer of Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s functions to Bethesda, Md., and the construction of a new hospital on Fort Belvoir, Va., are expected to be completed on schedule.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan-led security patrol killed numerous Haqqani network insurgents and detained two suspects during a clearance operation in Paktika province.

WASHINGTON - Sharon E. Burke, the assistant secretary of defense for operational energy plans and programs, hopes the changes brought forth by the Defense Department's new operational energy strategy will improve the nation’s overall energy readiness.

RIO DE JANEIRO - The Brazilian soccer hero known worldwide as Pelè lighted the torch at the opening ceremony of the 5th Military World Games in Rio de Janeiro.

WASHINGTON - The newly formed VA Task Force on Women Veterans will go a long way in addressing key benefits gaps to female veterans, according to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is expanding partnerships with spacefaring companies and nations to maintain the strategic advantage it gains in space, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy said.

WASHINGTON - Staying at the cutting edge of energy technology remains critical to the country’s military supremacy even as the nature of war itself is changing, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said that the year-old partnership between the Defense and Energy departments is paying off and looks forward to joint progress in the year to come.

VICTORY BASE COMPLEX, Iraq - Army 1st Sgt. Patrick Thomas and his son, Army Pfc. Tyler Thomas, make their father-and-son relationship work as they serve together in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama will take part in three events over the next several days to promote “Joining Forces,” a national initiative that mobilizes all sectors of American society to support service members and their families.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban leader and killed several armed insurgents in Kandahar province.

WASHINGTON - The “Better Buying Power” initiative targets affordability and rewards productivity, said Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisitions, technology and logistics.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Military Team USA soccer players Air Force Capt. Wendy Emminger and Air Force 1st Lt. Mandi Messinger were the pilots who flew athletes to Brazil to compete in the 5th CISM Military World Games.

WASHINGTON - Afghan-led combined forces destroyed an enemy weapons cache and detained numerous insurgents in recent operations in Afghanistan, military officials reported.

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan - For Army Staff Sgt. Chris Ackley, long hours of practicing medical procedures helped him save the life of an Afghan woman hit in the crossfire of a firefight.

WASHINGTON - Much work remains to secure Afghanistan’s future and eliminate violent extremists, the new commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan said in a letter to members of the International Security Assistance Force.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen has succeeded Army Gen. David H. Petraeus as the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Ashton B. Carter told an audience at the Brookings Institution that supporting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan calls for the Defense Department to streamline its procedures to keep up with technological and world changes.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines at Camp Lejeune, N.C., are preparing for the delivery of the inaugural shipment of biodiesel fuel that’s grown, processed and blended exclusively in North Carolina for the military.

WASHINGTON - The successful alliance between the U.S. and Japan serves as a model for others and the two nations must expand such relations across the Pacific region, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a visit to Japan.

WASHINGTON - The cyber threat the United States faces is increasing in severity and is accessible to a wide range of enemies, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said in a recent television interview.

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - With two months left for the Defense Department to comply with the 2005 base realignment and closure plan, a related initiative -- joint basing -- already is paying off.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led combined security force detained several suspected insurgents and confiscated roadside bomb materials while searching for a Taliban facilitator in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Identical twin soldiers Jonathan and Nathan Dyer were promoted to captain on Forward Operating Base Salerno in Khost province, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s first strategy for operating in cyberspace is a milestone in the fight to protect the nation from potentially devastating network attacks, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s U.S. Atomic Energy Detection System has monitored the planet for nuclear blasts since 1947, but its sensors also help to pinpoint and assess large natural disasters around the world.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials are applying new ways of thinking to everything from cost saving initiatives to the nuclear triad, Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta provides a firsthand account of his recent trip to Afghanistan and Iraq.

WASHINGTON - A growing risk of terrorist groups and rogue states developing cyber attack capabilities drives the need to strengthen the nation’s cyber defenses, said Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III while launching the new Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace.

WASHINGTON - Although the military is in a time of unprecedented change, caring for troops and their families must remain a constant, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said in Seoul, South Korea.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide $46.2 million to supply permanent housing and case management for 6,790 homeless veterans.

WASHINGTON - Crediting South Korean leaders for their “poise and calm” in the face of last year’s affronts from North Korea, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned North Korea to expect “a very strong response” to a future attack.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Army Staff Sgt. Joseph Tremblay teaches future soldiers and Civil Air Patrol cadets about parachuting as part of his work at the recruiting battalion in Harrisburg, Pa.

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea - With Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presiding, Army Gen. James D. Thurman assumed command of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-led combined security force killed six Haqqani network fighters including one armed adult female insurgent in Khost province.

