WASHINGTON - President Bush’s nominees to fill the nation’s top two military posts today pledged to do their best to represent the men and women of the U.S. military.

WASHINGTON - The Army’s senior civilian announced today that a retired three-star general will receive a letter of censure as the result of a review of previous military investigations into the death of Army Spc. Patrick D. Tillman.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials today announced additional major units scheduled to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 35 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al Qaeda in central and northern Iraq over the past two days.

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice got firm commitments here today from Iraq’s neighbors that they’ll continue to support the Iraqi government and counter forces trying to derail it.

WASHINGTON - The United States will retain some presence in Iraq for the foreseeable future, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq said today.

EN ROUTE TO SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt - A military sales package for Arab countries estimated at $20 billion represents a tangible symbol of the United States’ commitment to the region and its long-term security, a senior defense official said today on background.

EN ROUTE TO SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said his rare and possibly unprecedented joint trip here with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sends a message that the United States has no intention of cutting long-term ties in the region.

WASHINGTON - Three pitchers from Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals and about 20 others associated with the team spent their day off at the Pentagon today, exploring the Defense Department’s nerve center and signing autographs for fans.

WASHINGTON - A new system that updates rules written in 1986 governing how officers receive credit for serving in joint assignments was unveiled at the Pentagon today.

ACAJUTLA, El Salvador - Servicemembers from different branches of the U.S. military and Canadian forces have united to provide dentistry services aboard hospital ship USNS Comfort.

WASHINGTON - Radio talk-show host Laura Schlessinger is used to millions of people listening to her. Today, however, it was her turn to listen, as Defense Department officials acknowledged her support of America’s servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - A Navy SEAL recruiter went the extra mile – or extra 135 miles, to be exact – to reach athletes who may have the fitness and drive to make it through the notoriously difficult SEAL training course.

WASHINGTON - The United States and Great Britain share common values and “an obligation … to work for freedom and justice around the world,” President Bush said today in a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at Camp David, Md., today.

WASHINGTON - Iraq’s national police are in the second portion of a four-phase program to help them become a proficient, loyal law enforcement organization that serves all of Iraq’s citizens, a senior U.S. military officer said today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed five terrorists and detained 38 suspected terrorists today during operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq’s Salah Ad Din and Anbar provinces, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - An online nonprofit group is helping servicemembers preparing to transition to the civilian work world connect with solid job opportunities.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. commander in Iraq today acknowledged high expectations for a September assessment of the situation in Iraq and said he would work to keep politics out of the process.

WASHINGTON - Operations in Iraq are putting pressure on insurgents, keeping them off balance and eliminating their safe havens, a senior spokesman there said today.

BAGHDAD - The top U.S. general in Iraq presented awards to four Apache pilots for their part in the July 2 rescue of two other pilots downed by enemy fire during a July 27 ceremony in the Victory Base Complex here.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Comedians Dave Attell and Scott Kennedy are keeping troops laughing during an eight-stop USO-sponsored comedy tour for servicemembers deployed to the Operation Iraqi Freedom theater of operations.

WASHINGTON - Afghan National Security Forces, supported by coalition partners, successfully conducted an operation against Taliban fighters in Helmand province this week, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed eight terrorists and detained 22 suspected terrorists during operations today targeting al Qaeda members in central Iraq and the Tigris River valley, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - USNS Comfort has arrived in El Salvador, the hospital ship’s fifth port of call during a four-month humanitarian deployment to more than a dozen Latin American and Caribbean nations.

WASHINGTON - Two friends who lived through a blast in Baghdad shared their survival story today after receiving Purple Heart Medals today during a ceremony at Walter Reed.

WASHINGTON - Cannons boomed, honor guards marched -- their multicolored flags rippling in the wind -- and a Macaw parrot made a surprise appearance today as defense, military and U.S. leaders gathered at the U.S. Naval Academy to honor the retiring vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces are consolidating gains they have made in Iraq’s Anbar province, the coalition’s ground commander in the region said today.

WASHINGTON - Veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan returning home wounded should share their stories with fellow Americans, a top Army Medical Department officer said here today.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Retiring Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani was lauded here today as a visionary who put his country and his people first as he helped shape the military for the future.

WASHINGTON - Insurgent attacks in Iraq’s Ninewah province have dropped significantly, and if the trend continues, fewer U.S. troops will be needed in the region, an Army commander in the area said today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured four suspected terrorists believed to receive support from within Iran in a pre-dawn raid in a village in Iraq’s Diyala province today.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - Embedded provincial reconstruction teams are helping teach Iraqi businessmen and local officials how to better function as part of a democratic government.

