WASHINGTON - New Department of Veterans Affairs transition patient advocates completed a five-day orientation program today and are fanning out across the country to help ease the way for severely wounded troops entering the VA care system.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces are in control of more than 50 percent of Baghdad and are making progress in the rest, the coalition’s military commander in the city said today.

WASHINGTON - Americans still face a tough fight inside Baghdad, but the trend lines are improving, the commander of Multinational Division Baghdad said today.

WASHINGTON - Development follows security, and Afghanistan is proof of that statement, the chief Army Corps of Engineers officer in Afghanistan said today.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and U.S. forces today detained 16 militants during a raid on an alleged Taliban compound and began an offensive to clear the Taliban from the Helman River’s western bank.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured 27 suspected terrorists, including an alleged terrorist with ties to Iranian elements, during missions conducted across Iraq today as Operation Phantom Thunder continues, U.S. military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today he refuses to accept that improvised explosive devices are an uncontrollable challenge, and he urged private industry members today to produce Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles in greater numbers to counter this threat.

WASHINGTON - As the nation’s servicemembers continue to fight the global war on terrorism, a group is working to make sure the Americans they’re defending are aware of their sacrifices.

WASHINGTON - A new Iraq strategy that targets multiple terrorist outposts and capitalizes on Iraqis’ growing dislike of al Qaeda are combining to degrade insurgent operations in the country, a counter-insurgency expert said today in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - All of the $11 billion appropriated for the Iraqi Relief and Reconstruction Fund has been obligated, the work is 83 percent complete, and Iraqis are doing more and more of the work, a senior military official said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - About 600 military personnel and family members attended a sneak preview of “Transformers,” the summer science fiction action adventure film set for national release July 3.

WASHINGTON - Afghan police forces are quickly following in the footsteps of their Afghan army counterparts to help fight the Taliban, thanks largely to training being offered through Task Force Phoenix, the task force commander told bloggers earlier this week.

WASHINGTON - Cindy Gainey was born and raised in an Air Force family, and she spent more than 30 years married to an Army soldier. She recently spent her 30th wedding anniversary meeting with troops and their families in South Korea with her husband, Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Despite being shot down over Iraq and nearly losing an eye, Air Force Tech Sgt. Christian MacKenzie remains committed to the Air Force and his love of flying.

WASHINGTON - National Guard troops and equipment in Texas and Oklahoma continued to help in flood-ravaged areas of those states today.

WASHINGTON - Famous television Chef Emeril Lagasse will salute the military with two programs showcasing recipes created by the men and women who keep the troops fed and happy.

WASHINGTON - After almost disappearing from the American scene, the bald eagle’s comeback is complete, thanks in part to the Defense Department. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced today that the American bald eagle has been removed from the endangered species list.”

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iraqi troops are disrupting terrorist activities from Baghdad and its environs to Anbar province as the result of surge-related operations being conducted across Iraq, a senior U.S. military officer serving in Iraq said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The surge of coalition and Iraqi operations in Baghdad has produced hopeful signs, President Bush said today at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and U.S. troops continue to clear out insurgents in Baqubah and distribute aid to its citizens as part of ongoing Operation Arrowhead Ripper, and recent terrorist bombings in Baghdad have killed 15 Iraqis and wounded 23 others, U.S. officials reported.

WASHINGTON - A South Korean military hospital staff on Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, is doing its part to help fight terrorism in that country.

WASHINGTON - Education and training are key to progress in Afghanistan, a U.S. Army commander of an international coalition task force said from Bagram Air Base today.

WASHINGTON - Movement to resettle the detainees held at Guantanamo Bay could be counter-productive if done without first alleviating doubts about the legal framework under which they’re held, a defense official said June 26.

WASHINGTON - As he nominated his picks for the nation’s top two military posts, President Bush said today they will succeed “two of America’s finest military officers,” Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, vice chairman.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today nominated Navy Adm. Michael Mullen to serve as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Marine Corps Gen. James E. “Hoss” Cartwright as his vice chairman.

DALLAS - When it comes to showing support for America’s troops, Missouri is living up to its nickname as the “Show Me State” by sending nearly 4,000 base and post exchange gift certificates to soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines.

WASHINGTON - A New York State-based business owner made a seven-figure donation in frequent-flyer miles to the Fisher House Foundation as part of a Memorial Day-weekend promotion sponsored by CNN.

WASHINGTON - The men being held at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba, would kill again if given the chance, U.S. officials have said. More than 2,000 U.S. servicemembers and civilians ensure the terrorists at the detention facility don’t get a chance to launch more attacks.

WASHINGTON - Strides have been made in building Iraq’s security forces and increasing their responsibility, but more progress is needed, according to a new congressional report released today.

SEOUL, South Korea - For a Navy hospital corpsman stationed on the southern coast of Korea, getting out and enjoying recreational opportunities is the key to enjoying his tour of duty.

WASHINGTON - A soldier who has been living with traumatic brain injury for the past seven years is reaching out to recently wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan to help them learn to live with the disease.

WASHINGTON - All Tricare eligible beneficiaries age 5 or under and beneficiaries with developmental, mental or physical disabilities will soon be eligible for anesthesia-cost coverage, a Tricare official said today.

SEOUL, South Korea - With only five years in the service, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Terry Selvera beat out competitors who towered over her in rank and experience to become the Joint Staff Servicemember of the Year.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers of Multinational Division - Baghdad saved two Iraqi civilians while discovering two insurgent safe houses, one of which contained two car bombs, in the West Rashid district of the Iraqi capital Monday.

BASRAH, Iraq - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region South District’s rehabilitation of the railway station here is part of the effort to build and develop Iraq’s basic services and strategic infrastructure.

