WASHINGTON - The number of terrorist incidents in Iraq have dropped to the lowest level since March 2004, defense officials said.

ARLINGTON, VA. - Women are rising to increasingly higher levels in the Defense Department, a DoD official told the audience during the departments Womens History Month observance here March 30.

WASHINGTON - A combat engineer with the Armys 11th Engineering Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony April 4 -- the second anniversary of his death in Iraq.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - The best thing about being in the Navy is being in the Navy, said Seaman Michael Sean Brophy, a master-at-arms here.

WASHINGTON - An army of Vietnam War-era veterans is expected to march into Branson, Mo., and the surrounding area to attend June 13-19 tributes and celebrations of their military service, according to event promoters.

WASHINGTON - A presidential commission has recommended a fundamental overhaul of the U.S. intelligence community.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz won confirmation today as the 10th president of the World Bank and will assume his new post June 1, World Bank officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - From precision-guided munitions to unmanned aerial vehicles to hand-held devices that can provide a squad or a company with real-time, over-the-horizon views of trouble spots in the battlespace, the technology of warfare has taken a giant leap forward in the global war in terror. Now, with the help of organizations like the Freedom Calls Foundation, so have communications between warriors and their families.

WASHINGTON - Four American servicemembers have been killed in action in Iraq since March 30, military officials in Baghdad reported.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Department-sponsored military womens advisory panel recommends that the armed forces discontinue the practice of simultaneously deploying both military parents of minor children.

WASHINGTON - Elections in Afghanistan and Iraq are examples of a growing trend toward democracy worldwide and examples of the universal aspiration of all people to make their voices heard and to govern themselves, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said earlier this week.

WASHINGTON - We support you, we believe in you, and were proud of you. That was the message first lady Laura Bush carried to U.S. troops at Bagram Air Base during her March 30 visit to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The war on terror is proving to be an information war, with forces demanding and getting more access to information than in any previous conflict, U.S. Central Commands director of command, control, communications and computer systems told the American Forces Press Service.

ARLINGTON, Virginia - Women have come a long way in the military services and in the federal government, said the DoD official presiding here today for the DoD Womens History Month program.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government, first lady Laura Bush said today during her visit to Kabul, Afghanistan, is wholeheartedly committed to the full participation of women in all aspects of Afghan society not just in Kabul, but in every province.

WASHINGTON - The political situation in Kyrgyzstan is expected to have no impact on coalition efforts there in support of operations in Afghanistan, the No. 2 officer at U.S. Central Command told Pentagon wire service reporters here today.

WASHINGTON - DoD officials have begun a series of hearings -- similar to parole-board hearings -- at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to determine if individual detainees there still pose a threat or could be released or transferred.

WASHINGTON - The commander of Multinational Force Iraq is expected to assess the situation on the ground in mid-summer to recommend how many troops are required to sustain operations in Iraq, Air Force Lt. Gen. Lance L. Smith, deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, said today.

WASHINGTON - After roughly 10 months of hearings, military officials announced March 29 that 38 detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been found to not be enemy combatants and will be returned to their home countries. Five have already been released.

WASHINGTON - DoD is transforming its business practices to better meet the challenges of a changed world, a senior defense official said recently.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces operating out of Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, conducted seven medical evacuations by aircraft March 29, with most related to transport injured Afghan citizens

WASHINGTON - American, coalition and Iraqi security troops and police landed a series of blows against international terrorists in Iraq in recent days, the military officials in Iraq reported today.

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. - American servicemembers have demonstrated their resolve to win the war on terror countless times, but sometimes they wonder if Americans back home understand the situation, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during an interview here March 29.

WASHINGTON - In the last analysis it will be the Iraqi people that will defeat the insurgency, not the coalition, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told reporters here March 29.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Defense, offense and long-range actions characterize U.S. operations in the war on terror, Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers said in a speech here March 29. And while the first two are important, its long-range actions that will ultimately help the U. S. win the war.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Public works officials here are combining ancient and modern technologies to build cost savings into the bases energy program.

WASHINGTON - When Julius Caesar introduced the forbear of our modern calendar more than 2,000 years ago, he couldnt have foreseen the U.S. Angels 2005 calendar.

WASHINGTON - Americans nationwide continue to support U.S. servicemembers efforts in helping countries like Afghanistan and Iraq establish free and democratic societies, the Defense Departments top civilian said here today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today cited encouraging signs in Iraq and expressed confidence in the countrys future.

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar - U.S. Central Command is posturing itself for a long war on terror, introducing efficiencies and new areas of focus to help ensure long-term success, the commands chief of staff told the American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - Four soldiers killed in a land mine attack in eastern Afghanistan on March 26 were honored in a memorial ceremony at Camp Phoenix in the Afghan capital of Kabul today.

WASHINGTON - A soldier assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, died March 28 in a non-hostile incident in Iraq while in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

OKLAHOMA CITY - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff left the Arnold Air Society/Silver Wings National Convention here March 28 more confident than ever about the future of Americas military.

WASHINGTON - Federal law prohibits mortgage lenders from immediately foreclosing on homes owned by servicemembers deployed overseas on military duty, a senior legal officer noted here.

WASHINGTON - Since thousands of people welcomed the first Gulf War veterans who arrived at Bangor International Airport just over 14 years ago, the greeters have met nearly 1,000 flights bringing troops to or from war zones.

WASHINGTON - Though he is charged with helping to lead the Defense Departments transformation efforts into the 21st century, the commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command believes the word transformation can be a misleading term.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The new National Military Academy of Afghanistan celebrated its grand opening March 22.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The ground operation here two years ago was a tough one for Army Spc. Eddie Aguilar. At home, his wife was busy giving birth to their son and in Iraq he had just lost his close friend and mentor to enemy fire.

