ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter spent Thanksgiving and the next day -- some of his last days in office -- in Afghanistan, shuttling between forward operating bases in Blackhawk helicopters, looking troops in the eye, shaking their hands and thanking them for their sacrifice and service.

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - At the end of 2014, the ISAF mission in Afghanistan is scheduled to end and a new train, advise and assist mission called Resolute Support will begin.

WASHINGTON - The critical missions played by the Air Force during wars or national emergencies are not often visible to the public, the Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force’s top military leaders wrapped up a three-day trip to meet thousands of airmen in the Dakotas this week, learning about their missions and lives and answering their questions.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Marine Corps Cpl. Jedidiah L. Sinsheimer does his best to maintain administration records for Marines assigned to the 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion on Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Air Force Staff Sgt. Dustin Hawkins received a Thanksgiving greeting and a personal thank you from President Barack Obama.

USS GERMANTOWN At Sea - U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines Philip S. Goldberg visited sailors and Marines aboard the USS Germantown on Thanksgiving Day and thanked them for their role in assisting the people of the Philippines during Operation Damayan.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki wished the nation’s service members, veterans and their families a happy Thanksgiving.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel telephoned troops representing the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving and to praise and thank them for their service to the nation, Assistant Pentagon Press Secretary Carl Woog said in a statement.

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan - Gunnery Sgt. Gregory Miller has built in his spare time what is probably the first ever rock garden made by a Marine in Afghanistan.

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. - Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III has urged airmen to use common sense as they go about their duties.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel offered his gratitude to service members and their families in a Thanksgiving message.

WASHINGTON - The Real Warriors Campaign has proven successful in helping veterans get counseling as well as help with battlefield-related brain injuries.

CAMP DENALI, Alaska - Nine Alaska Air National Guard members are working in the Philippines to support Operation Damayan.

WASHINGTON - The reserve component's the “Hero 2 Hired” program has helped service members find jobs with military-friendly companies.

NEW YORK - Thanksgiving week is no holiday for the New York National Guard's Joint Task Force Empire Shield, which will have all hands on deck during some of the busiest travel days of the year.

WASHINGTON - A senior Pentagon official is urging military members to avoid the kinds of risky behavior that can spike during the holiday season.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense expects climate change to challenge its ability to fulfill its mission in the future, according to the Pentagon's first Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Family programs that support the Air Force's warfighting mission will receive funding, but some “nice-to-have” facilities will be dropped, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said in Grand Forks, N.D.

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. - The Air Force’s nuclear mission continues to have the attention of leaders across the discipline, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.

FORT HOOD, Texas - Army cooks at the Operation Iraqi Freedom Dining Facility on Fort Hood, Texas, began preparations in mid-October for Thanksgiving dinner.

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. - The Air Force must control the growth of pay and benefits or the service will be hard pressed to perform its primary mission to fight and win America’s wars, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said in Grand Forks, N.D.

WASHINGTON - Support from employers has been critical to allowing the nation's National Guard and reserve to carry out more than 900,000 deployments since 9/11.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense transitioned to the next phase of recovery efforts in the Philippines in the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan.

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. - Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III is on a three-day trip through the Dakotas to hear the concerns of Air Force personnel.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter has presented four acquisition teams with the David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award, the highest Defense Department-bestowed honor for acquisitions.

TACLOBAN, Philippines - U.S. Marines supporting Joint Task Force 505 in Tacloban City have begun to redeploy due to the decreasing demand for recovery efforts.

BELLOWS, Hawaii - Soldiers from U.S. Army Pacific, the Hawaii Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency participated with members of China’s People's Liberation Army in a disaster management exchange at Marine Corps Training Area-Bellows in Hawaii.

WASHINGTON - Gung-ho spirits were the norm as wounded warrior athletes from the four services, the U.S. Special Operations Command, and the Department of Veterans Affairs clashed at the Pentagon Athletic Club during the 3rd Annual Joint Services Sitting Volleyball Tournament, in recognition of Warrior Care Month.

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - As a 9-year-old girl growing up in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, now-Air Force Capt. (Dr.) Merima White had everything she needed: friends, family, a wonderful life. Until one day when she lost nearly everything.

