WASHINGTON - A young Army captain wounded in Iraq and now working to improve conditions for other wounded servicemembers will be honored by the Business Executives for National Service in New York.

WASHINGTON - As Iraq rebuilds its economy, many Iraqi women are looking to be recognized as working equals, according to a U.S. military officer posted in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi police and U.S. advisors apprehended 15 suspects with alleged ties to al-Qaida in Iraq during operations in there in the past few days, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - The remains of a U.S. paratrooper, who with another was reported missing last month in western Afghanistan, have been recovered, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will take the Internet technology it helped create 40 years ago a step farther this weekend with a contest aimed at bringing people together to solve tough problems.

U.S. ARMY GARRISON WIESBADEN, Germany - A telephone technician at U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden had an emotional reunion with a German teenager he helped recover from leukemia by donating his bone marrow.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Some soldiers deployed to Iraq recently received a rare treat when a local man gave them a tour of one of the world's most historic places, The Great Ziggurat of Ur.

WASHINGTON - Global positioning system technology originally designed for airplanes is being applied to older rotary-wing aircraft to help save lives.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Defense Logistics Agency - Central Command is overseeing the task of moving and disposing of all U.S. military equipment that has built up in Iraq in the past six year.

WASHINGTON - Officials with the nation’s two largest electronic medical records systems have announced a pilot program designed to further enhance health-care services for military veterans.

WASHINGTON - It’s a few hours a month, but the break the Armed Services YMCA Respite Child Care program provides parents with a deployed spouse always is welcome. And since the program’s Oct. 1 nationwide expansion, many more parents will benefit.

CAMP BLANDING JOINT TRAINING CENTER, Fla. - As part of preparations for deployment, some National Guard units are getting the most up-to-date, theater-specific training possible before their mobilization.

WASHINGTON - Firefighting may be near the top of the Defense Department’s list of high-risk occupations, but there’s a move afoot to make it safer.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested 18 suspected al-Qaida in Iraq associates today, and earlier this week captured a terrorism suspect they’ve been pursuing for three years.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers in the field may soon get one nutrient-packed meal ration in place of the usual three in one of several improvments producers say they are making to better sustain troops.

WASHINGTON - When an Alabama National Guard family readiness group couldn't get all its families together for Thanksgiving, an Army wife stepped up to ensure everyone has a holiday feast.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have released Thanksgiving messages praising U.S. troops and offering thanks for their service.

WASHINGTON - The leaders of an independent review panel toured the scene of the Fort Hood, Texas, shooting rampage and described how they view the panel’s mission.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has issued a holiday season message giving thanks to the military men and women who put their lives on the line every day.

WASHINGTON - If President Barack Obama’s Afghanistan strategy calls for more U.S. troops, Defense Department and White House officials would expect a greater contribution from their NATO allies, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said he plans to announce his decision on the strategy and troop request for Afghanistan “shortly after Thanksgiving,” and offered a glimpse of the conclusions he and his national security team are reaching.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, opened their home to recovering wounded warriors and their families for an early family-style Thanksgiving meal as a way to thank them for their service.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi police killed a suspected bombing-cell member and arrested six others in operations over the last two days.

WASHINGTON - Combined Afghan and international forces killed an enemy militant and detained numerous suspects in recent operations in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Trade Commission advises troops and their families, as well as Defense Department civilians and contractors to think before they buy holiday gift cards this season, and buy from sources they know and trust.

PHILADELPHIA - How do you plan Thanksgiving dinner for 180,000 people more than 6,000 miles away? If you’re a food buyer at the Defense Logistics Agency, you start by making a shopping list in April for meals to be served to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Pennsylvania National Guard’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, stays connected from Contingency Operating Base Adder in Iraq, thanks mostly to two of its soldiers who keep the communications flowing.

WASHINGTON - A program to develop a new family of light tactical vehicles for Army, Marine Corps and special operations forces is moving ahead at full steam, almost halfway through its technology development phase.

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Provincial reconstruction team engineers in Afghanistan's Khost province recently conducted quality assurance training for more than 30 Afghan contractors, foremen and engineers.

FORT RILEY, Kan. - A former soldier who spent about 16 months in the warrior transition battalion at Fort Riley, Kan., now looks forward to a rewarding career as an Army civilian.

KABUL - NATO has activated a new command at Camp Eggers, Afghanistan, that combines two existing commands to focus on training Afghan security forces.

WASHINGTON - Everything in Afghanistan – including combating improvised explosive devices – is made more difficult because the nation is at the end of a long and complicated logistics trail, Undersecretary of Defense Ashton Carter said.