WASHINGTON - Finances are no longer a reason to keep a Marine’s family from attending his or her basic training graduation, thanks to the Marine Graduation Foundation.

WASHINGTON - The troop surge has become “a surge of operations,” and coalition forces are in the early stages of a difficult fight, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman told reporters in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - While saluting the Army for its efforts to improve operations at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, co-chairs of an independent review panel also urged members of a House subcommittee yesterday to inquire about other military hospitals.

WASHINGTON - “Less is better” when it comes to managing the Defense Department, the deputy secretary of defense told the House Armed Services Committee today during a hearing aimed at improving the department’s management.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two terrorists and detained two suspects during operations today targeting al Qaeda in Iraq leaders and their bombing network.

WASHINGTON - To help kick off the first National Pollinator Week, Defense Department officials signed on to a collaborative effort to preserve pollinators nationwide.

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - The role of noncomissioned officers in the asymetrical war on terror was among the topics discussed during a three-day conference here last week that brought together 30 sergeants major from across Europe and Eurasia to meet for the first Conference of European Armies for NCOs.

SAN DIEGO - Educators attending the Military Impacted Schools Association’s summer meeting here today got a warm thank you from the Defense Department and a lesson on how students can express support for servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - Tiger Woods will honor soldiers and military families July 4 at the inaugural Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am Tournament, part of the AT&T National PGA Tour event, scheduled for July 3 - 8 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.

WASHINGTON - Though the number of insurgent attacks in Afghanistan has increased as officials predicted it would with better weather, coalition forces are winning the battle against al Qaeda and the Taliban in NATO’s Regional Command East, a U.S. official in Afghanistan said today.

WASHINGTON - For more than 35 years, Charlie Daniels has entertained servicemembers with his unique blend of country, blues and rock music. The American music legend received an award for his work at the Pentagon yesterday and recorded a message of support for the troops.

WASHINGTON - The Army’s three-month-old “Wounded Soldier and Family Hotline,” established March 19, has already fielded thousands of calls from soldiers and concerned family members, officials said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - A suicide bomber attacked a Baghdad hotel yesterday while community leaders were meeting to discuss peace efforts, and a vehicle-bomb attack struck civilians and damaged businesses in Mosul.

WASHINGTON - Military officials in Iraq have detailed numerous operations in which Iraqi and coalition forces killed or capture al Qaeda operatives and other suspected terrorists and uncovered illegal weapons caches in Iraq.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan - Special training in escaping from an overturned Humvee paid off last month for soldiers assigned here who suffered only minor injuries when their Humvee rolled over after an attempted suicide-car-bomb attack.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon honored music legend Charlie Daniels here today with the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service, the Defense Department’s top civilian award.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi soldiers and units working with the Multinational Division North are "holding firm," the director of operations for the division said today from his headquarters in Tikrit.

WASHINGTON - Ten days into offensive strikes under Operation Phantom Thunder, the commander of Task Force Marne said his troops are one-fifth of the way into their “decisive” and “deliberate” operation in the southern provinces of Iraq.

WASHINGTON - While Iraqi forces are progressing, it will take time before they are fully ready to shoulder the security burden, the man in charge of training Iraqi Army and police said today.

WASHINGTON - A soldier was killed in Iraq today and another was killed June 23, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has released the name of an airman who was killed over the weekend.

WASHINGTON - It only takes two simple words to express infinite gratitude and appreciation to the nation’s veterans, past and present, according to The Thank You Foundation’s mission statement.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Imagine being married for almost 18 months, but spending only one of those months together. That is exactly what Scott and Katie Horrigan experienced when Scott -- an Army captain who commands the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment’s Alpha Company -- deployed with the 10th Mountain Division in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

BAQUBAH, Iraq - Iraqi security forces and Task Force Lightning soldiers discovered an execution house and an illegal prison in the Baqubah neighborhood of Khatoon yesterday during the sixth day of Operation Arrowhead Ripper.

BAGHDAD - Army Sgt. 1st Class Adin Salkanovic won’t spend a full 15 months in Iraq like the rest of the soldiers in his unit. Still, he knows all too well about the sacrifices of war.

WASHINGTON - A meeting of Iraqi religious leaders from various sects and faiths has opened a door for further progress on reining in factional violence in Iraq, said the top U.S. chaplain in the country.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military could begin drawing down the number of troops in Iraq next spring if Iraqi security forces continue to improve and succeed, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said today on a television news show.

WASHINGTON - Eleven servicemembers died and four were wounded yesterday in Iraq, military officials reported, and the Defense Department released the identities of six servicemembers killed recently during U.S. operations abroad.

WASHINGTON - Combined security forces began providing humanitarian assistance yesterday in Baqubah, Iraq, in addition to combat aimed at rooting out al Qaeda, during the fifth day of the Operation Arrowhead Ripper.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces killed 11 insurgents, detained 25 suspects and discovered several weapons caches in Iraq over the past three days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed more than 32 insurgents and detained 20 others in Afghanistan over the past three days, military officials reported.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghanistan has come a long way in the six years since the U.S. and NATO began working with the nation after the Taliban was driven from power by coalition forces, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said while visiting U.S. troops deployed here.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - U.S. troops have played a critical role in advancements made in Afghanistan over the past few years, and the Defense Department is working to increase the number of personnel in some services to better handle challenges posed by the war on terrorism, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told servicemembers here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - National Guard troops are helping to search for people still missing after flash floods deluged the southern Catskill Mountains, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer said in a statement today, and Alaska Guardsmen are fighting spreading wildfires in the nation’s largest state.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will issue decks of playing cards to deployed troops starting July 31, but not for Texas Hold ’Em tournaments. The cards are training aids designed to help the servicemembers understand the archaeological significance of their deployed locations.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces continue to kill and detain suspected terrorists and discover weapons caches during ongoing missions within Operation Phantom Thunder, a large-scale operation targeting al Qaeda strongholds in and around Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - A North Carolina group has taken a creative approach to supporting the military by promoting patriotism through the arts.

