WASHINGTON - The Commission on the National Guard and Reserves heard testimony here today from three top leaders concerning how best to empower the Guard through its top leadership position.

WASHINGTON - Force protection for deploying U.S. troops is a top priority, and the services are ensuring all units involved in the “surge” in Iraq have the equipment they need to protect themselves and do their jobs, a top Pentagon official told reporters today.

FORT DIX, N.J. - More than 400 servicemembers learned how they can eliminate their debts and achieve financial security at a free Defense Department-sponsored seminar held here today.

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region is stepping up its air patrols in the Miami-Dade area to increase security during Super Bowl XLI activities.

WASHINGTON - Three soldiers and a Marine were killed in Iraq in recent days, military officials reported today, and the Defense Department has identified three earlier casualties.

WASHINGTON - Air Force leaders officially released a “request for proposals” yesterday for a replacement tanker aircraft.

WASHINGTON - With only a few days left before the voting comes to a close, one troop-support group is asking for assistance in putting it as a forerunner in winning $50,000 to support the men and women of the armed forces.

WASHINGTON - As the military health care system transforms its governance structure, the services must work together to sustain the high quality of care servicemembers and their families receive, a top Defense Department official said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces responded and provided medical care yesterday in Balad Ruz, Iraq, when a suicide bomber attacked a procession moving to a Shiite mosque. About 20 Iraqis died in the attack, and some 60 more were wounded.

WASHINGTON - Helicopters from Multinational Division Baghdad engaged insurgents preparing to emplace a roadside bomb south of the Iraqi capital today. Elsewhere in Iraq, U.S. and coalition troops found several weapons caches in recent days.

WASHINGTON - Taliban insurgents attacked Forward Operating Base Bari Kowt in Afghanistan’s Kunar province early Jan. 27, killing one civilian contractor and injuring three others.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Joint Intelligence Operations Center, a strategic and operational breakthrough in Afghanistan-Pakistan border security, officially opened Jan. 25 during a ceremony at the headquarters of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force here.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Air Force's elite demonstration squadron, the "Thunderbirds," will help kick off Super Bowl XLI in Miami with a flyover of Dolphin Stadium on Feb. 4.

WASHINGTON - Cooperation and assistance from U.S. allies in the Middle East are essential to promoting security and stability in Iraq, the president’s nominee to lead U.S. Central Command said here today.

WASHINGTON - Sometimes all it takes for a wounded veteran to begin healing is being surrounded by family and friends. That’s the premise on which the Minnesota-based Veterans Airlift Command was founded.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England praised “the extraordinarily generous” Defense Department members today as he presented a check representing $15.6 million in contributions they made to the National Capital Area Combined Federal Campaign.

WASHINGTON - American military engineers in Iraq discovered and detonated an anti-tank mine; Iraqi police were attacked by an improvised explosive device; and Iraqi soldiers nabbed an insurgent during operations in Iraq over the past few days, officials said.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Marine was killed in western Iraq yesterday, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified five earlier casualties.

FORT IRWIN, Calif. - When the National Training Center opened here in 1981, it presented the most realistic environment imaginable for troops to prepare for a potential large-scale, tank-on-tank confrontation with the Soviet Union in Germany’s Fulda Gap.

WASHINGTON - Acknowledging the immense security challenges in the Middle East, President Bush’s pick for command of U.S. forces there said today that he is eager to work with U.S. troops in the region and is optimistic about the future of Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Early reports that credit Iraqi troops for taking the initiative during a Jan. 28 battle with insurgents near Najaf are heartening news, President Bush said during an interview with National Public Radio here yesterday.

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - In marking the opening of a new state-of-the-art rehabilitation center and two new Fisher Houses here yesterday, Cabinet secretaries, military leaders, senators, business leaders, and celebrities did their best to express their gratitude to some of the nation’s sons and daughters who bear the scars of combat.

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Thanks to the generosity of 600,000 Americans, wounded warriors now have a $50 million state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation facility.

WASHINGTON - Fed up with al Qaeda’s murderous rampage in the region, local tribes in the Iraq’s Anbar province have endorsed and joined local government efforts to drive out insurgents and establish security in the area, the commander of Multinational Force West said today.

FORT IRWIN, Calif. - The new Joint Improvised Explosive Device Center of Excellence here is teaching troops about to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan the latest ways to confront improvised explosive devices as it advances new technologies to defeat them and better ways to foil the networks responsible for emplacing them.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate has confirmed the nomination of Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum for a two-year extension as chief of the National Guard Bureau.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 33 insurgents and destroyed a terrorist training facility this week in operations across Iraq.