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah - There's a pair of shoes at Utah’s Hill Air Force Base that will be hard to fill. They once belonged to Pamela Day, who retired after 38 years of federal service.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force’s top enlisted leader visited multiple locations in Canada to start building a permanent enlisted professional military education partnership with one of America’s closest allies.

WASHINGTON - The leaders of the Pentagon’s review board on the Fort Hood, Texas, rampage reported for duty to begin their 45-day investigation to what led to the mass shooting, a Pentagon official said.

WASHINGTON - A theory gaining momentum among counterinsurgency and military medical experts is that the health of a nation’s people affects the health of a nation.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces and U.S. advisors have detained 12 suspected terrorists as a result of operations in north and central Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The Army is collaborating with the National Institute of Mental Health to launch the largest study ever undertaken of suicide and mental health among military personnel.

WASHINGTON - As we count our blessings this month, America’s soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guardsmen serve day and night around the globe to defend our Nation.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard’s transformation from a strategic reserve to an operational force since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, should continue beyond the current conflicts, the nation’s top military officer told Guard leaders.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates recognized the contributions and sacrifices that Canadian servicemembers have made in Afghanistan during a speech to the Halifax International Security Forum.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia - The United States and other Western Hemisphere nations must increase cooperation and collaboration for their continued security, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay met to discuss bilateral, hemispheric issues, but reporters’ questions afterward were all about Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Satisfied that it’s increased its ranks by about 20,000 soldiers and continues to meet its recruiting goals, the Army Reserve now is focused on recruiting more troops as they leave active duty to fill gaps at the mid-level ranks and in specific specialties.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested five suspected members of the al-Qaida in Iraq and the Islamic State of Iraq terrorist groups during three combined security operations conducted with U.S. advisors in the Iraqi cities of Ramadi, Tikrit and Kirkuk.

KABUL - Afghan and international forces in Afghanistan killed an enemy militant and detained several terrorism suspects, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Based on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine last month, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki has directed broader health coverage from his department for Vietnam War veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange.

PAKTIA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Afghan National Army soldiers got their first Humvee egress assistance training at Forward Operating Base Thunder in Paktia province, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Though the National Guard has a role in reconstruction missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s a temporary one, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - Retired Army Col. Lewis L. Millett, who received the Medal of Honor during the Korean War for leading what reportedly was the last U.S. bayonet charge on Feb. 7, 1951, has died.

KABUL - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged international forces in Afghanistan to help President Hamid Karzai realize the vision for Afghanistan he expressed when he took office for his second five-year term.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - An Iraqi facilities engineering team has been hired to oversee quality assurance and control for all facilities, utilities and construction on Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The quality and readiness of the Army Guard is in the hands of its senior leadership, the Army Guard’s top officer told more than 2,000 officers and senior noncommissioned officers at the Guard's first Joint Senior Leadership Conference.

WASHINGTON - The director of a Muslim veterans organization said he welcomes Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ announcement of a Pentagon probe into the attacks at Fort Hood, Texas, calling it a matter of national security.

WASHINGTON - Improving the quality and professionalism of Afghanistan’s central government will not be accomplished quickly, and will involve continued discussion between U.S. and Afghan officials, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard can play an important role in spreading the news about the Veterans Affairs Department’s new programs, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton praised Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul for the renewed commitment he expressed in his second-term inaugural address to end government corruption and set the stage to decrease the international military footprint in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced the Defense Department will conduct a broad review of the Nov. 5 Fort Hood, Texas, shooting that left 13 dead and dozens injured.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed new German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg to the Pentagon where the two agreed to work closely together on mutual interests in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

WASHINGTON - Army Maj. Jeff Hall and his wife, Sheri, worked to bring him back from the brink of post-traumatic stress. Now the couple is helping others cope through The Army's Real Warrior Program.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama’s security team recognizes troops alone aren’t the answer as it begins wrapping up strategy deliberations on Afghanistan, the top military officer told participants in the National Guard Bureau’s Joint Senior Leadership Conference.

KABUL - Afghan and international forces killed several militants and detained terrorism suspects in two Afghanistan provinces yesterday.

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines - Members of Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines recently teamed up with hospital workers to teach crisis intervention techniques to health care providers there.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - The Army’s first “advise and assist” unit in Iraq has taken on helping Iraqi businesswomen as one of its first missions for building civil capacity in three southern provinces.

ABOARD USS CHOSIN AT SEA - The USS Chosin, home-ported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, has assumed the role as flagship for the counter-piracy efforts of Combined Task Force 151 after arriving in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told a National Guard conference he sees benefits of a new plan that allows reserve-component servicemembers to conduct pre-deployment training before the clock starts ticking on their 12-month mobilization cycles.