WASHINGTON - As March draws to a close, temperatures in Iraq are on the rise. Getting more electricity on the national grid is of foremost concern as the summer months draw near. An international team of engineers and technical professionals at the Bayji power plant has spent the past nine months working to get an additional 270 megawatts of power on the grid -- enough energy to power more than 200,000 Iraqi homes and businesses.

WASHINGTON - Since McDonalds joined the Defense Departments America Supports You team earlier this month to support the troops , the restaurant chain is lovin it.

WASHINGTON - President Bush continued what has become an annual tradition, spending his third straight year in Easter Sunday services with soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, March 27.

WASHINGTON - Iraq now as opposed to Iraq two years ago is like night and day, the former commander of one of the units that liberated Baghdad said here today.

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar - A new training course for senior enlisted leaders is giving them skills that are proving invaluable in Southwest Asia, the command chief master sergeant for U.S. Central Command told the American Forces Press Service at the commands forward headquarters here.

WASHINGTON - Officials in Enid, Okla., are planning a citywide rally March 31 to kick off the citys partnership with the Defense Departments America Supports You program.

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar - Senior enlisted leaders say theyre confident all necessary measures are being taken to ensure servicemembers deployed throughout U.S. Central Command have the best protection possible.

WASHINGTON - A 3-ton cache of TNT and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition are off the streets of Iraq following an Iraqi army raid near Jurf al-Sakher on March 25, Iraqi military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The percentage of foreign fighters in Iraq is increasing, the top U.S. military official in the region said today. Speaking to CNN's Wolf Blitzer in Mosul, Iraq, Army Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, said most of the insurgents in the country are Iraqis, but the percentage of foreign fighters over the past several months seems to have increased.

WASHINGTON - Four soldiers were killed in action in Afghanistan, and two soldiers and a Marine were killed in Iraq, officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - They came to express their gratitude and found themselves the recipients of the same. After visiting injured servicemembers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center today, 17 current and former firefighters toured the Pentagon, including the Sept. 11, 2001, crash site, before heading for the National Naval Medical Center in nearby Bethesda, Md.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - He was 6 years old when his grandmother first showed him the bugle. She told him the history and the stories of the Shoults men who carried it to war, and of how the family tradition began in 1916.

WASHINGTON - Change, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker recently noted, tends to indicate an end state, while military transformation requires constant adaptation in response to a changing world.

WASHINGTON - Its not the same as a hug, but it is the next best thing to being there.

WASHINGTON - The job the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa does is overshadowed by actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it is an important component in the overall war on terror, Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace said here today.

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar - Morale is high among troops deployed to Southwest Asia in support of the global war on terror, but many feel frustrated that the American public isnt hearing about the positive work theyre doing, senior enlisted leaders from U.S. Central Command told the American Forces Press Service here today.

KABUL, Afghanistan - After days of heavy flooding, the Helmand River in Afghanistans Uruzgan province is receding, making way for local government leaders to decide how to aid more than 600 displaced people. Flooding has washed away livestock, homes and farms, and has left spring crops below water level for a 10-mile stretch of the river.

WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers have killed seven terrorists and seized weapons caches in Iraq, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

WASHINGTON - A new health care plan, with coverage comparable to that enjoyed by federal employees under the Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance plan, will be available to eligible members of the National Guard and Reserve and their families April 25, Defense Department officials announced today at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Full replacement value for lost or damaged items is among several changes taking effect in October as part of a new program called Families First that aims to improve the moving process for military families.

WASHINGTON - The Grand Ole Opry has announced its partnership with the Defense Departments America Supports You program, an ongoing nationwide program to showcase and communicate Americas support to the men and women of the armed forces.

WASHINGTON - Terrorists getting their hands on weapons of mass effect is what the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff calls the nightmare scenario, he told the Navy Leagues SeaAirSpace meeting here March 23.

WASHINGTON - The line to have a compact disc autographed by Chely Wright had started to form well before she arrived at the Henderson Hall exchange here March 22.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - When then-Maj. Kevin Burk arrived here Aug. 31, he was commander of a unit that essentially didnt exist -- no buildings to work in, no equipment or supplies, and no soldiers.

WASHINGTON - Country singer Chely Wright has partnered with the America Supports You program, a Defense Department effort to recognize citizens support for the men and women of the armed forces and to communicate that support to servicemembers at home and abroad.

GUATEMALA CITY - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today the United States is closely watching developments in Kyrgyzstan.

WASHINGTON - An Iraqi citizens tip March 23 led to the arrest of a suspect in an improvised explosive device attack in Dawr.

GUATEMALA CITY - This is a magic moment for Central America, with countries working together to support democracy and economic opportunity across the region, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said at a news conference here today. Rumsfeld arrived in Guatemala late March 23 for talks with Guatemalan leaders.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The Southern European Task Force plans to continue the successful mission of reconstruction and security in Afghanistan that led to the first Afghan presidential election and a rise in stability throughout the area of operations, said the new commander of Combined Joint Task Force 76.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has proposed a program to remodel the defense intelligence capabilities, senior DoD officials said here today. The changes, they said, will mirror what experience in Afghanistan and Iraq has shown works.

ARLINGTON, Virginia - Theyd talked on the telephone and in Internet chat rooms for a few months, but had never met face-to-face until March 22, when nearly 40 young widows of servicemen killed in Iraq and Afghanistan attended a luncheon sponsored by the Gold Star Wives here.

WASHINGTON - As stability and security increase in Afghanistan and Iraq, terrorists will look for other places where they cannot only find sanctuary but also continue to operate, receive supplies and indoctrinate new recruits, the general in charge of coalition forces on the Horn of Africa said here today.