SEOUL, Korea - The Defense Department’s top enlisted member said this week he has submitted his retirement paperwork, but that he plans to stay on through July 2008 until his replacement is on the job.

WASHINGTON - Iraq’s police officers are rapidly acquiring experience and proficiency as they contribute to the establishment of law and order across the country, the senior U.S. military policeman in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - The surge of forces into Iraq is over. The surge of operations has begun, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq told Pentagon reporters in a teleconference today.

WASHINGTON - While the country is getting ready to celebrate its 231st birthday with fireworks, picnics and other summer activities, Arizonans Mike and Malinda Brown already are planning for Christmas.

WASHINGTON - In celebration of Independence Day, “America’s Legendary Music Hall” will offer a patriotic salute to servicemembers and their families.

BAGHDAD - Although U.S. troops serving in Iraq are doing great work and have made slow and steady progress, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today, the ultimate solution to the country’s situation lies with the Iraqis themselves.

WASHINGTON - The Army Reserve has transformed into an operational force, but needs to make more changes to better meet current and future needs, the top Army Reserve commander told reporters at the Foreign Press Center here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed several enemy fighters yesterday during operations in Afghanistan, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi people are tired of a foreign-dominated group -- al Qaeda -- attempting to manipulate them, and are turning to their government, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - The reserve components are vital to the military and its ability to fight the war on terror, so it’s essential that they’re properly managed and compensated, the service personnel chiefs told the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The Fire Arms Training System, part of occupational therapy at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, teaches servicemembers how to adjust to their injuries and how to fire military weapons despite new limitations.

WASHINGTON - The spike in violence and the increase in the number of U.S. servicemembers killed in Iraq is tied to the new strategy that involves rooting insurgents out from their hiding places, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today during a joint news conference with Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. - A typical-looking 747 aircraft on the tarmac here today -- distinguishable from other 747s only by its glass, bulb-shaped nose -- could one day be the silver bullet that shoots ballistic missiles out of the sky.

CAMP HUMPREYS, South Korea - As the U.S. military transforms its forces from a cold-war formation in South Korea, nowhere is the growth more visible than here, in what used to be considered a “sleepy little camp with not much happening,” officials here said.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today he is going to stay focused on his job of providing the best military advice to the president, vice president, defense secretary and rest of the National Security Council until his term expires at the end of September.

WASHINGTON - Leaders in five African nations see the U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, as a constructive approach to making the continent more stable, a senior Defense Department official told reporters at the Pentagon today.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Two people who’d been held hostage by Taliban and al Qaeda militants were rescued today by U.S. and Afghan forces during raids in the Zaghun Shah district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province, U.S. officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Current Defense Department mental health efforts fall significantly short of adequately serving servicemembers and their families, and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said fixing the program is an achievable vision.

WASHINGTON - The Army Reserve chief's wife has come up with a "virtual installation" concept to improve the lives of other military spouses, no matter how far away they may be from a military installation.

WASHINGTON - A series of anti-insurgent operations conducted across Iraq by U.S. and Iraqi troops in recent days has resulted in the killing or capture of scores of terrorists and the seizure of copious amounts of enemy ordnance, U.S. military officials reported.

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. - Like many college students, Sarah McIntosh will work an internship this summer. She won’t be working in the mailroom, at a bank or acting as a gofer for an advertising agency, though. Her internship will be a little more intense and adventurous.

BAGHDAD - When the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff showed up to speak to 1st Cavalry soldiers here yesterday, soldiers were a bit surprised by how in tune he was with the current situation in Iraq.

BAGHDAD - The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff met with soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division here yesterday, thanking them for their service and telling them better equipment is on the way.

WASHINGTON - As evolving technology enables new links among people and speeds the flow of information around the globe, communications organizations must adapt to those changes to remain relevant and valuable to their core audiences, a Pentagon official said last week.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials this week are judging innovative tools that provide geospatial imaging, boost network communication and security, or fulfill other warfighter requirements on their utility, security and interoperability with existing and new systems.

WASHINGTON - One lucky patriot serving overseas will find another type of patriot awaiting his or her return home, thanks to an America Supports You organization and a Jeep dealers association.

WASHINGTON - Fourteen U.S. servicemembers have been killed in Iraq over the last three days, military officials reported today.

BAGHDAD - U.S. and Iraqi army forces found an orphanage housing 24 severely malnourished and abused boys in Baghdad’s Fajr neighborhood June 10, military officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - More flexibility is needed to encourage Guard and Reserve members to better balance their military and civilian obligations as they contribute to the nation’s defense, a senior official told the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves today.

WASHINGTON - State and local emergency first responders have ably assisted flood-stricken citizens in northern Texas, a state official said today in Austin.

WASHINGTON - As the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks approaches, America Supports You is gearing up for its third annual Freedom Walk on Sept. 9 in the nation’s capital.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers about an identity-theft scam targeting families of military members.

CAMP CASEY, South Korea - Army Sgt. Jessie Jones is continuing a lifelong passion for martial arts by serving as the team captain for the 2nd Infantry Division Tae Kwon Do demonstration team, which performs for U.S. and Korean dignitaries and local communities, sometimes sideby-side with Republic of Korea Tae Kwon Do teams.