WASHINGTON - “Adding Value to America” is the theme for the National Guard's first Joint Senior Leadership Conference.

WASHINGTON - American forces are waiting to see what effect the veto of Iraqi election legislation may have on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq said in Baghdad.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - An Air Force couple got two weeks together on deployment in Southwest Asia as they prepared for one to replace the other in their jobs as mental health specialists.

PANJSHIR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Air Force Capt. John T. Stamm relates his experiences as part of a U.S.-led provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan's Panjshir province delivering supplies to villages in the Hindu Kush Mountains.

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea - More than 1,500 airmen, soldiers, sailors and Marines from throughout South Korea had the opportunity to hear President Barack Obama speak, for the first time in Korea, when he stopped for a troop rally on his way home from a trip to Asia.

WASHINGTON - The USO has changed a lot in 68 years and it marked another milestone in sponsoring a care package service specifically for female servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama cited Army Staff Sgt. Amy Krueger, one of 13 killed during the rampage on Fort Hood, Texas, as an example of the determination that has characterized women’s service to the military throughout U.S. history.

WASHINGTON - It 's hard to predict how a child will react to having a parent deployed in a war zone, the Marine Corps’ family advocacy manager said here on the last day of the 2009 Department of Defense Child Development Conference.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and NATO representatives are gathered in Rome brainstorming for solutions to make their security elements work better together.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials are pleased with the Maersk Alabama’s successful defense against suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

ARLINGTON - Character was the focus as the Boy Scouts’ National Capital Area Council honored five outstanding servicemembers who exemplify the values of Scouting and the military.

WASHINGTON - A funeral at Arlington National Cemetery brought to light the ongoing search the Defense Department has undertaken to make sure every servicemember who goes abroad comes home.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The Army's 386th Movement Control Team from Vincenza, Italy, has processed more than 25,000 cargo trucks through Kandahar Airfield -- the main supply line for troops in Afghanistan -- in six months.

WASHINGTON - Despite progress in closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, President Barack Obama acknowledged that the administration likely will not make the January deadline he set when he took office.

WASHINGTON - The Military Child Care Act of 1989 has made the military child care system the one to emulate, speakers at the department's annual child development conference said.

WASHINGTON - A range of decisions still remain for President Barack Obama and his administration to finalize the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, the president said in Beijing.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - When an Army company needed a crew to fly to a remote site in Iraq, four Illinois National Guardsmen stepped up, surprising their battle buddies with their flexibility and diversity of skills.

JOINT SECURITY STATION CHILAT, Iraq - Soldiers of C Troop, 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, have taken on plumbing, electricity, carpentry and civil engineering to improve their remote security station in southern Iraq.

KABUL - Afghan and international forces killed several enemy militants and detained numerous terrorism suspects in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Some soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are finding a distraction from their wounds through a local Humane Society program that trains them to train shelter dogs.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recognized the Defense Department’s top teachers at a Pentagon ceremony telling them, "there is probably no more important profession at this time than teaching."

MANAMA, Bahrain - The U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama’s security team repelled an attack from suspected pirates off the northeastern coast of Somalia.

WASHINGTON - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has predicted the alliance’s future mission in Afghanistan will entail a counterinsurgency approach with “substantially more troops.”

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - At the Air Force Warfare Center on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., lessons learned supporting ground troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are being shared with the aviation community and incorporated into the training as quickly as they’re developed.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama, speaking at a news conference in Beijing, emphasized the importance of keeping international efforts focused on nuclear weapons programs in North Korea and Iran.

WASHINGTON - The rate of soldier suicides continues to concern Army leadership, with 211 active-duty and reserve-component suicides confirmed this year, the Army’s No. 2 officer told Pentagon reporters.

WASHINGTON - The military's child care system is the one to emulate in both public and private sectors, Defense Department officials said at a child development conference.

WASHINGTON - As U.S. troops in western Iraq help to prepare for national elections in January, an American commander in the former insurgent hotbed of Anbar province said any potential uptick in violence is unlikely to derail the balloting.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested 11 terrorism suspects in operations over the last two days.

KABUL - Afghan and international forces worked together to kill or detain numerous enemy fighters and terrorism suspects in operations over the last two days.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - The provincial reconstruction team in Iraq’s Basra province and the 17th Fires Brigade legal team recently hosted a conference to improve relations between Iraqi police and judges.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan’s Panjshir province serves as a model for the continued integration of civilian assets into military operations to achieve a unified strategic goal.

