WASHINGTON - U.S. Army officials are evaluating their programs to see what more can be done to stop the escalation of suicides and attempted suicides among soliders.

WASHINGTON - A Congressional commission has recommended sweeping changes to the way U.S. military reserve forces have been structured and have operated for more than a half century.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. will prevail against extremism by protecting the homeland, staying “on the offense,” and replacing despair with hope, President Bush predicted.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he hasn’t discussed with the top military commander in Iraq any plan for an “operational pause” before moving forward with troop reductions in Iraq beyond July.

WASHINGTON - The Taliban is resorting to terrorist tactics because of NATO success in Afghanistan in 2007, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters.

WASHINGTON - As Iraqi maneuver units continue to make progress, coalition trainers are focusing on combat service support functions.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi concerned local citizens groups are a “boon to security,” and the Iraqi government soon will run this program, the commander of Multinational Security Transitional Command Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - With help from a Defense Department committee, issues concerning military women’s health care and spouse employment are gaining more attention from policy makers and commanders in the 85-percent male U.S. forces.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 11 suspected terrorists in two operations focusing on disrupting al Qaeda networks operating in northern and central Iraq.

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. - Many people join the military to follow in the footsteps of family members. But new Marine Pfc. Brett Lockhart decided to join after some of his coworkers motivated him to become part of another family.

WASHINGTON - Volunteer groups that support military families can compete for a share of $75,000 in grants to help their efforts.

KIRKUK, Iraq - The 10th Mountain Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team is demonstrating from Kirkuk how unmanned aircraft are transforming the way the military conducts reconnaissance, surveillance and target-acquisition missions.

WASHINGTON - As the security situation has improved in the southern belts of Baghdad, coalition officials find themselves more involved with building local governance capacity and creating jobs.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. commander in South Korea wants to re-examine the tour length for personnel assigned to the peninsula.

WASHINGTON - Rather than paying a tax specialist, servicemembers and their families can obtain free assistance to prepare and file their annual tax returns through a special military program, a Defense Department tax advisor said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department wants servicemembers and their families to be aware of in-house programs that can help them to better manage their money and stay out of debt.

TUCSON, Ariz. - Pilots assigned to the 162nd Fighter Wing Alert Detachment at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base will fly air patrols and air defense deterrence missions to support Super Bowl XLII Feb. 3.

FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces distributed supplies to women and children visiting the Women's Affairs Department office in Farah.

WASHINGTON - A senior member of the team working to grow and professionalize the Iraqi police force briefed online journalists and “bloggers” on progress and challenges in a conference call.

WASHINGTON - Operation Phantom Phoenix is succeeding in cracking down on Iraq’s enemies with the aid of Iraqi security forces and the cooperation of the Iraqi people.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed four suspected terrorists and detained 22 others in Iraq over the past three days, military officials reported.

FAHAMA, Iraq - Residents in two villages will be able to cook with propane this month, thanks to soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division.

BASRA, Iraq - A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deputy commander extended his tour a year to oversee completion of the Basra Children's Hospital.

WASHINGTON - Uncle Sam is seeking speakers of Russian, Mandarin Chinese and Swahili, along with several other "critical languages" to join the National Language Service Corps, a Defense Department pilot program designed to build a cadre of trained linguists.

WASHINGTON - Troops nationwide looking for jobs in their off-duty hours need look no further than a support group based in southern California.

WASHINGTON - The number of troops needed in Iraq, the length of the tours for those troops, the kinds of troops they need to be, and other such decisions rely on the conditions on the ground in Iraq, Defense Department officials said.

WASHINGTON - Active duty troops will receive retroactive earnings next month, followed weeks later by a supplemental payday for non-active personnel, a Pentagon official said.

BAGHDAD - Several groups, including the “Baghdad 2” embedded provincial reconstruction team and the 3rd Infantry Division’s 2-69th Armor Battalion, are rekindling plans for a modern community-based retail food market in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - A Virginia military wife's writing project is giving voice to military family members enduring deployments.

WASHINGTON - President Bush is asking Congress to approve $70 billion as partial payment for global war on terrorism operations in fiscal 2009, Defense Department officials said.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - As he drives its sponsored race cars at NASCAR's top auto racing competitions this year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. hopes to learn more about the National Guard. "It's going to be a year-long introduction of myself to the Guard (and) how I can be an asset to them," he said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq detained 18 suspected terrorists during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks operating in the central and northern parts of the country, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Groups will be supporting troops overseas with hearts.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Villagers in Afghanistan have helped coalition and Afghan security forces recover numerous weapons caches over the last two months, military officials reported.

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq - The Air Force Theater Hospital's Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility at Balad Air Base, Iraq, acts as the hub for wounded troops being flown out of the country.