WASHINGTON - After visiting troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey said today he is optimistic about the future of both countries, and that the Army is helping move to Iraq in the right direction.

MANAUS, Brazil - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today it would not bode well for the Western Hemisphere if Venezuela were to receive 100,000 AK-47 rifles from Russia.

BAGHDAD - Keeping the coalition here strong and working together is a lot like maintaining a marriage, the chief of staff for Multinational Force Iraq told the American Forces Press Service.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Marine Sgt. Ocie Lowery said hes confident he and his fellow coalition troops are bringing new opportunity to the Iraqi people.

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Virginia - The faces remind us of what we have lost. Faces of the Fallen, an exhibition that opened March 22 at the Women in Military Service to America Memorial here, features more than 1,300 portraits of servicemen and women who have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

WASHINGTON - People who have hope plant flowers. And Kabul, Afghanistan, will be blooming this spring, according to Mary Jo Myers, wife of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department civilians will soon be paid for productivity rather than longevity, while in future years servicemembers may be required to serve longer tours of duty and spend more time in the military before becoming eligible for retirement.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The year 2005 will prove to be very pivotal in Iraq as the country transitions to a free, representative government with its own police and military forces providing security, according to the chief of staff for Multinational Force Iraq.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Support from their families and the American people is helping U.S. servicemembers here accomplish a very difficult, challenging mission, the chief of staff for Multinational Force Iraq told the American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - The new guidelines for reporting incidents of sexual assault within the military create, for the first time, a departmentwide standard that will both provide victims with the support they need after an incident occurs, and help commanders get to root cause of the problem, the head of the Pentagon joint task force for sexual assault prevention and response said here today.

WASHINGTON - Even though servicemembers at Camp Eggers here are separated from their families by thousands of miles, they still can read to their kids.

WASHINGTON - The Army Reserve and the Army National Guard have raised the age limit for recruits from 34 to 39, Defense Department officials said.

BRASILIA, Brazil - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld arrived here at Brazils capital city today after participating in what he described as excellent discussions with Argentinas minister of defense earlier in the day.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A Kentucky National Guard unit is being credited with responding in textbook fashion during an ambush here March 20, killing 27 insurgents and capturing a sizable weapons cache and valuable intelligence.

WASHINGTON - More weapons caches were discovered in Iraq, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

TIKRIT, Iraq - Members of Iraqs 1st Police Commando Battalion today discovered and attacked an apparent insurgent training facility in southwestern Salah Ad Din province.

TAMPA, Fla. - Country music star Travis Tritt will join the Special Operations Warrior Foundation at an April 24 dinner honoring the special operations servicemembers killed 25 years ago during an ill-fated secret mission planned to rescue American hostages being held in Iran.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Riding through the streets of Mahalla, a crowded neighborhood on Baghdads east side, Army Lt. Col. Jamie Gayton and his soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Divisions 2nd Brigade Troops Battalion are carrying out a quiet mission but one Gayton believes is going a long way toward winning the peace in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - A Marine assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was killed March 21 while conducting security and stability operations in Iraqs Anbar province, military officials in Baghdad reported.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - During the opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Armys 3rd Infantry Division was racing north toward Baghdad, the tip of the spear in the coalitions ground campaign to remove Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein from power.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - With the activation of a new active-duty military police battalion and company here March 21, the Army has moved into a new phase of detention operations -- one that incorporates lessons learned here and elsewhere in the war on terrorism.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld arrived here at the Argentine capital city March 21, kicking off a four-day Latin-American trip.

WASHINGTON - On the second anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedoms shock and awe attacks on Baghdad, the Armys senior logistician today described the challenges and changes involved in keeping todays forces equipped and on the move, compared to past conflicts.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The National Military Academy of Afghanistan graduated its first class of basic training soldiers March 17.

WASHINGTON - Every vehicle that moves into Iraq from Kuwait has the necessary armor protection, according to the Army commander in Kuwait in charge of the militarys movement into and out of Iraq.

KABUL - For the first time in the history of the Afghanistan National Army, an embedded training team will work with its unit from the first day of training.

WASHINGTON - Walk into almost any U.S. military dining facility in the Middle East, and chances are ESPN will be playing somewhere. Now TeamESPN is repaying servicemembers loyalty and has joined with many other companies, organizations and individuals as part of a Defense Department program called America Supports You.

WASHINGTON - Six insurgents were killed March 20 and several more were arrested earlier this week after a spate of attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces, military officials in Baghdad reported.

WASHINGTON - One of the hardest parts of transforming the military is the lack of a clear picture of the challenges it will face, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a recent interview. The transformation of the United States military (today) is to get us ready for whats around the next corner, said Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers. And this is difficult, because we dont know whats around the next corner.

COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom today announced the rollout of a new campaign in support of U.S. military personnel serving overseas. The campaign is being coordinated with the Pentagons program known as America Supports You.

KIRKUSH, Iraq - With the graduation of nearly 1,500 soldiers at the Kirkush Military Training Base on March 20, all 27 battalions of nine brigades in the new Iraqi army are now operational.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. soldier was killed and several suspected terrorists were killed or captured during military operations in Iraq March 20, military officials in Baghdad reported.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - If there was one day during his deployment that Army Master Sgt. Ray Puckett knew that he was making a contribution here, it was when the lights shone in Baghdad on election day, Jan. 30.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said today he believes the American people understand the value of what has been achieved in Iraq, Afghanistan and the global war on terror.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Liberty soldier was killed and three soldiers were wounded when an improvised explosive device detonated near Kirkuk today.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqs interim vice president expressed appreciation today for the support provided to his country through Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began two years ago today, has allowed 25 million people the chance to build lives of freedom, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said during a recent interview.