WASHINGTON - There’s no horsing around when it comes to helping servicemembers down the road to recovery, as far as one troop-support group is concerned.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Ask the second-highest military officer to reflect on his 37-year Navy career and he doesn’t talk about fascinating assignments or the challenges of modern warfare. Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani talks about people.

WASHINGTON - A television special that looks closely at challenges military families face when a parent is deployed has been nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Program.

WASHINGTON - Recognizing that their missions are global in scope and often have strategic implications, about 140 reservists and National Guardsmen from every service are wrapping up a course here that’s widening their operational apertures.

WASHINGTON - Protecting American citizens “requires a relentless search (and) relentless pressure on an enemy that wants to do them harm again,” President Bush told the American Legislative Exchange Council today.

WASHINGTON - Growing up in Mobile, Ala., Judith L. Lemley never imagined being in the military. But after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, Lemley was inspired to follow in the footsteps of her father and enlisted in the Navy. Now she's one of eight servicemembers selected to share their individual stories to Americans across the country through the Defense Department’s “Why We Serve” public outreach program.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces repelled three insurgent ambushes, killing scores of enemy fighters in Afghanistan over the past two days.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. offensive targeting overseas terrorists has helped to prevent more Sept. 11-type attacks on the homeland, the defense department’s top intelligence official told legislators at a Capitol Hill hearing yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces netted 39 suspects in Iraq over the past two days, and military officials strongly condemned an attack that killed at least 50 Iraqi soccer celebrants in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Security progress in Iraq is undeniable, Iraqi and American leaders in Baghdad said today.

SHINDAND, Afghanistan - A U.S. Department of Agriculture employee who’s deployed with his Idaho National Guard unit has started an agricultural research center in Afghanistan to address the country’s poppy problem.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is offering $1 million to the person who invents a way for servicemembers to take a load off.

WASHINGTON - Pacific Rim nations are enjoying peace, wealth and stability made possible by free-market economic forces, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command said here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The surge of American forces in Iraq has brought about tangible results on the ground, a U.S. military spokesman said during a news conference today in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - A commission tasked to fix problems with wounded servicemembers’ care today presented a 29-page proposal to President Bush that suggests overhauling the disability-rating system and urges more attention be paid to returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans suffering from brain injuries.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A dozen health care specialists in the Texas National Guard's 386th Engineer Battalion, based in Corpus Christi, are training in the emergency room at the Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital during their drill weekends.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and coalition troops operating in Afghanistan are taking all measures possible to minimize civilian casualties, the top U.S. commander there told Pentagon reporters today.

WASHINGTON - The 25 provincial reconstruction teams operating across Iraq are showing local authorities how to work with the country’s central government to obtain needed services, a senior U.S. State Department official said today.

WASHINGTON - Combined Iraqi and U.S. forces captured 48 suspected terrorists, killed one insurgent and seized weapons and bombs in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Through scholarships, care packages and emergency financial relief, the Scott Vallely Soldiers Memorial Fund, a troop-support group in Montana, honors its namesake.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of servicemembers deployed overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom have found it easy and convenient to use “EagleCash” cards when making financial transactions, officials said.

WASHINGTON - Ian Scott Wilson, 13, discovered a positive way to grab attention with his award-winning documentary, “When the Boys Come Home.” The 10-minute film tells the story of poor conditions discovered earlier this year at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the Army’s efforts to correct the problems.

WASHINGTON - Colombia’s defense minister arrived in Washington yesterday to meet with U.S. officials and outline progress Colombia has made in stemming narcoterrorism and other security boosts made possible in part by U.S. funding.

WASHINGTON - More Iraqi firms are obtaining more reconstruction contracts, which in turn creates more jobs and strengthens Iraq’s economy, a senior U.S. military officer said today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today praised the progress U.S. servicemembers are helping to make in Iraq and urged support and patience as they continue hunting down terrorists intent on creating a safe haven there.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Many years ago, when 2nd Lt. Charles Mugno would put on his uniform every day, he was not fully aware of the true meaning behind the insignia that he wore. Now, as director of the Institute of Heraldry, Mugno is one of the world’s foremost experts on such insignia.

WASHINGTON - Defeating al Qaeda in Iraq is critical to defeating the larger al Qaeda terrorist network, and the United States won’t stop short of that goal, President Bush said today at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.