WASHINGTON - It’s too early to judge the new stability plan for Iraq, Vice President Richard B. Cheney told a “Newsweek” reporter here yesterday.

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - With the star-studded grand opening just a day away, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody yesterday officiated over the first awards ceremony at the Center for the Intrepid here.

BAGHDAD - Two U.S. soldiers were killed today when a Multinational Division Baghdad helicopter crashed north of Najaf, Iraq, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed 14 terrorists and captured dozens of suspected insurgents during operations conducted in Iraq today and over the past week, officials said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition and Afghan forces arrested five individuals connected with a known terrorist sub-commander and weapons transporter during a raid at a compound near Khost city today, officials said.

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. soldiers and one Marine were killed in Iraq yesterday, two soldiers were killed Jan. 26, and two soldiers were killed Jan. 25, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified six earlier casualties.

WASHINGTON - Insurgents who attacked the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Karbala, Iraq, were dressed in U.S. Army-styled combat uniforms and carried U.S.-type weapons, convincing Iraqi checkpoints to allow them passage, military officials released today.

WASHINGTON - Actor and military advocate Gary Sinise earned praise for his portrayal of a disabled Vietnam veteran in the 1994 movie, “Forrest Gump.” Sinise now is helping to build a memorial for America’s 3 million living disabled military veterans.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. and Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, both of whom are nominated for key leadership positions, are supremely qualified professionals who should be confirmed by the Senate, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces followed established "aircraft down" procedures when reacting to the crash of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Jan. 20 in Diyala province in which 12 U.S. servicemembers died, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

WASHINGTON - A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 6 died today from wounds suffered during combat in Anbar province, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified six earlier casualties.

WASHINGTON - U.S. troops have always had the right to take action against anyone trying to harm them or civilians in Iraq, and will continue to do so, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

WASHINGTON - While U.S. commanders in Iraq do not have a “blank check” to request additional troops, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today he will consider all their recommendations and ensure they have the forces they need to accomplish their mission.

WASHINGTON - Turkey signed on for the next phase of the Joint Strike Fighter in a ceremony here yesterday, pledging $175 million toward the aircraft’s production.

WASHINGTON - With the help of an America Supports You member organization, Charlotte, N.C., will observe its second annual “I Love America Day” on March 19.

WASHINGTON - More Afghan adults are employed; more of their children are attending school; and the Afghan government is expanding, the senior U.S. military commander in Afghanistan said today.

WASHINGTON - Missile defense assets the United States is planning to base in Eastern Europe will be aimed at countering threats posed by rogue nations, such as Iran, and will not pose a threat to allies in the region, a senior defense official said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. military police brigade deployed in Baghdad is teaching Iraqi police about democratic principles such as tolerance in addition to law enforcement skills, the unit’s commander said today.

WASHINGTON - Although U.S. troops will continue to defend themselves against any elements that threaten their security in Iraq, diplomacy remains the primary avenue for solving problems between the United States and Iran, President Bush said here today.

WASHINGTON - The Senate today confirmed Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus for promotion to general and assignment as commander of Multinational Force Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed nine insurgents and detained 21 more this week in operations across Iraq.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - U.S. military chaplains serving in Afghanistan want troops who have been extended to know support is there for them. “Hang in there; we’re right with you,” is what chaplains want recently extended soldiers to know, a senior chaplain here said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department this week unveiled its first non-lethal, counterpersonnel, directed-energy weapon.

POTOMAC, Md. - Military and other government decision makers are working this week to determine how best to use the government’s powers to defeat an insurgency.

WASHINGTON - A soldier was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near a Multinational Division Baghdad patrol northwest of Baghdad today, and officials reported the identities of 11 soldiers and four Marines killed recently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - In a string of operations across Iraq over the past four days, Iraqi and coalition forces detained 43 suspected terrorists, found several weapons caches, stopped an illegal checkpoint, and freed three captives, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - An Iraqi neighborhood north of Ramadi celebrated the reopening of its school Jan. 23, U.S. and Iraqi forces provided aid to citizens in Adhamiyah this week, and students in Tal Afar received cold weather gear from Iraqi forces Jan. 22.

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - A new system will allow airmen to identify possible enemy firing locations by tracking where shots are coming from.

WASHINGTON - Some 3,200 soldiers of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, will have their tour in Afghanistan extended for up to 120 additional days, Defense Department officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - Thanks to the efforts of Silver Star Families of America, Indiana and New Mexico have proclaimed May 1 as “Silver Star Day” to honor the nation’s wounded servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - More than 600 Texas National Guardsmen were activated by the state’s governor Jan. 22 to support a surge operation targeting crime and international drug and human trafficking along the state’s 1,200-mile border with Mexico.

