COAST GUARD TRAINING CENTER YORKTOWN, Virginia - A group of civic leaders touring stateside military bases paid a visit here April 29 to learn firsthand about the U.S. Coast Guard and its mission.

WASHINGTON - Task Force Liberty soldiers used an unmanned aerial vehicle this morning to help track and detain two individuals who shot at coalition Forces encamped in Hawija, Iraq. Elsewhere, insurgents killed an American soldier in an attack in Khaladiyah today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. servicemembers' dedication was the universal impression carried home this week by a group of radio personalities following a weeklong visit with soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines serving on the front in the global war on terror.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - An air strike April 29 against an insurgent camp in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan, resulted in the deaths of four anti-coalition militants and three civilians, coalition officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - The "remodeling of defense intelligence" is an ongoing, adaptive effort, a top defense intelligence official told the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 28.

WASHINGTON - The United States and Vietnam are helping heal wounds left by the war that ended 30 years ago by working together to determine the fate of missing servicemembers in Vietnam, including 1,800 from the United States.

WASHINGTON - Thirty years ago tomorrow, the last U.S. helicopter lifted off the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, South Vietnam, marking the official end of the Vietnam War.

WASHINGTON - Departing Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz leaves DoD "with the good fortune of seeing so much ... being accomplished" that he helped set in motion, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today.

WASHINGTON - Several car bombs have rocked Baghdad, Iraq, today, and elsewhere another car bomb killed a U.S. soldier.

WASHINGTON - Two Afghans wounded during an ambush by insurgent forces near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on April 26 continue recovery in a U.S. hospital at Bagram Air Base.

WASHINGTON - President Bush said the Iraqi people are making good progress in creating a democracy in the nation and said that as the democracy takes root, more people will see the benefits. He spoke during a White House press conference April 28. The president also spoke about North Korea.

WASHINGTON - Two superheroes came to the Pentagon today to show that they care about the military. Well, America's kids care too.

WASHINGTON - General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower helped build and run the coalition that defeated Nazi Germany. Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens thinks that Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers compares favorably with Ike.

WASHINGTON - Message to U.S. troops: Spiderman and Captain America Support You. And the two Marvel Comics superheroes came to the Pentagon today to prove it.

WASHINGTON - Several federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, have partnered to assist severely injured servicemembers and their families, the deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy said today to the nation's state officials.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers of the 155th Brigade Combat Team provided medical assistance to Iraqi victims of terrorist violence today.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense understands that the nature of the volunteer force has changed, the head of DoD's personnel and readiness organization told state officials today.

WASHINGTON - Your could hear a pin drop as Marine Gen. Peter Pace told cadets at the U.S. Military Academy here about his experiences during the Vietnam War.

WASHINGTON - As a slide show of her husband and children flashed across the screen, a tearful Riikka Jacobsen, told stories of the family's happier times together.

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. - For one day at least, the 54 civilian leaders became members of the one of the nation's most elite corps of military men and women - the United States Marine Corps.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials are requesting that Congress give the department permission to experiment with some changes to officer personnel management.

WASHINGTON - President Bush unveiled a plan today to encourage building oil refineries on military sites that have closed.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld asked Congress today to approve the fiscal 2005 supplemental funding request quickly. The $81.9 billion request will fund the military through Sept. 30, 2005.

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - Moody Air Force Base, home of the 347th Rescue Wing and the only active duty combat-search-and-rescue wing in the U.S. Air Force, pulled out all stops April 26 for a visiting group of civic leaders.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of Reserve and Guard servicemembers can now qualify to purchase more healthcare coverage for themselves and their families under a new Tricare program that began April 26.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. soldier was killed in Afghanistan April 26 when insurgents ambushed his unit on patrol near Deh Rawood, in Uruzgan province.

WASHINGTON - The Freedom Calls Foundation will provide free videoconferencing for servicemembers and their families over Mother's Day weekend, May 7-8.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said U.S. servicemembers today are fighting for the same ideals and rights their grandfathers did during World War II.

WASHINGTON - The highest-ranking military official in the United States said today the coalition is "definitely winning" against insurgents in Iraq. Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers said all the trend lines in Iraq show progress. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke during a Pentagon press briefing along with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

WASHINGTON - Through the goodwill and generosity of thousands of people with unused frequent flyer miles and U.S. airlines, the Fisher House Foundation has given out nearly 3,000 free airline tickets to war-wounded servicemembers and their families since the giveaway program started in January 2004.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. soldier in Iraq died today after sustaining injuries in a vehicle accident near Muqdadiyah, while another was killed April 25 on patrol in northwest Baghdad by an improvised explosive device.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will continue to fight terrorist extremists, but the war on terrorism will be won by moderate Muslim leaders like those currently serving in Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told civic and community leaders April 25.

