A series of precision U.S. airstrikes against al-Qaida operatives this week in northwestern Syria’s Idlib province killed more than 20 militants, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said.
A soldier comforts his family after a deployment ceremony in Malvern, Ark., Jan. 1, 2017. The soldier is deploying to the Horn of Africa. Army photo by Sgt. Stephen Wright
Scientists and engineers at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., are creating a coating technology designed to help prevent sand from causing damage to military equipment.
The Defense Department is taking a stand against sexual assault in the military in an effort to maintain the well-being of U.S. service members and their families.

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USS Carl Vinson operates in the Pacific Ocean, Nov. 19, 2016.
Deployments Bolster U.S. Presence in Western Pacific, Europe Story | Transcript | Special Report

Afghanistan Mission Remains on Track, Defense Spokesman Says Story | Transcript

Navy Capt. Jesse Geibe, Naval Hospital Jacksonville director for public health, listens to a patient’s heart rate. The Jacksonville Business Journal honored Geibe as a 2016 Health Care Hero. Defense Department officials are reminding military and civilian employees that they must report their health care coverage to the Internal Revenue Service when they file their 2016 federal income tax form. Navy photo by Jacob Sippel
Affordable Care Act Mandates Reporting Minimum Essential Health Coverage Story | Special Report

Defense Leaders Testify on Foreign Cyber Threats Video | Special Report

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, right, and Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, host a farewell ceremony to honor President Barack Obama as Vice President Joe Biden looks on during the armed forces full-honor review at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., Jan. 4, 2017. DoD photo by Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith
Top Leaders Salute Obama at Armed Forces Farewell Ceremony Story | Flickr Album | Obama's Speech | Carter's Speech

The president has authorized U.S. Central Command to work with partner nations to conduct targeted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as part of the comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
U.S.-Led Coalition Airstrikes Eliminate Key ISIL Leaders in Syria, Iraq Story | Transcript | Special Report

Blogs

SITREP: Army Reserve Helps Those in Need, Marines Remember a Trailblazer & More
Army Reserve Pfc. Stephen Young, right, checks vitals on a patient as Sgt. Kyle Puchalsky, center, observes during Operation Lone Star at Vela Middle School in Brownsville, Texas, July 25, 2016.  Army photo by Staff Sgt. Syreeta Shaw
From the military services and around the DoD, here's your SITREP for Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017.
3-D Printed Drones Fly High for Army
The 3-D printed On-Demand Small Unmanned Aircraft System, or ODSUAS, is a new concept where soldiers input requirements into mission planning software and the system knows the optimal configuration for an aerial vehicle. It’s printed and delivered within 24-hours. Army photo by Angie DePuydt
Army researchers tested 3-D printed unmanned aircraft systems that were created on-demand for specific missions.

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