DA NANG, Vietnam - Nearly 35 years ago, Navy Cmdr. H.B. Le left Vietnam aboard a fishing trawler. He returned at the helm of a U.S. Navy warship, the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen, Nov. 7.

PHILADELPHIA - Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. wants a master resilience trainer in each battalion by the end of next year.

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - With the new F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter aircraft’s arrival just four years away, officials at the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center are looking forward to joint training opportunities while recognizing the challenges of providing realistic training on such a technologically advanced aircraft.

WASHINGTON - A recent initiative launched by the Veterans Affairs Department and the U.S. Olympic Committee is giving disabled veterans a chance to rediscover their potential through athletics and competition.

WASHINGTON - As the drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq advances, efforts to build the nation’s police force have made great strides, the team leader of the police training and advisory mission says.

WASHINGTON - Defense and Veterans Affairs officials announced another step in their efforts to streamline the process of determining veterans’ disability ratings.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces, working with U.S. advisors, arrested 21 terrorism suspects in various operations in recent days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Combined Afghan and international forces killed or detained numerous enemy fighters in Afghanistan in recent days, military officials reported.

ABOARD USS NIMITZ IN THE INDIAN OCEAN - Two soldiers working deep inside the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the Indian Ocean serve as liaisons between the aviators of Carrier Air Wing 11 and coalition forces on the ground in Afghanistan.

SAN ANTONIO - Five months ago, Army Lt. Col. Tim Karcher was commanding a battalion in Iraq. Today, he is learning how to walk again, and maintaining a positive attitude about his "new normal."

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE HUNTER, Iraq - A little bit of home made its way to a remote U.S. base in Iraq’s Maysan province recently, as soldiers tested their skills in a barbecue competition.

WASHINGTON - The mutual goal of negotiating an agreement on reducing nuclear arms by the end of the year is on track, President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said.

WASHINGTON - The United States is a Pacific nation, and America wants to strengthen alliances and understandings in the region, President Barack Obama said in Tokyo.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama used his weekly address to call for a careful and complete review of what happened before the Nov. 5 tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas.

WASHINGTON - The number of U.S. soldiers in Iraq reporting psychological problems is at its lowest since 2004, while morale among military units in Afghanistan has fallen significantly over the past two years, according to two Army reports.

WASHINGTON - The decision to pursue the prosecution of 10 detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, paves the way toward resolving the disposition of others there and eventually closing the detention facility, a senior Defense Department official said

WASHINGTON - The time President Barack Obama is taking to nail down the strategy in Afghanistan is time well spent, the commander of U.S. Central Command says.

WASHINGTON - As Pentagon officials look for ways to increase intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support for warfighters, the Air Force’s first unmanned aircraft systems wing already is on the case in its quest to provide more and better intelligence through the systems they fly.

WASHINGTON - An army of volunteers wrote letters of thanks and assembled care packages for delivery to military families during Operation Appreciation, held Nov. 11 at George Washington University.

WASHINGTON - This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, a Navy and Air Force office that provides tropical cyclone reconnaissance and forecasting to support the safety of military and other government assets in the U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility.

WASHINGTON - All active-duty and reserve-component military branches met or exceeded their recruiting goals for October continuing a successful military recruiting mission that had a banner year in fiscal 2009, Defense Department officials said.

WASHINGTON - The Army is investigating 16 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers in October, about twice the number reported among the same population in September.

ARLINGTON - More than 160 National Guard members in three states have responded to flooding caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Ida.

WASHINGTON - Combined Afghan and international security forces detained several suspected militants, including an alleged Taliban commander, in operations in Afghanistan.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Conflict might have been the 20th century norm, but collaboration is the nature of 21st century relationships between the National Guard and other components of the armed forces, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. advisors, arrested terrorism suspects and a suspected terrorist cell leader in Iraq.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. military and State Department personnel met with Afghan provincial governors and other leaders in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province to discuss ways to reconcile with Taliban and others opposed to the central government.

KIRKUK, Iraq - The Army Corps of Engineers is giving a major facelift to a Kirkuk, Iraq, library, preserving the historic structure while adding modern amenities.

WASHINGTON - Senior federal officials pledged their support of President Barack Obama’s Nov. 9 directive to establish a veterans’ employment program office designed to help former servicemembers get through the maze of paperwork as they apply for federal positions.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama told servicemembers in Alaska he will not risk their lives without a clear mission, the equipment they need and the strategy required to succeed.

OSHKOSH, Wisc. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has created a new task force to enhance existing department efforts to counter the threat from roadside bombs, the No. 1 killer in Afghanistan.