WASHINGTON - During his final State of the Union address, President Bush emphasized that a prosperous future for America “depends on confronting enemies abroad and advancing liberty in troubled regions of the world.”

WASHINGTON - In his final State of the Union address, President Bush praised strides made in Iraq over the past year and urged Congress to ensure U.S. troops have the resources and support they need to build on that success.

WASHINGTON - President Bush called on Congress to let troops share unused education benefits with their families and give military spouses hiring preference for federal jobs.

WASHINGTON - President Bush has signed the fiscal 2008 National Defense Authorization Act into law.

WASHINGTON - Providing troops quality health care through a military system that rivals and even outperforms the private sector is a top Defense Department priority, a Pentagon official said.

WASHINGTON - A Marine who lost both legs in Iraq, a 61-year-old doctor who joined the Navy after his oldest son was killed in Iraq, a soldier and an airman wounded in Iraq, and a Marine whose unit was part of the troop surge in Iraq’s Anbar province will join first lady Laura Bush during the president’s State of the Union address.

WASHINGTON - The military cannot solve the problems of Afghanistan by itself, NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe said.

WASHINGTON - Increasing cooperation across the military health community and responding to health care feedback should guide health professionals serving U.S. troops, a top Pentagon official said.

BAGHDAD - A top Air Force officer praised the joint-service effort that has made Operation Marne Thunderbolt successful.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - When the “Legends of Wrestling” tour rolled into Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, Jan. 26, troops and civilians gathered for the adrenaline-pumping event.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces are making slow but steady progress training the Afghan police force, a top leader in the effort said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured a suspected terrorist scout during operations in the Risalah area of Baghdad, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department celebrated another record-breaking year of fundraising by presenting a check for $15.8 million to the National Capital Area Combined Federal Campaign.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces increasingly demonstrate their professionalism and willingness to step up to protect the Iraqi people, a spokesman for Multinational Corps Iraq told reporters.

RICHMOND, Va. - Health care for wounded troops needs to remain on the cutting edge, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a visit to a Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The Joint Provincial Coordination Center in Jalalabad is serving as a model for synchronizing the efforts of U.S. and Afghan military and police forces as well as emergency fire and medical services.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Chief Warrant Officer Sammy Rodriguez made quick work of preparing a damaged vehicle for recovery in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Troops from the Tar Heel state who face financial burdens can turn to a newly established fund for assistance.

WASHINGTON - Army Col. (Dr.) Loree Sutton has been setting up a Defense Department office to bring together for the first time the best treatments for psychological health and brain injury. She hopes it will become the leading international resource.

WASHINGTON - Security improvements have spurred reconciliation along the Diyala and Tigris rivers, an area once plagued by sectarian violence.

WASHINGTON - Plans to withdraw four Army brigades and two Marine battalions by July are “on track” as the military seeks to draw down as quickly as ground conditions allow, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - The nation’s future roles in Iraq and Afghanistan will help drive how long it takes for the U.S. military to become a more balanced and ready force, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Deborah Mullen, wife of Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, christened the Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer in Pascagoula, Miss.

WASHINGTON - Motivational speaker and author Stewart Emery shared his philosophy today at the Pentagon with members of home front groups gathered here for the third annual America Supports You National Summit.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates recognized the volunteers who selflessly support the nation’s troops.

WASHINGTON - More than 150 people attending the America Supports You National Summit received a quick overview of the American military as it fights the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The Joint Staff’s operations director told participants in the third annual America Supports You National Summit that it would be impossible to put a price tag on what they give the country’s men and women in uniform.

WASHINGTON - The effects of combat aren’t limited to those directly connected to the experience. Stress can affect anyone who cares for those individuals.

WASHINGTON - More than 180 representatives of 122 troop-support groups gathered at the Pentagon to share information and insights about ways to boost their efforts.

WASHINGTON - As Iraqis continue to organize at the local level to provide security, they are creating pressure on Iraq’s national leaders to build on momentum.

WASHINGTON - Coalition troops in Iraq captured a dozen suspected terrorists during operations in Baghdad and Beiji.

BAGHDAD - An anthropologist is helping soldiers and leaders from 101st Airborne better understand the needs and living conditions of Iraqi citizens in northwestern Baghdad.

FIREBASE NAWA, Afghanistan - Soldiers on the front lines are used to packaged meals with lots of calories, but little emphasis on taste. Army Spc. Dairo Orozco adds extra effort and flavor to beef up their spirits.

WASHINGTON - Joining the Army helped Sgt. Dominic Garza achieve some of his personal goals and improve life for his new family. Now he looks forward to being a mentor to younger soldiers.