WASHINGTON - Medal of Honor recipient Army Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry told reporters at his induction into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes that the award hasn't changed who he is.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department and other federal employees can submit ideas on how to make their workplaces more efficient through the White House's third annual SAVE Award competition.

WASHINGTON - Medal of Honor recipient Army Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry was inducted into the Hall of Heroes during a ceremony hosted by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta at the Pentagon, July 13, 2011.

WASHINGTON - All of the services and combatant commands have provided their input to the Defense Department in advance of the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that bans gays from serving openly in the military.

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - Citizen-soldiers are undergoing intensive training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., in preparation for duty in Afghanistan.

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - U.S. Army trainers employ their experience at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., as they teach troops before they deploy for overseas duty in places like Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - NATO’s International Security Assistance Force has a “realistic chance” to meet its goals in Afghanistan if member nations maintain current efforts there, the ISAF’s deputy chief of staff for stability said.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Spc. Brad Cryderman had served a tour of duty in Afghanistan with the 902nd Engineer Company and was ready to return stateside when he opted to re-enlist.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan-led combined security force detained a Haqqani network leader and one suspected insurgent in the Terayzai district of Khost province.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama awarded the country’s highest military honor to Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry, an Army Ranger who was shot in both legs and lost his hand while saving his fellow soldiers during a firefight in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the officer many view as the architect of the Defense Department’s counterinsurgency strategy, assessed its results in Afghanistan as he prepares to retire.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed numerous insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader in the Azrah district of Logar province.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq - Army Spc. Jun Zhao, a food service specialist, uses skills from his previous job as an executive chef to make the best meals possible for his fellow service members.

WASHINGTON - Progress in joint U.S.-China military initiatives targets challenges and security threats faced by both nations and the region, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said during a visit with military officials in Beijing.

WASHINGTON - All schools participating in Title 10 tuition assistance program will have to have a signed memorandum of understanding with the Defense Department under a new policy that will take effect Jan. 1.

WASHINGTON - At any time on any given day, a Defense Department network established in 1947 has the capability to detect a nuclear device explosion anywhere on the Earth.

WASHINGTON - Joint Interagency Task Force West is one of three interagency task forces that partner with regional nations to support the counternarcotics fight.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of coalition and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, offered condolences to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his family in the wake of the assassination of the president’s half-brother.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, completed the first full day of a visit to China. He is there at the invitation of Gen. Chen Bingde, chief of the general staff for the Chinese army.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta neither pressured nor pleaded with Iraqi leaders to allow U.S. troops to remain in Iraq after the scheduled Dec. 31 withdrawal date, the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs said.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - There is no doubt that deadly weapons being used against American forces in Iraq originated in Iran, a U.S. Forces Iraq spokesman said.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Iraqi leaders are having an intense dialogue about whether to ask U.S. forces to remain in Iraq after their scheduled withdrawal, said Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command from Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez during a ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition patrol killed several insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader during an operation in the Saraj district of Afghanistan's Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - Officials expect to release the Defense Department’s first cyber strategy July 14, a Pentagon spokesman said.

BAGHDAD - Army Sgt. Brian McCown, the longest serving member of the 1st Infantry Division’s 1st “Vanguard” Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, said he's proud to serve in his unit.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Department spokesman provided details on the delay of $800 million in U.S. military aid to Pakistan.

CULVER CITY, Calif. - More than 1,500 veterans and military spouses attended the Mission Serve: Hiring Our Heroes Los Angeles hiring fair at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, Calif., that featured more than 160 prospective employers.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - The U.S. military will do what it needs to do to protect Iraq-deployed service members from Iranian-supplied Iraqi extremists, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said during a visit to Camp Victory, Iraq.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Though Iraq has developed the leaders it needs to move the country forward, forming a democracy has its perils, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said during a visit to Camp Victory, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The Military Spouse Employment Partnership is an important program that will expand career opportunities for military spouses among companies that are eager to hire them, said Deborah Mullen, the wife of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen.

CULVER CITY, Calif. - Great Britain’s Prince William and his wife, Catherine, visited with military spouses and veterans attending a hiring fair in Culver City, Calif.

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan - Progress is undeniable in Helmand province where three districts that were once the heartland of the Taliban saw an 80 percent reduction in enemy activity since August 2010.

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta spoke to more than 250 Marines and sailors in the chapel of Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, about the benefits of public service.

WASHINGTON - Planned U.S.-China military engagements are an encouraging sign that the two countries are building a relationship that will help them confront common challenges, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, urged China during a speech in Beijing July 10, 2011, to use its strength and influence to become a global partner in addressing security challenges in the region and beyond.