WASHINGTON - A senior defense official cautioned today against reading too much into Army secretary nominee Pete Geren’s statement yesterday that the Army hasn’t ruled out extending deployments for troops in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. soldier was killed in Iraq yesterday, another was killed June 18, and the Defense Department released the identities of four soldiers killed recently in the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces anticipate a summer of hard fighting, but are confident there is a good prospect for continued progress in the months ahead, a senior military official said during a Baghdad news conference today.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan’s citizens are rejecting the dark vision offered by Taliban and al Qaeda extremists and are embracing their central government, senior U.S. and Afghan military officers said today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces continued security operations throughout Iraq the past few days, killing about 37 extremists, capturing more than 100, and discovering numerous weapons caches, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The Army is working with its sister services to ramp up production of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle and speed up the timetable for getting it to deployed troops, Pete Geren, the Army secretary nominee, said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Two Massachusetts teens are working to turn Americans’ unwanted cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid talk time for the nation’s troops.

WASHINGTON - With more than 140,000 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, “we can never take our eye off the ball,” the Army secretary designate told a Senate committee yesterday, but he also reaffirmed that taking care of soldiers and families remains his top priority.

WASHINGTON - A lab at Walter Reed Army Medical Center is gathering data that will help designers make the prosthetic limbs better, while enabling faster, more efficient recoveries for amputees.

WASHINGTON - A 7-year-old Wisonsin boy missing since June 14 has been found dead today. The boy had been the subject of a massive search conducted over the past several days by state and local officials, including Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard helicopters.

WASHINGTON - The establishment of a democratic Iraq will benefit freedom-loving people across the Middle East and around the world, President Bush told reporters today at a White House news conference.

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. - Servicemembers and their families who attended the premiere of “Rescue Dawn,” a new movie based on the true story of the experiences and rescue of Navy Lt. Dieter Dengler, said it inspired them by demonstrating deeply held military values.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Soldiers here recently received a special gift from a complete stranger who had read about them in a newspaper.

WASHINGTON - Texas National Guard land and air forces are on standby to assist flood-stricken citizens in northern Texas, a Texas Guard official said today.

WASHINGTON - Two Wisconsin National Guard helicopters and another chopper from the Michigan Guard have been assisting in the search for a Wood County, Wis., boy missing since June 14, a Wisconsin Guard official said today.

NORFOLK, Va. - Operation Smile, a worldwide children’s medical charity that provides free surgery to children in developing countries born with facial deformities, is participating with the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort’s summer humanitarian assistance deployment.

WASHINGTON - The beginning of a new offensive targeting al Qaeda in the Iraqi city of Baqubah highlights recent operations reported by military officials in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - A senior defense official today credited decisive action by the Iraqi government with helping to prevent last week’s bombing at the Golden Mosque in Samarra, Iraq, from escalating into widespread sectarian violence.

SEOUL, South Korea - Marine Lance Cpl. John Walker is making the most of his tour in Korea, immersing himself in the local culture.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Army soldier died yesterday in Iraq and another soldier was killed June 17, military officials reported, and the Defense Department has identified seven previous casualties.

WASHINGTON - Individual roles, actions and operations are essential components of the Iraq war effort, but it is the sum of those parts that defines success in the war, the top enlisted leader in theater said last week.

WASHINGTON - A special commission appointed by President Bush to examine medical care given to wounded servicemembers held its sixth public meeting here today, receiving testimony from Defense Department officials, wounded warriors and their families, and other experts.

WASHINGTON - A group that recognizes high school students whose lives are affected by extreme circumstances is offering trips to the nation’s capital for teens with a deployed parent.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 21 insurgents, detained 31 and wounded six others in Iraq during the past three days, military officials said. Meanwhile, troops there discovered six Iranian-made rockets.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed several militants and detained seven others during operations in Afghanistan during the past two days. Meanwhile, seven Afghan children died during a coalition air strike.

SEOUL, South Korea - Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, the Defense Department’s top enlisted servicemember, is traveling in South Korea this week, checking on quality of life and the well-being of troops serving on the peninsula.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The battle against the Taliban is an ongoing fight throughout Afghanistan. One of the groups leading the charge against the terrorists and insurgents is the Afghan National Police.

WASHINGTON - In Chelsea, Ala., offering servicemembers and their families encouragement is just plain monkey business.

WASHINGTON - Four coalition servicemembers were killed today in Afghanistan, military officials reported. In addition, on June 15, a coalition servicemember was killed in Afghanistan and a U.S. soldier was killed in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained five suspects, killed enemy fighters, and discovered weapons caches in operations in Afghanistan in the past three days, military officials reported.

FORT MYER, Va. - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace and his wife, Lynne, hosted a picnic at their home here yesterday for wounded servicemembers and their families.

WASHINGTON - The most successful team in Major League Soccer’s 11-year history paid special tribute to America’s military men and women here last night.

WASHINGTON - Sectarian murders and executions in Baghdad are declining, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said today on the “Fox News Sunday” television program.

WASHINGTON - In operations throughout Iraq the past several days, Iraqi and coalition forces killed 29 insurgents, detained 52 suspects, and found various bomb-making material and ammunition, military officials reported.

BAGHDAD - The U.S. troop surge into Iraq is just starting to have its full-intended impact, and it will take time to judge its effectiveness, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said after meeting with U.S. and Iraqi leaders here today.

WASHINGTON - The key to improving mental health care in the military and in America is to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help, Defense Department medical officials said today.

NORFOLK, Va. - U.S. armed services frequently work together in joint operations, and military officers also need to represent their own services in joint environments, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday at the Joint Forces Staff College here.

WASHINGTON - A new guide produced by the Blue Star Mothers of America offers information and advice for servicemembers as well as their families and friends to help them understand, identify and seek out resources to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, here on a previously unannounced visit, said he is hopeful that recent bombings by al Qaeda in Iraq won’t further disrupt or delay progress in the country.