WASHINGTON - U.S. helicopters and crews rescued more than 200 villagers March 18, after flooding from three days of intense rain stranded them along the Helmand River near Deh Rawod in Afghanistans Uruzgan province.

WASHINGTON - Following tips from police and local citizens, U.S. and coalition forces recovered several caches of weapons in Afghanistan this week. According to Brig. Gen. James Champion, deputy commander of Combined Joint Task Force 76, 43 percent of all weapon caches are turned in by Afghans.

WASHINGTON - Two years ago today, U.S. and coalition forces disarmed a brutal regime, freed the Iraqi people and defended the world from a grave danger, President Bush said today in his weekly radio address.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Baghdad soldier was killed and 51 terrorist suspects were detained in March 18 security operations in Iraq, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two years after the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom, most Iraqi people are relieved to be free of Saddam Hussein, hopeful for their countrys future, but frustrated that progress isnt coming as quickly as theyd like.

FORT HOOD, Texas - I wanted to serve the country and I knew there must be something better than working in the steel mills of my hometown, Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Zettlemoyer said, explaining why he joined the Army.

WASHINGTON - The nations top civilian and military intelligence chiefs outlined the primary threats to U.S. national security in the post 9/11 world, as well as the major obstacles to overcoming them, in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee here March 17.

WASHINGTON - New guidelines for confidential, restricted reporting of sexual assaults in the Defense Department were announced today in a Pentagon briefing.

WASHINGTON - The United States cant win the global war on terrorism all by itself, a senior DoD official noted here today, drawing on conclusions from recent discussions among the departments top policy specialists.

WASHINGTON - Questions popped up on everything from space programs to transformation to recruiting and retention at todays Pentagon town hall meeting.

WASHINGTON - A continued need for modernization and transformation of special operations forces brought that communitys leaders to Capitol Hill March 17 to testify on their portion of the presidents military spending request.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - When coalition forces first arrived here two years ago this month, they found tremendous contrasts in the services the Iraqi people received.

WASHINGTON - On the eve of the two-year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld praised those who have made changes in Iraq and, consequently the Middle East, possible.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and U.S. soldiers conducting patrols throughout Iraq seized and destroyed several weapons caches over the past 48 hours, military officials in Baghdad reported.

WASHINGTON - Saddam Husseins regime was placed in the crosshairs of U.S. foreign policy on Jan. 29, 2002, when President Bush declared in his State of the Union address that Iraq was among an axis of evil group of states that sought weapons of mass destruction and sponsored terrorism.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two years ago today, the clock was ticking on President Bushs ultimatum for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and his sons to leave Iraq within 48 hours. On March 19, 2003, two days after the presidents televised ultimatum, coalition forces launched operations to disarm Iraq.

AMMAN, Jordan - Insurgents target Iraqi police for a reason: The police represent a democratic, free Iraq governed by laws and not the whim of dictators. Thats why the training Iraqi police cadets receive at the International Police Training Center here is so important. The police are Iraqi citizens first line of defense against the terrorists, but the police must have the skills to survive in what is still a battleground.

WASHINGTON - Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Defense Department leaders and U.S. legislators have worked together to increase servicemembers basic pay by more than 21 percent, a senior DoD official told House Armed Services Committee members March 16.

AMMAN, Jordan - Anyone who doubts the capabilities of the Iraqi elite units should see the demonstration they put on at the Counter Terrorism Force range near here. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited the range today as part of a trip through the region.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagons move to change its global footprint will be an enormous undertaking that will be unprecedented, the Defense Departments director of strategy on global posture said here today.

WASHINGTON - New weapons systems and state-of-the-art technology are important parts of the Defense Departments transformation, but the key to the process is the people involved, according to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

WASHINGTON - The Army is adding active, Guard and Reserve recruiters and offering more bonuses to potential enlistees to combat a recruiting environment thats recently turned sluggish, a senior DoD official told the House Armed Services Committee March 16.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two years ago, Army Spc. Leo Bridgewater and his fellow soldiers were preparing for the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the coalitions push toward Baghdad, Iraq. Today, Bridgewater is once again deployed to Iraq -- this time in a stabilization and rebuilding role. He said he couldnt be prouder of whats happening in the country he and his fellow servicemembers helped free from 35 years of repression under Saddam Hussein.

WASHINGTON - The global war on terror has created a new paradigm for the nations National Guard and Army Reserve warriors, the Defense Departments senior reserve official said here today. No longer a strategic reserve, todays Guard and Reserve are true operational forces that are making a critical difference in Iraq and other places around the world, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs Thomas Hall said.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff met here with his Saudi counterparts to discuss mutual issues March 16.

WASHINGTON - Ongoing Defense Department transformation initiatives are designed to relieve force stress without increasing the number of military forces, a senior defense official noted to House Armed Services Committee members March 16.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon leaders charged with protecting the country against a ballistic missile attack asked Congress March 15 for $7.8 billion to sustain development of the nations first missile defense system through fiscal 2006.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi Police Service graduated 144 new police officers from the Al Kut Regional Training Academy on March 16.

WASHINGTON - Task Force Liberty soldiers rescued a hostage and detained two Iraqi men during a raid near Bayji, Iraq, late March 16.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces treated more than a dozen Afghans wounded this morning in a bombing in Kandahar that killed five and injured up to 40 people.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Mention Abu Ghraib, and the last thing thats likely to come to mind is the thought of winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqis especially detainees at the complex. But thats exactly what Army Lt. Col. Christian Macedonia believes he and his fellow soldiers are doing every day as they provide what he calls top-notch medical care to more than 9,000 detainees at the complex.