WASHINGTON - In the Pentagon, “U2” usually refers to an Air Force high-altitude spy plane, but this week it referred to the rock group, as lead singer Bono met with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Jan. 22.

WASHINGTON - The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia "is a declared terrorist organization and remains so," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - The Multinational Force Iraq commander will stay where he is for the time being, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - The United States remains “ready, willing and able” to assist Pakistan and partner with the nation as it takes on al Qaeda, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - The coalition’s success securing Baghdad and Iraq’s Anbar province from al Qaeda will need to be repeated in other parts of Iraq, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq said.

PORT GENTILE, Gabon - A sailor stationed on board the amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry was recognized Jan. 17 for helping save the life of a local Gabonese woman.

WASHINGTON - The Afghan army air corps is going through rapid growth, but it will take eight years for the force to be self-sustaining, a top commander said.

WASHINGTON - “Tremendous” growth in the Iraqi air force last year in terms of capability as well as capacity is expected to continue in 2008 as Iraq builds its air force from the ground up, a senior U.S. officer assisting that effort reported.

FIREBASE NAWA, Afghanistan - With winter in full force, the Afghan National Police and the Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team provide medical care as well as clothes, blankets and toys, to villagers.

WASHINGTON - For Air Force Senior Airman Robert Blackburn, planning a surprise marriage proposal while in Iraq was nearly impossible. But he popped the question with help from several sources.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Just days after a precision air strike rooted out al Qaeda operatives in the Arab Jabour area, south of Baghdad, Iraq, combat engineers arrived to build Multinational Division Center’s newest combat outpost.

WASHINGTON - The suspected leader of an al Qaeda in Iraq-affiliated terror cell was detained Jan. 22 in Balad, Iraq, during a joint raid by Iraqi and American forces, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Senior U.S. military officials denounced a deadly terror bombing that reportedly killed at least 30 Iraqi citizens and three Iraqi soldiers and injured at least 150 civilians in the northern Iraq city of Mosul.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Several insurgents were killed and nine suspected insurgents were detained as coalition forces conducted an operation to degrade Taliban command-and-control networks in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province.

STUTTGART, Germany - U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart has activated its Warrior Transition Unit as part of the Army’s new mandated Medical Action Plan.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Task Force Saber paratroopers are helping educate Afghan children through a partnership with schools in Kunar and Nuristan provinces. “They yearn for knowledge,” said U.S. Army Capt. Jay S. VanDenbos.

BAGHDAD - Hundreds of Iraqi school children and adults received care when soldiers assigned to the 320th Field Artillery Regiment held a medical operation at central Baghdad’s Swaib school. The soldiers provided security and Iraqi doctors examined patients.

WASHINGTON - Commanders in Afghanistan share their best counterinsurgency tactics, but the country is big and what works in one area may not work in another, the commander of NATO’s Regional Command—East said at a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - Even as al Qaeda in Iraq ramps up its torture of civilians and begins to employ women and children in suicide-bombing missions, Iraqi citizens are coming forward by the thousands to volunteer to help protect their communities, officials in the region said.

WASHINGTON - Over the past year, NATO members have been working to train the Iraqi navy and its petty officers, a U.S. Marine involved in that training said yesterday.

WASHINGTON - The commander of coalition troops in central Iraq said he’s dismayed that the American people aren’t getting word about progress in Iraq. At the same time, he insisted it’s too soon to declare victory and give Iraq’s enemies an opportunity to retake it.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. commander of NATO’s Regional Command East in Afghanistan said he does not think the Taliban will launch a spring offensive in his area of operations.

BAGHDAD - U.S. Navy Cmdr. Steven Frost managed construction projects in turbulent Baghdad neighborhoods and his efforts will help Iraqis for decades.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. troop surge and the contributions of improved Iraqi security forces and concerned local citizens’ groups have combined to tip the scales against al Qaeda in Iraq and other insurgents.

WASHINGTON - Folks in the Lone Star State are helping troops in Iraq and Afghanistan win hearts and minds with “Victory Boxes," which contain toys and supplies for children.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Day and night, paratroopers of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), patrol the newly constructed Pech Road, in Kunar province to bring security to an area known for violence.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed 20 suspected terrorists, detained 16 others and destroyed several weapons caches in Iraq during the past two days.

LADSON, S.C. - Modern-day “Rosie the Riveters” in South Carolina are working around the clock moving mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles through the production line.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department must continue to eliminate gaps in the medical process as patients move from DoD facilities to the Department of Veterans Affairs and to private hospitals, a senior Pentagon medical official said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials’ confidence in mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles is unshaken after a deadly roadside bomb in Iraq marked the first time a U.S. servicemember was killed while traveling in one of the armored vehicles.