WASHINGTON - Insurgents fired on a U.S. patrol operating in Baghdad today, killing one soldier and wounding two more. In addition, Defense Department officials released the identities of 12 servicemembers killed in a helicopter crash Jan. 20.

WASHINGTON - The Army’s “Blue to Green” program, designed to allow airmen, sailors and Marines affected by force shaping to move to the Army, recently hit a milestone, a Defense Department official said here today.

WASHINGTON - The United States will track down al Qaeda operatives wherever they try to find safe haven, including in the Horn of Africa, a senior Defense Department official said today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have announced plans for a common inpatient electronic health-record system.

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. Marines were killed yesterday during operations in western Iraq, and defense officials have released the name of a soldier who died supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Deep within a nondescript warehouse in this Washington suburb lie millions of blood-smeared cardboard cards that hold the key to every servicemember’s unique personal identity, captured in DNA.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense Education Activity will discontinue its Remote Home School Program beginning in school year 2007-2008, DoDEA officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - A new area of Walter Reed Army Medical Center here will provide state-of-the-art medical care for terminal cancer patients in a warm, homelike setting.

WASHINGTON - Several insurgents were captured and a weapons cache was found during a combined security operation that was kicked off today in the Haifa Street area of Baghdad, officials said.

WASHINGTON - Citing freedom’s progress in the Middle East, the ambitions of a thinking and determined enemy and the consequences of failure in Iraq, President Bush tonight urged Congress in his State of the Union Address to support a strategy of victory in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - An Army sergeant who was awarded the Silver Star for his valiant actions in Iraq was honored by President Bush at the annual State of the Union Address here tonight.

WASHINGTON - Emphasizing that failure in Iraq would be grievous and far-reaching, President Bush said tonight that American leaders must work together to set the conditions for success in the long war against terrorism.

WASHINGTON - The senior officers of two military services told a congressional committee today that although soldiers and Marines are performing well overseas in the war against terrorism, more troops and money are needed to refurbish non-deployed military forces.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iraqi forces killed 100 terrorists, detained 50, and dismantled a large terrorist group in January during Operation Turki Bowl, the senior U.S. Army officer in Iraq’s Diyala province said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Injured in Iraq, Katie Kriesel’s husband is facing a long recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. But her employer, Eagle Global Logistics, is making sure she’ll get to stay by his side.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 16 terrorists and detained 18 others in Iraq this week, military officials said, and troops discovered multiple weapons caches.

WASHINGTON - Two soldiers and a Marine have been killed in Iraq in recent days, and defense officials have released the names of four servicemembers who died supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s pick for command of Multinational Force Iraq today supported the new strategy for Iraq, emphasizing that additional U.S. forces are essential in accomplishing the mission there.

WASHINGTON - Most students at the Army, Air Force and Naval academies say they feel safe from sexual harassment when on or off campus, according to findings contained in a 300-page report based on the latest Defense Department-commissioned survey on the subject.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England today told servicemembers deployed to Bahrain that they’re following in their fathers’ and grandfathers’ footsteps by protecting liberty and freedom for future generations.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - The generosity of an infantryman’s parents, working in coordination with a major pizza restaurant’s corporate office, a unit family readiness group, and a major shipping company, led to a feast for some soldiers here Jan. 18.

WASHINGTON - Two car bombs detonated at a Baghdad market today, killing and injuring dozens of civilians, U.S. military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Two Marines and two soldiers have been killed in Iraq in recent days, and defense officials have released the names of four servicemembers who died supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - United States Air Forces in Europe is celebrating its 65th anniversary as the oldest, continuously active Air Force major command.

WASHINGTON - Eight U.S. soldiers and two Marines died in Iraq during the past four days, U.S. military officials reported, and defense officials have released the names of a sailor and two soldiers who died in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed one terrorist and detained 25 others while conducting multiple operations throughout Iraq over the past three days, military officials reported.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The outgoing commander of Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan said the United States is committed to NATO’s success in Afghanistan and will remain the single largest contributor of troops to the mission.

WASHINGTON - Five U.S. soldiers were killed and three wounded yesterday while repelling an attack on the Provincial Joint Coordination Center (PJCC) in Karbala, Iraq, military officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - Twelve U.S. soldiers were killed when the Blackhawk helicopter in which they were riding crashed northeast of Baghdad, the afternoon of Jan. 20, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - Seeking ground-truth, Robert M. Gates made his second trip of his less than month-long tour as defense secretary to the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

BOGOTA, Colombia - Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recounted yesterday to Colombian military officers his initial doubts about the U.S. military going “joint,” but he said he was firm in his conviction two decades later that the armed forces are better off when fighting together as a team.