WASHINGTON - Citing the final report of the 9/11 Commission, DoDs top homeland defense official cautioned a House subcommittee March 15 that America can be attacked in many ways and has many vulnerabilities. No defenses are perfect.

WASHINGTON - President Bush issued assurances today during a news conference here that the coalition in Iraq is not crumbling. Quite the contrary, he said, I think the coalition has been buoyed by the courage of the Iraqi people.

WASHINGTON - Troops in Michigan will have no doubt that they and their families are appreciated, and it all started with a girls poem and soft spot for the military.

WASHINGTON - Risk management must guide decisions on preventing, responding to and recovering from terrorist attacks, the new homeland security secretary said here today.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers who lost limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan often are awestruck and spellbound when they visit Walter Reed Army Medical Centers physical therapy rehabilitation center here and see other amputees jumping, running, biking, swimming and ambling around on high-tech prosthetic legs.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz is President Bushs choice to head the World Bank, the president said here today.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Baghdad soldier died March 15 when an improvised explosive device detonated near a military patrol, military officials in Baghdad, Iraq, reported.

WASHINGTON - President Bush nominated eight people March 15 to serve on 2005s Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission. Their names go to Capitol Hill for Senate confirmation.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Vitality and optimism are the most striking changes in todays Afghanistan, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

WASHINGTON - More than 70 more tests in and around the Pentagon have failed to turn up any evidence of anthrax contamination since the initial positive test March 14, DoDs top doctor said today.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Voting Assistance Program is accepting entries until July 10 for its latest slogan contest.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Assessing progress on the eve of the second anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom, U.S. Central Command officials agreed that four components are vital to continued success in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials are working to collect an estimated 8,000 pieces of mail that passed through the buildings mail-processing facility between March 10 and 14.

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan - Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Afghanistan today to meet with the coalition troops who are training the Afghan National Army. Myers also met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Army Lt. Gen. David Barno, the commander of Combined Forces Command Afghanistan.

RHEIN-MAIN AIR BASE, Germany - Following a two-week rest-and-recuperation leave spent catching up with family, his girlfriend and the latest movies and eating his fill of chicken teriyaki, Army Spc. James Newton is headed back to Iraq to continue his deployment. Im ready to go back and finish it up, said the 19-year-old Pulaski, Va., native.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Just days before the second anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the coalition supporting the operation is probably healthier and stronger than any other international coalition, according to the deputy chief of coalition operations for U.S. Central Command.

WASHINGTON - A Marine assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was killed in action March 14 while conducting security and stability operations in the Iraqs Anbar province, military officials in Baghdad announced.

WASHINGTON - Local officials shut down three buildings leased by the Defense Department in suburban Virginia after a biological-agent detection system sounded an alarm in one of the buildings March 14. This alarm came just hours after a mail-handling facility in a Pentagon outbuilding was shut down because of a similar incident.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters traveling with him that following a visit with American and Iraqi leaders, he believes the trend lines in the country are up and that we are on track with our work.

WASHINGTON - Country singer Craig Morgan said that his performances overseas to support the troops serve a couple of purposes: to catch up with old friends and make sure the troops know people care.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Enabling Iraqi forces to conduct independent counterinsurgency operations is now the goal of coalition forces in Iraq, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said here today.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi security forces are taking the fight to the enemy and will need to work to sustain their momentum, the U.S. Army general responsible for training the Iraqis said here today.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials confirmed that a positive test for the presence of anthrax bacteria during routine mail operations today led to the evacuation of a Pentagon outbuilding. However, officials stressed, subsequent tests have been negative.

WASHINGTON - Looking back on a year of successful operations performed by his soldiers in Afghanistan, the commander of the 25th Infantry Division attributed their success to the training they received before deploying.

TIKRIT, Iraq - "The scene would have been unremarkable at any training base in the U.S. military: A group was learning squad tactics, and drill sergeants were standing by correcting them as needed. What made it remarkable was they were Iraqi soldiers and Iraqi drill sergeants. Whats more, they were doing it in Saddam Husseins hometown as part of the new Iraqi armys 4th Division.

WASHINGTON - Hazardous materials teams from the Pentagon and Arlington County, Va., are investigating an alarm that indicated the possible presence of chemical or biological agents in the facility that handles the Pentagons mail.

AUSTIN, Texas - "Though the fear of losing jobs and revenue grips nearby cities and towns when the Defense Department decides to close a military installation, the bad news can be made good. Such was the case when Bergstrom Air Force Base here closed in 1993, its fate sealed by the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure process.

WASHINGTON - The general who led Combined Joint Task Force 76 in Afghanistan for the past year reflected on his units accomplishments and challenges, even as he prepared to transfer authority to incoming forces on March 15.

WASHINGTON - Christina Finn remembered well what it was like when her husband returned from Vietnam. He and his fellow soldiers, she said, received no recognition, honor or praise. She didnt want that to happen to these new heroes. Christina said she wanted them to know just how much America admires their courage and appreciates their willingness to defend freedom.

WASHINGTON - Multinational forces announced March 12 that Iraqi highway patrol officers in Dhi Qar recently thwarted a kidnapping and, in two separate incidents, captured hijackers in Dhi Qar and Basra.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in western Afghanistan have been working to stabilize the region, support the Afghan governments priorities, and prepare for the upcoming International Security Assistance Force expansion, the coalitions military leader in the region said today.

WASHINGTON - Iraq faces a very tough political road now that national elections are over, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today.