WASHINGTON - The United States is "deeply concerned" by China’s announcement that it is establishing an Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea, and is in close consultation with U.S. allies and partners in the region, including Japan, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a statement.

WASHINGTON - A panel of experts has outlined the needs as well as the obstacles involved in equipping the military with increasingly mobile and secure communications technology during the Defense & Security Mobile Technologies Symposium.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is again asking Congress to allow it to use the base realignment and closure process to help alleviate the possibility of deep budget cuts.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia - The Defense Department’s new Arctic strategy seeks to maintain peace and security in a new frontier, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel held talks on regional security issues with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on the sidelines of the Halifax International Security Forum in Nova Scotia.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter has laid out the strategic tasks facing the Defense Department during an address at the U.S. Naval Academy.

WASHINGTON - Those overseeing the military exchange services have urged Congress not to arbitrarily cut programs that provide important morale and quality-of-life benefits to service members.

CAMP AGUINALDO, PHILIPPINES - The amphibious ships USS Ashland and USS Germantown are joining typhoon relief efforts in the Philippines.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia - The United States and Canada will increase their security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, American and Canadian defense leaders have announced.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Vets4Warriors, a Rutgers University-based nationwide support line for servicemen and women is expanding to all active duty military members and their families, wherever they are located.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has called on Americans to honor the memory of President John F. Kennedy on the 50th anniversary of his death.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, has implemented the first wave of an initiative to integrate senior allied officers into his staff.

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Shirley Adcock, an 86-year-old lifelong knitter, is hoping to weave her hobby into some holiday cheer for children receiving medical treatment at the San Antonio Military Medical Center.

BATH, Maine - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the not-yet-launched Zumwalt-class destroyer he toured in Bath, Maine, “represents the cutting edge of our naval capabilities.”

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has arrived in Halifax where he will address other world leaders at the Halifax International Security Forum, which he said becomes more important every year for the Arctic Circle region and for the world.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Any U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan past 2014 can only be discussed after the proposed bilateral security agreement between the United States and Afghanistan is signed and put into effect, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters traveling with him to Nova Scotia.

WASHINGTON - The director of the Defense Commissary Agency has detailed to Congress the problems and inadequacies caused by sequestration and October's government shutdown.

WASHINGTON - The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development report a 24-percent drop in homelessness among veterans since 2010.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama signed the National Space Transportation Policy Nov. 21, 2013, to ensure continued assured access to space for national security and civil payloads.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to work with North African nations to promote security and increase stability in the region, a senior Pentagon official told a Senate panel.

Silver Spring - Reading, writing and arithmetic might be easier for some people than others, but for service members and veterans with traumatic brain injuries, returning to school can be challenging.

WASHINGTON - The immense volume of open source information has increased commanders’ intelligence needs and changed what sources they use, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency said.

WASHINGTON - President Obama's national security advisor says the rebalance to the Asia-Pacific remains a foreign policy priority.

WASHINGTON - While programs are in place to combat predatory lending practices that target service members and their families, better rules and enforcement are needed, witnesses have told Congress.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida Gov. Rick Scott has honored five veterans turned educators who were certified through the Troops to Teachers Program, for exemplary service to their country.

WASHINGTON - A senior defense official urged Congress to avoid imposing cost-cutting measures that would reverse the strides made in improving quality-of-life programs for the military.

WASHINGTON - The most effective way to support people affected by disasters, including Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan in the Philippines, is to provide monetary donations to relief and charitable organizations working directly with affected populations.

VILLAMOR AIR BASE, Philippines - A handful of U.S. service members taking part in Operation Damayan were born in the Philippines, and one of them is recalling his journey toward entering the Navy.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is urging the Senate to ratify a United Nations treaty that protects the rights of people with disabilities and extends to them full equality under the law in participating nations.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy Dr. Kevin T. Geiss emphasized service collaboration in cost-savings measures during a panel discussion at the Joint Services Energy Panel at the George Mason University Arlington Campus in Virginia.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed a range of topics from global security and peaceful denuclearization to humanitarian assistance and investments in cyber and space technology with their Australian counterparts during meetings in Washington.

WASHINGTON - Native American “code talkers” who transmitted codes based on 33 tribal dialects during World Wars I and II so enemies could not decipher them have been hailed as patriots at a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony.