WASHINGTON - It's important for the momentum in Iraq's political process to continue as the country forms its new government, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters during an April 25 briefing in Crawford, Texas.

WASHINGTON - Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers challenged 54 civilian business, academic and local-government leaders to "get to know the men and women of America's armed forces and learn how the military works."

WASHINGTON - America today honored eight American servicemen who died trying to rescue American hostages in Iran 25 years ago.

CAMP LOYALTY, Iraq - The sound of cranking ratchets, rumbling engines and shrieking timing belts can often be heard in one spot on Camp Loyalty.

WASHINGTON - Zacarias Moussaouis guilty plea last week in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and his admission that he was training for a separate, post-9/11 attack on the White House, reveal a chilling truth about al Qaeda, the new homeland security secretary said today.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - The United States and Canada enjoy a strong relationship that dates back to World War II, but it must become even stronger as the two countries continue the global war on terror, Canadas top military official said here this month.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured 18 suspected terrorists during a search-and-seizure operation conducted April 22-24 in Babil province, Iraq. Elsewhere, a security detainee died at a U.S. military hospital.

WASHINGTON - With the war on terror putting ever-increasing demands on special operations forces, U.S. Special Operations Command is boosting its manpower and increasing its support to theater commands and geographic commanders.

WASHINGTON - Improvised explosive devices claimed the lives of three servicemembers during weekend violence in Iraq, military officials in Baghdad reported.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers all over the world, especially those in Iraq and Afghanistan, got a big show of support from the country music capital of the world April 23 when Grand Ole Opry faithful stood with postcards and shouted on the count of three before television cameras: America Supports You!

WASHINGTON - Insurgents using roadside bombs and hidden mines in Afghanistan are injuring and killing innocent citizens and children, military officials said during a news briefing in the countrys capital, Kabul, today.

WASHINGTON - An Iraqi civilian helped Task Force Baghdad soldiers find and apprehend six terrorists suspected of shooting down a civilian Mi-8 helicopter April 21, coalition officials in Baghdad, Iraq, announced today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today urged Congress for its support of the $81.9 billion supplemental funding request for troops fighting the war on terror.

HERAT, Afghanistan - Officers from the Transitional Afghan Border Security Force, along with a small contingent of coalition forces, seized 479 kilograms (1,054 pounds) of heroin along Afghanistans northwestern border April 17.

WASHINGTON - There are more than 155,000 trained and equipped members of the Iraqi security forces, and trends are clearly positive, a senior defense official said during a Pentagon background briefing today.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. militarys task to supply troops serving in Iraq over the past year was one of the most complex and challenging missions in our history, a senior Army general told Senate members here April 20.

WASHINGTON - Humans, by nature, are social creatures. People have a primordial need to communicate, especially with loved ones.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Coast Guard has evolved to confront 21st-century security threats to the nation while continuing to perform more traditional duties, the organizations commandant said here April 21.

WASHINGTON - Rising medical costs and the expansion of health benefits for retirees, Guardsmen and Reservists, and their families, are putting a strain on the military health care system, Defense Department health and personnel officials told members of Congress April 21.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today nominated Gen. Peter Pace as the first Marine to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Pace is currently the vice chairman.

PRISTINA, Serbia and Montenegro - As the last note of music ended, screams and laughter suddenly interrupted the brief moment of silence. Air Force Maj. Brian Benson quickly sat down, but slid off the edge of his seat in favor of a young girl eager to remain in the game of musical chairs.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - An Afghan boy whose father received treatment from a visiting U.S. military medical team last week turned a cache of ammunition and drugs over to coalition forces April 21.

WASHINGTON - Recent surveys show most people contributing to DoD-sponsored thrift savings accounts shun riskier investment options and arent getting maximum returns to build bigger retirement nest eggs, a DoD thrift savings plan specialist said here April 20.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers in remote locations may be wondering how they're going to get even a simple Mother's Day card to dear old Mom this year.

WASHINGTON - It's difficult to know whether the uptick in attacks on Iraqi and coalition targets in Iraq is a trend or an aberration, said Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita today.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense is not only meeting the challenges of environmental stewardship but continues to be a leader in every aspect of environmental management, officials said recently.

