WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed 17 armed militants and detained 10 suspects during operations targeting the Haqqani and Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin terrorist networks in Paktia and Kabul provinces, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers detained three suspected criminals and seized an explosive projectile, while a joint U.S.-Iraqi police operation found a weapons cache containing automatic rifles during operations conducted across Baghdad, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - A coalition-forces vehicle and a van carrying Afghan civilians were involved in a traffic accident on Highway 1 in the capital city of Kabul, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers detained four suspected criminals during Thanksgiving Day operations in southern Baghdad’s Rashid district, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush and other senior U.S. officials hailed the new U.S.-Iraq security pact that was approved Nov. 27, 2008, by Iraqi lawmakers in Baghdad.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - The children of Maysan province have something that will make their schooldays a little more enjoyable, thanks to the efforts of local Iraqi Security Forces and the Provincial Reconstruction Team.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan woman and her seven-month-old son, who were severely injured by militants during an operation in Kapisa, Nov. 20, were released from a Coalition forces hospital in Bagram.

WASHINGTON - A Web-based network of support for wounded warriors, veterans and their families, as well as the families of the fallen, has sprung from a collaborative effort by the departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to resolve veterans’ health issues, including maladies associated with the Gulf War.

PINEVILLE, La. - A local company in Pineville, La., is giving soon-to-deploy Louisiana National Guardsmen a taste of home with shipments of its popular coffee to follow the troops.

WASHINGTON - The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has opened nominations for its 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

WASHINGTON - Wounded warriors who call into the Marine Wounded Warrior Call Center near Quantico, Va., find truth in the motto, “once a Marine, always a Marine.”

WASHINGTON - Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. and key members of his medical team met with independent experts in psychology, mental health and resiliency training.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured 14 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist networks.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces killed 32 militants and captured 10 suspected militants during operations to disrupt terrorist networks in Afghanistan.

CAMP MITTICA, Iraq - In a country with a desperate need for engineers, two 402nd Army Field Support Brigade contractors are bridging an Oregon university with Iraqi students and faculty thirsty for knowledge.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Whether it is a routine patrol or a weapons search, U.S. and Afghan forces increasingly are working together to halt the violence that has haunted Afghanistan for more than 30 years.

WASHINGTON - U.S. troops serving in the Middle East will dine on a traditional Thanksgiving meal, thanks to the efforts of Defense Supply Center Philadelphia employees.

WASHINGTON - Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Luis Fonseca says the Navy Cross he earned in Iraq belongs to the 18 Marines killed there.

WASHINGTON - Family liaison officers with the Air Force Survivor Assistance Program are on the front lines of care for some 440 airmen who have been seriously wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has completed more than 90 percent of the tasks it set out to accomplish in a language plan launched four years ago.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush presented a prestigious award to a severely wounded warrior on Fort Campbell, Ky., who mentors other wounded troops and their families at the post’s Fisher House.

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush kicked off his last Thanksgiving week as commander in chief by thanking the soldiers of Fort Campbell, Ky., for the key role they’ve played in the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The government-issued Bank of America official travel charge card used for years by Defense Department military and civilian employees will be deactivated effective Nov. 30.

WASHINGTON - The performance of Afghanistan’s army and police continues to improve while more soldiers and officers are trained and fielded.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition forces killed six armed militants and captured 12 suspected militants during operations to disrupt terrorist networks in Afghanistan’s Kapisa and Paktika provinces.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two terrorists and captured nine additional suspects during operations targeting terrorist networks in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has charged his department to develop plans to take action on 64 of the 95 recommendations for changes to the U.S. military reserves made by a congressionally mandated commission earlier this year.

WASHINGTON - The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors is planning a “webinar” for civilian and military health care providers featuring an expert in suicide prevention.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed his gratitude to the nation’s troops and their families in his annual Thanksgiving Day message.

BALTIMORE - For the first time since U.S. Africa Command stood up Oct. 1, the Maryland National Guard has deployed to an African nation to provide needed medical care.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Construction of the Central Euphrates Farmers Market, scheduled to open in Iraq’s Babil province by the end of the year, is proceeding ahead of schedule.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Residents of Qasaba village now have electricity to power their shops and homes thanks to members of the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Maj. Matthew Conlan is among a growing number of seriously wounded warriors who are choosing to stay on active duty.