WASHINGTON - The White House is joining with the telecommunications industry in a nonprofit program aimed at connecting veterans and returning service members to jobs in wireless telecommunications industry.

WASHINGTON - The Federal Voting Assistance Program hopes to build on the success of the 2012 election cycle in next year’s mid-term elections, Matt Boehmer, the new director of the program, told members of the House Committee on Administration.

LEYTE, Philippines - A bilateral assessment team reached remote areas near Leyte in the Philippines to assess the needs of people isolated by Typhoon Haiyan.

PHILIPPINES - About 900 Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit have arrived in the Philippines, near Tacloban, while about 100 additional 31st MEU Marines were scheduled to fly to the region.

WASHINGTON - The Israel Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency completed a successful intercept test of the David’s Sling Weapon System in Israel.

FORT MEADE, Md. - The Joint Hometown News Service, part of the Defense Media Activity based at Fort Meade, Md., is partnering this year with SiriusXM Radio to enable service members worldwide to send holiday greetings to loved ones back home.

FORT HOOD, Texas - Army Spc. Brandon Wolf, a health care specialist at Fort Hood, Texas, is a dedicated soldier of Chickasaw and Choctaw descent who treasures hard work and his Native American heritage.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will travel to Maine to tour the precommissioning unit for the first of the Navy's Zumwalt class of multimission guided missile destroyers before traveling to Canada for an annual security conference.

WASHINGTON - The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld presented John Barnes, leader of Panther Racing, with the Spirit of Hope Award for his on-going efforts to hire veterans.

WASHINGTON - Defense contractors are being required to incorporate information security standards on their unclassified networks and to report cyber-intrusions.

FORT MEADE, Md. - An 11-day U.S. Cyber Command exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., this month integrated cyber professionals from across the Defense Department to test their knowledge and skills against a realistic adversary on a closed network.

WASHINGTON - Over the static of crackling radios and phone lines, a little-known group of dedicated Native American warriors joined the call to arms in both world wars with what would prove to be among the United States’ most powerful weapons: language.

WASHINGTON - The goal of thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines engaged in areas of the Philippines devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan is to restore normalcy to people’s lives, said Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John E. Wissler, the commander of the U.S. military task force contributing to the relief effort.

WASHINGTON - Strengthening the standards of the military profession is a critical mission for the armed services, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - All four active services met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal 2013, Defense Department officials announced.

WASHINGTON - A training rotation underway at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, offers a glimpse at the direction NATO training is expected to take as the alliance concludes its mission in Afghanistan next year and implements a new strategy focused on the future.

ABOARD USS GEORGE WASHINGTON IN THE PHILIPPINE SEA - Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Edgar Tandoy, a Filipino-American deployed aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier as part of Operation Damayan in support of Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts in the Philippines, is using his cooking skills to boost morale among his fellow service members.

WASHINGTON - It wasn't smash-mouth football, but the Wounded Warrior Amputee Football Team remained undefeated with a 28-21 victory over a squad of National Football League veterans and Washington Redskins alumni at Bishop O'Connell High School’s McMurtrie Field in Arlington, Va.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter honored nine employees with the Distinguished Civilian Service Award, which recognizes exceptional devotion to duty that leads to significant contributions in policy, science, technology and administration.

WASHINGTON - Army Secretary John M. McHugh has discussed a range of issues affecting the health and care of wounded warriors at the Reagan National Defense Forum.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has assumed substantial risk to military readiness and to its civilian workforce because of the long-term instability of the budget process, Pentagon Comptroller Robert F. Hale said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department and Congress must take to heart lessons from the past decade of war and the current budget crunch if there is going to be security for the long haul, defense experts said at a conference over the weekend.

WASHINGTON - U.S. special operations forces are postured to take on the global counterterrorism challenges of the coming years, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said.

WASHINGTON - The past decade of combat has led to noticeable medical advances that have elevated casualty care to a whole new level.

WASHINGTON - The United States has agreed to provide basic combat training for 5,000 to 8,000 Libyan military personnel at the request of the Libyan prime minister.