WASHINGTON - The success of today’s talks between the United States, Iraq and Iran will be measured not by words, but through changing conditions on the ground in Iraq, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker said in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - Medical personnel aboard the USNS Comfort hospital ship are providing free medical care to thousands of people in Nicaragua as part of a four-month humanitarian assistance deployment to more than a dozen Latin American and Caribbean countries.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces detained numerous suspected terrorists and killed an al Qaeda in Iraq cell leader in operations over the last three days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed numerous Taliban fighters in defeating ambushes yesterday and today.

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador - A task force of 26 personnel from Joint Task Force Bravo traveled here earlier this month to conduct military-to-military training for Salvadoran soldiers deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - Projects being funded through Iraqi reconstruction relief funds are providing critical facilities for Iraq’s government to establish rule of law, senior officials in Baghdad told reporters.

WASHINGTON - Surge-related crackdowns on extremists combined with infrastructure improvements are helping to resuscitate Baghdad’s business and entertainment districts, U.S. and Iraqi officials said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces were attacked by an unknown number of enemy fighters during a patrol on the western side of the Helmand River in the Musa Qalah district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured 12 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al Qaeda and its logistics networks around Iraq today.

WASHINGTON - Project Compassion’s sole mission is providing an “heirloom legacy of courage” to families of fallen servicemembers.

BAGHDAD - The slow pace of legislation and political compromise at Iraq’s national level should not belie the potential for economic and political progress in the country’s provinces, a coalition commander said.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is back from an overseas trip that included an impromptu visit to a former insurgent stronghold in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces killed and captured multiple suspected terrorists over the past three days, U.S. military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained several militants in operations conducted yesterday and today, U.S. military officials reported.

LANDSTUHL, Germany - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stopped by a military hospital here today to see servicemembers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Islamic terrorists still pose a threat to the U.S. homeland, but America’s efforts against them abroad have weakened their position, President Bush said during his weekly radio address today.

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps’ top officer said yesterday he is “heartily encouraged” by the progress Iraqi and coalition forces are making in Iraq’s Anbar province.

WASHINGTON - Success on the ground in Iraq is being overshadowed by spectacular attacks designed to draw attention from good things that are happening there, a U. S. Central Command officer told online journalists and bloggers in a July 19 conference call.

WASHINGTON - Experienced people in the military’s seven reserve components should exert their leadership skills as they help their respective components adapt to new challenges and demands, their top officers said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - What began as a shared love of German cars has morphed through friendship into a passion to honor, educate and entertain servicemembers, Operation Wheels of Freedom’s program director said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is committed to helping servicemembers and their families become good personal finance managers, a senior official said July 18 in Hawaii.

SCHWEINFURT, Germany - The U.S. is working with Pakistan to find a way to counter al Qaeda and Taliban terrorists who operate inside Pakistan, along the Afghan border, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace said here today.

SCHWEINFURT, Germany - Over the past week, Marine Gen. Peter Pace personally thanked thousands of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for their service. Today he traveled to this German city to thank their spouses for the very real sacrifices they and their families make in the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - Data for nearly 600,000 households enrolled in TRICARE stored on a government-contractor’s unprotected computer server could have been exposed to hackers, defense officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - Today’s military is a “remarkable, high-quality” group of people who are better educated, more physically fit and more “morally square” than the average American, a top military official told the American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - A top coalition commander in Iraq issued a statement today saying remarks he made at a news conference yesterday should not be interpreted as seeking to delay a progress report due in September. Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, issued a statement from his headquarters saying his remarks shouldn’t be interpreted to mean he believes the September assessment should be delayed.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today praised the work the troops are doing in Iraq and urged Congress to pass a defense spending bill to support them before starting its August recess.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon's 23 tour guides escort as many as 1,200 people around the nation’s military headquarters every day.

WASHINGTON - The security situation in Anbar province has greatly improved in recent months, thanks to additional U.S. troops provided by the surge and the growing presence of trained and vetted Iraqi soldiers and police, a senior U.S. military officer said today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is marshalling all resources possible to speed up the delivery of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to deployed troops as quickly as possible, defense officials told Congress yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed or captured dozens of enemy fighters and terrorism suspects in operations over the last three days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained nine enemy fighters today, including six who were nabbed after a firefight, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Earlier this season, Budweiser and race-car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. drew attention to a little-known charity with big aspirations.

HONOLULU - The Defense Department has identified 10 key issues of importance to military members and their families, including education policies and benefits, accessible support for military families, and spouse employment opportunities.

WASHINGTON - Even as the Defense Department hurries to get as many Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles as possible to Iraq, it’s busy working to improve on the heavily armored vehicles to make them more survivable and easier to maintain.