WASHINGTON - The tables have turned for al Qaeda in northern Iraq, as a recent surge of operations there has put terrorists on the run, a commander in the region said.

BAGHDAD - New Army Pfc. Kyle Canamore is finding out that he still has a lot to learn in Baghdad.

RAMADI, Iraq - Reviving agricultural enterprises that have deteriorated from years of sanctions, conflict and neglect is crucial to the economy. Efforts involve looking at farming and marketing practices.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured 18 suspected terrorists during anti-insurgent operations conducted across northern Iraq and the Baghdad area, military officials said.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - Medical evacuation crews from Task Force Marne faced down enemy gunfire to deliver five injured soldiers to safety. "I just thought it was awesome," said U.S. Army Capt. Samuel Fricks.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - A U.S. Marine team is teaching Afghan army officers to take the lead for their army and country in an effort to put coalition forces in more of a support role.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained seven suspected insurgents during anti-Taliban operations in Afghanistan’s Zabul province, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - A study estimating almost 200,000 veterans are homeless on any night has spurred on Operation Homefront.

TALLIL, Iraq - Of the nearly 3,800 projects the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division has completed across Iraq in four years, one stands out for its challenges: a 400-kilovolt electrical substation.

BAGHDAD - Coalition forces dropped thousands of pounds of bombs near the village of Arab Jabour in their relentless pursuit of al Qaeda.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed four suspected terrorists, detained 37 others and destroyed weapons caches in Iraq the past five days, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda remains the most dangerous terror group in Iraq, and coalition and Iraqi security forces continue to attack it, a spokesman for Multinational Forces Iraq said in Baghdad.

BAGHDAD - More than 100 mobilized Army Reserve soldiers deployed in Iraq and Kuwait raised their right hands and recited the oath of enlistment in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Army Reserve.

WASHINGTON - The concerned local citizens groups in Iraq have made a huge impact and are expanding to include the economic aspects of the counterinsurgency fight, Army Col. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr. said.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston has become the epicenter of a massive Defense Department program to get more mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles to deployed troops.

WASHINGTON - For the Federal Voting Assistance Program, getting deployed troops and their families engaged in the current election season is the primary goal.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers of the 603rd Aviation Support Battalion are working hard to help keep helicopters flying in Iraq and making sure their fellow soldiers have the supplies they need.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Employees of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center work around the clock to equip mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles to help save lives and limbs of the warfighters.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 13 terrorists and detained three suspects during operations targeting al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - An Army report outlines how the service can better identify and help soldiers who have suffered traumatic brain injuries.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - More than 190 Afghan National Army commandos from 203rd Corps vied for the right to be crowned the "best of the best" during a competition at a combined military outpost in Khowst province.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited Charleston, S.C., to see progress made in speeding up delivery of mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles and to thank the people working behind the scenes to save military lives.

WASHINGTON - Gold Star Siblings Inc., the first group of its kind, is giving brothers and sisters of those killed in action a support network like those reserved for mothers and wives during past wars.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The only sailor at an Afghan base makes his mark daily, improving the lives of his team and Afghan soldiers.

KIRKUK, Iraq - In Iraq’s former army, soldiers were not allowed to interface with civilians. Today, “it is our duty and responsibility to take care of our people and engage local, provincial government leadership, and non government organizations,” said Maj. Zyad Junade Omar, 2nd Brigade, 4th Iraq Army Division’s Civil Affairs officer.

WASHINGTON - For Navy sailor Ralph Chavez, serving in Afghanistan was one of the best experiences of his military career.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, conducted a tailgate health clinic in three areas within a brick factory compound in Nahrwan on Jan. 15.

WASHINGTON - Operation Phantom Thunder, under way in Diyala and Ninevah provinces in Iraq, builds on previous operations as coalition and Iraqi forces target al Qaeda in Iraq and other extremist groups, the commander of the Multinational Corps Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - Operations in 2007 gave the Iraqi people hope, and operations this year must capitalize on that hope, a top commander in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Developing the Iraqi security forces is hard, slow work, the commander of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq told a congressional committee.

TAJI, Iraq - A ceremony in Taji, Iraq, marked the beginning of a program to refurbish and transfer more than 4,200 up-armored Humvees over the next 13 months.