WASHINGTON - An Air Force pilot who maintained control of his aircraft despite losing 80 percent of his left wing during a midair collision has received the 2013 Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel discussed the U.S.-Turkey bilateral relationship and support for the NATO alliance during a Pentagon meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

PEORIA, Ill. - Ten firefighters and three vehicles assigned to the Illinois Air National Guard’s 182nd Airlift Wing responded to Washington, Ill., after at least six people died and 54 others were injured by a series of tornadoes that battered central Illinois.

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Drill instructor Marine Corps Sgt. Adi Luminare marches his platoon at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in California, Nov. 1, 2013. Luminare came to the United States from Romania in 1991 to pursue better opportunities.

CAMP AGUINALDO, Philippines - Joint Task Force 505 officially activated to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in support of the Philippine government and armed forces in Operation Damayan.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Ron, a 2-year-old Labrador retriever and a specially trained service facility dog, helps wounded warriors and serves as the mascot at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence on the campus of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

WHITE BEACH NAVAL FACILITY, Okinawa - Approximately 900 Marines and sailors of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, part of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, aboard the USS Germantown and USS Ashland dock landing ships are heading for the Philippines to join Operation Damayan humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

PHILIPPINES - U.S. Navy Patrol Squadrons 26 and 62, home-based in Jacksonville, Fla., and currently based at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, with Commander, Task Group 72.2, are contributing to disaster relief efforts in the Philippines.

PHILIPPINE SEA - The USNS Bowditch oceanographic survey ship was first on scene off the coast of Tacloban, Republic of the Philippines, ensuring safe sea lanes in order for the George Washington Strike Group to assist the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in support of Operation Damayan.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military assets have delivered approximately 655,000 pounds of relief supplies provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development since the start of Operation Damayan, the relief effort in support of the government of the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda.

PAMPANGA, Republic of the Philippines - In a time-sensitive operation where every minute counts, humanitarian workers and military forces from around the world, including American Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and crews, are supporting the government and armed forces of the Philippines in a fight to save the lives of those who have been impacted by Typhoon Haiyan.

WASHINGTON - Long-term preparedness and near-term readiness are being affected by sequestration and America ignores this rise in risk at its peril, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in California.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military, the most formidable force on the globe, is being challenged by the current fiscal uncertainty amid a changing world, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during his speech at the Reagan National Security Forum held at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif.

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar, Republic of the Philippines - In the small village of Guiuan in the Philippines, located in Eastern Samar province, villagers lined up outside the gate of a runway awaiting food, water and medical supplies to be delivered by helicopters from the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington.

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - U.S. military members at Kadena Air Base in Japan are assisting efforts to deliver aid to the Philippines following the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel phoned Egyptian Minister of Defense General Al-Sisi from Omaha, Nebraska, prior to departing for the Reagan National Defense Forum in California, according to Assistant Pentagon Press Secretary Carl Woog.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke by phone with Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John E. Wissler, the commanding general of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, to discuss relief operations in support of the government of the Philippines, according to Assistant Pentagon Press Secretary Carl Woog.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military assets have delivered approximately 623,000 pounds of relief supplies provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development since the start of Operation Damayan, the relief effort in support of the government of the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called Philippines National Defense Secretary Voltaire Tuvera Gazmin to convey his condolences to the people of the Philippines and discuss the United States' support for the Philippines government in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, according to Assistant Pentagon Press Secretary Carl Woog.

WASHINGTON - Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, attended a pair of high-profile events at Columbia University in New York City and the Army-Navy Club in Washington, D.C., in support of military veterans’ education initiatives.

WASHINGTON - Following the U.S. Strategic Command change of command ceremony at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Neb., Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with junior officers responsible for carrying out the nation’s nuclear enterprise mission.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Pacific Command has established a joint task force to coordinate the Defense Department’s relief efforts in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

WASHINGTON - Projects undertaken by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency may have some immediate applications, but what program managers there really look to do is blow open new sets of opportunities from deep research, DARPA Director Arati Prabhakar said.

WASHINGTON - The organization responsible for protecting Americans against “the world’s most complex and dangerous threats” will continue to get the resources it needs to maintain an effective nuclear deterrent, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said during a change-of-command ceremony for U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

WASHINGTON - Partnerships and international cooperation are vital components of military-to-military contacts across the globe, said Derek Chollet, the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Air Force Senior Airman Patrick Corcoran, a passionate artist, is leaving his mark in his squadron's hangar.