JALALABAD, Afghanistan - The United States will work to deploy an additional brigade of U.S. forces into Afghanistan to accelerate training of Afghan troops, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, today.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates paid an emotional tribute last night to one of the Marine Corps’ fallen heroes of the war in Iraq. At the end of his speech at the Marine Corps Association annual dinner in Arlington, Va., Gates talked about the Marine who became known as “The Lion of Fallujah.”

WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda bombings and other acts of violence conducted across Iraq are designed to incite sectarian strife and create enough chaos and instability to bring down the country’s central government, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq told a panel of U.S. legislators today.

WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda no longer has sanctuary in any major region of Iraq, only a month after the surge of operations began there, a top commander in the region said today.

JALALABAD, Afghanistan - During a town hall meeting in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, with the “Sky Soldiers” of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, a young soldier's question prompted the military’s highest-ranking officer to talk about what being a “soldier” means to him.

WASHINGTON - American and Afghan security forces broke up a bomb-making network and detained six terrorism suspects during separate operations July 17, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - American forces in Iraq have captured terrorists and weapons caches during a series of raids over the past two days, officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - Through its network of more than 125 sponsors, Operation Open Arms provides opportunities for free or discounted vacation activities.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Winning the war against terrorism requires warriors with multiple skills who can adapt to changing circumstances, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said last night.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - The war on terrorism is going to last at least another 20 to 30 years, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told American servicemembers at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq are taking down the insurgency cell by cell, killing key foreign leaders in the recent surge of operations, a senior spokesman in the region said today.

KABUL, Afghanistan - NATO countries have still not manned the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan to promised levels, the commander of the force said here today.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Reports of civilian casualties in Afghanistan often are exaggerated, and this can be due to the fog of war or because of deliberate deception to incite Afghans against NATO, the commander of NATO forces in the country said today.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates yesterday asked Congress for approval to transfer nearly $1.2 billion to the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle program to get an estimated 3,500 of the vehicles to Iraq by the year’s end, defense officials announced today.

WASHINGTON - A captured al Qaeda in Iraq leader has admitted the network’s followers have been duped into following the direction of foreign leaders, not Iraqis, a military spokesman in Baghdad said today.

WASHINGTON - A Tennessee-based organization provides deployed servicemembers with a link to home and the gratitude of the American public through care packages and letters it sends.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of disabled military veterans have enrolled in a governmentwide program that’s designed to help them succeed in new careers as business owners, a Defense Department official said here today.

WASHINGTON - Officials in Iraq today identified a detainee alleged to be a key leader of a rogue militia element who has been in coalition custody since June 28, and a pair of car bombs killed 14 Iraqis in Baghdad yesterday.

WASHINGTON - A new prosthesis under development will give servicemember amputees more flexibility and help them better perform their military jobs if they choose to stay on active duty.

WASHINGTON - Officials at U.S. Northern Command are “keenly aware” of information within the newly released National Intelligence Estimate and are committed to working to ensure terrorists don’t succeed in attacking the United States, a NORTHCOM official said.

RAMADI, Iraq - Just a few months ago, the idea that Americans could walk around the center of Ramadi, Iraq, would have been unthinkable. A striking illustration of the changing fortunes of Ramadi took place today, when Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took a walk around downtown.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department Comproller Tina Jonas cited the value of women in the department's work force in remarks yesterday to participants gathered for the Defense Department’s forum on women affairs, one installment in a series of courses and lectures at the 38th annual Federally Employed Women seminar,

WASHINGTON - Within 90 days, all soldiers will receive information to help them identify symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury, and they will be urged to seek treatment if necessary, Army officials told reporters at the Pentagon today.

WASHINGTON - Islamic terrorist groups, particularly al Qaeda, are likely to remain a persistent threat to the U.S. homeland over the next three years, according to unclassified parts of a new National Intelligence Estimate released today.

WASHINGTON - A suspected al Qaeda leader is among three terrorism suspects detained today in Mosul, Iraq, by coalition and Iraqi forces, and local citizens helped to foil a car-bomb attack in eastern Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - American and Iraqi military forces broke up al Qaeda operations in the Diyala River valley during “Operation Ithaca,” conducted July 12, a U.S. military officer said today.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition troops detained five militants today, and Afghan police found a large weapons cache yesterday, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Geoff Morrell, a former correspondent for ABC’s “World News Tonight” Saturday and Sunday editions, will soon take the podium as the new Pentagon press secretary. He plans to start talking with the press on a daily basis to explain Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ and the department’s position on various issues. In addition, he’ll do regular on-camera briefings.

