FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - The team members gathered around their commander for a mission brief. The situation had already resulted in tragedy. A local police officer was killed in an explosion after arresting a suspected neo-Nazi on a bad check charge. The house had been booby- trapped, and the explosion released a strange-smelling cloud that had people falling to the ground gagging, shaking and holding their throats.

WASHINGTON - Service members who qualify for food stamps -- and some who don't -- may soon get debit cards to use in commissaries, DoD officials announced July 28.

WASHINGTON - Like “links in a chain,” many things went wrong in the April 8 crash of an MV-22 Osprey that killed 19 Marines, Marine officials said.

WASHINGTON - The 20-year-old Marine couldn't resist the deal advertised in his base newspaper: a free bus ticket from his Washington duty station to Virginia Beach, Va., to buy a used car.

WASHINGTON - Korean War veterans helped DoD open the Joint Services Korean War Commemoration Display July 26 near the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.

SPRINGFIELD, Va. - James Montgomery Flagg's most famous painting has been called back to serve the military again in a campaign that asks America to thank its service members.

WASHINGTON - Service members who qualify for food stamps -- and some who don't -- may soon get debit cards to use in commissaries, DoD officials announced July 28.

WASHINGTON - A limited national missile defense would prevent nuclear blackmail against the United States and could “enhance deterrence and improve stability,” Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said July 25.

WASHINGTON - "AFIS On Assignment" is a weekly publication of the American Forces Information Service.

WASHINGTON - President Clinton thanked U.S. service members stationed in Okinawa, Japan, for their service, but reminded them they must be good neighbors to the Okinawans.

WASHINGTON - By Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen. Text of an OP-ED statement appearing in the July 31, 2000 issues of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps Times newspapers. As secretary of defense, I make the welfare, health and safety of men and women in uniform my top priority.

WASHINGTON - Ending his career where it began, Adm. Jay Johnson retired as chief of naval operations July 21 during a ceremony at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

WASHINGTON - The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People presented top service awards to eight uniformed members and two civilians recently at its 25th annual Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Awards dinner in Baltimore.

WASHINGTON - The remains believed to be those of 12 American soldiers missing since 1950 were returned to the United States July 22.

WASHINGTON - Recent media reports that large numbers of American troops would become incapacitated after an anthrax attack are not true, DoD medical experts insist.

WASHINGTON - American military personnel are urged to pay more attention to force protection in light of a "spike" in demonstrations against the American presence in Japan and Korea.

WASHINGTON - DoD's dwindling supply of anthrax vaccine has forced a temporary slowdown in inoculations, except to personnel serving or about to serve in Southwest Asia and South Korea.

WASHINGTON - DoD has adopted an “overarching principle” regarding all forms of harassment - - including harassment based on sexual orientation, DoD officials announced July 21.

WASHINGTON - This year's Coast Guard Reserve Recruiter of the Year calls himself "an old broke down police detective" who attributes his success to his belief in the Coast Guard and "giving people quality service."

WASHINGTON - With only a few exceptions, active duty soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are allowed to have their vision corrected with laser eye surgery and not worry about it affecting their careers.

WASHINGTON - "AFIS On Assignment" is a weekly publication of the American Forces Information Service.

WASHINGTON - Easy access to family members at home has done wonders to improve the morale of deployed service members in recent years, and sometimes it's had the opposite effect.

WASHINGTON - Deployments and military operations are high-stress propositions, regardless of whether service members are ever shot at.

WASHINGTON - Military units and ships at seas around the world are receiving copies of the POW/MIA Recognition Day 2000 poster, according to Larry Greer of DoD's POW-Missing Personnel Office.

SAN DIEGO - "Wrestling is a marathon," Petty Officer 1st class Steve Mays said in 1998 after finishing fourth in the Armed Forces Wrestling Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo. "It's not how you start the race, it's how you finish. And hopefully, in 2000, I'll be the man. It's my dream."

SYDNEY, Australia - Defense Secretary William S. Cohen urged U.S. military personnel in Okinawa, Japan and South Korea to heed warnings regarding local anti-American sentiments.