WASHINGTON - Service members must not be afraid to reach out to their fellow citizens, the Navy’s chief of information said as he discussed what he sees as a growing civilian-military divide and its ramifications at the Defense One Summit.

WASHINGTON - Countries around the world are responding to the Typhoon Haiyan-caused devastation in the Philippines, and aid is rushing to the island nation with the U.S. Navy leading the way.

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii - Elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, based on the Japanese island of Okinawa, are preparing to deploy to the typhoon-ravaged Philippines in support of Operation Damayan.

WASHINGTON - Geopolitical developments mean military power can contribute to a whole-of-government approach that can offer a path toward engagement instead of war, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said at the Defense One Summit in Washington, D.C.

BETHESDA, Md. - A Defense Department official leading efforts to modernize health care management says he’s committed to ensuring the best value for taxpayer dollars while safeguarding quality of care.

WASHINGTON - A senior member of the Joint Staff offered his perspective on some of the important issues facing the United States around the world during a presentation at the Defense One Summit.

WASHINGTON - A military trauma surgeon is warning that arbitrary budget cuts could unravel successes made in preventing combat injuries.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military and its allies are working to ensure that conditions in the Arctic, where polar caps are slowly melting, ensure free passage of maritime traffic and commerce.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force must modernize to confront the threats of the future, acting Air Force Secretary Eric Fanning told the Defense One Summit.

LAJES FIELD, Azores - Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua VanHorn has drawn a lot of attention by owning the fastest car on the island in the Azores where he is deployed.

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet has directed the USNS Mercy to prepare the hospital ship for possible deployment to the Philippines.

WASHINGTON - Service members’ families also serve the nation and are the force behind the total force, a senior Defense Department official said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has met with Kazakhstan's defense minister at the Pentagon, where he recognized Kazakhstan's continued support to the Northern Distribution Network and stabilization efforts in Afghanistan, Pentagon Press Secretary George E. Little said.

WASHINGTON - Efforts to get desperately needed aid to victims of a devastating typhoon in the Philippines are slowly starting to make progress, U.S. officials say.

WASHINGTON - Budget concerns affect every aspect of the Air Force, but the service must continue to modernize, the service’s chief of staff said.

WASHINGTON - Complaints to the Defense Department’s inspector general hotline have climbed by 125 percent over the past four years, a senior official in the office said.

WASHINGTON - In a meeting at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel thanked Defense Minister Roman Jakic for Slovenia’s close military cooperation with the United States and its valuable contributions to common security objectives in the Balkans, Afghanistan and NATO, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department and Transportation Security Administration officials announced a partnership to expand “TSA Precheck” expedited screening benefits to all U.S. armed forces service members, including those serving in the Coast Guard, Reserves and National Guard, during their official or leisure travel.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force’s long-range strike bomber program continues to ramp up, and senior leaders are determined that the platform will come in on budget and on time, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said.

WASHINGTON - Opening up lines of communication with China is good for the United States, the region and the world, said Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, the Air Force chief of staff.

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania - Marine Corps Cpl. Joshua Shelley, a combat engineer serving with Black Sea Rotational Force 14 in Romania, is receiving praise from his superiors for his hard work and leadership ability.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP S.D. BUTLER, Japan - Four additional MV-22B Ospreys have deployed from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan, to support Operation Damayan, a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operation in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan.

WASHINGTON - The United States and its NATO allies are working to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world, said Madelyn R. Creedon, the assistant secretary of defense for global strategic affairs.

WASHINGTON - A Pentagon official said the march of technology means the Defense Department needs to ensure capable and flexible weapons systems to meet future challenges, despite a leaner military.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department immediately took action to begin helping the Philippine government recover from Super Typhoon Haiyan, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Central Command is working to ensure the experience gained in combat medicine during the past 12 years of conflict in its region can be adapted for future missions anywhere in the world.

WASHINGTON - A maritime exercise underway in East Africa is helping regional partners build capability and an ability to better confront transnational challenges.

WASHINGTON - Weapons systems upgrades and access to wider innovation requires a keener approach in design interfaces the assistant secretary of defense for acquisition said during Defense Daily’s Open Architecture Summit.