WASHINGTON - Software platforms that bridge the medical databases of the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments are improving military health care, officials said.

WASHINGTON - In his Thanksgiving Day message, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted the wartime similarities between this holiday and the proclamation of the holiday 140 years ago.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WAR EAGLE, Iraq - Reconstruction in Iraq means more than fixing broken walls and stocking store shelves. It means securing a future where Iraqis can sustain themselves, a provincial reconstruction team leader said.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Army Spc. Anthony Calhoun never planned to join the Army, but whether serving as an infantryman or administrative specialist, he's making each job his own.

WASHINGTON - Tough economic times are no excuse for the international community to withhold support for Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters returning with him Nov. 21 from a two-day defense ministerial in Nova Scotia, Canada.

WASHINGTON - Methods of coping with combat and its after effects vary as greatly as the effects themselves, said six warriors participating in a conference.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Having non-lethal capabilities is a valuable asset to soldiers in combat, because even the most hostile situation can be resolved without lethal measures, according to a sergeant who recently completed training.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces captured a suspected terrorist and seized two weapons caches in Iraq over the past four days, military officials said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition forces killed seven armed militants during an operation to disrupt Taliban roadside bomb and foreign-fighter networks in eastern Afghanistan, military officials reported.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. - New training methods are giving U.S. soldiers on Fort Drum, N.Y., the "right mix" of tools and capabilities to use non-lethal force.

WASHINGTON - A recording group, famous for putting a new twist on traditional Christmas music, is hoping to spread holiday cheer to the military by giving away 1 million CDs.

SAN DIEGO - The Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy helped care for more than 90,000 patients and helped spread diplomacy throughout the U.S. Pacific Command during a four-month stint in the region.

SAN DIEGO - A handful of civilian executives got an up-close look at the state-of-the-art warrior care facilities at the Naval Medical Center San Diego.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces killed 19 armed militants, detained 11 suspects and destroyed weapons in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces detained 42 suspected terrorists and seized weapons caches across Iraq.

CORNWALLIS, Canada - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed confidence that more troops being sent to Afghanistan’s Regional Command South will be sufficient to shore up security for Afghanistan’s elections in late September.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - A Marine's responsibilities don't end with a battlefield wound. Instead, combat wounded Marines are ordered to do their part to recover.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard is sending two agri-business units that include guardsmen with farming backgrounds to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force Warrior and Survivor Care Program is reaching out to wounded airmen from injury to rehabilitation to reintegration.

WASHINGTON - Afghan army commandos and their coalition partners killed four militants while simultaneously protecting nearly 90 civilians in western Afghanistan.

SEALY, Texas - BAE Systems Inc. answered the Defense Department's call for an influx of mine-resistant, ambush-protected vechicles to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed a suspected terrorist, captured 17 others and seized dozens of weapons in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Cyberspace is a warfighting domain, and the Defense Department is taking steps to defend this crucial capability, a Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - Shifting the military culture as it pertains to mental health from an illness-based medical model to one that focuses on wellness was the focus of a three-day conference.

WASHINGTON - To avoid unnecessary taxpayer spending, the Defense Department is partially funding the expansion of F-22 Raptor aircraft production, leaving the decision for further expansion to the incoming administration.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles Washington finds that counseling soldiers in Iraq about careers is similar to his job as a recruiter.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - The Navy and Air Force are contributing to an Army electronic warfare mission in Iraq by helping counter enemy attacks.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Soldiers with a battalion of the 101st Airborne Division have rebuilt an aid station allowing them to improve care in a critical part of Afghanistan.

CORNWALLIS, Canada - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wrapped up his first session with President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team leaders, sharing insights about the initial challenges the new defense team will likely face.

CORNWALLIS, Canada - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will encourage a more regional approach to the mission in Afghanistan’s Regional Command South during a two-day meeting of defense ministers from nations contributing the lion’s share of forces there.

WASHINGTON - Loyalty reigns supreme for seriously wounded Marines who want to return to active duty, says Marine Lt. Gen. Ronald S. Coleman, deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Soldiers often view their comrades as brothers and sisters. But two soldiers in Iraq actually are brothers.

NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain - U.S. Africa Command wrapped up a 14-nation exercise at Naval Station Rota, Spain, that leaders say was a big step forward in increasing African nations’ ability to manage their own security.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Deployed troops around the world will receive hot holiday meals, thanks to the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces have struck a severe blow against al-Qaida in Iraq, a senior coalition spokesman said in Baghdad.