WASHINGTON - As the troop surge in Baghdad approaches full force, the aviation unit that controls the skies over Iraq’s capital is changing tactics daily to keep a leg up on the enemy, the unit’s commander said today.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces captured one terrorist leader and killed 16 suspected terrorists today. Ten more insurgents died in fighting yesterday.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan - Soldiers at a forward operating base in Afghanistan were treated to a little taste of home when “Feeding Freedom 5” brought the “Down Under” taste of Outback Steakhouse to the base dining facility.

WASHINGTON - Four soldiers were killed in Iraq yesterday, and another soldier died of non-combat related injuries June 13. In addition, the Defense Department released the identities of several servicemembers recently killed in Iraq.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - As Father's Day approaches, a single father deployed to Iraq reflects on his children.

WASHINGTON - Today’s soldiers have the best equipment available, and the Army keeps striving to improve it, the general who oversees the equipping effort said.

WASHINGTON - In the shadow of the Washington Monument, with its 50 American flags snapping in the breeze, the “President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band helped kick off the grand finale of the National Anthem Project here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The quickened tempo and increasingly localized nature of joint U.S.-Iraqi security operations are gradually pushing al Qaeda and related insurgent groups out of Iraq’s neighborhoods, a coalition spokesman said this week.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces have killed and detained more than two dozen enemy fighters in operations in Afghanistan over the past two days, U.S. officials said.

NORFOLK, Va. - Although he would never voluntarily leave the battlefield while troops are at war, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said he accepts the decision to not renominate him for a second term.

WASHINGTON - It is too early to discern trends out of the U.S. troop “surge” as part of the Baghdad security plan, defense officials said here today.

WASHINGTON - The Army celebrated its 232nd birthday here today in the Pentagon courtyard by displaying some of the newest clothing, personal equipment and weaponry coming on line to support warfighters.

WASHINGTON - A top priority for U.S. government officials working in Afghanistan is eradicating poppy plants and creating alternative livelihoods for farmers, a Defense Department counternarcotics official said today.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Today’s formal meetings of NATO’s North Atlantic Council ended with no formal opposition to U.S. proposals for a European missile defense plan.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi leaders yesterday called for unity from the Askra Mosque, the scene of another terrorist attack.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed several enemy fighters and detained three suspects in operations around Afghanistan over the past two days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - President Bush welcomed the former commander for Iraqi military training to the White House today to hear his assessments and thank him for his service and commitment to Iraq.

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - The intelligence community reached a milestone earlier this month as leaders broke ground for the first joint detention training facility in the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - A national motor oil company is partnering with a volunteer troop-support group to keep spouses of servicemembers deployed overseas on the road.

WASHINGTON - The USNS Comfort will depart Norfolk, Va., tomorrow on its first large-scale humanitarian assistance deployment to Central America, South America and the Caribbean, where it will provide medical care to an estimated 85,000 patients from communities with limited health care access.

WASHINGTON - Expanded cooperation with the Iraqi police and army and the introduction of provincial security forces are helping stabilize Fallujah, Iraq, and the surrounding areas, a coalition commander said yesterday.

KABUL, Afghanistan - When U.S. Army Col. John Hansen began his work with the Afghan National Army Air Corps in October 2005, he found only a remnant of the former Afghan air force. A force that once had 500 aircraft was reduced to only a few flyable craft.

WASHINGTON - The fight for security in Baghdad is likely to “get harder over the coming months as we engage an increasingly desperate enemy,” the deputy secretary of state said in Baghdad today.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Immense progress has been made in providing international assistance to the people and government of Afghanistan, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said today in his opening statement during the two-day session of the North Atlantic Council here.

WASHINGTON - It’s still too early to assess the impact of the new strategy in Iraq, but more progress is expected as additional troops come on line to boost security in Baghdad, according to the latest quarterly report to Congress, released today.

WASHINGTON - Two soldiers were killed in Iraq yesterday and a Marine was killed June 11, military officials reported. Also, the Defense Department released the identities of three soldiers killed recently in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The growth of special operations forces poses difficulties for the Defense Department, but nominees for key special operations positions told the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday that the situation is manageable.

WASHINGTON - Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s 3-D Medical Applications Center uses technology originally designed for the manufacturing industry to cut down on the amount of time a patient is in surgery by as much as six hours.

WASHINGTON - A group founded in 2002 as a way for Pennsylvania servicemembers to stay connected with family and friends has morphed into an organization that boosts the morale of deployed troops all over the world.

WASHINGTON - In operations throughout Iraq over the past three days, coalition and Iraqi forces killed nine terrorists and detained 76 suspected terrorists, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - A senior U.S. military official in Iraq joined Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today in urging calm in the wake of an attack today on the Golden Mosque compound in Samarra, Iraq.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Although great strides have been made in boosting Afghanistan’s economic development and reconstruction, the U.S. defense secretary said he will continue to urge partners within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to continue their efforts.

WASHINGTON - Given the levels of violence in Iraq and anticipation of a declining U.S. presence in the future, the Iraqi security forces need to grow in 2008 at about the same rate they’re growing this year, the U.S. general who was in charge of training Iraqi forces until this week said here today.

WASHINGTON - The quantity of Iranian weapons being shipped to the Taliban in Afghanistan makes it unlikely that the Iranian government is not involved, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Senior enlisted leaders from the Afghan National Army and coalition forces met in May for the first ANA Sergeant Major of the Army Combat Leadership Training Seminar.

WASHINGTON - On June 17, most fathers will awake to smiles, hugs and maybe even another tie for their collection. For more than 150,000 American fathers, sons and daughters serving in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, their Father's Day will be much different.