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy - Saying goodbye to one’s family is part of joining the Air Force. But for two brothers at Aviano Air Base, Italy, saying goodbye to each other is one thing they have yet to experience.

FORT LEE, Va. - Cashiers at military commissaries soon will begin scanning customers’ Defense Department ID cards as part of the checkout process.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered the aircraft carrier USS George Washington and several other U.S. Navy ships to the Republic of the Philippines, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama commemorated Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery, calling the holiday a reminder of the nation’s “sacred obligation” to those who have “fought for our freedom and stood sentry for our security” throughout America’s history.

WASHINGTON - In an opinion piece titled “Joining Forces with you on Veterans Day,” First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, paid tribute to veterans and their families and called for the continued growth of their “Joining Forces” initiative.

WASHINGTON - About 90 U.S. Marines and sailors are on the ground in the Philippines providing humanitarian assistance and disaster support in the wake of one of the most devastating typhoons on record.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel directed U.S. Pacific Command to support U.S. government humanitarian relief operations in the Philippines in the wake of a deadly typhoon that has left more than 1,000 dead, defense officials announced.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel commemorated the Marine Corps’ 238th birthday by praising the legacy of “one of the world’s oldest, and most admired and respected fighting forces” and vowing to work to keep it strong for the future.

WASHINGTON - New Defense Department initiatives to combat sexual assault helped create a 46 percent jump in victims reporting the crimes compared to this time last year, a senior DOD official testified.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama paid tribute to America’s veterans today during his weekly address, promising to ensure the United States demonstrates its appreciation through career and educational opportunities.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s Chief Information Officer Teresa M. Takai will receive the 2013 Excellence in Leadership Award from the Michigan Chapter of Women in Defense.

WASHINGTON - The participation this week of DOD Deputy Chief Information Officer David DeVries on a panel of information-sharing experts is an example of department efforts over several years to make its information environment relevant in the 21st century and beyond.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is standing by to help the Philippines recover from what is being described as one of the strongest tropical storms ever to hit the country.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department leaders are still considering various options to resolving the problem of sexual assault in the military, Pentagon Spokesman George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Steven Ferraro, an Army veteran from Staten Island, N.Y. and communications student became the millionth recipient of the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

FORT MEADE, Md. - Navy Vice Adm. James B. Stockdale’s journey -- from prisoner of war to Medal of Honor recipient to Ross Perot’s vice presidential running mate in 1992 -- reflects the path of a true American hero.

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa - Sergeants John and Wayne Geary, identical-twin trombone players, share a passion for music and a sense of duty to the Marine Corps.

WASHINGTON - James N. Miller, the Defense Department’s undersecretary for policy, will leave his post in January, Pentagon Press Secretary George E. Little said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan soldiers and police are holding the hard-won gains International Security Assistance Force personnel took during the surge, but they will require more support to be successful, according to a report Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sent to Congress.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will take part in observances to mark the Marine Corps birthday and participate in Veterans Day ceremonies Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs has made significant progress in reducing the backlog of disability compensation claims.

WASHINGTON - The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have reaffirmed their commitment to serve and care for the nation’s military veterans in a joint message issued by DOD and Veterans Affairs officials.

WASHINGTON - The military’s service chiefs told Congress about the impact sequestration is having on the ability to organize, train and equip their service members, as they face the prospect of another year of deep cuts to their budgets.

WASHINGTON - Budget cuts imposed by sequestration will leave the Defense Department with a hollow force and debilitating shortfalls, the Pentagon’s top acquisitions chief said at a conference at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - With the aid of U.S. soldiers, Afghan police here are making big strides in their professional development.

PRISTINA, Kosovo - The National Guard State Partnership Program is an invaluable tool for the United States and the nation’s foreign partners, U.S. and Kosovar leaders said.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon’s acquisitions chief discussed ways the Defense Department can improve its acquisition process through working with industry with an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Pacific Command chief said efforts are underway to bolster relationships in the region that are vital to the U.S. Asia-Pacific rebalance.

WASHINGTON - Two groups of people are being honored at a ceremony at the Defense Intelligence Agency’s headquarters at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

WASHINGTON - In declaring Nov. 11 as Veterans Day, President Barack Obama said the nation’s obligations to those who have served endure long after the battle ends.