BESMAYA RANGE COMPLEX, Iraq - A group of Iraqi soldiers stepped up to help California residents victimized by recent wildfires raging throughout the state.

WASHINGTON - Military Family Appreciation Week is underway, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has issued a message noting the observance.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured five wanted men and detained 10 additional suspects during operations targeting terrorist networks throughout Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained a key insurgent leader in Afghanistan’s Khowst province.

LANSDOWNE, Va. - Recent changes in how the military’s reserve components are recognized are larger than any in recent history, a senior Defense Department official said.

WASHINGTON - More than 1,900 wounded servicemen and women have benefited from their enrollment in a specialized health program to meet their unique needs during their rehabilitative process.

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - The Ohio Army National Guard's 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is making its presence felt in three key areas of Central Command: Kuwait, Iraq and now in Afghanistan.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers conducted explosive ordnance training with Iraqi security forces bomb disposal technicians at Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad.

COMBAT OUTPOST APACHE, Iraq - Cash grants from Multinational Division Baghdad are helping business owners rebuild after a terrorist attack in the Iraqi capital.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials have launched “Wounded Warrior Diaries,” a multimedia tribute in which American troops share stories of their service.

WASHINGTON - Back home after an eight-day trip that included some out-of-the-way locations, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he found troops to be motivated and saw some eyes opened to the work U.S. servicemembers are doing.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell today defended the military effort to deter piracy in the Gulf of Aden and called on commercial ships to do more against this scourge of the sea.

WASHINGTON - A new Transportation Command initiative aims to make defense acquisitions as easy as a consumer's Internet purchases.

WASHINGTON - The status of forces agreement that U.S. and Iraqi leaders initialed earlier this week respects Iraqi sovereignty while allowing U.S. servicemembers to continue operations, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested a local government official in Iraq’s Diyala province, one of 11 suspects captured this week in ongoing efforts to break up terrorist cells throughout the country.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan’s complex environment colors military operations in the nation, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan told the Atlantic Council of the United States.

WASHINGTON - Representatives of the United States and its allies are meeting in Oslo, Norway, this week in an effort to develop joint solutions to common defense challenges.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Army Maj. Allan Dollison can better focus on his tour in Iraq now that he's discovered how much the Military OneSource Web site helps his family back home.

WASHINGTON - A San Francisco-based group plans to open an employment and training office to give Bay Area veterans easier access to veteran-specific job opportunities.

WASHINGTON - Afghan civilians are transformed into soldiers on a daily basis at the Kabul Military Training Center.

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps' Wounded Warrior Regiment has incorporated into its ranks all Marines and some sailors seriously wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, both past and present -- about 9,000 total.

WASHINGTON - Marine Staff Sgt. Daniel Kachmar celebrates Aug. 25, 2005 -- the day he was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq -- as his "life day" marking the miracle of his survival.

WASHINGTON - Despite losing a leg in combat, Army Sgt. Chris Alvin Burrell is focusing on his rehabilitation to one day return to what he calls his “normal day of work.”

WASHINGTON - When Navy Lt. John Pucillo signed up to be an explosive ordnance disposal technician, he knew chances were high he would be in an explosion. That fateful day came in May 2006.

WASHINGTON - Army Spc. Susan Downes made a life transformation from self-described "girly girl" to U.S. soldier. But that paled to the transformation she has had since a bomb blast took her legs -- and nearly her life -- in the Afghan mountains.

WASHINGTON - Dealing with the greater Middle East, avoiding the militarization of U.S. foreign policy, resetting the forces and speeding up the Joint Staff are among the priorities the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has set for the coming year.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has recognized prime contractors and acquisition professionals for their contributions to the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program.

SACRAMENTO - On the eve of Vigilant Guard ’09, the National Guard’s weeklong emergency-response training exercise, California Guardsmen learned their Ukrainian counterparts face a similar burden on their own native soil.

WASHINGTON - With U.S., Afghan and Pakistani forces applying pressure on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the enemy “is running out of options for places to go,” a senior U.S. officer in the region said.

CAMP ECHO, Iraq - The stress of being deployed to a combat zone can make it challenging for soldiers to find a daily battle rhythm. But one soldier on Camp Echo, Iraq, is taking action to make sure both her personal and professional life stay “in step.”