WASHINGTON - When Marine Gen. Peter Pace graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy 38 years ago, the nation was at war. During a speech to the midshipmen of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, at Kings Point, N.Y., the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke to young men and women in similar circumstances: the nation is at war and they are facing careers as military leaders.

WASHINGTON - The Armys 3rd Corps commander saluted the performance of his troops deployed in Iraq over the past year during prepared remarks given April 20 on Capitol Hill.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - More than a dozen insurgents were killed April 19 as coalition helicopters, aircraft and artillery responded to a rocket attack at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Marie Jordan Speer, 83, is the epitome of perpetual motion when it comes to the Gold Star Wives, the organization she created six decades ago to help widows of servicemen killed in combat during World War II.

WASHINGTON - In January, President Bush returned for a second term in office. And April 20, during a ceremony at the White House, Navy football coach Paul Johnson returned with his midshipmen team to accept the Commander in Chief Trophy for the second straight year.

WASHINGTON - A new Army military occupational specialty, 09L, is the latest weapon in the nations arsenal in the global war on terror -- and its working, Army officials said April 20.

WASHINGTON - Funding for recruiting, retention and equipment were among the items National Guard leaders today brought before a Senate subcommittee examining budget requests today.

WASHINGTON - Three soldiers wounded in Iraq sparked new legislation to provide low-cost traumatic injury insurance for members of Americas armed forces. The legislation was announced April 19 at a Capitol Hill press conference by its sponsor, Idaho Sen. Larry Craig.

KABUL, Afghanistan - For the first time since the Office of Military Cooperation Afghanistan assumed its mission to reconstruct Afghanistans security and defense sectors, an officer from the Afghan National Army has been assigned liaison duties to work with his U.S. and coalition counterparts at OMCA headquarters.

WASHINGTON - Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers was named the Kansan of the Year by the Kansas Society of Washington, D.C., April 19. He follows in the steps of such distinguished Kansans as Sen. Robert Dole, Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer George Brett, Washington Redskins running back John Riggins, and TV broadcaster Jim Lehrer.

WASHINGTON - Californians Grant Bjorn and Robert C. Pfeiler are kicking off their American Heroes Tribute on April 24 to bring the country together in support of fallen servicemembers and the families theyve left behind.

WASHINGTON - Freedom is on the march, but it is never guaranteed, President Bushs nominee for deputy defense secretary told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee April 19.

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan - Sporting hard hats, goggles, earplugs and assorted power tools, members of the Army Reserve's 807th Signal Company, from Puerto Rico, have hit the ground running in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Adm. Michael Mullen told the Senate Armed Services Committee that if he is confirmed as the next chief of naval operations, he will fight for the sailors who are doing so much for freedom around the world.

BETHESDA, Md. - Myron Ricketts believed his doctor was telling him to get his will in order because his days on Earth were short. He had just been diagnosed with a precancerous condition called Barretts esophagus and low-grade dysplasia, which is caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.

BETHESDA, Md. - A Navy doctor at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., has found a way to eliminate pain and suffering and save the lives of patients with Barretts esophagus and other deadly esophageal diseases without performing the major surgery that has been the normal recourse.

WASHINGTON - The Severely Injured Joint Support Operations Center was created to ensure servicemembers get the care they deserve and to fill the gaps and seams that may exist in individual service programs, a senior DoD official told the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee today.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - As the young engineer unzips his bag and removes his mine detector, he surveys the sandy, wind-swept hills he is about to clear. Before him sit bunkers, trenches and piles of junk -- all potential spots to hide mines or improvised explosive devices.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Doom and gloom describes how residents of this city felt when the Pentagon decided to close the Charleston Naval Complex in 1993. Jack C. Sprott, executive director of the Charleston Naval Complex Redevelopment Authority, said this assessment was understandable.

WASHINGTON - Chris Greta launched HeroBracelets.org as a way to pay respect to fallen servicemembers and to raise funds for the families left behind.

WASHINGTON - American troops in Iraq today fought off an insurgent improvised-explosive-device assault. In other news, a detainee who was being held at Camp Bucca apparently died of natural causes.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Lt. Col. Mike DeGreef, commander of the 22nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, has carried a small copy of a picture his daughter Alyssa drew of herself since he was deployed here from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., in February.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq are welcoming the deployment of 450 more Australian military personnel. These are great soldiers, said a U.S. official in Baghdad, Iraq. The new Australian contingent will bring the number of Aussies in country up to 1,370, officials at the Australian embassy here said.

WASHINGTON - The Tripartite Commission, composed of senior military and diplomatic representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States, held its 10th meeting in Rawalpindi, Pakistan today.