WASHINGTON - Two minarets at the Golden Mosque compound in Samarra, Iraq, were destroyed around 9 a.m. today, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley awarded six airmen the Air Force Combat Action Medal during a ceremony June 12 at the Air Force Memorial. These airmen were the first in the Air Force to receive the new medal.

WASHINGTON - A prosthetic technician at Walter Reed Army Medical Center uses a blend of science, art and muscle to create prosthetic limbs for wounded warriors.

WASHINGTON - U.S. forces in Iraq are managing deployment schedules to maximize efficiency and generate the greatest momentum for changes taking place to benefit the Iraqi people, a senior enlisted official there said today.

WASHINGTON - The nonprofit group “Operation Homelink” provided 100 Massachusetts National Guard families with refurbished desktop computers earlier this month to ensure they can communicate with deployed loved ones via e-mail.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security units have developed to the point where they can assume a greater share of the security burden, the U.S. general in charge of training those forces until earlier this week said here today.

WASHINGTON - Lessons of the Cold War are important, because the same hatred that led to millions of people’s deaths during the 20th century is still at work today in the world, President Bush said today at the dedication of the new Victims of Communism memorial here.

WASHINGTON - An eight-hour battle in Afghanistan yesterday led to the deaths of some two dozen enemy fighters.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - The top U.S. military officer met here today with enlisted men and women to remind them of their critical roles as members of the noncommissioned officer corps and to thank them for their service.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 11 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq operations in the Baghdad area today.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials have released the identities of five soldiers killed supporting operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

WASHINGTON - More than 20 veterans injured during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan will join some 600 other disabled veterans next week for the 27th National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

WASHINGTON - The goal for Iraq’s electrical sector is to meet roughly 50 percent of demand over the summer, a U.S. reconstruction official said.

WASHINGTON - Until every servicemember comes home, one dedicated group of volunteers will make sure they know they’re remembered.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 12 suspected terrorists during operations targeting the al Qaeda-in-Iraq network today.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Three U.S. soldiers were killed and six were wounded when a suicide car bomb struck the checkpoint they were manning south of Baghdad yesterday.

WASHINGTON - A senior defense official expressed hope today that a provision in the stalled immigration bill that would have allowed some undocumented aliens to join the military won’t fall off the radar screen.

WASHINGTON - Defense leaders from the United States and Colombia met here last week to discuss goals for continued cooperation between the two countries’ defense establishments.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials said today they’re not overly concerned that the Army fell slightly short of its recruiting goal for May, noting that the service is still 2,000 recruits ahead of its year-to-date goals.

BAGHDAD - Army Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik took command of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq and NATO Training Mission Iraq in a ceremony here yesterday.

LOS ANGELES - One of TV’s biggest names, Don Bellisario -- creator of “Magnum PI,” “JAG” and, most recently, “NCIS” -- credits his own Marine Corps experience with giving him the background he needed to break into the television industry.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. airman and soldier were killed today, and two U.S. soldiers were killed yesterday in Iraq, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Combined forces killed one terrorist and detained 13 suspected terrorists during the past few days in Iraq, military officials reported. Forces also responded to attacks on a medical clinic and two mosques.

WASHINGTON - A tip from citizens led Afghan National Police, along with coalition forces, to a munitions cache 15 kilometers southeast of Chamkani in Afghanistan’s Paktya province yesterday, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Army Maj. David Rozelle is a wounded warrior who lost his foot to a roadside bomb in Iraq. But he didn't let that stop him. After recovering from his injury, he completed another combat tour and now serves as deputy to the program manager for amputee care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

WASHINGTON - Kirkuk, Iraq’s northern oil center, is an example of people of all sects, tribes and religions being able to live and work together in the Middle East, said Army Col. Patrick Stackpole, commander of 3rd Brigade 25th Infantry Division. That’s why it is a terrorist target.

WASHINGTON - The surge of U.S. troops into Iraq as part of the Baghdad Security Plan is already having an effect, and Americans need to be patient, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq said here during a June 6 interview.

WASHINGTON - For one Connecticut troop-support group, it’s all about giving back to those who sacrifice so much for their country and making sure servicemembers know those at home care.

WASHINGTON - Elements of the 205th Afghan National Army Corps, advised and assisted by coalition forces, defeated enemy insurgents in two separate firefights in Afghanistan’s Kandahar and Zabul provinces June 6, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces have killed 21 insurgents, detained 20 suspects, and discovered several weapons caches over the past few days in Iraq, military officials reported. Also, two car bombs detonated near Abu Ghraib yesterday, causing major damage to two mosques.

WASHINGTON - Walter Reed Army Medical Center officials yesterday activated the second and third companies focused solely on overseeing the health, welfare and morale of “warriors in transition.”

LOS ANGELES - When the DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures live-action film “Transformers” opens at movie houses nationwide July 4, the scenes with F-117 Nighthawk aircraft, CV-22 Osprey troop transports and airmen running across the scene will look so convincing, viewers will swear they’re the real deal. And they’ll be right.

WASHINGTON - To avoid a contentious reconfirmation process, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will recommend that President Bush nominate Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael G. Mullen to replace Marine Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - After having breakfast with some of her fans in Nashville, Tenn., yesterday, country music singer LeAnn Rimes, as one of her songs says, had absolutely “Nothin’ Better to Do” than present a handicap-accessible van to a severely injured veteran.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Joint Forces Command, with headquarters in Norfolk, Va., is recruiting 240 reservists to serve in Standing Joint Force Headquarters Core Element teams.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Tech. Sgt. Gary W. Burdett’s videography documents the up-close-and-personal actions of America’s fighting forces around the world.

WASHINGTON - Environmental stewardship is not a separate Defense Department mission, but rather is the fabric of the department, a top defense official said during the 2006 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards here yesterday.