WASHINGTON - Coalition operations further dismantled al-Qaida in Iraq's terrorist leadership and bombing networks throughout Iraq, as forces captured four wanted men and detained 14 suspected terrorists.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Afghanistan killed five militants and destroyed a weapons cache in Farah province.

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Quantico, Va. - Marine Staff Sgt. Daniel Kachmar's three-finger handshake speaks louder than his words as he counsels other wounded Marines on their way to recovery.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Multinational Division Center leaders held a roundtable on Camp Victory to discuss Iraq’s agricultural economy.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley pinned on his fourth star and became chief of the National Guard Bureau in a ceremony at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - The Army’s top medical officer recently reflected on the lessons of courage and strength he has gained from wounded warriors while serving as commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and in his current role.

SAN ANTONIO - In the years since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the Army has revamped its combat medic training to produce a new breed of medic, trained by combat veterans with a battle-focused curriculum that has evolved alongside the fight.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Twillie Curry traded in his dream of becoming a professional football player for another dream of becoming a professional soldier.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was shocked by a pirate attack on a Saudi Arabian supertanker 450 nautical miles off the coast of Kenya.

WASHINGTON - After a year of operating in two of Baghdad’s most historically violent districts, coalition forces are beginning to see the effects of a more confident Iraqi government and Iraqi security force.

WASHINGTON - Americans need to have a serious debate about what it takes to defend the United States, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - All American troops will be out of Iraq by the end of 2011 under the status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq, said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WAR EAGLE, Iraq - The memory of a fallen comrade lives on, thanks to soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Medical professionals from the United States, Egypt and Korea have partnered to train Afghan doctors.

WASHINGTON - After weeks of struggle to reach an agreement, an important next step has been made for U.S. troops to continue operations in Iraq in 2009, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Navy Senior Chief Jim Pitts was not exactly what the doctor ordered when the leaders of Safe Harbor called and interviewed him for a job to be an advocate for wounded warriors.

WASHINGTON - Overseas-deployed servicemembers can receive video “shout-outs” from home, as well as senior-leader messages, thanks to the new TroopTube online information service, according to military officials.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi troops captured an Iranian-backed militant, seized a weapons cache and dismantled a hidden bomb in Baghdad, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed 38 militants in Afghanistan’s southern province of Helmand, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Just in time for Thanksgiving, 14 musical acts are showing just how thankful they are for what the military does for everyone back home.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff got a first-hand look at battlefield care when he visited the 455th Expeditionary Group hospital at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - USO performers traveling with the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff wrapped up a six-country, eight-day tour to bring entertainment to troops.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed two suspected terrorists, captured 14 others and seized dozens of weapons in Iraq, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - As ghostlike Capitol Hill workers scurried through a cold, misty fog early Friday evening, a nearby group of wounded and injured warriors cosseted in a warm room broke bread and shared stories about far-away lands and future hopes.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The “Fly Girls of World War II” exhibit at the Women In Military Service for America Memorial honors the first U.S. military-trained women aviators.

WASHINGTON - For the first time in U.S. history, a female military officer today pinned on the rank of four-star general.

WASHINGTON - Navy's Safe Harbor program has no boundaries in how far it will go to help wounded sailors, Rear Adm. Garry White says.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq detained 11 suspected terrorists as they continued operations to expel al-Qaida in Iraq from the country.

WASHINGTON - The USS Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit are preparing to deploy in support of unified combatant commanders, the strike group commander said this week.

WASHINGTON - Marine Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chris Hedgcorth served six combat tours and escaped injury each time. But his seventh tour wasn’t so lucky for him.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Soldiers, government officials and journalists descended on Afghanistan’s Panjshir province for the grand opening of several developmental projects, including a “green energy” wind farm.

WASHINGTON - A National Guard program has created an unlikely cultural exchange between the state of Ohio and the country of Serbia, as proven by the influx of Buckeye memorabilia in Belgrade.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed four al-Qaida insurgents during fighting in eastern Afghanistan’s Paktika province.

CAMP ECHO, Iraq - As American Army civil-military operations soldiers work to restore and improve Iraq’s infrastructure they also are adjusting to the changing dynamics of operations as U.S. forces turn more areas over to Iraqi control.