OSHKOSH, Wisc. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates got a firsthand look at production of the newest all-terrain vehicles slated for Afghanistan, and praised the modern-day Rosie the Riveters he credited with saving American lives.

WASHINGTON - When it comes to H1N1 flu, the Department of Defense Education Activity’s primary focus is to prevent a serious outbreak in any of its 191 schools worldwide.

WASHINGTON - “Unless we build systems for tech-savvy soldiers, we will continue to limit ourselves in the fight against tech-savvy enemies,” Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III told information technology specialists.

WASHINGTON - Generations of American servicemembers braved war to return home to enjoy the freedoms they helped to preserve. Yet, returning veterans also can experience troubling wartime memories after the shooting stops.

WASHINGTON - Military prosecutors have charged Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the Nov. 5 attack at Fort Hood, Texas. The case will be heard in the military system and additional charges may be filed, a spokesman for the Army Criminal Investigation Division said.

FORT HOOD, Texas - In the aftermath of the Nov. 5 shootings on Fort Hood, Texas, that left 13 dead and 38 wounded, soldiers, family members and civilians who work on post are looking for answers, and for help in grieving.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces in Afghanistan captured a sought-after Taliban commander in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, and also captured a Haqqani terrorist group leader in another area.

GATESVILLE, Texas - The citizens of Gatesville, Texas, opened their arms and hearts to Army Reserve soldiers affected by the Nov. 5, shooting on Fort Hood, showing their appreciation by throwing a dinner in their honor.

WASHINGTON - American personnel based in Central America are deploying to aid flood victims in El Salvador, U.S. Southern Command officials said.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Homeland Security has unveiled a new Web site designed to provide a one-stop location for veterans looking for jobs.

FORT HOOD, Texas - November 5 began and might have ended like any other day for Kanesha Howard, an Army spouse and mother of two. Instead, she found herself living a nightmare by midday, franticly wondering if she still had a husband.

EN ROUTE TO OSHKOSH, Wis. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates condemned a spate of leaks regarding both the Afghanistan strategy deliberations and the Nov. 5 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, threatening to fire anyone in the Defense Department he finds is involved.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Members of a U.S. Army task force and U.S. Agency for International Development are working with Afghan teens to offer alternatives to joining the insurgency.

AMARAH, Iraq - Soldiers of the 57th Military Police Company have spent the past three months building a partnership with the Iraqi police in Maysan province to improve their ability to govern and secure the local populace.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - When other soldiers find it difficult to train in 150-degree weather, Army Capt. Alex Quintanilla doesn't let that heat or the dust of Iraq stop his marathon-training regimen.

WASHINGTON - Experts did their best to answer questions and allay fears over H1N1 flu and the associated vaccine during an online town-hall meeting hosted by the Military Health System.

ARLINGTON - Lt. Hannah Bealon dreamed of proving herself in the military. The Coast Guard, with its record of female achievement, is the place where she's done that.

WASHINGTON - The nation’s capital hosted throngs of people paying tribute to men and women who currently or previously wore the uniform of the U. S. military.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama urged all Americans, including military veterans, to put their skills to use in volunteer service to assist U.S. communities and citizens in need.

WASHINGTON - Today’s military is the “best-equipped, best trained, best educated, and the most competent military in the history of mankind,” Vice President Joe Biden told troops and veterans at his home at the U.S. Naval Observatory.

WASHINGTON - The Nov. 5 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, provides a special sense of poignancy to this year’s Veterans Day observance, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in his annual message commemorating the holiday.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - Ever wonder what the significance is of the little red flowers that the Veterans of Foreign Wars hand out? What are they and what do they mean? The answer to the first question is simple. They are poppies. Red-flowered corn poppies.

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va. - America will fulfill its obligation to take care of and value those who have sacrificed for the country, President Barack Obama said.

AL ASAD SHADOW RANGE, Iraq - For the first time since the re-formation of the Iraqi air force, an Iraqi pilot fired a missile from an aircraft Nov. 4, 2009. A three-man Iraqi aircrew from Squadron 3 fired an AGM-114 Hellfire missile from an AC-208 Caravan at a target on a bombing range near Al Asad Air Base.

WASHINGTON - A flexible American strategy based on Ronald Reagan’s inflexible belief in liberty was key to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a speech at the Library of Congress.

FORT HOOD, Texas - The mournful and all too familiar scene of a bugler playing Taps occurred again here Tuesday as the Fort Hood community paid its respects to fallen warriors struck down last week allegedly at the hands of a lone gunman, who also happened to wear an Army uniform.