WASHINGTON - Five brigade combat teams, equal to 2007’s troop surge, should be home by July, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two terrorists and detained 17 suspects today during operations targeting al Qaeda networks in northern Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today led the Pentagon’s 23rd annual observance of the birth and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials are assessing what help, if any, the department could extend to the government of Pakistan.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon’s decision to deploy 3,200 Marines to Afghanistan by spring was intended to reinforce the U.S. commitment there and is not intended as a criticism of the efforts of NATO allies in the region, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

WASHINGTON - As U.S. servicemembers and Defense Department civilians ponder candidates during the election season, they should realize there are limits placed upon their involvement in certain political activities.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers supporting Operation Phantom Phoenix, a series of division- and brigade-level strikes against al Qaeda and other extremists in Iraq, continue to disrupt terrorist safe havens and bases throughout the country, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Troops serving in Iraq this February will see a little Valentine love from the states thanks to a partnership between a troop-support group and a regional video store.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - A group of 56 Iraqi soldiers is the first to train at the new Task Force Marne Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Forward Operating Base Kalsu. The soldiers have begun a two-week course to teach leadership, combat tactics and skills to mentor other soldiers.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The medical personnel of Task Force Saber provide a first-class, life-saving aid station on a base along Pakistan's snow-covered mountain border.

WASHINGTON - Utah Army National Guard Sgt. Jill Stevens has shifted her “personal combat zone” from an Afghanistan minefield to a beauty contest .

WASHINGTON - U.S. defense officials made it clear today that while they appreciate the hard work NATO troop-contributing nations are doing in Afghanistan, more counterinsurgency training would help further the allies' success.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FENTY, Afghanistan - U.S. Army engineers of Task Force Rugged concluded the first of three winter skilled-labor workshops to teach Afghans construction skills.

WASHINGTON - Operation Phantom Phoenix continues to disrupt terrorist safe havens and bases in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan’s national security forces are in the forefront of the fight against insurgents who seek to derail the government.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained four suspects today during operations targeting al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq, military officials reported.

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq - A biomedical maintenance team keeps the equipment working so that the hospital on Balad Air Base, Afghanistan, can save lives.

WASHINGTON - Amputees are finding surprising results in using mirrors to treat the phenomenon known as "phantom limb pain."

MUQDADIYAH, Iraq - Diyala's provincial governor visited local representatives of qada, or county, governments in the Muqdadiyah area at Forward Operating Base Normandy Jan. 14.

WASHINGTON - Returning troops can find help readjusting through holistic therapies offered by a Colorado group.

WASHINGTON - A multinational crew aboard USS Fort McHenry is cruising ports off Africa’s west coast, training Africans to bolster regional security.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Soldiers and civilians on Fort Bragg, N.C., held an observance of Martin Luther King Jr., the slain civil rights leader. King's birthday was Jan. 15, 1929.

WASHINGTON - A proposed anti-ballistic missile defense site in Poland would benefit all of Europe, a senior Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - The deployment of 3,200 U.S. Marines to Afghanistan this spring represents a one-time troop movement that partially fulfills a long-time request by NATO commanders for additional forces, a senior Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - “American Chopper” airing on The Learning Channel on Jan. 17 and 24 will feature one of three bikes to be built by Orange County Choppers for the National Guard.

WASHINGTON - President Bush told reporters he has discussed Iran and its nuclear program with leaders of the nations he is visiting during his Middle East trip.

WASHINGTON - More than 31,000 citizens are now providing security assistance to coalition forces south of Baghdad and southern provinces.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 17 suspects during operations targeting al Qaeda networks across Iraq, and military officials have released details of other recent operations.

WASHINGTON - The Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Kapisa Team delivered winter coats and shoes to an Afghan village and provided tents for children who attend school in a field. “These tents will help protect these children from the elements,” said Air Force Capt. Erick Saks.

WASHINGTON - Iraq is entering a “time of hope,” as its citizens’ continue to step forward, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - About 3,200 U.S. Marines will be sent to Afghanistan this spring on a one-time deployment to help NATO forces there expand on successes gained against the Taliban.

MIAMI - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited U.S. Southern Command headquarters, where he thanked troops and staff, and stressed the importance of the security cooperation efforts the command oversees.

WASHINGTON - A foundation has set out to provide military spouses with "portable" skills.

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Construction of a $92 million center for trauma research and combat casualty care has begun at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

BASRA, Iraq - U.S. Army engineers are conducting a public works upgrade here, repairing streets and completing unfinished sewer work.

WASHINGTON - Iraq’s new air force passed its infancy in 2007 and will continue to grow over the next few years, a U.S. unit commander in Iraq said.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Quick thinking by U.S. soldiers helped save an Iraqi man's life in Arab Jabour, Iraq, Jan. 7.

U.S. NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England visited Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Jan. 12 to review progress of the new Expeditionary Legal Complex, which will be the site of military commissions proceedings once construction is complete.

WASHINGTON - Military medical officials hope to one day place a sensor on every troop that would measure a blast’s impact and alert a combat medic to the possibility of a brain injury.