WASHINGTON - It’s a measure of the enemy in Afghanistan that Taliban terrorists attacked girls walking to school in Afghanistan on Nov. 12 by throwing acid in their faces, a senior Defense Department official said.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Army Master Sgt. Craig Wagner's career has come full circle through multiple deployments that started with him securing German borders during the Cold War.

WASHINGTON - Recent changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act will extend the period of unpaid, job-protected leave that eligible family members can take to care for wounded warrior spouses, Labor Department officials said.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - The outgoing director of the Defense Logistics Agency "simply refused to take no for an answer when it came to meeting the needs of our troops," Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, said.

BAGHDAD - Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment have worked hard to improve the lives of the citizens in Rathwaniyah, just on the outskirts of Baghdad, by providing much-needed medical care.

WASHINGTON - Comedian and former Marine Drew Carey will welcome servicemembers to the stage of ”The Price is Right” during a prime-time airing of a special episode dedicated to the troops.

WASHINGTON - The Navy's Safe Harbor program is allowing wounded sailors to return to active duty.

WASHINGTON - Afghan national security forces, assisted by their coalition partners, captured an enemy bomb expert in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed one terrorist, captured four suspected terrorists and detained six additional suspects during operations targeting al-Qaida in Iraq's financial, explosives and leadership networks.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - While many young men his age are just thinking about their next step in life, 19-year-old Army Pvt. Ryan Masterson is keeping an eye on the airspace in a combat zone.

TALLINN, Estonia - Ukraine is making progress, but still has a long way to go before becoming a full member of NATO, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - A new $4 million, 12,000-square-foot facility slated to open at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, will help improve quality of life for wounded warriors and their families.

TALLINN, Estonia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and his fellow NATO defense ministers are getting down to business in consultations on Ukraine’s course toward membership in the alliance.

OSAN AIR BASE, Korea - Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright is halfway through a six-country, eight-day USO tour to bring entertainment to troops Nov. 9-16.

BAGHDAD - Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers recently attended a bridge reopening ceremony in northwestern Baghdad’s Kadhamiyah district.

WASHINGTON - A troop-support group that provides education on the brain’s and body’s natural responses to stress has launched its redesigned Web site.

WASHINGTON - Afghan national security forces are larger, fully engaged and leading the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan, the U.S. general in charge of training them said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq have degraded terrorist networks in several days of operations that have killed at least four militants and led to the capture of more than two dozen suspects.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Troops gathered in the warm glow of chemical lights at a "Hope Ceremony" on Camp Victory, Iraq, to pay tribute to loved ones battling cancer and those who succumbed to it.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed four militants after being ambushed in an area near Afghanistan’s western border.

ARLINGTON, Va. - A Veterans Day observance at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial honored the contributions of women in uniform throughout the nation’s history.

TALLINN, Estonia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip discussed Russian behavior and new cooperation on cyber security during meetings in Estonia's capital.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Matthew Ryan Bradford lost his legs and vision in Iraq. And that, he says, makes him the perfect person to stay in uniform and help other injured Marines.

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - Nearly 300 servicemembers stationed across Iraq gathered at Joint Base Balad on Veterans Day to re-enlist in what officials said is the largest mass re-enlistment in the base's history.

WASHINGTON - Navy Corpsman Daniel “Doc” Jacobs didn’t know he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. But he knew he had a problem.

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va. - Vice President Richard B. Cheney thanked U.S. veterans of all wars during an annual Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and said the men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan carry on their legacy of service, bravery and sacrifice.

WASHINGTON - Military women who served in the Vietnam War received credit for their sacrifice during a Veterans Day ceremony at the Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - Coalition officials denounced three “cowardly” terrorist attacks in Iraq that left five Iraqis dead and 70 injured over the past two days.

WASHINGTON - On his last Veterans Day as commander in chief, President Bush paid tribute to all those who have worn the uniform of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard during a speech at the USS Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will show U.S. support for Ukraine’s NATO aspirations and for allies in Eastern Europe by participating in the NATO-Ukraine Consultations in Tallinn, Estonia.

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - This Veterans Day was like no other for 77 servicemembers who took the oath of allegiance and officially became U.S. citizens while deployed to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment’s Call Center is dedicated to helping wounded Marines and their families with various issues and referral assistance.

WASHINGTON - As he prepares to observe his first Veterans Day as Veterans Affairs secretary, Dr. James B. Peake said he believes the United States is living up to Abraham Lincoln’s pledge to care for “him who has borne the battle, and his widow and his orphan.”