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told Marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen based at Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, that the “most important thing to do now is to continue this fight” against the Taliban and al-Qaida.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has arrived in Baghdad for meetings with senior Iraqi and American officials and to visit U.S. troops.

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta assured President Hamid Karzai of the United States’ continued, long-term commitment to Afghanistan during meetings in Kabul.

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan - The commander of the International Security Assistance Force, Army Gen. David Petraeus, said today he agrees with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta that al-Qaida can be strategically defeated.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta discussed his first week on the job speaking to reporters while traveling to Afghanistan July 9, 2011. It is his first trip to the country as defense secretary.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The key to success in Afghanistan is the ability to transition responsibility to the Afghans, Leon E. Panetta said before beginning his first visit to the nation as defense secretary July 9, 2011.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The United States “is within reach of strategically defeating al-Qaida,” Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said speaking to reporters on his first trip to Afghanistan as defense secretary.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces found and destroyed a large weapons cache during a search in the Muhammad Aghah district of Afghanistan’s Logar province.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has issued guidance on the July 6 federal appellate court decision ordering DOD to cease enforcing the so-called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law.

WASHINGTON - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen is visiting China, a Defense Department official announced.

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan - Marine Corps 1st Lt. Patrick Abell is doing his part to help Afghan Border Police officers know how to do their job after coalition forces leave Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III will step down later this year to return to private life, Pentagon officials announced. He will remain in office until fall when a successor is expected to be nominated and confirmed.

WASHINGTON - A tax credit for companies that hire military veterans could be the next step in helping the underemployed group, President Barack Obama said during his first Twitter town hall meeting.

WASHINGTON - U.S. security and strategic needs must drive impending defense spending cuts, President Barack Obama said during his first Twitter town hall meeting to gather the public's input on various subjects.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed two insurgents, detained suspected insurgents and destroyed a weapons cache in Wardak province.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq - Swearing the oath to support, defend and serve the United States while serving in the Army in Iraq was not enough for Spc. Angie Schaefer.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will comply with a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling ordering the government to stop enforcing the terms of the law that prevents openly gay service members from being in the military, a Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained a Haqqani network leader believed responsible for a roadside bomb attack.

WASHINGTON - The United States intends to abide by its commitments in the 2008 U.S.-Iraq Security Agreement, including the obligation to complete the drawdown of U.S. forces by the end of 2011, a Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Defense Department officials will send condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide in a war zone, a White House official said.

WASHINGTON - The drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan will begin this month with some 1,600 troops set to redeploy without replacement by fall, according to a senior U.S. commander there.

WASHINGTON - Fort Hood Commander Army Lt. Gen. Donald M. Campbell Jr. will refer the capital murder case against Army Maj. Nidal M. Hasan to a general court-martial for trial, said officials at Fort Hood, Texas.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - After losing three family members to cancer, Marine Corps Capt. Elizabeth Hagner decided to take an active role in furthering cancer research.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed several insurgents and detained several others during an overnight security operation targeting an insurgent leader.

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Sgt. 1st Class Tim Fiedler Jr., and his younger brother, Army Staff Sgt. Rich Fiedler, have put in more than 50 years of combined service in the same Iowa National Guard company.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama honored 1,200 service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, and their families, for their service to the country during an Independence Day event at the White House.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta called six forward-deployed service members to convey his thanks and support for their service as they were beginning their Fourth of July holiday in Afghanistan, Iraq and Bahrain.

WASHINGTON - The International Military Education and Training program provides important value as it fosters strong military-to-military relations, increased understanding, and closer defense cooperation that enhance regional stability around the globe.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, asks citizens to take a moment this Independence Day to remember America's service members who have done so much to secure and safeguard the nation throughout its history.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed several insurgents and detained one suspect during an operation in Logar province.

WASHINGTON - The Senate confirmed Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, currently the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, as the next director of the CIA. Petraeus will replace Leon E. Panetta, who has taken office as secretary of defense.

WASHINGTON - National Guard and reserve members and their families deserve the thanks and support of a grateful nation, first lady Michelle Obama said during a visit to an Army National Guard facility in Vermont.

GROTON, Conn. - Navy Petty Officer 1st Class James Pearson coordinates a community service program where sailor-volunteers have assisted in 36 projects throughout the New England area.

WASHINGTON - New Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta pledged to persist in efforts "to disrupt, dismantle and ultimately defeat al-Qaida," and vowed to be a tireless advocate for service members and their families.