WASHINGTON - In his annual Veterans Day message, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, notes that gratitude for U.S. military veterans is evident not only in the United States, but also overseas.

WASHINGTON - As the nation honors its Veterans, Maj. L. Tammy Duckworth, an Army National Guard helicopter pilot and the Veterans Affairs Department’s assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs, reflects on what her service means to her.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden delivered condolences at a memorial ceremony honoring seven soldiers killed in an attack in southern Afghanistan last month.

FORT HOOD, Texas - Thousands of soldiers, veterans, military family members and civilian employees gathered here beneath brilliant blue skies to bid an emotional farewell to 13 of their own killed during last week’s shooting rampage, and to support the families left behind.

KABUL - Afghan National Police and international forces seized 250 tons of suspected bomb-making material and detained 15 people in southeastern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - During a somber ceremony on Fort Hood, Texas, President Barack Obama paid his respects to the families of the 13 victims of the Nov. 5 shooting spree at the Soldier Readiness Processing Center on the post.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. commander in Baghdad said all efforts are focused on helping Iraqi forces provide security for upcoming national elections in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed an executive order aimed at hiring more veterans to work in the federal government.

WASHINGTON - The shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, provides a special sense of poignancy to this year’s Veterans Day observance, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in his annual message to the troops.

WASHINGTON - In the midst of providing mental health services and other support to the Fort Hood, Texas, community following the recent shooting there, the Department of Veterans Affairs learned about its own losses from the violence.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi police, working with U.S. advisors, arrested five suspected members of the al-Qaida in Iraq and Islamic State of Iraq terrorist groups.

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Soldiers with the 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, continue renovation projects in Afghanistan's Logar province through a new program called “Operation Extreme Make Over.”

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Twelve soldiers in a unit of the 1st Armored Division’s 4th Brigade have the demanding job of keeping intelligence electronic warfare equipment running on Contingency Operating Base Adder in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Department initiative known as the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce is training and equipping a civilian work force of department employees capable of deploying overseas to support military missions.

KILLEEN, Texas - Waiting at the airport for families to arrive for a ceremony honoring victims of the fatal Fort Hood, Texas, shooting rampage, several soldiers were dealing with their own pain and confusion by reaching out to families of the fallen and to each other.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, partnered with U.S. advisors, arrested numerous terrorism suspects in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Doctors and scientists who gathered at the Partnership for Military Medicine symposium last weekend say it is the cooperation of public and private medicine that is driving advances in military care.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will join Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Joint Chiefs Chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, Army Secretary John M. McHugh and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. at Fort Hood, Texas, today for a ceremony to honor the victims of the Nov. 5 shooting rampage that left 13 dead and 38 wounded.

WASHINGTON - More than 750 Afghan and international forces completed the largest operation to date in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province, clearing the northern border area of hundreds of insurgent fighters.

WASHINGTON - Chaplain (Maj.) Jeff Struecker, a decorated Army Ranger, relied on his faith to survive the 1993 battle of Mogadishu, and has helped others cope with combat stress ever since.

WASHINGTON - Deployed and hospitalized servicemembers are expected to make about 120,000 calls home this Veterans Day, and it won’t cost them a dime.

WASHINGTON - Officials at Fort Hood, Texas, released the names of the 12 soldiers and one civilian employee killed in the Nov. 5 shooting incident on the post.

WASHINGTON - The Army has worked hard on developing programs to maintain the psychological health of the service, but much more needs to be done, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and other senior U.S. government officials hailed the Iraqi-parliament passage of a new election law that governs that country’s voting processes.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has delegated the authority to order up to 45 days of pre-mobilization training for reserve-component soldiers to the secretary of the Army.

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Having driven out many insurgents, some Marines and Afghan soldiers in Helmand province, Afghanistan, are making their home in the abandoned fortress of an incarcerated Taliban drug lord.

JOINT SECURITY STATION CONDOR, Iraq - Route clearance is a common mission for Army engineers in Iraq, but only a small portion of the much larger skill set some soldiers are learning to apply in new ways to support the changing mission there.

WASHINGTON - Scientists at the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center are researching armored vehicles made with built-in sensors that automatically report when they are damaged.

WASHINGTON - A new Navy ship named in honor of the courage displayed by New York City’s residents during and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks received its official commission.

FORT HOOD, Texas - Grieving soldiers and family members joined for a twilight vigil in remembrance of comrades and loved ones who were killed or wounded in the Nov. 5 shooting attack at Fort Hood, Texas.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama expressed his sorrow over the tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas, and praised the soldiers and civilians who responded to aid the wounded in his weekly address to the nation.