WASHINGTON - Leaders preparing to deploy to Djibouti as the next headquarters staff at Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa are wrapping up a week-long exercise.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - A U.S. Army mortar platoon patrols the streets of an Iraqi town, forging a positive relationship with the Iraqi people.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The Afghan National Army demonstrated flexibility and resolve in answering the call of its national government to help hundreds of villagers in the Naray district.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces detained 31 suspected terrorists, killed another and seized weapons caches in Iraq over the past four days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces have discovered scores of explosives, detained suspects and destroyed booby-trapped homes this month in Operation Phantom Phoenix.

WASHINGTON - As security improves throughout Iraq, coalition forces have made significant progress rebuilding Iraq’s infrastructure and economy.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan National Army Air Corps has opened a school to teach English to Afghan pilots and other military professionals. “We’re having great, great results,” said Penni Shanahan, the language training team leader.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - The Afghan National Army’s 207th Kandak, advised by coalition forces, provided emergency medical assistance to save the lives of a mother and her newborn Jan. 10 in the remote village of Aji Kah, in the Gozara district of Herat province.

WASHINGTON - A group that got its start by bringing wounded soldiers home during World War II is now bringing fun to the troops.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - For Army Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Rende, being deployed is easy as long as he knows his mission and has the support of his family.

U.S. NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to share his vision for the joint services and express his gratitude to those serving at the installation.

CAMP RIPPER, Iraq - A Marine combat team is ready to head home to Camp Lejeune, N.C., after an eventful year in Iraq's Anbar province.

WASHINGTON - American and Iraqi diplomats are preparing to negotiate future relations between the two nations.

WASHINGTON - The situation in Iraq has improved significantly over the past year, and that progress is enabling some U.S. troops to return home, President Bush said.

WASHINGTON - President Bush thanked U.S. troops posted in Kuwait for their service in the war against terrorism and predicted ultimate victory.

WASHINGTON - The United States must maintain its resolve to win the war against terrorism and strengthen the Iraqi government, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq said in a recent interview.

WASHINGTON - Reiterating that he’d “rather prevent a war than fight one,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff called on Iran to take a productive, positive role in the Middle East and refrain from provocative behavior.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. military officer in the Pacific is slated to travel to China to help bolster the two countries’ military relationship and iron out issues, including those over China’s recent port denials to U.S. Navy ships.

WASHINGTON - If Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approves a proposal to send 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan, it could have a significant impact on operations in the country, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - Forces in Iraq have ramped up efforts this week to stamp out remaining al Qaeda hot spots there, pummeling areas with air strikes and bombs and surging troops in previously uncontrolled territories.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 11 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Army Maj. Lisa L. Carter, a two-time Iraq veteran, wants to share her life’s success story with the American public.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghan police and coalition forces found a munitions cache hidden in a boys school in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province following a day-long battle.

WASHINGTON - Emphasizing that they expect a defense authorization act to pass into law, Army officials indicated yesterday that National Guard recruits who enlist before it is approved won’t be held to their contracts if the law doesn’t provide the recruiting bonuses they expect.

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi police claimed the spotlight as Iraq’s Interior Ministry praised the growing numbers and capabilities of its forces during its 86th annual Police Day ceremony.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghan national security forces and coalition forces wrapped up a two-day operation that provided free medical and dental services to villagers in remote sections of the Nahr Surkh district in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - Troops on extended deployments can rest easier knowing that if their family experiences an unexpected financial emergency, help is available.

WASHINGTON - A Baghdad neighborhood formerly overrun by al Qaeda has been cleared of the enemy and is starting to thrive again, a U.S. commander in Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will soon consider a proposal to send more U.S. Marines into Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s new strategy for Iraq, announced a year ago, is accomplishing many of its goals and laying important groundwork for initiatives yet to be fulfilled.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and British officials are monitoring fewer than 20 British soldiers who may have received U.S. blood or blood products since 2001 that did not meet U.S. testing standards.

WASHINGTON - All four services met or surpassed their monthly active-duty recruiting goals for December, and five of the six reserve components showed similar success.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates dismissed Iranian charges that U.S. officials doctored a videotape that shows Iranian boats "buzzing" U.S. Navy ships in the Straits of Hormuz.

WASHINGTON - Army Secretary Pete Geren is praising a new National Guard program that brings recruits into the active Army with a commitment to finish up their tours in the Guard or Reserve.

WASHINGTON - About 60 percent of the Air Force’s F-15 Eagle fighter fleet has been found fit and ready for homeland or overseas missions, senior U.S. military officers said.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi military has played a crucial and indispensible role in building the new security environment in the country, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said at a Pentagon press briefing.

WASHINGTON - Coming from a military family, country music star Aaron Tippin understands that freedom isn't free and says U.S. troops "are the people directly responsible for it.”