WASHINGTON - Afghan citizens, police and soldiers turned in three caches of munitions at separate locations near Bagram April 17. Together, the caches contained more than 400 mortars, 75 artillery rounds, 31 rockets, 10 rocket-propelled grenades, nine hand grenades, and hundreds of small-arms rounds.

WASHINGTON - Blowing the whistle on waste, fraud and abuse at work seems like the last thing workers would do if they wanted to keep their jobs and advance their careers. But thats exactly what servicemembers and federal civilian employees are required by executive order to do, and the Office of Inspector General has bolstered protections offered to ensure they dont suffer reprisals on the job as a result.

WASHINGTON - When it comes to buying prepaid phone cards to call home from Iraq or Afghanistan, not all cards are alike. Friends and loved ones who purchase prepaid cards at supermarkets, gas stations or warehouse stores may think theyre sending deployed troops a big stockpile of calling minutes. But thats often not the case.

WASHINGTON - Anyone -- including servicemembers -- carrying lighters will be required to surrender them at U.S. airport security checkpoints before boarding aircraft under a new federal law that became effective April 14, Transportation Security Administration officials said.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. soldier died April 17 from wounds received when an improvised explosive devise detonated south of Baghdad, Iraq. A second soldier was injured during the same attack.

WASHINGTON - Despite the tremendous advances in military hardware and technology on display in the global war on terror, there are still some capabilities only humans can provide. That was the thinking behind a new initiative to improve foreign language and cultural expertise at the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - Crudely assembled and easy to make, improvised explosive devices are the biggest threat to servicemembers in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the head of a new Pentagon task force looking into ways to better protect troops.

WASHINGTON - Less than a month ago, Army Spc. Anthony Dowden was shot in the back with a sniper rifle. But he survived with nothing more serious than bruises, thanks to a new high-tech small arms protective insert armored plate in his ballistic vest.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military officials expressed condolences April 16 over the death of an Afghan toddler following Herculean efforts to save him from a life-threatening heart ailment that included surgery in the United States.

WASHINGTON - Narcotics is one of the most significant challenges facing Afghanistan today, and the coalition is increasing its support to the Afghan government to counter this threat, according to Army Lt. Gen. David W. Barno, who heads Combined Forces Command Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Three soldiers were killed and seven injured during an April 16 indirect fire attack on Camp Ramadi, Iraq, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - Desperate Taliban members and their al Qaeda allies are likely to launch more violent attacks with the approach of parliamentary elections this fall, the commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan told reporters in Kabul today.

WASHINGTON - Two soldiers were reported killed in Iraq today due to enemy action, according to Multinational Force Iraq officials.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff encouraged newspaper editors today to tell America the full story of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Most of the people committing suicide bombings in Iraq today are foreigners, not Iraqis, a senior Multinational Force Iraq official told reporters at an April 14 meeting with reporters in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Frequent, short-notice deployments around the world demand that the military step up its emphasis on keeping the force vaccinated for contingencies it may face, according to the Defense Departments deputy director for the Military Vaccine Agency.

WASHINGTON - Adolf Hitler craved power and hated people who opposed his world vision. He also loathed the worlds religions, considering them obstacles to his dream of global conquest.

WASHINGTON - A Marine assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), was killed April 14 by enemy small-arms fire while conducting combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

GHAZNI, Afghanistan - Last November, the U.S. Armys 25th Military Police Company spent several hours a day training the Afghan National Police of Ghazni on basic police skills and tactics. On April 6, the police were called upon to implement some of those lessons alongside members of the Afghan National Army when a U.S. Army helicopter crashed near a brick factory during a turbulent windstorm.

WASHINGTON - A Senate committee approved the presidents nominations of John D. Negroponte and Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael V. Hayden to become the director and deputy director, respectively, of national intelligence after an April 14 Capitol Hill hearing.

WASHINGTON - A soldier will compete in the Boston Marathon April 18, a year to the day after an improvised explosive device blast in Baghdad, Iraq, cost him his right leg.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. - Through a homemade music video he produced, Army Spc. Ryan Leach showed ROTC students at Wando High School here a world most will never see that of being a soldier serving in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy is becoming a common sight off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the commander of the ships medical treatment facility said today by phone from Nias, Indonesia.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military doesnt have enough explosive ordnance disposal experts to be able to check every suspicious piece of debris here. Thats where the Buffalo comes in handy.

WASHINGTON - A new program at the Department of Veterans Affairs is helping disabled troops train for new careers while awaiting discharge from the military, with the goal of hiring them at the VA.