CAIRO, Egypt - Jointness is the way ahead, but that doesnt mean the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps are going to merge into some national joint force, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

CAIRO, Egypt - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today thanked servicemembers here for the work they are doing to help cement ties between the United States and Egypt.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - On the heels of International Women's Day March 8, Afghanistans deputy minister of women's affairs visited two villages in the eastern part of the country to take part in women's shuras.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Embassy officials in Baghdad, Iraq, confirmed today that two American contractors were killed March 12 when an improvised explosive device exploded next to their vehicle on the road to Hilla.

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. Marines were wounded March 12 in an ambush by anti-coalition militia while conducting routine security patrols north of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border.

CAIRO, Egypt - Egyptian support for the global war on terrorism has been crucial. During a visit here, the U.S. militarys top officer is thanking Egypts government for its help.

WASHINGTON - One soldier assigned to 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was killed in a non-hostile accident March 11, while conducting security and stability operations in Iraqs Anbar province.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers from Combined Joint Task Force 76 recovered several weapons caches in Afghanistan over two days during the past week. Some of the caches were turned in by local Afghans.

WASHINGTON - The first shipment of Ford Ranger light tactical vehicles for the Afghan National Army recently arrived at the supply depot in Kabul, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Army is using a variety of programs and incentives to help attract more young men and women into its ranks, according to Curtis Gilroy, DoDs director of accession policy.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The feeling is really great, Ive waited for this a long time, U.S. Army Spc. Arafat Khaskheli, 28, of Fort Hood, Texas, said today as he and dozens more servicemembers took an oath of allegiance to the United States and became U.S. citizens during a ceremonies at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

WASHINGTON - The Armed Services YMCA and the U.S. Navy Museum invited about 30 students from the Fort Belvoir (Va.) Elementary School to the museum at Washingtons Navy Yard today to learn the history of the Navy and to work on their 2005 ASYMCA art and essay contest entries.

WASHINGTON - As the nature of the threats against the United States changes, so must defense strategies. That means a new posture for the U.S. European Command, the chief of that organization said.

WASHINGTON - Despite headlines to the contrary, theres no crisis in the militarys recruiting efforts, the Pentagons director of accession policy told American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - Iraqs Jan. 30 elections gave a huge boost to the confidence and reputation of the countrys new security forces, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Congress March 10.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Like anybody else, Ive had bad and positive things happen to me in the military, but I always look at the brighter side of things, said Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacqueline Borrero.

ARLINGTON, Virginia - Military members overseas will not suffer from higher currency exchange rates at military banks, officials said, because allowances increase to offset the higher rate.

SAMARRA, Iraq - In the days since Iraqi forces rolled in to sweep out insurgents, citizens here are showing support for the operation by streaming to local checkpoints to personally deliver information to help the mission along.

WASHINGTON - The war against terrorism has already greatly transformed the U.S. military, the Pentagons top civilian and military leaders said here March 10, adding that the force is now better able to protect the country.

WASHINGTON - While troops stationed in the National Capital Region are a good distance from Iraq geographically, the war there is right in front of Washington-based soldiers helping to receive wounded troops at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Soldiers from the 12th Battalion, 4th Brigade, of the Iraqi army conducted cordon-and-search operations in Ninevah province this week, detaining 28 suspects, seizing 30 weapons and confiscating insurgent propaganda.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Army is minimizing the risks involved in delivering supplies to soldiers in Iraq through a joint operation that includes soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum, N.Y., and a platoon of Estonian infantrymen.

WASHINGTON - The Army and DoD have made significant improvements in doctrine and training, policy and force structure in areas that deal with processing, confining and interrogating detainees, several defense and military officials said today.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld hosted a meeting with French Defense Minister Michelle Alliot-Marie today at the Pentagon, the third in as many months.

NATICK, Mass. - With three successive swings of gold-painted sledgehammers, the $4.6 million Department of Defense Combat Feeding Directorate food laboratory expansion project officially began during a ceremony March 7.

WASHINGTON - As the next round of base realignment and closure looms on the horizon, the Office of Economic Adjustment stands ready to assist affected communities.

WASHINGTON - A Pennsylvania university is putting its values and money to work for the sons and daughters of servicemembers who make the ultimate sacrifice.

WASHINGTON - The latest review of detention operations has found no policy that considered or condoned torture, said the officer appointed to lead the investigation.

WASHINGTON - Since allegations of detainee mistreatment have surfaced, the Defense Department and the military services have conducted 10 major reviews, assessments and investigations, producing more than 500 specific recommendations for improving detention operations. Many of those recommendations already have been implemented.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The government of India turned over the keys to 50 4-and-a-half-ton trucks donated to Afghanistan in a recent ceremony at the Afghan National Armys 1st Brigade, 201st Corps, motor pool at the Presidential Palace here. The new trucks are the latest installment of vehicles donated by the Indian government to the rebuilding of Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Illinois led the charge last year when it began letting taxpayers check a box on their state tax returns to donate their tax refunds to families of deployed guardsmen and reservists.

SAMARRA, Iraq - U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Billie Lowell and Marine Capt. Steve Monsour are spending several days working with Iraqi security forces as they clear the city of Samarra, Iraq, and its surrounding villages of terrorists and insurgents.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Since enlisting in April 1991, Sgt. 1st Class David J. Schumacher, a platoon sergeant with B Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, has been with the Golden Dragons, one of the most deployed battalions in one of the most deployed divisions. In fact, the last time 2-14 Infantry deployed without Schumacher was to Vietnam in 1967.

WASHINGTON - Maybe his command shouldnt be called U.S. European Command, but rather U.S. European and African Command, Marine Gen. James L. Jones said in an interview here March 8.

WASHINGTON - Transformation dominated testimony from Pacific area unified commanders to the Senate Armed Services Committee today.