MONTEREY, Calif. - It took 65 years for retired businessman and Army helicopter pilot Doug Miller to find his calling. When he did, it was in helping wounded warriors.

BROOKS CITY-BASE, Texas - Analysts at a labratory in San Antonio examine artifacts such as belt buckles and boot soles to help in identifying servicemembers still listed as missing from the nation's wars.

WASHINGTON - Recruiting successes in fiscal 2008 continued into the first month of the new fiscal year, with all active and reserve components meeting or exceeding their October goals.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Four major U.S. mental health groups have joined the network of professionals who donate an hour of their time each week to provide free mental health services to troops.

LOGAN, Utah - A member of the Utah National Guard’s 19th Special Forces Group has been honored with the Meritorious Service Medal during halftime of a Utah State University football game.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq captured 11 suspects in operations aimed at dismantling Baghdad’s car-bomb networks.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - As electrical services return to a small agricultural city in Iraq, coalition and community leaders, and citizens, hope that peace and stability will flourish.

NEW YORK - Wounded warriors received recognition from Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a private "Salute to the Troops" viewing of Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular.

WASHINGTON - Since Anbar province returned to Iraqi control, Iraqi security forces are taking more responsibility and U.S. Marines in western Iraq are increasingly performing an overwatch role, the deputy commander of Multinational Force West said.

WASHINGTON - America will never waver in its task of defeating radical Islamic terrorism, Vice President Richard B. Cheney told a gathering of Virginia Military Institute cadets and alumni during his Nov. 8 visit to the military college in Lexington, Va.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan National Army reached a milestone Nov. 1 when it held its first six-day comannd post exercise.

WASHINGTON - In his 2008 Veterans Day message, Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. James B. Peake noted that the nation has boosted its commitment in recent years to the men and women who have served their country in uniform.

FORT HOOD, Texas - The roar of nearly 1,200 motorcycle engines split the morning air at Fort Hood, Texas, as soldiers and civilians in the “Phantom Thunder” motorcycle safety event started their ride to a veterans cemetery in Killeen to honor America's fallen.

MANDAN, N.D. - The North Dakota Veterans Cemetery was built only 16 years ago by the state's National Guard, but the heroes entombed there date back to the country's earliest battles.

WASHINGTON - In his 2008 Veterans Day message, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates underscores the Defense Department’s commitment to the nation’s wounded warriors and their families.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has issued a Veterans Day message to those who now serve or have served in the armed forces.

WASHINGTON - President Bush issued a proclamation to honor all who are serving or have served in the U.S. armed forces.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 10 armed militants and detained 13 suspects during multiple operations aimed at disrupting the Taliban and Haqqani terrorist networks in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Khowst provinces.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces traveled to the Shah Wali Kot district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province to investigate claims of civilian casualties in recent operations.

WASHINGTON - Two suspected terrorists were captured and six others were detained as coalition forces continued to systematically dismantle terrorist networks in Iraq.

NEW YORK - The United States will remember the servicemembers who have made incredible sacrifices on the nation’s behalf, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a troop-salute event in New York City.

NEW YORK - The gray New York sky had been trying to hold back the rain forecasters had promised, but it couldn’t stave off the drops any longer just as wounded servicemembers couldn't check their tears during a ceremony at Ground Zero.

LANDOVER, Md. - Scores of military veterans received free health exams at FedEx Field, home of the National Football League's Washington Redskins..

WASHINGTON - It’s important to recognize the efforts of America’s military veterans –- past and present -- because their contributions and sacrifices have enabled all Americans to stay free, attendees said at the annual American Veterans Center conference.

WASHINGTON - The increasing ability of soldiers to survive their battlefield wounds starts with the soldiers themselves by way of their training and the equipment given to them, Army leaders said.

WASHINGTON - Both the United States and Japan remain committed to plans to transform the U.S.-Japan alliance, including the move of about 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam the senior U.S. commander in the Pacific reported.

WASHINGTON - A change to federal law allows U.S. veterans and military personnel not in uniform to render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem.

BAGHDAD - A senior al-Qaida in Iraq leader was killed during a combined cache-clearing operation by Iraqi security forces and a “Sons of Iraq” citizen security group, supported by coalition forces, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has saluted a unique group dedicated to keeping America connected with its military.