BOGOTA, Colombia - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thanked Colombia’s leaders here yesterday for using their country’s long experience in its counter-drug effort to help the Afghan government fight a similar battle.

BOGOTA, Colombia - The success of the relationship between the United States and Colombia is having a direct positive impact on the security and stability of the entire region and hemisphere, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The Military Channel is asking servicemembers across the armed forces to submit videotaped stories about their service in the global war on terrorism for broadcast on television, company officials said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces have captured two high-level terrorists in recent days in Iraq, military officials said, and Iraqi police killed one insurgent Jan. 17.

WASHINGTON - Stepping up civilian advisors’ role in Iraq is a key part of President Bush’s diplomatic strategy to stabilize the country, the chief operations officer for the Joint Staff said here.

WASHINGTON - An increase in the active-duty military and changes to the policies for reserve forces announced this month by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates are aimed to increase the military’s overall capabilities, a senior defense official said here today.

WASHINGTON - Rebuilding Iraq is like playing “three-dimensional chess in a dark room,” but multinational forces will continue to move forward there, the senior British military representative in Iraq said today.

TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today praised the efforts of coalition partners in Iraq during the final stop of a six-day fact-finding trip to Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.

BOGOTA, Colombia - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today praised U.S. troops serving here, acknowledging the part they have played in helping the Colombian military confront the challenges it faces.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced Jan. 17 that President Bush has nominated Navy Adm. William J. Fallon as commander of U.S. Central Command, replacing Army Gen. John Abizaid.

TALLIL, Iraq - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government is delivering on its commitments for the new way forward in Iraq, the commander of coalition forces said here today.

BASRA, Iraq - Positive developments in southeastern Iraq may enable British leaders to reduce their troop strength in that region, a spokesman for Multinational Division Southeast said here today.

BOGOTA, Colombia - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff began a two-day visit here late yesterday to meet with Colombian military and defense leaders to discuss how the U.S. and Colombia can step up their cooperation to better confront drug trafficking and terrorism.

BOGOTA, Colombia - Troops serving in Afghanistan understand the importance of their mission and say they would rather fight terrorists overseas than at home, the senior enlisted servicemember in DoD reported today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department today presented to Congress its manual outlining rules for military commissions as they will be conducted under the Military Commissions Act of 2006.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. sailor and six soldiers died in Iraq over the past week, U.S. military officials reported, and defense officials have released the names of six soldiers killed earlier in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Following President Bush’s recent announcement on the new strategy for Iraq, Defense Department officials have emphasized the importance of heightened support to military families throughout the nation.

WASHINGTON - The new headquarters commander and staff for Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa are nearing the end of training before their posting to a region of vital strategic importance in the global war against terrorism.

WASHINGTON - In an effort to bolster Iraq’s economy and employ thousands of Iraqis, the United States is working to restart operations at several factories around the country.

BAGHDAD - Keeping the Tigris River free from criminal activity is the mission of a unique group of Iraqi policemen.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Iran is mistaken in believing it has the United States at a disadvantage, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

WASHINGTON - The most important component of President Bush’s strategy to stabilize Iraq is an expanded freedom of operations in Baghdad, the chief operations officer for the Joint Staff said here yesterday.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan dominated conversations between Saudi King Abdullah and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates here today.

WASHINGTON - When the Girl Scouts combined their knack for selling cookies with their dedication to community service, they cooked up the Gift of Caring program. Many girls of the 4,000 troops in the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital have chosen the United Service Organizations as their partner, encouraging customers to purchase additional cookies to be given to U.S. servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - "A day on, not a day off" was the motto as soldiers celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday across Iraq over the holiday weekend of Jan. 13 to 15.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE TILLMAN, Afghanistan - U.S. soldiers at this barren base in Paktia province live, eat and soldier with Afghan National Army soldiers doing their best to defend Afghanistan from an oppressive ideology.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today he will work with Pakistan to solve the problem of infiltrators crossing into Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. must stay committed to Afghanistan and do what’s necessary to maintain the success that has been achieved there, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in Afghanistan yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 40 suspected insurgents and discovered large weapons caches this week during raids throughout Iraq, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - A plus-up of Iraqi soldiers is a component of President Bush’s strategy to stabilize Iraq’s capital city and parts of western Iraq, senior U.S. military officials said during a Baghdad news conference today.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Progress in Afghanistan is impressive, and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wants to build on those successes. The U.S. government will likely request funds to accelerate army and police training in Afghanistan, Gates said today.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department news releases, articles and other information are now available in a new format that’s customized for easier viewing on BlackBerries and other mobile devices, officials said.