WASHINGTON - A San Diego-based group called "Golfers 4 Freedom" is working to remind troops serving overseas that folks back home are grateful for their efforts.

WASHINGTON - The Women’s National Basketball Association showed its support for the military by giving out 2,000 free tickets for U.S. servicemembers and military family members to attend this year’s All-Star Game held yesterday at the Verizon Center here.

WASHINGTON - Local trust in Iraq security forces is leading to a record number of seizures of weapons caches throughout the country, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq said during a press conference yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The Multinational Corps Iraq commander said he does not envision a scenario that would require more U.S. troops in Iraq.

BAGHDAD - Militarily, the troop surge in Iraq is doing what it was supposed to do, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces conducted anti-insurgent operations over the past few days in Iraq, capturing suspects and killing terrorists, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - With country music legend Charlie Daniels at his side, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England today honored Robert Rosenthal, who with his wife Nina has been bringing top entertainers to stateside troops since 2002.

BAGHDAD - Families and morale are important parts of the equation in assessing the health of the force, according to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Troops on the ground in Iraq are not as much tired of the war as they are of those who are not in the fight saying that no progress has been made, a top commander in the region said today.

BAGHDAD - It is vital for military leaders to give concise assessments of the situation in Iraq and to avoid “groupthink,” the phenomena where groups fixate on one solution to the exclusion of all others, the top U.S. military leader said here today.

WASHINGTON - A peer amputee visitor at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here helps wounded warriors deal with adjusting to life after losing a limbs. Peer amputees are considered part of the treatment team at the center.

WASHINGTON - Jeep is partnering with the New York Mets major league baseball team, a New York television station and New York auto dealers associations to help put both a U.S. servicemember and a support-letter writer each behind the wheel of a new vehicle.

WASHINGTON - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace honored four Purple Heart recipients, one from each service, at a July 13 evening parade at the historic Marine Barracks here, and praised them and what other U.S. troops are sacrificing for their country.

WASHINGTON - A busload of wounded servicemembers brought their appetites to the Italian Embassy The Italian ambassador and his staff transformed the Italian Embassy into Washington’s most authentic Italian restaurant July 13 to host wounded U.S. servicemembers and their family members.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces captured nine extremists today during a joint operation in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Thirteen suspected al Qaeda operatives were captured during Iraq operations yesterday and today. Meanwhile, about 50 tribal leaders from the Muqdadiya Qada in Diyala province, Iraq, gathered at the governor’s house yesterday to discuss security, services and the importance of unity with U.S. and Iraqi military leaders, officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Most Americans want to see U.S. troops in Iraq accomplish their goals and begin to come home – and ensuring the troop surge there succeeds will pave the way for both, President Bush said today

WASHINGTON - Following an incident in Baghdad today where Iraqi police engaged U.S. troops in a firefight, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Marine Gen. Peter Pace vowed U.S. forces will “track down” the attackers.

WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda has become a “franchised” organization that has emerged most recently in North Africa, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

WASHINGTON - Thanks to a Phoenix talk show host and troop-support group, Operation Homefront of Arizona, troops with Internet access will be able to hear what their comrades are saying.

WASHINGTON - It will take time and considerable resources to rebuild Iraq following more than 25 years of neglect under Saddam Hussein’s rule, a U.S. military official told online journalists today.

WASHINGTON - While the buzz at home centers on benchmarks measuring progress in Iraq, troops on the ground are focusing on their mission and what they’re accomplishing, a senior enlisted advisor said today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two terrorists and detained 19 suspects during combat operations in central and western Iraq today.

WASHINGTON - Ongoing anti-insurgent operations conducted in and around Baghdad and to the south of Iraq’s capital city are achieving continued success, a senior U.S. military officer said today during a teleconference with retired military analysts.

WASHINGTON - Now at full strength, the U.S. troop surge in Iraq is showing “definitive progress” and the number of forces serving in Iraq’s Multinational Division North could be halved by summer 2009, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon said today.

WASHINGTON - The National Homeland Defense Foundation distributed more than $500,000 in temporary financial assistance to over 300 families of deployed military personnel since 2005.

WASHINGTON - Thanks to a new mentality within the military, and programs to back it up, a growing legion of severely wounded troops are opting to continue their military service.

WASHINGTON - Kansas and Iowa National Guard members are providing assistance to several Kansas communities recovering from the effects of recent record rains and flooding, a state of Kansas official said today.