WASHINGTON - A newly transformed Coast Guard directorate has reached its full operating capability in recent weeks, working to modernize the service’s acquisition system and build its operational and security assets for the 21st century, a senior officer said.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - For soldiers deployed to Iraq, Green Beans Coffeehouse keeps them grounded in the tastes and atmosphere of home.

RAPID CITY, S.D. - Leaders of the South Dakota National Guard began preparing personnel and equipment last night to support the state's emergency response in the wake of a fall blizzard that began two days ago in the western part of the state.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - Local sheiks and Iraqi coalition soldiers feasted in celebration of a water distribution system now complete in Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are collaborating on a pilot disability evaluation system that’s set to expand next year, compensation officials said.

WASHINGTON - Brig. Gen. Gary Cheek, the Army's assistant surgeon general for warrior care and transition, recently spoke with American Forces Press Service about the Army’s transformed wounded warrior care program.

WASHINGTON - Coalition troops captured 24 suspected terrorists throughout Iraq, dealing a blow to al-Qaida in Iraq in multiple locations.

WASHINGTON - Instability in the Middle East is front and center on the list of concerns the Joint Chiefs of Staff confronts, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Using a method called “district mapping,” the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province helps to make the decisions on how to spend money allocated for construction and infrastructure improvements.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained four insurgents during operations targeting the Haqqani and Taliban bombing and foreign fighter networks in Afghanistan.

TUCSON, Ariz. - Lt. Col. Scott Reinhold and his fellow airmen at the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing are giving special attention to one new "recruit" -- a six-year-old battling leukemia who dreams of being an F-16 pilot.

WASHINGTON - Both the United States and Japan remain committed to moving about 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam, but budget constraints could cause the process to take longer and cost more, the senior U.S. commander in the Pacific reported.

WASHINGTON - The detonation of a large roadside bomb near Baghdad on May 3, 2005, caused enough damage to Army Sgt. Robert Bartlett’s body to cost him his life -- and it did, at least temporarily.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed an insurgent associated with the Haqqani foreign fighter facilitator network and one of his associates during an operation in Afghanistan’s Khowst province.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed one enemy fighter and detained 17 terrorism suspects in operations throughout Iraq.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The Defense Media Activity is all about breaking down barriers between reporting disciplines, the new organization’s chief of staff said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed 15 Department of Defense Education Activity district teachers of the year to the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - President Bush warned that terrorists could use the government transition under way as an opportunity to attack, and urged his staff to give the incoming administration the support it needs to “hit the ground running.”

WASHINGTON - About 3,000 soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team will leave Iraq nearly two months earlier than planned, military officials said.

HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii - A combined U.S. and Australian team evacuated an Australian civilian in Antarctica to a hospital in Hobart, Australia.

BALTIMORE - The Maryland Army National Guard will send soldiers to Africa to provide medical, dental and ophthalmology services to people in the St. Louis region of northwestern Senegal.

MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan - A deployment to Kyrgyzstan has brought Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kelman Khersonsky full circle back to within 200 miles of his childhood home of Uzbekistan.

WASHINGTON - When the first news stories broke in February 2007 detailing a breakdown in soldier and family care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., senior Army leaders scrambled into action.

WASHINGTON - Threats of retaliation against Indonesian President Bambang Yudhoyono and the U.S. and Australian embassies in Indonesia after three terrorist bombers are executed have “modest credibility,” the top U.S. commander in the Pacific said.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The top U.S. commander for Iraq and Afghanistan visited Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, to talk with commanders and get an updated assessment of the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is investigating new treatments as part of a focused, sustained campaign to help wounded warriors suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

WASHINGTON - Coalition, NATO International Security Assistance Force and Afghan officials are investigating possible civilian casualties during two incidents in Afghanistan.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers say they consider restoring essential services to the citizens of Baghdad to be the real victories in the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - Army Sgt. Robert M. Price III has overcome many obstacles since losing his right leg below the knee in Iraq, and he now has his sights set on becoming the first amputee to be named command sergeant major of the Army.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Communications at Task Force Duke run smoothly thanks to the efforts of soldiers with the 1st Infantry Division’s Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

WASHINGTON - More than 1,000 students, teachers and parents crowded into a Fort Mitchell, Ky., school auditorium to thank Army paratroopers and their families for their service.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is hiring about 30 specialists who will map out a path to recovery for seriously injured servicemembers and their families.