WASHINGTON - Mission-ready National Guard and Reserve forces are a critical element of U.S. national security strategy, the assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs told a Senate Armed Services subcommittee here today.

WASHINGTON - Peggy Baker of Midland, Va., said her son opened her eyes to the big picture of what the military does for Americans.

WASHINGTON - Americas all-volunteer military is performing well in its first protracted warfighting challenge, and recruiting and retention remain solid, a top Defense Department official told a House Appropriations defense subcommittee here today.

WASHINGTON - Its tough for any mother to send a son off to combat, but Debbie Woods from Princeton, W. Va., has had lots of practice. She and her husband, Harold, have sent three sons to Iraq five times in all, are getting ready to send one of them again.

MCLEAN, Virginia - U.S. servicemembers deserve high praise for helping tsunami victims and liberating Afghans and Iraqis from brutal regimes, the Pentagons No. 2 civilian official said April 13 at a business association dinner here.

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. - Even including the high school graduates who have decided to attend the universities in Clemson and Columbia and those who dont qualify for military service because of criminal records, the pool of potential recruits here in this resort town is small.

WASHINGTON - The Civil Service system came into being in the 1880s to foster a professional federal workforce, and the National Security Personnel System continues that spirit, Navy Secretary Gordon R. England told the Senate Armed Services Committee here today.

MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld wrapped up a four-day whirlwind trip through the Middle East and Central Asia by telling U.S. troops here theyre playing a significant role in the war on terrorism and in improving the lives of the Afghan and Iraqi people.

WASHINGTON - Afghan National Army and coalition forces uncovered more than just mines during Operation Minesweeper in western Afghanistan on April 13. It netted a person believed to be involved in anti-coalition attacks.

WASHINGTON - Land mines, rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices are taking their toll on deployed U.S. troops bodies. Whats not as easily recognizable is the damage these weapons are doing to servicemembers brains.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan is aggressively seeking a closer economic and strategic security relationship with the United States, the countrys first democratically elected leader said here today.

WASHINGTON - He may have just been doing his job, but the actions of Spc. Jeremy L. Church saved lives when his convoy came under heavy fire one year ago. They also earned him the first Silver Star awarded to an Army reservist during the global war on terrorism.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense has announced the name of a Marine who died in the crash of a coalition helicopter April 6.

WASHINGTON - The military-to-military relationships between the United States and countries of Latin America continue to improve, said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff following meetings in the region April 10-12.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - American soldiers serving in Afghanistan serve as an example of giving to a cause larger than themselves, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said here today.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Iraqi Army members teamed up with elements of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, for Operation Vanguard Tempest, an early-morning raid on the Baghdad neighborhood of al-Dora April 11.

QALAT, Afghanistan - The security situation in the southern region of Afghanistan has improved considerably over the past year, local commanders told Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld here today.

WASHINGTON - Good, solid intelligence is the United States first line of defense, and the nations 15 intelligence community elements need to work more cooperatively to bolster this line, the nominee for first director of national intelligence said April 12.

TAMPA, Fla. - Sustaining readiness and taking care of the environment are not separate realms but twin missions in the same cause, DoDs top readiness official said.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - An Army captain who lost his lower right ankle and foot to injury while deployed during the initial stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom has returned.

TAMPA, Fla. - The Department of Defense is transforming its installation assets to meet the emerging needs of todays joint warfighters, a defense official said today.

TAMPA, Fla. - The best way to ensure that todays warfighters have what they need to fight and win in the post-9/11 world is to sustain the viability of both military installations and their surrounding environments, a defense official said today.

BAKU, Azerbaijan - Progress and continuity were central themes for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today as he participated in a series of meetings with Iraqi leaders during an unannounced visit to the country.

WASHINGTON - Multinational forces today swooped on a known foreign-fighter and weapons-smuggling ring situated near the Iraqi border town of Al Qaim, five miles east of the Syrian border.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military doesnt have an exit strategy out of Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said here today. Rather, he added, DoD has a victory strategy.

WASHINGTON - Base Realignment and Closure 2005 is important for many reasons, according to Philip Grone, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today thanked Fort Hood troops and families for their labors and sacrifices during the war against terrorism.

WASHINGTON - Stemming the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and supporting the global war on terror will be two key priorities if he is confirmed as the U.S. representative to the United Nations, John Bolton said April 11 during the first day of his confirmation hearings.