WASHINGTON - The new Defense Department policy limiting the duration of call-ups to 12 months is already in effect for National Guard and reserve members being ordered to active duty, the senior DoD reserve affairs official reported.

WASHINGTON - More than 600 citizen-soldiers and airmen in Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas have been called out in response to the latest in a series of severe winter storms to blanket the Midwest with snow and ice.

WASHINGTON - The solution in Afghanistan will not be military in nature, but will be possible with the cooperation and work of the international community, the former commander of U.S. European Command said here today.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Two Afghan citizens prevented a terrorist attack this morning when a vehicle loaded with explosives attempted to crash through the front gate of Camp Phoenix, a U.S. base here.

WASHINGTON - Marking a milestone, Operation Homelink, in collaboration with Dell, presented 250 refurbished computers to families of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force on Jan. 9 at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed the leader of an improvised-explosive-device cell and captured another in Iraq over the past three days, and coalition forces have detained 13 suspected insurgents this week, U.S. military officials said.

WASHINGTON - One of the most important missions the U.S. military has is forming relationships with allies and building the foundations for peace in regions around the world, the former commander of U.S. European Command said here today.

WASHINGTON - A special team of National Guardsmen is conducting an environmental survey at the site of a train derailment that occurred this morning in Brooks, Ky.

WASHINGTON - With flags around the nation still at half staff in memory of the late President Gerald R. Ford, Vice President Richard B. Cheney called today’s naming of the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier in Ford’s honor an even more fitting tribute because it looks to the future.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan National Army is making tremendous progress and is a factor on the battlefield, officials here said today. Progress has been slower for the country's national police, however.

WASHINGTON - The first additional U.S. troops who will take part in new security operations in Iraq have arrived in Baghdad, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq said today.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Moving another carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf region and manning Patriot anti-missile batteries there is a way of telling the people of the area that the United States has an enduring interest in peace, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers assisted in the removal of a makeshift bomb near Baghdad after Iraqi police seized the devise along with a weapons cache during a raid on Jan. 13, U.S. military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Three U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq over the past two days, U.S. military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Failure in Iraq would threaten America’s security and create entrenched instability in the Middle East, President Bush said in an interview that aired last night on the CBS News program “60 Minutes.”

BRUSSELS, Belgium - NATO operations in Afghanistan, NATO’s ongoing transformation, Kosovo and the general state of the North Atlantic alliance were on the table as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met here today with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

London - Continued progress in Afghanistan and details of President Bush’s new way forward in Iraq were the topics of discussion today as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with British leaders here.

WASHINGTON - Coalition officials in Iraq reported today continued success by U.S., coalition and Iraqi troops in capturing terrorists and destroying weapons caches planned to support their operations.

WASHINGTON - The Fisher House Foundation will expand its efforts to help injured U.S. troops and their families by building five new comfort homes per year until 2010, the foundation’s chairman said last night on CNN's "Larry King Live."

WASHINGTON - The University of Miami Hurricanes have reached out to share a little bit of home with the men and women of the Navy Provisional Detainee Battalion, "The Sand Pirates," currently serving at Camp Bucca, Iraq.

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - Soldiers throughout history have marched into battle fortified by the prayers of their spiritual leaders. But the healers who care for those soldiers when they fall got a special blessing here Jan. 12 as they prepare to move with their 82nd Airborne Division into Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Coalition representatives met Jan. 12 with members of the newly formed Khost Reform Association at a forward base in Khost province, Afghanistan, to discuss the group’s focus on national unity and reconstruction.

WASHINGTON - As part of their ongoing effort to target Iranian influence in northern Iraq, coalition forces continue investigating the activities of five Iranian nationals detained in Irbil, Iraq, Jan. 11, officials in Baghdad said today.

WASHINGTON - Sending additional U.S. troops to Iraq will not only improve the security situation there, it will further the country’s democratic and economic progress, Vice President Dick Cheney said today during an interview on “Fox News Sunday.”

QUANTICO, Va. - Marines remembered their fallen comrade and Medal of Honor recipient Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham during an emotional ceremony here yesterday, the day after President Bush presented Dunham’s family the nation’s highest decoration at the White House.

WASHINGTON - For the new U.S. strategy in Iraq to succeed, Iraqis must work in concert with American military forces toward ending sectarian violence, President Bush said today during his weekly radio address.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials identified two soldiers killed in Iraq while supporting the global war on terrorism.