FORT HOOD, Texas - While news reports continue running updates on the shooting spree on Fort Hood, Texas, Nov. 5, soldiers, first responders and civilians there who "lived the live feed" recalled what happened.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff cancelled a trip to the University of Notre Dame to focus on the soldiers and families affected by the tragic shootings at Fort Hood, Texas.

WASHINGTON - The attack that killed 13 people and wounded 30 more at Fort Hood, Texas, “was a kick in the gut,” not only for Fort Hood, but also for the entire Army, the Army chief of staff said.

WASHINGTON - Top military and civilian medical practitioners came together for the Partnership for Military Medicine symposium to boost cooperation to better help troops recovering from more advanced war wounds.

WASHINGTON - More than 300 leaders who provide support to military families will gather next week to discuss the effectiveness of the military’s family support and readiness programs and hear firsthand from the people who use them.

WASHINGTON - Blood donations came from nine different sources in overwhelming quantities to help victims of the shooting on Ford Hood, Texas.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has issued a formal proclamation honoring the victims of the Nov. 5 shootings at Fort Hood, Texas.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Fort Hood, Texas, was uppermost in the minds of National Guard members, especially with an Alabama citizen-soldier reportedly among the wounded after a deadly shooting rampage there.

WASHINGTON - Senior medical officials who successfully slowed the spread of H1N1 flu virus at the U.S. Air Force Academy have published what they learned in an American Journal of Preventive Medicine article.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has ordered American flags to be flown at half-staff until Veterans Day in honor of the victims of yesterday’s shooting at Fort Hood, Texas.

WASHINGTON - Ministry teams, family life consultants, behavioral health specialists and other resources are flowing to Fort Hood, Texas, to help the military community cope with the tragedy that occurred on base.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces detained a group of suspected insurgents, including a Taliban leader, in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates directed a moment of silence throughout the Defense Department today to honor the victims of yesterday’s attack at Fort Hood, Texas.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Two local Afghan farmers, educated at universities in Pakistan and Afghanistan, teamed up with the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan's Paktika Province to share with others what they have learned.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi security forces arrested five suspected terrorists in two security operations.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Coalition and joint terminal attack controllers used a simulator to hone their skills in calling in close-air support during U.S. Joint Forces Command's advanced-concept technology demonstration Bold Quest 09.

WASHINGTON - For millions of U.S. servicemembers, the celebratory scenes at the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989, were cause for deep satisfaction.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE GARRYOWEN, Iraq - Iraqi army engineers put their training to good use Oct. 18 on a reconnaissance mission to evaluate a local bridge important to both Iraqi and U.S. forces.

RICHMOND, Va. - When Cmdr. Trent Kalp joined the Navy, he expected to serve deployments in the middle of the ocean. Where he ended up was landlocked in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan is believed to be the lone shooter of some 43 people on Fort Hood, Texas, and he survived being shot by a civilian police officer, the base commander said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pledged his department will do everything it can to help those on Fort Hood, Texas, recover from the fatal shooting there that left 12 dead and 31 wounded.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama promised full-scale support to get to the bottom of a fatal shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, and to help the post community recover from the tragedy.

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - Two new programs at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., are focused on getting care and services to wounded or sick servicemembers and to military families during their loved ones’ deployments.

DAKAR, Senegal - Air Force Brig. Gen. Mike Callan, Air Forces Africa vice commander, spent a week visiting with key leaders and touring facilities for a first-hand look at the air force capabilities in Mali and Senegal.

WASHINGTON - Combined Afghan and international forces killed or detained suspected militants in Afghanistan’s Wardak and Khowst provinces, and officials are investigating whether an International Security Assistance Force rocket attack caused civilian casualties.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi security forces arrested six suspects during two security operations targeting members of al-Qaida in Iraq-sponsored bombing networks.

AL MUTHANA, Iraq - The Iraqi army graduated 42 women as the first all-female class to complete its enlisted basic combat training course.

FORT IRWIN, Calif. - As the military begins drawing down in Iraq, the staff at the National Training Center in California is looking ahead to a role beyond preparing troops for conventional and irregular warfare.

WASHINGTON - The chief of U.S. Strategic Command wants better tools for protecting against threats from space debris -- an estimated 20,000 pieces of manmade material orbiting around the planet.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed some indirect factors in military readiness in his latest podcast.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates plans to personally thank workers on the factory line of the latest mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle for getting them to warfighters quickly.

WASHINGTON - Traumatic brain injury, one of the signature injuries suffered by troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, demands a “sense of urgency,” said U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Central Command has received half of the vaccine needed to inoculate its forces against the H1N1 virus, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

NORFOLK, Va. - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, urged mental health providers to demonstrate leadership in developing programs to treat wounded warriors.