WASHINGTON - Two American troops were wounded during a firefight between coalition and insurgent forces April 11 near Khwost, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Iraq remains a very difficult security environment, but strong progress is being made in the countrys transition into a stable, democratic government with self-reliant security forces, said the acting U.S. representative to the United Nations on April 11.

QUITO, Ecuador - At every stop in South America, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has stressed the need for regional and global cooperation in the war on terror. Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers stressed this point again during a meeting with Ecuadorian leaders April 11.

BOGOTA, Colombia - The United States will continue to stand by Colombia as it battles the forces of terrorism and extremism, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here April 11.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in the Iraqi capital in predawn hours today after an overnight flight from Washington. He plans to visit U.S. troops and meet with coalition military leaders and Iraqi officials.

WASHINGTON - From the ancient Greek lore of Achilles heel to the high-stepping travails of Forrest Gump, symbolic importance has often been placed on soldiers feet in Western fiction.

WASHINGTON - With the April 15 federal tax-filing deadline fast approaching, servicemembers should know theres free help available to get those tax forms filled out and sent to Uncle Sam.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - As troops here deal with stressors ranging from roadside bombs to checkpoints where its hard to tell friend from foe, the military is ensuring they get the mental health support they need to remain with their units and avoid long-term problems.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi government will require American and other allied forces in Iraq until we will be assured that there will be no danger of terrorists intervening in Iraqi internal affairs, Iraqs new president said April 10 in Baghdad.

GARDEZ PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Rows of shoes stand at attention next to neat stacks of T-shirts and sweaters folded dress-right-dress. These items have all passed Sgt. Rena Brownridges inspection.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military engineers in Afghanistan continue to manage myriad projects designed to bring prosperity and security to that war-torn nation, a senior military officer said today.

WASHINGTON - Recovery crews have removed the bodies of all 18 victims from the wreckage of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter that crashed in Afghanistan April 6, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan officials reported today.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - One soldier received a Bronze Star and eight received the Army Commendation Medal April 5 for rescuing two Egyptian hostages from terrorists in Baghdad Feb. 7.

WASHINGTON - An American soldier in Iraq was killed today when an improvised explosive device blew up near Hawijah, in Kirkuk province. Officials also reported today multinational forces detained an individual carrying CBS News press credentials who was injured April 6 when coalition forces returned fire after receiving enemy small-arms fire.

WASHINGTON - The trend toward jointness doesnt mean the Defense Department expects all the services to become cookie-cutter copies of each other, a senior official explained.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has released statistics disproving rumors saying thousands of reservists called up for active duty are refusing to report.

WASHINGTON - Two years ago April 9, the world looked on, captivated by the compelling television images of a towering statue of Saddam Hussein being ripped down in Baghdad, Iraq, and images of the Iraqi dictator being burned on the streets.

WASHINGTON - The Armys top personnel officer said hes cautiously optimistic on meeting this years active-duty recruiting goal, despite reports some parents of potential recruits are uneasy about military service for their children because of the Iraq war.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is working to improve capacity and competence in world languages and culture, a top official said April 7.

WASHINGTON - With the recent elections of Iraqs president, vice presidents, speaker and prime minister, that countrys transitional national government is moving ahead.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said hed like to see sweeping changes to the military services personnel systems. In particular, Rumsfeld said, hed like to do away with the system that forces military people out at the prime of their careers and moves people between jobs too quickly.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers around the world can be forgiven if they root for Phil Mickelson as golfs Masters Tournament heads toward its scheduled finish April 10 in Augusta, Ga.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Navy Seaman Andrew Ellenberger grew up in Onaway, Mich. -- in the northern reaches of the United States. To him, the spring daytime highs in the mid-80s here are extremely hot.

WASHINGTON - Registration for Operation Purple summer camps for children of deployed servicemembers begins April 15 on the National Military Family Associations Web site, program officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - Two new campaign medals announced today recognize servicemembers for their contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - President Bush has extended congratulations to Iraqs Transitional National Assembly on its selection of its next president and two deputy presidents.

WASHINGTON - The known death toll from the April 6 CH-47 helicopter crash near Ghazni, Afghanistan, has reached 16.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff awarded a senior NATO officer the Legion of Merit today during a Pentagon ceremony.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is working to reduce stress on the force and negate the need for more people in uniform, a top official said here April 5.

WASHINGTON - It has been two years since Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith was killed in action, firing a .50-caliber machine gun from atop a broken-down armored personnel carrier in a courtyard where he had been instructed to build a containment facility for detainees near the Baghdad airport. His actions that day saved more than 100 of his fellow soldiers.