SYDNEY, Australia - The United States is increasing military cooperation with Australia and has agreed to share more defense technology with the land down under.

WASHINGTON - The Naval Services FamilyLine COMPASS program recently added $10,000 to its coffers as the overall winner of the Newman's Own Award for Excellent Military Community Service competition.

WASHINGTON - DoD's dwindling supply of anthrax vaccine has forced a temporary slowdown in inoculations, except to those personnel serving or about to serve in high-threat areas of Southwest Asia and South Korea, defense officials said July 11.

WASHINGTON - "AFIS On Assignment" is a weekly publication of the American Forces Information Service.

SHANGHAI, China - Economic prosperity leads to peace and democracy, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said at the Shanghai Stock Exchange July 14, a day marked by record trading.

BEIJING - U.S. and Chinese service members may one day find themselves working side by side in peacekeeping missions, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen told students July 13 at the People's Liberation Army National Defense University here.

BEIJING - Reciprocal port visits, consultative talks and high-level defense visits will highlight renewed U.S. military ties with China, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen told about 200 students at the National Defense University here July 13.

WASHINGTON - Jackie Wilson doesn't remember much about her father, who died in Vietnam when she was 7.

BEIJING - The Chinese army rolled out the red carpet here July 12 for the arrival of Defense Secretary William S. Cohen.

WASHINGTON - The department's top recruiters spoke their minds recently about the good and bad of their business and made powerful pitches to military and civilian DoD officials.

WASHINGT0N - DoD's dwindling supply of anthrax vaccine has forced a temporary slowdown in inoculations, except to those personnel serving or about to serve in high-threat areas of Southwest Asia and South Korea, defense officials said during a July 11 Pentagon press conference.

BEIJING - U.S. personnel in the Republic of Korea need to be wary of anti-American sentiments caused by a number of converging factors, according to the commander of U.S. Pacific Command.

BEIJING - China's national defense minister says China seeks a peaceful reunification with Taiwan and does not intend to use military force, a senior U.S. official reported here July 12.

WASHINGTON - Rudy de Leon is no stranger to issues impacting service members' lives. The 27th deputy defense secretary has spent most of his 25-year federal career focused on national defense.

WASHINGTON - U.S.-Chinese military relations, severed after the May 1999 accidental bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, are getting back on track.

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska - Missile technology was the hot topic July 10 aboard Defense Secretary William S. Cohen's Air Force jet bound for China.

WASHINGTON - In 1997, I accepted the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs to require vaccination of all U.S. military personnel against anthrax, a deadly biological agent which is almost always lethal to unprotected, untreated victims. For the past two years, the department has been vaccinating those of you deploying to Southwest Asia and Korea, the two most likely regions where anthrax could be used against you.

WASHINGTON - The fifth test flight of the prototype National Missile Defense system ended in failure early July 8 when the "bullet" and booster rocket stages didn't separate.

WASHINGTON - Perhaps the greatest tribute 22 World War II Asian American Medal of Honor recipients can receive comes from a soldier who saw the war from the perspective of the front-line GI.

WASHINGTON - DoD will slow its mandatory anthrax vaccination program because of a shrinking supply of tested, certified vaccine, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen announced July 10.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials recently announced the range of fees for school-age child care programs for the 2000-2001 school year.

WASHINGTON - "AFIS On Assignment" is a weekly publication of the American Forces Information Service.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary William S. Cohen's upcoming China visit will mark full resumption of military-to-military relations following the accidental bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade during NATO Operation Allied Force.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon-based reporters will be pulling a late shift here July 7, standing by for the results of the fifth test flight of a prototype National Missile Defense system.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials recently announced the range of fees for school-age child-care programs for the 2000-2001 school year.

WASHINGTON - Twelve military recruiters, six family members, top Pentagon officials and guests listened as Deputy Defense Secretary Rudy de Leon praised the Recruiters of the Year for excelling in "one of our greatest military challenges."

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Brig. Gen. John F. Sattler admits he gets "fired up" about his job. A podium or a script can't confine him when he talks about "keeping the wolf at bay."