WASHINGTON - In Iraq, getting military leaders at the level above battalion has been a problem, but the coalition and NATO are addressing the challenge.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military footprint in Europe is changing as radically as the capabilities of American forces, the NATOs supreme allied commander Europe said in an interview today.

WASHINGTON - Efforts to help the Iraqi people transition to a constitutionally elected government by the end of 2005 are on track, insurgents are failing in their efforts to break the will of the Iraqi people, and Iraqi security forces are doing a magnificent job, said Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. today.

WASHINGTON - Though the four war crimes cases before the military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are on hold pending the outcome of a federal court decision, prosecutors, defense teams and other officials are still hard at work behind the scenes to ensure the process runs smoothly.

WASHINGTON - American servicemembers are undertaking difficult missions in some of the most dangerous and desolate parts of the world in support of the war on terror, their commander in chief said today.

WASHINGTON - The United States is not alone in the war on terror, and America is more secure today because dozens of other countries have stepped up to the fight, the commander in chief said at the National Defense University at Fort McNair here today.

WASHINGTON - America is pursuing a clear strategy with its allies to win the war on terror and is making progress in helping ensure long-term peace and stability, President Bush said at the National Defense University at Fort McNair here today.

WASHINGTON - Task Force Liberty soldiers killed two terrorists, wounded one and detained five after a terrorist attack near Dujayal in Salah Ad Din province March 7, Multinational Force Iraq reported today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Peter Vangjel will lead a Multinational Corps Iraq team to investigate the March 4 incident on a Baghdad road that left Italian security specialist Nicola Calipari dead and Italian journalist Guiliana Sgrena wounded, Multinational Force Iraq announced today.

WASHINGTON - Close cooperation and the time-honored tradition of frank communication is central to the security of the United States and other freedom-loving nations, Michael Bolton, prospective U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said here March 7.

WASHINGTON - Senate committee members acknowledged their March 7 witness wasn't the Michael Jackson in the headlines. And they knew that what this Jackson had to say would be critical to the nations long-term security.

HERAT, Afghanistan - In the months ahead, the Blue Mosque Preservation Center will help former combatants lay down their weapons to become productive members of Afghan society.

WASHINGTON - Violent contacts between coalition forces and enemy fighters in Afghanistan are declining in number, a senior commander of forces there said today. Over the past year, the number of areas where the Afghan central government and international organizations classify or describe the environment as insecure has gone down dramatically, said Army Maj. Gen. Eric T. Olson, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 76, at a news conference in Kabul.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagons inspector general has let contracts that will help the department track its money, IG officials said.

WASHINGTON - New York City-based Girl Scouts are marching across Gotham, selling boxes of their famed cookies earmarked for overseas troops. The cookie-sales initiative, which began Nov. 11, is part of the Girl Scouts annual Gift of Caring community service project.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Never lose a soldier. No one dies on your bird. This is the motto of the 50th Medical Evacuation Company of the 101st Airborne Division, deployed from Fort Campbell, Ky. Almost every day since its arrival here in November 2004, the company has been challenged to live by that motto.

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials have placed the highest emphasis on training Iraqi local forces to take over security in their country. Specialists from around the world are working to train soldiers and police in Iraq. And it is paying off, officials said.

SAMARRA, Iraq - Iraqi security forces have netted 54 suspected insurgents, several vehicles, a weapons cache with 37 large mortar and artillery rounds, and an assortment of rifles and rocket launchers in the first three days of an anti-insurgent operation.

WASHINGTON - U.S. national security officials hope an upcoming hearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals will resolve issues concerning detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after two District of Columbia District Court judges issued opposing rulings in January.

WASHINGTON - Two new reports outline the challenges ahead as the United States supports Afghanistan President Hamid Karzais crackdown on illegal drug production, which threatens the countrys long-term stability.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Liberty raid was responsible for the capture of a suspected improvised-explosive-device maker in Jisr Naft in Iraqs Diyala province March 5, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Five U.S. soldiers and one Bulgarian soldier were killed in Iraq March 4, according to Multinational Force Iraq officials.

WASHINGTON - The number of weapons and munitions caches turned in to coalition forces increased nearly 100 percent between February 2004 and February 2005, U.S. military officials in Afghanistan reported today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has joined forces with national agencies to help Guard and Reserve families in finding and affording child care while Mom or Dad is deployed in support of the global war on terrorism.

WASHINGTON - Detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are being held for reasons of national security and military necessity, not because theyre being punished, a top DoD lawyer explained here March 3.

WASHINGTON - Terrorist attacks have hampered the reconstruction process in Iraq, but officials there said today that work to rebuild the country continues.

WASHINGTON - Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena was injured today when coalition forces fired on a vehicle that was approaching a checkpoint in Baghdad at high speed, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced in a written statement.

WASHINGTON - The Armys senior civilian vowed to push efforts to resolve soldiers pay issues during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing March 3.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi soldiers armed with metal detectors discovered three weapons caches buried in a village just south of Taji during a recent search that also netted three suspected insurgents one of whom is on the local most wanted list.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - There's a bearded man with close-cropped hair sitting shackled in a nondescript small room is brightly lit and appears spotlessly clean. A table in the corner is empty, except for a few bottles of water. Another individual pulls up another chair directly in front of the detainee, and for at least 20 minutes the two men appear to speak casually.

KARSHI-KHANABAD AIR BASE, Uzbekistan - Covering the bicep on their left arm is an arm brassard emblazoned with two letters: MP. In the 13th Military Police Detachment here, more than 50 people patrol the bases perimeter areas, guard entry control points and ensure deployed personnel obey the law.