WASHINGTON - Tapping into lessons learned after an active-duty unit in Alaska had its deployment in Iraq extended, the Defense Department is rushing assets to Minnesota to help families of deployed Guardsmen who learned yesterday of their extension, a senior defense official said today.

WASHINGTON - Most active-duty servicemembers have a positive view of their military service and aren’t turning to alcohol or illegal drugs to cope with wartime-related stressors, according to findings from a Defense Department-sanctioned survey conducted in 2005.

WASHINGTON - When additional troops arrive in Iraq's Anbar Province, they will be welcomed and put to work, said the commander of a regimental combat team responsible for more than 30,000 square miles in the area.

WASHINGTON - High military retention rates, particularly among troops who have served in Iraq, shows they recognize the importance of what they’re doing and the consequences of failing, Marine Gen. Peter Pace told the Senate Armed Services Committee today.

WASHINGTON - The second servicemember to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in the Iraq war was inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s plan to send additional forces to Iraq and to increase the military end strength sends an important message to the troops, the defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Senate Armed Services Committee today.

WASHINGTON - Football fans across America got a sneak preview of the nation’s newest class of college stars at the seventh annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio’s Alamodome on Jan. 6. But the brightest star of the game was Army Pvt. Josh Lucas, who took home $10,000 when he put a football through the uprights during an in-game promotion by USAA.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed three insurgents and detained a dozen more over the past three days in Iraq, and Iraqi police forces netted 301 new recruits.

WASHINGTON - The Minnesota governor announced a new program this week to exempt troops and retirees who call the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” home from paying state income tax on military pay and pensions and provide other new benefits.

WASHINGTON - Numerous air assets from U.S. Central Command supported NATO and Afghan forces in Afghanistan’s Paktika province Jan. 10, killing as many as 150 insurgents, U.S. Central Command officials said.

WASHINGTON - The defense department has trained thousands of military health care providers to employ a quality management system that’s designed to minimize human errors in hospital operating and delivery rooms, a senior defense official said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - U.S. interests in the Middle East go well beyond Iraq, and to walk away from the commitments in Iraq would be damaging to U.S. credibility, a senior defense official said yesterday, speaking on background to reporters.

WASHINGTON - At least 4,000 National Guard citizen-soldiers may spend an extra four months in Iraq as part of the president’s troop increase announced yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates joined more than 160 Defense Department personnel and guests this morning at the Pentagon's executive dining room here for the the 22nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast.

WASHINGTON - Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee today he believes President Bush’s new Iraq strategy will succeed.

WASHINGTON - Operation First Response, dedicated to supporting the nation's wounded servicemembers and their families, is flying high after receiving a generous Christmas gift with far-reaching benefits.

WASHINGTON - President Bush visited Fort Benning, Ga., today to share thoughts on his new strategy for the war in Iraq with the soldiers there, but not before offering them his praise.

WASHINGTON - The United States will need a detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for as long as the country is fighting a war on terror, the admiral in charge of operations there said today.

WASHINGTON - Five years after the first detainees from the war on terror arrived at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a new state-of-the-art facility there is making duty safer for guards and more comfortable for detainees.

WASHINGTON - Last month’s recruiting figures for all military services exceeded goals, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during testimony today before the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Jorge DeLeon may have lost a leg in the war, but he never lost a desire to serve his country. Two years after his military aspirations were crushed by an anti-tank mine, DeLeon is back in Army service – this time as a Department of Defense civilian.

WASHINGTON - After three days of screening, about 400 Iraqi citizens out of more than 600 applicants got their wish to become Iraqi police officers recently in Ramadi, Iraq. They were transported to Jordan Jan. 8 for a five-week training course.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s plan for the way ahead in Iraq recognizes the importance of victory and encompasses all the elements of national power required to achieve it, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the House Armed Services Committee today.

WASHINGTON - The additional 21,000 troops moving into Iraq will be phased in over the next several months, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will soon begin compensating troops who are required to mobilize or deploy early or extend their deployments, and will reduce the time reserve-component members are mobilized involuntarily to 12 months, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced here today.

WASHINGTON - After seven days of combined operations south of Balad Ruz, Iraq, soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team, in partnership with Iraqi army troops, continue to discover large weapons caches and destroy anti-Iraqi forces throughout the Turki Village area.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s new strategy for Iraq includes expanding the number of provincial reconstruction teams from 10 to at least 18 in order to better support political and economic progress, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during a news conference today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today presented the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest decoration, to the family of Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham, who died shielding his fellow Marines from a grenade blast in Iraq in April 2004.