WASHINGTON - Afghan National Army Corps and coalition forces killed 11 Taliban fighters today in a five-hour firefight near the village of Sarsina, in Oruzgan province, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Mosul today captured a man they believe to be the most active terrorist cell leader in that area.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The mother of an Air Force airman deployed to Afghanistan has earned the title of "Best Squadron Mom" for the frequent packages she has sent for her daughter to share with her squadron mates.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi army is making progress obtaining good leaders and rank-and-file soldiers, as well as developing a more efficient logistics system, a senior U.S. officer serving in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today assured U.S troops in Iraq they have his “unwavering support” and that he wants them to return home as soon as conditions there allow it.

WASHINGTON - No single troop-support group can meet every request servicemembers make, but through partnerships with three other groups, Silver Star Families of America is coming closer.

WASHINGTON - Iraqis are showing good progress toward meeting eight of 18 benchmarks set by Congress and mixed progress toward two other benchmarks, President Bush said today as he summarized findings of a new White House report.

WASHINGTON - The winner of NBC’s second season of “The Apprentice” reality show, Kelly Perdew, is partnering with the non-profit group “Hire A Hero” to find his own apprentice.

WASHINGTON - Regardless of what’s happening in terms of recruitment, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines already serving are reenlisting at rates that surpass all expectations, according to defense officials.

WASHINGTON - Two terrorists were killed and 21 suspects detained in raids targeting al Qaeda throughout Iraq today.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces have killed or captured hundreds of al Qaeda members in Iraq over the past two months, including 26 of the terror network’s “high-value” leaders and a would-be bomber, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman said today.

WASHINGTON - National Guard troops from Utah, South Dakota and California are helping fight wildfires raging in their respective states in the face of blistering temperatures, gusting winds and bone-dry conditions, National Guard Bureau officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - A Montana troop-support group is working hard to support the country’s fighting men and women.

WASHINGTON - A senior police advisor to the Afghan government described a new more heavily armed and heavily armored Afghan police unit during a conference call with online journalists covering the military.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard plans to adjust the number of personnel performing security duty along the U.S.-Mexican border from about 6,000 to about 3,000 members, a National Guard Bureau spokesman said today.

WASHINGTON - The Army is reaching out to “influencers” – parents, teachers, coaches and other adults who influence young people’s decisions about military service – to encourage them to promote military service.

WASHINGTON - The Army fell short of its active-duty recruiting goal for June, but officials noted today that the Army is still ahead of its year-to-date goal and is expected to make its year-end goal.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials do not want Americans to jump to “premature conclusions” about the troop surge in Iraq, a Pentagon spokesman said today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today said he will wait until the top commander in Iraq issues his assessment of progress there before deciding the way ahead for the region.

WASHINGTON - Bailey Reese, 11, has logged more than 3,000 volunteer hours since 2003, when she started “Hero Hugs,” a group that sends care packages to deployed troops. And now officials at the American Girl doll company have named her a “Real Girl of the Year” for 2007.

TAMPA, Fla. - The military paid tribute to a special operations leader at a retirement ceremony for Army Gen. Bryan “Doug” Brown here yesterday.

WASHINGTON - More time is needed to gauge the effectiveness of the ongoing military offensive against insurgents in and around Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq, the top U.S. general there said.

WASHINGTON - President Bush named Army Gen. William E. “Kip” Ward today to help stand up U.S. Africa Command as its first commander. If confirmed to his new post, Ward will help bring AFRICOM to initial operational capacity as a command subordinate to EUCOM by October. AFRICOM is slated to be established as a separate unified command by Sept. 30, 2008.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces detained 19 suspects and captured weapons caches during recent operations in Iraq.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan - When the Polish Battle Group arrived in Ghazni province’s Andar district near the end of June, the local children were finally able to take part in an activity shared by children in almost all countries in the world: flying kites.

JALALABAD AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - It’s been almost 18 months since 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Task Force Rock, left Afghanistan after proving its capabilities against insurgents throughout operations in the southern part of the country.

WASHINGTON - In the month after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Mike Talleda was searching for a way to help the country and motivate others to do the same. His answer was the “9-11 HelpAmerica Foundation.”

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces are not yet ready to secure their country, and if U.S. troops were withdrawn too soon, violence would escalate, a top U.S. commander in the region said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - China is following up on its stated interest in closer military ties with the United States but not as quickly or completely as initially hoped, an outgoing senior defense official said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates postponed a scheduled trip to Central and South America this week to spend time in Washington focusing on Iraq issues, a senior defense official said today.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces killed nine insurgents, detained 15 others, and uncovered weapons during recent operations in Iraq, military officials said.