PORTSMOUTH, Virginia - Combat operations and training security forces were what was expected of the 1st Cavalry Division during the divisions year-plus in Baghdad, Iraq, the divisions commander said here today. But while those were the only two lines of operation that some wanted him to follow, Army Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli said, he realized that it was going to take much more than that.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - All-Army wrestlers won 38 of 42 individual matches and captured the Greco-Roman and freestyle team titles in the 2005 Armed Forces Wrestling Championships March 31 and April 1 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center here.

FAIRFAX, Virginia - Though the words were barely legible, the spelling was most creative and the sentences were a little awkward, young Saras message was very clear. Please come back, we miss you so much, she proudly said she wrote on a white sheet of paper, a message she hopes to send to servicemembers overseas fighting the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The Army fell short of its recruiting goals for the first part of this year, but the service is working to improve the situation, the Defense Departments top personnel official said here April 5.

WASHINGTON - Freedom isnt free, asserted San Diego-area businessman James Lee. Thats why, Lee said, hes promoting the sales of G.I.-styled bracelets to assist families of servicemembers whove been killed or wounded while serving in the war against terrorism.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - One hundred seventy-seven right hands were raised together April 3 at the airfield here as that many soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Divisions Aviation Brigade re-enlisted in a mass ceremony.

WASHINGTON - At the foot of a hill crowned by trees and dappled by bright sunlight, the family of a certified hero unveiled a gold-lettered memorial headstone April 5 in Arlington National Cemetery.

GHAZNI, Afghanistan - As part of the provisional reconstruction teams spread throughout Afghanistan, police tactical advisory teams are helping with the countrys reconstruction and stabilization. In eastern Afghanistans Ghazni province, military police soldiers work closely with the Afghan National Police in their area.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz praised the army of volunteers behind the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic and their successes in helping disabled veterans confront new challenges and build self-confidence.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - From the moment he became paralyzed while rescuing a fellow Marine four years ago, Joey Avellone refused to accept life on the sidelines. Today, hes a volunteer peer counselor for other disabled veterans in St. Louis and a role model for newly injured veterans.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Baghdad soldier was killed April 5 when his patrol encountered an improvised explosive device and insurgent small-arms fire, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - Nine people are confirmed dead in the crash today of a coalition CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan officials reported.

PORTSMOUTH, Virginia - Though he got only a few minutes to chat with them during his recent trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers said the troops are doing well. The Joint Chiefs chairman provided this assessment to reporters after his keynote address to defense industry representatives here today at the Joint Force Command/National Defense Industrial Association Industry Days 2005.

WASHINGTON - The United States will work with Ukraine to help that country meet the prerequisites to joining NATO, President Bush said following a meeting with the Ukrainian president here April 4.

WASHINGTON - Two separate attacks on Iraqs Abu Ghraib prison complex in recent days are a sign that the al Qaeda terrorist group still is deadly, President Bush said at the White House today.

WASHINGTON - Citing his proven record of building consensus and achieving results in very tough situations, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced today that Zalmay Khalilzad is President Bushs choice as the next U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

PORTSMOUTH, Virginia - The situation the military found itself in after Sept. 11, 2001, was one it was not organizationally prepared to deal with, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

WASHINGTON - A modern hero today joined an elite group of warriors -- Medal of Honor recipients whose valor, sacrifice and selfless service to the nation are immortalized in the Pentagons Hall of Heroes.

WASHINGTON - President Bush plans to nominate Kenneth J. Krieg for the Defense Departments top acquisition, technology and logistics position, the White House press office announced April 1.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) killed a terrorist and injured a reporter today during an incident in northeastern Mosul, Iraq, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Today the importance of the space mission to our national security cannot be overstated, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright said in his April 4 testimony before the Strategic Forces subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

PORTSMOUTH, Virginia - The defense industry is an integral part of the transformation process, the commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command told members of that industry here today.

WASHINGTON - Todays U.S. nuclear arsenal is too outdated and costly to maintain for use in deterring threats in the post-Cold War era, a senior officer told a Senate subcommittee April 4.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - More than 350 disabled veterans gathered here April 4 to experience whats referred to here as the miracle on the mountain that transformational moment when they realize they can do things they once thought impossible.

GHAZNI, Afghanistan - The Army is rich in history and tradition, and the soldiers of the unit known as the Bedford Boys know they have much to live up to. Company C, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, is made up mostly of soldiers from Bedford, Va. During the invasion of Europe on D-Day, June 6, 1944, this National Guard unit was among the first to hit Omaha Beach.