WASHINGTON - In multiple operations since Jan. 6, coalition forces have detained more than 50 suspects, killed eight terrorists and discovered numerous weapons caches, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - A soldier was killed in Fallujah, Iraq, on Jan. 9, and military officials have identified five earlier casualties.

WASHINGTON - The active-duty Army and Marine Corps will grow by 92,000 personnel over the next five years, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said during a White House news conference today.

WASHINGTON - Troops from NATO's International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Army soldiers engaged and killed a significant number of insurgents last night in Afghanistan's Bermel district, in Paktika province.

WASHINGTON - President Bush tonight announced plans to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps so they’re better postured to confront 21st-century threats and praised troops serving today for their service and sacrifice.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s new strategy for Iraq, announced tonight in a televised speech to the nation, includes more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops on the ground in Baghdad and Anbar province, increased responsibility for the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces, and more diplomatic and economic initiatives.

WASHINGTON - Georgia-Pacific, the maker of Angel Soft toilet paper, has recognized two teens as “Angels in Action” for their support of the nation’s servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. Army soldiers and one Marine were killed yesterday while serving in Iraq, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has released the identity of a soldier who died Jan. 6.

WASHINGTON - Five suspected terrorists were detained yesterday in Iraq, and this morning’s city council meeting in Mahmudiyah continued despite nearby explosions.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s new strategy in Iraq will hinge on the Iraqi government and security forces stepping up and making decisions they have avoided, a senior White House official said today.

WASHINGTON - A joint U.S. military organization headquartered in Virginia regularly coordinates with state and local emergency preparedness agencies to prepare for potential new terrorist attacks on the homeland and other catastrophic events, the organization’s commander said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, remains a valuable asset in the war on terror as a place to hold enemy combatants and a source of useful intelligence to prevent future terrorist attacks, a top Defense Department official said here today.

WASHINGTON - A new law that took effect Jan. 1 changes the way the remains of servicemembers killed in combat are transported and handled.

AUSTIN, Texas - In a scene reminiscent of emergency measures seen in cities across the country after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, downtown Austin was temporarily blocked to people and traffic Jan. 8 so authorities could investigate the unexplained deaths of more than 60 birds.

WASHINGTON - Early today, about 1,000 Iraqi army and coalition forces began a joint operation in Taleel Square in Baghdad, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard may be operating at its busiest pace in years, but the new senior enlisted representative looking out for the troops said they’re talking a lot more about pride than concerns as they juggle the demands of families, civilian careers and military responsibilities.

WASHINGTON - At least three insurgents were killed, an al Qaeda cell leader was captured, and other suspected terrorists were detained through several recent operations in Iraq, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - NBA star Shaquille O’Neal will soon play a part in thanking children of deployed servicemembers for their sacrifices.

WASHINGTON - A 22-year-old college student recently traded her beauty-queen tiara for the Kevlar helmet she'll wear when she deploys with her Minnesota Army National Guard unit to Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The continued support of the U.S. and international community to building a strong Afghan army and police force is essential as that country moves forward with social and economic progress, the U.S. general in charge of training Afghan forces said today.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Air Force AC-130 gunship attack in Somalia on Jan. 7 targeted senior terrorist leaders, a senior Pentagon official confirmed today.

WASHINGTON - Friendships between nations are abstract ideas that only become real when they are built on relationships and friendships among people, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told Muslim high school students visiting the Pentagon today.

WASHINGTON - Ask Army Staff Sgt. Jerome MacDonald why he serves in the military, and he doesn’t talk about pay raises, tuition assistance or job security. “My biggest reason for serving is my family,” said MacDonald, a combat medic who returned in 2006 from a deployment to Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Many of the troops fanning out across the country beginning this week to share their deployment experiences with civilian groups say they hope to share some of the “good news” stories that often don’t make it into the evening news.

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. soldiers were killed yesterday while serving in Iraq, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has released the identity of a soldier who died Jan. 4.

WASHINGTON - The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is looking for a few good employers to recognize this year.

WASHINGTON - During ongoing operations south of Balad Ruz, Iraq, soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army, with support from coalition forces, continue to target specific terrorist cells that use the area as a safe haven.

WASHINGTON - Four insurgents were killed, an al Qaeda cell leader was captured and 35 other insurgents were detained through several recent operations in Iraq. A Marine tank also hit a roadside bomb, coalition officials said.

WASHINGTON - Three airmen and two soldiers were killed while serving in Iraq in recent days, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified a soldier killed New Year’s Day.