WASHINGTON - As members of Congress heard passionate stories here March 3 of how a National Guard youth program is changing lives, lawmakers across the street were debating whether to provide funding that would keep the program alive. Across the country, the National Guards Youth ChalleNGe programs, which started in 1993 to help high school dropouts attain equivalency diplomas and job skills, is hoping to expand -- but it needs more funding to do so.

KEY WEST, Fla. - Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk returns home March 11, a little heavier than when it left Key West two and a half months ago. Along with its 100-person crew, Mohawk carries 37 bales of cocaine weighing more than 2,600 pounds with a street value of nearly $25 million - from an at-sea drug interdiction.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai appointed the countrys first woman governor March 3, coincidentally, during the opening days of Womens History Month. Karzai named Habiba Sarobi, former minister of womens affairs in the transitional government, as governor of the central province of Bamiyan, according to news reports.

WASHINGTON - Though he came from a stable family background in Brooklyn, N.Y., former National Basketball Association star and current talk show host John Salley, who serves as a national spokesperson for the National Guards Youth ChalleNGe program, explained why he relates to what many at-risk youth go through.

WASHINGTON - The global war on terror has increased the operational tempo among special operations forces greatly, and said Thomas W. OConnell, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, we dont see any decrease on the horizon.

WASHINGTON - The Army is a particularly stressed force and officials are studying ways to increase recruiting, Pentagon spokesman Larry Di Rita said here today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and NATO missions around the world and optimism for the future of freedom in Iraq were among the topics discussed today in a radio interview by the top U.S. military officer in Europe.

WASHINGTON - Four servicemembers and four senior service officials testified today before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on military personnel on the state of medical care for wounded servicemembers throughout the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - American and Iraqi troops, as well as a detachment of Scottish Guards, nabbed scores of suspected terrorists and weaponry during a series of actions across Iraq March 2 and today, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Before the war on terrorism, the Navy maintained enough sailors at this remote base to keep the lights on, the bases commander said. Three years later, the population has quadrupled and construction is booming.

WASHINGTON - "In the typical glare of publicity that surrounds professional athletes and presidents, baseballs world champion Boston Red Sox were President Bushs guests March 2 at the White House. But before heading back to spring training in Florida, the team visited wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi Police Service graduated 292 police officers from advanced and specialty courses at the Adnan Training Facility here today as part of the Iraqi governments ongoing effort to train its security forces.

WASHINGTON - Michael Chertoff took the oath of office here today as the nations second secretary of homeland security, succeeding Tom Ridge in the newest Cabinet post.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers fighting the war on terror are surviving what normally would be fatal injuries due to improved protective gear, better-trained combat medics and quicker evacuation procedures, according to a doctor who has been to the front line three times.

WASHINGTON - A new incentive package is expected to help the military better compete against other federal agencies and the private sector for skills possessed by special operations forces, according to DoDs top official on special operations and low-intensity conflict.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers and their families will have an opportunity to compete in a 3-on-3 single-elimination basketball tournament at 14 military installations this spring, beginning March 5 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

WASHINGTON - A new State Department report hails human rights advances in Iraq since the coalition toppled the repressive Saddam Hussein regime in 2003

WASHINGTON - This year will likely be a momentous one for U.S. and coalition efforts in confronting extremism in the Middle East region, Army Gen. John P. Abizaid told the House Armed Services Committee today

WASHINGTON - "In an unprecedented expansion of its traditional client base, the Department of Veterans Affairs is offering grief counseling to families of servicemembers who die while on active duty.

WASHINGTON - Thirteen improvised explosive devices, five mortar attacks, and one car bomb -- thats the scorecard of Army Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Sandels tour in Iraq.

FORT HOOD, Texas - Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Tommy Melson, 4003rd Garrison Support Unit, had wanted to join the Army when he was a teenager. After college and the corporate world, he made his move, and has been soldiering since.

WASHINGTON - Putting Army restructuring in the emergency supplemental request for fiscal 2005, makes perfect sense, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told the Senate Budget Committee today. He said beginning in fiscal 2007, DoD will place restructuring in the budget request, but it was important to begin the process as soon as possible.

WASHINGTON - No country in the Middle East region should harbor terrorists, Army Gen. John P. Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, asserted during testimony on Capitol Hill today.

WASHINGTON - The introduction of NATOs response force in 2006 will transform the alliance and help it to better confront 21st century challenges, the U.S. militarys top officer in Europe told a Senate panel today on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON - Whether they are performing civil affairs, reconnaissance, unconventional warfare or direct-action missions, special operations forces are uniquely suited for todays low-intensity conflicts, Army Gen. Bryan D. Brown, who heads U.S. Special Operations Command, said before the Senate Armed Services Committee today.

WASHINGTON - "The results of Americas dedication can be seen in Iraq and Afghanistan, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told the Senate Budget Committee here today. Those who doubted that Muslim countries could embrace democracy have been proven wrong in those countries. Wolfowitz, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Tina Jonas, the defense comptroller, testified before the panel.

WASHINGTON - About 100 family members from as far away as California gathered at Arlington National Cemetery here on Feb. 27 to remember the more than 400 Americans who lost their lives during the Gulf War and Operation Provide Comfort.

WASHINGTON - Iraq's new court system is moving forward on prosecuting five men charged with mass executions following an attempt on former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's life in 1982.

WASHINGTON - Afghan citizens led coalition troops to two improvised explosive devices recently, one that was found alongside a road as Afghan National Army and coalition forces were returning from a medical humanitarian mission Feb. 26.

WASHINGTON - A second U.S. soldier has died from injuries suffered in a vehicle accident Feb. 28, military officials in Baghdad, Iraq, reported today.