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. servicemembers were killed during military operations in Iraq, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - With snow-peaked mountains and roaring aircraft engines as a backdrop, several hundred members of the coalition in Afghanistan turned out April 3 for the grand opening of the Pat Tillman USO Center here.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - Disabled Vietnam-era veteran Bruce Gibbings is back on the slopes with the recognition that the skys the limit in terms of what he can do -- and hes sharing that message with disabled veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan here for the 19th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic.

WASHINGTON - Two years to the day after his father died saving more than 100 fellow soldiers in the battle for Baghdads airport, the young son of an Army noncommissioned officer accepted his fathers Medal of Honor from President Bush at a White House ceremony today.

WASHINGTON - As the military began transforming to maintain its competitive advantage, it was retired Navy Vice Adm. Arthur K. Cebrowski, who until recently served as director of Force Transformation, who was at the helm working to reshape the system.

ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION MILDENHALL, United Kingdom - Crawling around the wet grass in England may not, at first glance, compare much to being downrange in hostile territory. But for 13 members of the 100th Security Forces Squadron here, it felt pretty real.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - Actress Bo Derek said she wouldnt have missed the opportunity to mingle with more than 350 disabled veterans gathered here at the 19th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Freedom soldier was killed and another wounded by terrorist small-arms fire April 2 in Tal Afar, Iraq, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced today. In Afghanistan, local police collected munitions from a district southwest of Kabul and today turned them in to coalition forces near Ghazni.

WASHINGTON - Army Sgt. 1st Class Jamie Buckley said he didnt even realize he could sing until 1993. But by 1994 he was singing local gigs in his hometown of Pasco, Wash.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz called more than 350 disabled veterans gathered here an inspiration to the rest of us and praised them for demonstrating courage and determination as they work at rebuilding their lives.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. soldier assigned to Task Force Liberty died today near Bayji, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated at around 6:45 p.m. local time. No further detains were available.

WASHINGTON - Troops from Multinational Force Iraq repelled an attack by 40-60 insurgents on Forward Operating Base Abu Ghraib, Iraq, today at approximately 7 p.m. local time.

STUTTGART-VAIHINGEN, Germany - U.S. and Albanian rescue and recovery teams are working continuously at the site of the U.S. MC-130H crash, located approximately 35 miles southeast of Tirana, Albania.

WASHINGTON - Conclusions provided by an independent commission on intelligence show that America's intelligence community requires "fundamental change to enable us to successfully confront the threats of the 21st century," President Bush said April 2.

WASHINGTON - An American Marine was killed April 1 during security operations in Ramadi, Iraq. The same day, U.S. soldiers detained two suspected insurgents after a failed attack on a coalition base near Hawija, according to Multinational Force Iraq news releases.

WASHINGTON - The number and severity of attacks against Afghan and coalition forces have increased compared to the winter, a coalition spokeswoman noted April 2.

WASHINGTON - Some people say you cant transform the Defense Department and fight a war at the same time. But the director of administration and management for the Office of the Secretary of Defense says theres no better time.

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - The experiences in the war on terrorism, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, show that the total-force (concept) is working, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said to a meeting of state adjutants general here today.

WASHINGTON - Five American soldiers were detained March 29 for allegedly participating in a cocaine smuggling scheme, according to a U.S. Southern Command news release.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces and multinational forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), detained 26 suspected insurgents during operations in northern Iraq March 30 and 31, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - For the next 18 months to two years, the Navy will be providing a large chunk of the guards at the U.S. enemy combatant detention facility here.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is working to make veterans preference for federal jobs available to more veterans, including a new revised application that allows federal agencies to accept veterans disability letters.

ENID, Okla. - The prairie town that sprung from a land grab on Sept. 16, 1893, has evolved into Enid, Okla., a city thats proudly proclaiming Enid Supports You to U.S. military servicemembers.

ENID, Okla. - This north-central Oklahoma city has shown for more than 60 years that it supports the men and women of the U.S. military. And it wasnt shy about loudly expressing that support at a rally March 31 in which Enid aligned itself with the Defense Departments America Supports You program.

WASHINGTON - Officials at U.S. European Command have released more details surrounding the crash overnight of a U.S. Air Force aircraft in Albania.

WASHINGTON - President Bush has nominated Navy Secretary Gordon R. England to succeed Paul Wolfowitz as deputy secretary of defense.

WASHINGTON - Nine people are believed to have been aboard a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules transport plane based at the Mildenhall Royal Air Force base in England that reportedly crashed while on a joint training mission with the Albanian military, U.S. European Command officials report.