WASHINGTON - The Navy played a key role in the discovery of the H1N1 influenza’s presence in the United States.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - By day, four soldiers help to develop and equip Iraqi security forces. But late at night, they have a chance to connect over the friendly competition of an ancient game.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi security forces arrested 21 suspects during operations targeting vehicle-borne bomb network members

WASHINGTON - Newly re-elected Afghan President Hamid Karzai must take significant measures to cut government corruption and establish his government's legitimacy, the top U.S. military officer said.

KABUL - Combined Afghan and international security forces killed or detained several militants and recovered multiple weapons and explosives in Afghanistan.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Many U.S. servicemembers working and living alongside Afghan soldiers find they have much in common with their Afghan counterparts.

NORFOLK, Va. - Army Staff Sgt. Megan Krause wants troops to hear her story so they don’t go through what she did. She is part of the "Real Warrior" program.

WASHINGTON - Military families make tremendous sacrifices in support of the nation and deserve recognition as well as the best programs and policies the Defense Department can deliver, a defense official said.

WASHINGTON - The first new “advise and assist” brigades already in Iraq and others slated to arrive soon have a big leg up on their new mission, thanks to the groundwork laid by the “Highlander” brigade.

NORFOLK, Va. - Officials at the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury have been working with the services to develop treatment programs for psychological trauma.

WASHINGTON - Like protective equipment issued to troops downrange, the H1N1 flu vaccine is a measure the Defense Department is taking to safeguard U.S. military forces and enable them to continue their missions.

WASHINGTON - The secretary of veterans affairs announced the framework of a bold initiative to end homelessness among veterans within five years.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - Soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, are getting a trial run at the nerve-wracking experience of going before promotion boards.

NORFOLK, Va. - Resilience is not issued when you join the service, but it can and must be built to prevent post-war mental health problems, a Navy official told attendees at the Warrior Resilience Conference.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Combat units from the 82nd Airborne Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team are impressed with the Afghan National Army as they serve as combat advisors in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff recalled the heroism of Japanese-Americans who fought valiantly in 1944 to rescue soldiers of another unit pinned down by German forces.

FORT IRWIN, Calif. - As the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Brigade prepares for its fourth deployment to Iraq, its soldiers are getting lessons in the art of leading from behind as they help to set the stage for the eventual drawdown of U.S. forces.

KABUL - A combined Afghan and international security force detained several suspected militants in Afghanistan’s Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

WASHINGTON - Twelve servicemembers were honored by the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs for their exemplary service.

NORFOLK, Va. - Improving mental health care for servicemembers and veterans requires a coordinated effort , the Pentagon’s top mental health expert said.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - When a deployed unit approaches its end-of-tour date, the focus begins to shift from the deployment at hand to redeployment stateside. But not so for those who must repair vehicles.

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. - Experimental test pilot Army Chief Warrant Officer Cary Nadeau views his job as being the consumer advocate for Army aviators.

WASHINGTON - The new Army secretary received an official welcome from Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the Army’s top uniformed officer at a ceremony at Fort Myer, Va.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has started receiving H1N1 vaccines and will begin distributing doses in the coming weeks.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Air National Guard, for the first time, will be the sole operator of a new aircraft straight off the assembly line when it starts operations with C-27J Spartan cargo planes.

WASHINGTON - The number of those still serving under the Army's “Stop Loss” has been greatly reduced, dropping to 9,600, and should be reduced by half by January 2010.

WASHINGTON - Senior Defense Department officials showcased a more agile, downsized version of the military’s family of super-armored vehicles now arriving in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested 13 people during three operations in connection with car-bomb networks between Baghdad and Kirkuk.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - The Military Health System will host a Web-based, town hall-style meeting to respond to questions about H1N1 influenza.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and NATO forces detained several insurgents in operations in southern and eastern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki is expected to unveil a five-year plan to end homelessness among veterans.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - The students of St. Efram Elementary School in Basra, Iraq, welcomed U.S.soldiers, who dropped off school supplies, treats and even guitars.

WASHINGTON - Physicists at the Army Research Laboratory are bringing quantum “ghost” imaging from the realm of scientific curiosity to practical reality.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - More than 250 Afghan National Police graduated from basic training at the police headquarters in Herat, Afghanistan.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Air Force Maj. John Loftis has a Pashto name, Esan, and people frequently ask him what it means.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama pledged his support of military members and their families and said Americans have a “solemn obligation” to preserve their well-being in his proclamation declaring Military Family Month.