ARLINGTON, Va. - For two years, the American public has been given a personal look into the sacrifices of U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan through the Faces of the Fallen exhibit.

WASHINGTON - Iraq’s police force is seeing incremental improvements across the spectrum of its mandate, and the communities it serves are benefiting as a result, an official with the U.S. police-training mission said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces today captured 32 suspected terrorists during a series of raids that targeted al Qaeda operations in Baghdad and western Iraq, officials said.

WASHINGTON - Inspired by pro golf’s support of the troops, about 100 golfers hit the links each weekend for friendly competition that ultimately benefits injured servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - A new Pentagon Channel documentary, “Finding Their Way,” revisits wounded warriors further into their recovery to see how they are doing.

FORT LESLEY J. MCNAIR, D.C. - The United States and its allies are engaged in a long war that will require continuing international partnerships, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

WASHINGTON - An award-winning Air Force photographer routinely braves bullets and bombs to tell the military’s story through the lenses of his Nikon cameras.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and U.S. forces killed a suspected al Qaeda agent and captured three other suspected insurgents during separate actions in Afghanistan’s Zabul and Nangarhar provinces today, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan represent the “main effort” in the war on terrorism, a general nominated as a top administration official said today.

WASHINGTON - Behind the spotlight on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command is working to bring about “a secure, stable, partnered region” in the Middle East and Horn of Africa, a senior officer in the command said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s top acquisition official announced yesterday that he is stepping down.

WASHINGTON - Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, marks the 40-year milestone in a military career that began when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on June 7, 1967.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces have the upper hand against Afghan insurgents despite previous fears of a bloody Taliban spring offensive aided by Iranian technology, the deputy director for operations on the Joint Staff said here today.

WASHINGTON - Three U.S. soldiers were killed and one was wounded today, and another was killed yesterday during operations in Iraq, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - America’s servicemembers are the best-equipped in the world, and people could see and touch an array of all-new or improved military equipment on exhibit on Capitol Hill here today.

WASHINGTON - While stationed at Camp Fallujah, Iraq, over Christmas 2006, Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan Richards received a special care package with an extraordinary gift to be claimed upon his return to the states.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed four terrorists, detained 23 others, and discovered multiple weapons caches during recent operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - An accused terrorist believed to have helped al Qaeda groups in Africa obtain arms has been transferred to the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

COLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was among hundreds of people who walked today above the windswept cliffs and paused among fog-shrouded headstones here to honor those who died during the D-Day invasion.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi people are taking a stand against al Qaeda beyond Anbar province, Multinational Force Iraq’s new spokesman said today.

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Marine Gen. Peter Pace has faced tough questions from the president, the National Security Council and members of Congress. The toughest questions, however, seem to come from the nation’s youngest citizens.

WASHINGTON - For three years, an Illinois group has made sure troops serving overseas have something to look forward to during the holidays.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained 19 suspected militants, killed two dozen enemy fighters and discovered numerous enemy weapons during operations in Afghanistan over the past three days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Anyone who doubts that al Qaeda would use chemical, nuclear or biological weapons need only look at the terror group’s attacks in Iraq, Defense officials said.

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met yesterday with some of the first soldiers and family members to be affected by the Army’s new 15-month deployments to Iraq.

COLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today visited the Normandy Coast here to honor the almost 10,000 Americans killed during the D-Day invasion 63 years ago today and to offer a reminder that Americans are once again giving their lives to fight an enemy driven to destroy freedom.

WASHINGTON - Wounded warriors who lost limbs work with occupational therapists at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center to regain skills and abilities they had before suffering their injuries.

WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers called Haifa Street in Baghdad “Purple Heart Boulevard” for the trouble they encountered on the street. Today, U.S. and Iraqi forces are teaming to provide security for the Iraqis living on Haifa Street.

WASHINGTON - Circumstantial evidence indicates al Qaeda in Iraq is weakening and popular support is swinging toward the coalition in Iraq’s Diyala province, the commander of U.S. military forces there said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The problems plaguing the Afghan government cannot be taken on without taking on the problem of poppy production, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan told Pentagon reporters in a teleconference today.

WASHINGTON - Reality met Hollywood last month when the cast and crew of the Lifetime Network’s new series “Army Wives” hosted a picnic honoring real Army wives in Charleston, S.C., where the series is filmed.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces have gained the upper hand against Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, the commander of NATO forces in the war-torn country told Pentagon reporters during a teleconference today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush said today that if striving to end tyranny makes him a “dissident president,” then he would proudly wear the title.

WASHINGTON - As he finishes his tour in Iraq this week, the senior U.S. military official in charge of training the Iraqi police and army offered a candid assessment of the coalition-led training regimen: significant challenges remain, but progress in key areas has been realized.

PARIS - Meeting here today on the eve of the 63rd anniversary of the D-Day invasion, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and French Defense Minister Herve Morin agreed to work toward strengthening their two countries’ historic ties.

PARIS - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today that he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice “are both puzzled by what the Russians are doing” in response to U.S. plans to build missile defense sites in Eastern Europe.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. missile defense initiative in Europe is not aimed at Russia, but against the possibility of rogue states seeking to blackmail the West, President Bush said today during a news conference in Prague, Czech Republic.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 22 suspects, uncovered an enemy mortar system, and suffered eight non-lethal combat casualties in Iraq over the past three days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Nearly 120 golfers hit the links during yesterday’s Patriotic Opener at PGA Tournament Players Club Avenel in Potomac, Md., where a replica of Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 DuPont-sponsored NASCAR vehicle was on display. Today, the car rolled into the Pentagon courtyard here, where fans had the chance to see it up close.