WASHINGTON - As successful air strikes highlighted a new series of coordinated offensives in Iraq, coalition forces killed five suspected terrorists, nabbed 17 others and seized weapons caches over the past two days.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - After beating cancer, Army Sgt. Jared Squires could have stayed with his unit’s rear detachment. But he fought to join his unit in Iraq.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Hussen Jowd is an Iraqi butcher slicing up new business with new equipment in Arab Jabour, thanks to a micro-grants program put in place by a U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division combat team.

WASHINGTON - Small grants to help Iraqi businesses rebound are paying dividends, as improved security has benefited economic recovery, a U.S. official aiding that effort said.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghan national security forces and coalition advisors provided medical checkups and humanitarian aid to more than 100 villagers Jan. 6 near Khorma in the Tarin Kowt district of Oruzgan province.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - U.S. Army soldiers with the Unmanned Aerial Systems Platoon help provide a sneak peek of the battlefield with video from a vehicle that flies.

WASHINGTON - President Bush warned Iran against attacking U.S. vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

WASHINGTON - President Bush kicked off his week-long Middle Eastern trip pledging continued U.S. support to fighting extremism.

WASHINGTON - Coalition servicemembers are making a difference in Iraq, and despite political rhetoric there, the country’s leaders realize they need coalition forces to remain, the commander of coalition ground forces said.

WASHINGTON - American military forces in northern Iraq have launched a new offensive to rid al Qaeda from the region, with the current focus on Diyala province, officials said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained six suspects during operations targeting al Qaeda networks in northern Iraq, officials reported.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - Coalition and Iraqi police medics conducted a medical mission southeast of Baghdad and treated 40 percent more patients than in previous operations.

QALAT, Afghanistan - A smiling jester grins down from their ballcaps, but the U.S. soldiers who wear them are all business and they’re very serious about their job of training the 4th Kandak of the Afghan National Army’s 205th Corps.

WASHINGTON - A Web site launched to keep friends and family up to date on a loved one with a medical need now connects injured troops.

WASHINGTON - President Bush hailed provincial reconstruction teams operating in Iraq as vital partners in the strategy that has improved security and helped to create conditions for the Iraqi government to succeed.

WASHINGTON - Iranian officials called the buzzing by five Revolutionary Guard speedboats of three U.S. Navy ships “normal,” but American officials insist the behavior was reckless and provocative.

WASHINGTON - As the troop surge in Iraq approaches its one-year anniversary, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq said he’s buoyed by successes made and momentum built, but recognizes the job is far from over.

WASHINGTON - Multinational Corps Iraq officials have finished a campaign plan review and have launched operations to pursue al Qaeda in northern Iraq, the corps commander said today.

WASHINGTON - The commander of coalition ground forces in Iraq cited a series of positive trends that includes more civilian cooperation and declines in attacks and casualties.

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials congratulated the Iraqi government and its citizens for the safe travel of some 30,000 Iraqis during the recently concluded Hajj religious pilgrimage.

WASHINGTON - The international coalition continues to make progress by disrupting insurgent networks, bolstering national security forces and strengthening Afghan institutions, a top military official said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iraqi forces launched Operation Phantom Phoenix, a joint offensive designed to corral remaining al Qaeda-aligned terrorists and other insurgents.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s new civilian personnel system is meeting its goal of shifting employees to a performance-based pay system while giving them the power to boost their careers.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - When Christopher J. Forit Jr. decided to follow his family's Army footsteps, he started a journey that took him halfway around the world.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Force protection exercises jolt soldiers from monotony to emergency-mode, no matter their military occupational specialties. “It could definitely save lives,” said U.S. Army Spc. Bryan Coffey.

WASHINGTON - A Tennessee group is distributing a World War II era daily devotional to service members.

KONAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Marines serve as embedded training team mentors to Afghan army units, teaching them about leadership and responsibility, while climbing the mountains they currently call home.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GARDEZ, Afghanistan - For the past year, a trio of airmen here has helped bring self-governance, security and economic growth to the people of Paktia and Logar provinces.

SAN DIEGO - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called on Iran to disavow the actions of five high-speed boats that reportedly threatened to blow up three U.S. Navy warships.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates spent a day meeting Marines, sailors and their families at several California installations.

QAIM, Iraq - Iraqi soldiers are learning to fight and win on the battlefield thanks to the efforts of U.S. Marines stationed in Qaim, Iraq.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division deploying to Afghanistan are being issued sensors that attach to their helmets to measure the impact from blasts, roadside bombs and other activities. Data collected through the sensors is expected to help the Army improve helmets and other protective equipment.