WASHINGTON - Members of the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee are preparing to welcome President-elect Barack Obama when the nation’s 44th chief executive takes the oath of office Jan. 20.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Basketball legend and avid motorcyclist Michael Jordan is the latest celebrity to team up with the National Guard.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq - Selected U.S. soldiers received training in electronic warfare, which applies the radio frequency spectrum to defeat enemies and save lives on the battlefield.

WASHINGTON - Defense and Veterans Affairs departments are making progress in sharing information to benefit wounded warriors and veterans.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - In Nangarhar province along the country's difficult eastern border, the U.S. military has created a construction bright spot: $40 million in new roads, schools and bridges.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates designated November as “Warrior Care Month” to communicate the Department’s commitment to quality care for the nation’s servicemembers and their families.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen didn’t like the way wounded Vietnam veterans were treated when he entered the service in 1968, and he's working to ensure that America’s wounded get the care they need.

MONTEREY, Calif. - Army Capt. D.J. Skelton's severe war injures haven't stopped him from improving himself and the service he loves. He is among an increasing number of wounded warriors who are returning to active duty.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Army 1st Sgt. Willoughby Mercer wears many hats as the sheriff of Camp Victory. One of the most appropriate, he says, is a firefighter's helmet.

WASHINGTON - Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev’s threat to deploy missiles targeting proposed U.S. missile defenses in Eastern Europe misses the point that the system will be purely defensive and will pose no threat to Russia, a Pentagon spokesman said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - In his first visit to Afghanistan as the new commander of U.S. Central Command, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus met with Afghan officials to assess security and ongoing war efforts.

WASHINGTON - Some members of the Afghan police force aided the Taliban in a complex attack on coalition positions in the Wanat complex in Afghanistan in July, according to a report released by Pentagon officials.

CORONADO, Calif. - Navy SEALs have become known as “the ultimate warriors” because of a fierce dedication to training standards, even as Navy leaders strive to produce more of the elite special operatives.

WASHINGTON - A military compensation policy change provides more money for troops injured in the global war on terrorism.

SALEM, Ore. - The Oregon National Guard has established a partnership with one of the most populous -- and according to many at the State Department, one of the more strategically located -- countries in South Asia.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces continued to pressure al-Qaida in Iraq networks, detaining 11 suspected terrorists in the country's central and northern regions.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed five insurgents during a combat security patrol in the Nahr Surkh district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has made extensive plans for a smooth transition from the present administration to that of the president-elect, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

WASHINGTON - With mailing deadlines approaching, a “Targeted” effort at the Van Nuys National Guard Armory has ensured that 70,000 troops will receive goodies from California this holiday season.

BAGHDAD - On a day when Americans exercised their right to vote, 186 servicemembers deployed across Iraq became U.S. citizens during a swearing-in ceremony at Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory.

WASHINGTON - Officials have extended the deadline for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and their families to respond to a survey designed to assess the programs and services they receive.

BAGHDAD - Though official invitations went out to only about 100 people, word of mouth caused more than 300 people to show up for a tribal council meeting in Baghdad’s Adhamiyah district.

WASHINGTON - Children of fallen warriors will enjoy camp activities and get help managing their grief this month at a program designed especially for them.

WASHINGTON - After overcoming challenges to graduate at the top of her ROTC class, a Marine midshipman is studying at the University of Jordan, eyeing a military and political career.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said a new handbook is another step in improving the care and support wounded, ill or injured troops and their families deserve.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Three seasoned soldiers sharing 52 years of service embody "the quiet professionals" within U.S. Army Special Forces in the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces dismantled a drug-making facility and destroyed 44 tons of hashish in what military officials say is a major blow to funding terrorists.

WASHINGTON - The number of attacks in Iraq is at its lowest level since January 2004, and this is proof of the growing capabilities of the Iraqi security forces.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq captured 24 suspected terrorist operatives in three days of operations.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Postal Service announces deadlines and tips for sending packages to troops serving overseas this holiday season.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - Quality of life in southern Baghdad's Risalah community continues to improve thanks to U.S. soldiers in the 64th Armor Regiment.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - An Army captain helps ensure troops on the ground get everything from fuel systems to potable water in southern Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 19 armed militants and detained three suspects Oct. 31 during multiple operations in eastern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces seized weapons caches throughout and captured suspected terrorists in Baghdad during operations over the past several days.