NEW YORK - The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff accepted an honorary doctor of engineering degree during a ceremony at the City Center here June 3.

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan - Although acknowledging he’d like to see faster progress in Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today refused to point fingers at the Iraqi army and said that force is standing up to challenges confronting it.

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today thanked Kyrgyzstan for its continued support for operations in Afghanistan and the global war on terrorism.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Following suit from events earlier in the day, a military judge tonight dismissed the terrorism charges against Yemeni detainee Salim Ahmed Hamdan.

WASHINGTON - After 37 years of commissioned service, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. will retire in August.

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials in Iraq are studying a video posted to a terrorist Web site showing the military identification cards of two U.S. soldiers listed as missing since May 12, according to Multinational Force Iraq officials.

WASHINGTON - Wounded warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are helped on their way to recovery by dedicated physical therapists and the center's facilities.

WASHINGTON - Six Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed and five wounded during operations around the Iraqi capital yesterday, officials reported. Another soldier was also killed and eight wounded a day earlier.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed a terrorist and detained 15 suspected terrorists during raids today in Baghdad, Mosul and Karmah, Iraq, official reported.

WASHINGTON - Local Iraqis were instrumental in helping coalition and Iraqi forces liberate 42 men from al Qaeda custody in Iraq’s Diyala province, the coalition commander in the area said.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - In a decision that could affect the future of the military commission system, the judge in the military commission case of accused terrorist Omar Khadr today dismissed all charges against Khadr and adjourned the hearing.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The United States and Malaysia have had “a long, very strong and prosperous relationship,” Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today, noting that Malaysia is the United States’ 10th largest trade partner.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military engineers have completed nearly 300 major water and sewage projects in Baghdad and across Iraq in the past few years, U.S. military officers reported.

WASHINGTON - Hosts of a new show coming to the Pentagon Channel want to make troops hurt. They want to make them sweat. They want to push servicemembers’ limits. Above all, they want to ensure members of the U.S. military are “Fit for Duty.”

KABUL, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited a former Taliban training ground near here today to get a firsthand look at how it's been transformed to train Afghan army commandos.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The expected spring Taliban offense here has turned into an “Afghan alliance offensive that has put the Taliban off their game,” Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi troops continue to search for two missing U.S. soldiers abducted by terrorists after a complex attack in Iraq on May 12.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained three militants in an early-morning operation today against al Qaeda militants in Khowst province.

WASHINGTON - Six U.S. soldiers died and eight were wounded in Iraq yesterday, and one servicemember died in Afghanistan. Three other soldiers died and one was wounded in Iraq a day earlier, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - More time is needed to tell if the troop surge will work to stabilize Iraq, and it is premature to talk about victory or defeat in the region, the top U.S. diplomat in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani apologized for the deaths of American troops in his country and vowed that his government would make sufficient progress by September to convince America that U.S. troops should stay in the region.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here tonight to meet with the new U.S. ground commanders and ambassador to evaluate progress and explore ways to make sure it continues.

SINGAPORE - It’s too soon to say if the United States and its coalition partners are winning the war on terror, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here yesterday.

SINGAPORE - Asian defense and military leaders meeting here showed “great receptivity” to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ call for Asian countries to contribute more toward stabilizing Afghanistan and Central Asia, Gates told reporters today.

SINGAPORE - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today lauded movement toward establishing a defense hotline between the United States and China. He called it “another step forward” in the two countries’ developing relationship.

SINGAPORE - A diplomatic solution is best way to deal with Iran’s nuclear program, because “having to take care of this problem militarily is in no one’s interest,” Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

SINGAPORE - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today challenged more Asian countries to step forward with the help needed to bolster new governments in Afghanistan and Central Asia.

SINGAPORE - The United States hasn’t let Asia slip from its radar screen in light of operational demands in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hot spots, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates assured Asian defense and military leaders here today.

WASHINGTON - As the use of improvised explosive devices has continued steadily against U.S. troops in Iraq, the Defense Department has made treating those troops seriously injured in the blasts a top priority.

WASHINGTON - The Army is helping out U.S. states and territories that are in the paths of potentially deadly hurricanes by providing equipment to help fill shortages identified by National Guard commanders there, a senior Army official said today.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Naval Forces Europe, an organization responsible for naval operations in much of Africa, is preparing to work with the new U.S. Africa Command, which is slated to stand up sometime in October, the naval forces’ commander said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The Silver Star Families of America organization works to honor sacrifices made by servicemembers wounded in all wars, past and present.

WASHINGTON - Day-to-day security concerns in the three provinces making up Iraq’s Kurdistan region are now the direct responsibility of Iraqi representatives, a Multinational Force Iraq official said yesterday.

ARLINGTON, Va. - About 500 guests gathered to pay tribute to Asian Pacific American servicemembers here yesterday at the Defense Department’s 6th Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month luncheon and military awards ceremony.

WASHINGTON - It is crucial for the Iraqi government to meet benchmarks for political and economic progress, President Bush stressed to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in an Oval Office meeting yesterday.

WASHINGTON - While the “surge” in U.S. and Iraqi troops is continuing in Baghdad and other areas of Iraq, progress is being made in quelling violence there, a top U.S. commander in Iraq said yesterday.

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - Servicemembers here had a chance today to hear the military’s highest ranking officer speak about regional threats, the war in Iraq and a variety of other concerns.

SINGAPORE - Although the Asia Security Summit opens here today on the heels of the Defense Department’s May 25 release of its China Military Power Report, U.S. defense officials attending the summit intend to “let the report speak for itself and let others draw conclusions,” a senior official said.

SINGAPORE - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here this evening to meet with defense leaders from 25 nations participating in the sixth annual International Institute of Strategic Studies’ Asia Security Summit.