WASHINGTON - A team of 25 industrial leaders and business analysts is headed to Iraq today to join 35 others already there working to get almost 200 idle Iraqi factories up and running.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today announced his recommendations to President Bush for nominations to fill key military leadership and command positions.

WASHINGTON - The new governance plan for the military health care system, which is in its very early stages, will improve the care given to troops and their families in today’s joint environment, the Defense Department’s top health official said today.

WASHINGTON, DE - Andrew J. Young Jr., a former aide to the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., praised the U.S. military’s culture of inclusiveness during an Army observance of King’s upcoming birthday held today in Alexandria, Va.

WASHINGTON - An Illinois-based troop support group wants servicemembers to know they have America’s hearts, literally.

WASHINGTON - The next year will be an important time in Iraq, when the Iraqi government must take more responsibility for the country and the coalition must continue its commitment to creating a stable, unified Iraq, a top British general in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi soldiers freed two hostages, detained 10 suspects, and seized a weapons cache in several recent incidents throughout Iraq, coalition officials said.

WASHINGTON - National Guard troops in eight states rescued people and hauled hay to livestock following a severe end-of-year winter storm that stretched from America’s northern to southern borders. At least 13 people in five states died in the storm.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today named retired Navy Vice Adm. J. Michael McConnell as the director of national intelligence to succeed John Negroponte.

STUTTGART-VAIHINGEN, Germany - U.S. troops in Rwanda and Botswana recently built bridges between the U.S. military and the African people by providing vital medical services to almost 1,500 needy patients.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense announced the identities of six soldiers killed in recent days in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - Former President Gerald R. Ford’s steady, selfless character helped to heal the nation during a time of turmoil, former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said yesterday at Ford’s funeral service in Grand Rapids, Mich.

WASHINGTON - That bright flash that fell from space early today over Wyoming wasn’t a bird, a plane or a superhero, but a Russian SL-4 rocket body reentering the earth’s atmosphere, officials at North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command confirmed today.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists and found numerous weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq today and in recent days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Nearly 100 wounded servicemembers and their families recently returned home with a renewed sense of family, inspiration and hope after attending the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes third annual Road to Recovery Conference.

WASHINGTON - Air Force leaders are looking at ways to conserve fuel without interfering with mission readiness and ongoing military operations around the world in support of the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The Wyoming National Guard is deploying an air crew today to airlift hay to livestock stranded by last week’s blizzard in Colorado.

WASHINGTON - After Army Sgt. Pisey Tan was wounded in Iraq, he depended on others to wash his clothes and perform his other household tasks. Now, thanks to a member organization of the Defense Department’s “America Supports You” program, chores that once were menial duty are now a measure of personal freedom.

WASHINGTON - U.S. involvement in the Dec. 29 execution of Saddam Hussein amounted to providing helicopter transport at the request of the Iraqi government, a U.S. military spokesman said in Baghdad today.

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - The magi here are stirring with envy over the gifts Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan Richards received in an Operation Gratitude care package.

WASHINGTON - Six terrorists, including two IED cell members, were captured in Iraq yesterday, and troops discovered a weapons cache.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi government will have command-and-control of all of its ground forces by the end of 2007, a senior U.S. military officer based in Baghdad predicted today.

WASHINGTON - Nine months into his presidency, on May 12, 1975, Gerald R. Ford was forced to take military action and deal with an international hostage crisis.

WASHINGTON - Thirty years before fighting political fires in the wake of Watergate, President Gerald R. Ford battled blazes in World War II.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - With the state funeral for former President Gerald R. Ford moving here tomorrow members of the 126th Army Band are honing their skills for the historic event.

WASHINGTON - Former President Gerald R. Ford was a man of strength and integrity who led America through the aftermath of Watergate and the end of the Vietnam War, President Bush said at Ford's state funeral services here today.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. soldier was killed yesterday southwest of Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol, and the Defense Department announced the identities of two soldiers killed during a Dec. 29 IED attack in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Naval Criminal Investigation Command has launched an investigation into a Dec. 30 incident in which an Iraqi soldier was killed during an altercation with a Marine at a post at the Fallujah Government Center, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced.

WASHINGTON - Nine terrorists, including an al-Qaeda leader, were killed during raids conducted by coalition forces in Baghdad today and yesterday. Also, one terrorist was wounded, and three were detained during the raids.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Members of the Michigan National Guard are busy here at the Forward Operations Center, helping ensure that all is ready tomorrow for the final phase of the nation’s farewell to former President Gerald R. Ford.

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - Football fever took on a new dimension yesterday as Third Army and U.S. Army Central Command troops watched the last game of the NFL regular season, and members of Chicago Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl Championship team signed autographs here.