TAMPA, Fla. - Adm. Eric T. Olson became the first Navy SEAL to command U.S. Special Operations Command during a ceremony in Tampa, Fla., today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates presided as Olson assumed command from Army Gen. Bryan Brown. Brown had led the command since September 2003.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces working in concert across Afghanistan today detained three insurgents, including a Taliban field commander, and uncovered weapons caches, military officials said.

BAQUBAH, Iraq - Iraqi army and coalition soldiers from Task Force Lightning continued offensive operations in and around the capital of Iraq’s Diyala province today, as Operation Arrowhead Ripper continues to deny resources to al Qaeda terrorists during its 20th day in the area.

SHANNON, Ireland - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff pleasantly surprised a number of Air National Guardsmen on their way to war.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Soldiers of the Army Reserve’s 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) from Orlando, Fla., were among the 82 soldiers who took part in presenting the U.S. flag in the pre-race ceremony at the Pepsi 400 NASCAR race July 7.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces and coalition troops have killed four terrorists, detained 21 suspected terrorists and uncovered bomb-making materials and weapons caches during the past three days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained six suspected militants today during an operation designed to disrupt the facilitation of insurgent attacks against the Afghan government, military officials said.

BETHESDA, Md. - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spent some time this afternoon at Congressional Country Club here meeting with servicemembers and wounded veterans during the AT&T National PGA golf tournament hosted by Tiger Woods. The professional golfer has infused the event with tributes to troops.

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials are “deeply concerned” that North Korea is close to fielding a new short-range missile that could ultimately end up on the international arms market, an outgoing senior defense official said here today.

SAN DIEGO - With special uniforms and military tributes, the San Diego Padres joined the America Supports You team July 4.

WASHINGTON - One of the biggest challenges facing the United States in Asia is keeping the region’s leaders focused on the terrorist threat, a recently retired senior defense official told reporters here today.

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. - The stories of four American heroes are beacons of leadership for today's servicemembers to follow.

WASHINGTON - A premature withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq would leave the country at the mercy of its enemies, a senior U.S. military officer said today.

BAGHDAD - Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained eight suspects during operations targeting al Qaeda operatives in Iraq’s Anbar province today.

FLORENCE, Italy - The top U.S. military officer today thanked the Italian chief of the Defense Staff for Italy’s firm support in the war on terrorism.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed scores of Taliban insurgents and detained five others in Afghanistan over the past two days, military officials said.

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Sweetheart, Jackson and Ellie Mae, three pooches, are helping to change the lives of wounded warriors at Brooke Army Medical Center.

WASHINGTON - All Illinois National Guard troops returning from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan now will be screened for traumatic brain injury and get access to post-traumatic stress disorder help under a new, first-of-its-kind state program.

SAN ANTONIO - Wounded warriors in San Antonio take to the ice aboard sleds to play a modified version of hockey.

TAJI, Iraq - As the United States celebrated its Independence Day, soldiers continued working, standing guard and going on patrols staged from Coalition Outpost X-Ray near here.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department wants to reduce the 40-pound load of batteries and rechargers some troops carry into battle, and it’s dangling a $1 million carrot to entice people to help them do it.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers who have suffered serious injuries resulting from their wartime service can get financial help thanks to two congressionally legislated programs, a senior U.S. military officer said July 3.

BETHESDA, Md. - A soldier from Fort Belvoir, Va., celebrated the Fourth of July by making the shot of the day in the star-studded Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am at Congressional Country Club here. Tournament host Tiger Woods has gone out of his way this week to honor servicemen and women at the AT&T National PGA Tour event. He named the Pro-Am in honor of his late father, a 20-year Army veteran.

WASHINGTON - The next edition of the Pentagon Channel’s monthly documentary, “Recon,” offers a rare glimpse at the work of dolphins and sea lions who are acting as true “Sentinels of the Sea.” The program debuts at noon Eastern Time, July 9.

WASHINGTON - President Bush took advantage of a Fourth of July address yesterday to urge all Americans to show support for men and women in uniform who continue to defend American liberties.

WASHINGTON - President Bush hailed members of the West Virginia Air National Guard yesterday and reminded them that they and their fellow servicemembers, like the patriots who celebrated the first Independence Day, are demonstrating fortitude during a critical conflict.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed one terrorist and detained nine suspected terrorists during raids around the country yesterday and today targeting al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders and operatives.