POL-E-CHARKI, Afghanistan - Eight Afghan National Army weapons specialists have graduated from the first Commando Armorer Training Program.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained six suspected terrorists during raids along the Tigris River Valley.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department outreach program is connecting men and women in uniform to the American public they serve.

WASHINGTON - The commander of the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Middle East called the behavior of Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats that buzzed three U.S. Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz “unduly provocative.”

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq - When two brothers stationed in Iraq couldn’t be home for the holidays, a two-man reunion was the best bet.

WASHINGTON - Laptops are connecting wounded soldiers at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center on Fort Hood, Texas, with loved ones.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - The opening of a medical clinic in Maderiyah, Iraq, has brought health care access to a community that had not seen a doctor since 2003.

WASHINGTON - Violence has dropped in southern Iraq, but Iranian-influenced "special groups" remain a concern, the commander of the U.S. brigade that provides theater security said.

COMMAND OUTPOST BAGHDADI, Iraq - U.S. Marines have pulled out of Anbar province's city of Baghdadi as local police take over security and take a major step toward sovereignty.

WASHINGTON - Afghan National Police arrested two suspected bomb makers during a raid in the Bermel area of Afghanistan’s Paktika province.

WASHINGTON - Three U.S. Navy vessels took evasive actions after five Iranian boats buzzed the ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - With help from coalition troops, Afghan national security forces and the country’s Public Health Ministry delivered medical supplies to the Tarin Kowt Hospital in Oruzgan province.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - In an encouraging boost to the fight against al Qaeda, local sheiks met with coalition leaders about future programs.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed three terrorists, captured 12 suspected insurgents and discovered multiple weapons caches in operations over the past four days in Iraq.

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras - Air Force 1st Lt. Kenneth Dahl entertains online readers, even while deployed, with his Air Force Blues comic strip.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two terrorists and detained 12 suspected insurgents during operations targeting al Qaeda operatives in central and northern Iraq, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - A Massachusetts group offers wounded troops tools to help them make the transition back to civilian life.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Coalition and Afghan forces delivered more than a ton of food, clothes and toys to about 380 children in a Kandahar province orphanage.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - One airman’s commitment to a fallen comrade led to the dedication of a road in his honor at Bagram Air Base.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - U.S. Army noncommissioned officers are building an academy to train their Iraqi counterparts on Forward Operating Base Kalsu.

WASHINGTON - Recruiters, particularly in the Army, have a new challenge to deal with because the enlistment bonuses they count on to attract new recruits won’t apply until the legislation that authorizes them passes into law.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces killed two suspected terrorists and detained 21 others in Iraq over the past three days.

STUTTGART, Germany - Every soldier headed to Iraq and Afghanistan receives “Battlemind” training designed to help them deal with combat experiences.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghan national security forces saved the lives of civilians and coalition forces when they found two improvised explosive devices placed on commonly used routes.

BAGHDAD - U.S. Army Pfc. Alexander Cesario carries essential gear when he goes "outside the wire," but this New Jersey native also packs an American flag his father brought home from the Vietnam War.

BAGHDAD - Thousands of families in eastern Baghdad soon will have streets free of raw sewage as crews complete a sewer project with about 36 miles of pipes.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghan national security forces, Public Health Ministry personnel and coalition forces, treated 56 Afghan citizens in Oruzgan province.

WASHINGTON - New Year’s resolutions often include good intentions for individuals. But a Defense Department program is helping Americans support troops month by month in 2008.

WASHINGTON - A New Year's Day suicide bombing in Baghdad highlights the need to keep pressure on al Qaeda, a senior U.S. military officer said.

WASHINGTON - Members of Operation Military Embrace, a Texas group, offer their services to wounded troops and plan activities for them, ranging from meals at restaurants to fishing trips.

WASHINGTON - Security has improved so much in Afghanistan’s Khowst province that Pakistani families are taking refuge there, officials said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan national security forces liberated the village of Yakhdan, in the Shahidi Hasas district of Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province, from insurgent control Dec. 31, coalition military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained 33 suspects in operations targeting al Qaeda in central and northern Iraq this week.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Craig Sotebeer wears many hats beyond that of emergency care medic. Besides treating the wounded, he takes care of vehicles and buildings.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Small improvements such as new street lights are going a long way toward restoring a sense of security and peace of mind in the Arab Jabour and Buaytha communities. “If you were to ask all the people around here, they would tell you the same thing: The lights have made things safer,” said Yassin Majid Yassin.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Though no one popped open a bottle of bubbly, troops in Afghanistan still found a way to have fun on the last night of 2007. “It’s hard not spending time with my wife or friends on New Year’s Eve, but I got a good laugh listening to the comedians," said Army Spc. Craig Chick, 82nd Airborne Division Aviation Operations