WASHINGTON - Every day is Veterans Day in the federal sector’s quest to help former servicemen and women find employment, Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has to get personnel costs under control, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told “NPR Morning Edition” host Steve Inskeep in a recent interview.

WASHINGTON - With a continued focus on recognizing and promoting excellence in education, Department of Defense Education Activity officials have extended the Teacher of the Year nomination window through Nov. 29.

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Healthy military families are essential to guaranteeing the health of the overall force, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife, Lisa, told Military Family Summit attendees at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center in Columbus, Ga.

NATAL AIR BASE, Brazil - Air National Guard airmen are taking part in Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise, a Brazilian air exercise that officially kicked off Nov. 4 and is scheduled to be completed Nov. 15.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Army 1st Lt. Christian Wellisch, a staff judge advocate officer and a member of the California National Guard, once spent his evenings pounding people as the "Hungarian Nightmare" during Ultimate Fighting Championship competitions.

WASHINGTON - The Veterans Affairs Department has hired 815 peer specialists and peer apprentices, exceeding the hiring goal set in a 2012 presidential executive order aimed at improving access to mental health services for veterans, service members and military families.

WASHINGTON - A senior administration official praised the United Nations effort to rid Syria of chemical weapons and said the United States will continue to support the effort.

WASHINGTON - As Veterans Day nears, 12 military veterans were honored for their achievements in advancing clean energy and climate security at a White House event.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. commander in the Asia-Pacific region expressed hope for closer communication, understanding and U.S. military cooperation amid the United States’ growing strategic partnership with China.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter assured military and civilian employees at Utah’s Hill Air Force Base that despite the changing posture of the military, they will continue to play a significant role in the nation’s security.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military will remain an essential tool of American power in 21st century foreign policy, a tool that must be used wisely, precisely and judiciously, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

WASHINGTON - In a show of commitment and support to those who serve alongside uniformed service members, 60 new corporations joined the Military Spouse Employment Partnership in an induction ceremony.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel praised the key role Belgium continues to play in supporting security efforts in several regions of the world, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - In the months since the 2012 defense strategic guidance first reflected a new budget reality, Pentagon officials and military leaders have been working on the department’s longer-term budget and strategy, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Army Sgt. Derrick Dewalt of the South Carolina National Guard is a wrecker operator and mechanic who enjoys teaching new soldiers the finer points of vehicle maintenance.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is accepting nominations for the 2014 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

WASHINGTON - U.S. force rotations in the Asia-Pacific region are bolstering key relationships there while as they extend the U.S. presence to reflect today’s security environment, said Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of U.S. Pacific Command.

WASHINGTON - Media reports detailing secret National Security Agency collection of data from companies such as Google and Yahoo from overseas data centers mischaracterize what the agency does, said Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander, NSA's director.

WASHINGTON - The "Early Bird," the Defense Department’s daily compilation of published defense-related news and commentary, closed down Nov. 1, in part because of changes in the business model for news corporations, the director of Pentagon press operations said.

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Robert Miller greatly enjoys volunteering to assist the annual Kadena Special Olympics held on Kadena Air Base, Japan.

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea - The Georgetown University Hoyas will play the University of Oregon Ducks during the second installment of the ESPN Armed Forces Classic men’s college basketball game on Camp Humphreys, South Korea.

WASHINGTON - Unpredictable funding and the budget sequester are steadily eroding military readiness, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command told American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - Joint Task Force Alaska, the Alaska National Guard, U.S. Army Alaska, the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Joint Operations Command sprang into action to provide a fast, coordinated response during recent Arctic search-and-rescue exercises.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Central Command is leveraging the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program to increase partner capability while fostering close professional and person relationships between U.S. and partner military members within its area of responsibility.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afgthanistan-deployed Air Force Capt. Dimple Nolly, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing's deputy staff judge advocate, said she does her best because there is no better way to give back to the greatest country than to serve and honor the uniform.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department wants service members to have the life skills to successfully manage their finances and create good credit ratings, the director of the Pentagon’s office of family policy and children and youth said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Native Americans and Alaska natives during November as part of National Native American Heritage Month.