WASHINGTON - Tiger Woods said paying tribute to the U.S. military was one of his goals during the weeklong AT&T National golf tournament he's hosting here, and so far he's kept his promise.

WASHINGTON - Just after dawn broke this morning, two servicemembers teed off with Tiger Woods and AT&T Chairman Randall Stephenson in the inaugural Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am. Near the 16th hole, former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara joined the foursome.

WASHINGTON - Working independently or as a team, coalition and Iraqi forces are increasing the pressure on al Qaeda in Iraq and other insurgent groups in the country.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Hundreds of troops gathered at Al Faw Palace for the Multi-National Force-Iraq Reenlistment, Naturalization and Independence Day Ceremony today at Camp Victory. During the ceremony, 588 troops reenlisted and 161 were naturalized as American citizens.

WASHINGTON - The owners of a musical landmark on the outskirts of the nation’s capital and a vocalist who uses her talents to entertain U.S. troops kicked off Fourth of July festivities for local servicemembers here last night as a way of thanking them for their service.

WASHINGTON - A group of servicemembers selected by Defense Department officials to share stories of their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan are leaving the three-month assignment as inspired and touched as they left their audiences.

WASHINGTON - If Tiger Woods weren’t a professional golfer, he’d probably be a member of the military’s special operations community, Woods told reporters today at the Congressional Country Club here today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush visited wounded servicemembers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here today, and he praised the center’s personnel for their work.

WASHINGTON - Operation Phantom Thunder enters its third week with coalition forces operating in and around Baghdad, Diyala province and Anbar province, in Iraq, a Joint Staff spokesman said here today.

WASHINGTON - America’s servicemembers should give themselves a big pat on the back tomorrow as the nation celebrates its Declaration of Independence, the most-senior U.S. military officer said in a statement to troops and families today.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta are the four levels of force protection applied to every American military installation, with Alpha being the lowest level and Delta being the highest. And it's the commander of U.S. Northern Command who determines what the minimum force protection level will be for every American installation in the continental United States.

WASHINGTON - More than 600 troops are expected to re-enlist tomorrow, and more than 100 others will become U.S. citizens in an Independence Day ceremony at Camp Victory, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - An AH-64 Apache helicopter crew rescued two U.S. pilots after enemy fire brought down their OH-58D Kiowa helicopter south of Baghdad yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Afghanistan killed a suspected militant and detained two others yesterday in an operation against al Qaeda in the Zana Khan district of Ghazni province.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is taking unprecedented steps to get Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to deployed troops as quickly as possible – from fast-tracking the acquisition process to airlifting models as they roll off the assembly line.

WASHINGTON - Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to increase cooperation with the United States as it moves toward establishing a missile defense program in Europe, he told reporters during a news conference today with President Bush.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PROSPERITY, Iraq - Soldiers in Iraq are trying their hand at a competition inspired by the hit TV series "American Idol."

QARABAGH, Afghanistan - The respect a Kentucky National Guard squad leader has for his Afghan National Police counterpart here has blossomed into near brotherhood.

WASHINGTON - A new children’s hospital being built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Basrah, Iraq, is the result of a partnership between the Iraqi Ministry of Health and U.S. governmental and non-governmental agencies, senior U.S. officials said in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit will continue to deny insurgents the use of the less populated Lake Tharthar region as part of Operation Fard al Amin, which means safety and security, the unit’s commander told reporters during a Baghdad news briefing yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces and coalition troops killed five insurgents, nabbed some three dozen suspects and discovered scores of weapons caches and booby traps in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Warriors from 218th Enhanced Separate Brigade from the South Carolina National Guard assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix in Afghanistan paid tribute over the weekend to the nine firefighters who died in a June 18 warehouse fire in Charleston, S.C.

WASHINGTON - While al Qaeda in Iraq remains the main enemy in the country, coalition and Iraqi forces are increasingly targeting groups whose training, funding and supplies come from Iran, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Taliban terrorists continue to use innocent civilians as shields, NATO officials in Afghanistan said today.

WASHINGTON - Operation Phantom Thunder and other offensive military operations in Iraq continue to turn up terrorist leaders, enemy fighters and weapons intended for use against Iraqi and coalition forces and Iraqi citizens, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - A new generation of Americans has pledged “their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor” to defend the United States and freedom around the world, President Bush said during his weekly radio address yesterday.

WASHINGTON - Iraq’s military forces are committed to standing on their own, the officer in charge of their training told bloggers June 28, and he expressed confidence that Iraq’s army, navy, air force and police will succeed.