WASHINGTON - Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division's 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, detained 49 people early today in a series of raids near Duluiyah, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - As teams assessing the impact of last week's Indian Ocean tsunami report their findings, President Bush has increased U.S. aid to the region to $350 million 10 times the initial pledge made before the disaster's scope unfolded.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Joint Task Force set up to provide assistance to the nations affected by last weekend's Indian Ocean tsunami is up and running, and Marine assessment teams have started to report their findings.

NUMANIYAH, Iraq - The Iraqi police today graduated 1,938 specialized police officers, 1,190 public order police and 748 mechanized police officers who completed intensive-five week training programs conducted at the Civil Intervention Force Academy.

WASHINGTON - Troops in Iraq are making continued progress in identifying and destroying weapons caches, and a Task Force Olympia soldier died of wounds received Dec. 29 after a car bomb detonated on a patrol in Mosul, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.

GHAZNI CITY, Afghanistan - Provincial reconstruction teams in Afghanistan have enjoyed great success interacting with the Afghan people. And while face-to-face contact accomplishes much, the PRT here, among others, uses the airwaves to help accomplish its mission.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The broad, relentless terrain of Afghanistan presents a challenge to the soldiers serving in Operating Enduring Freedom. To accomplish their mission, they rely heavily upon wheeled vehicles, but the terrain is unforgiving to these machines, demanding that maintenance specialists ensure the equipment is always ready.

WASHINGTON - One month from today, the Iraqi people will go to the polls in their country's first open, direct, multiparty legislative elections in more than 50 years.

WASHINGTON - The United States is working closely with Indian Ocean nations to rush aid to the region following the tsunamis that claimed at least 80,000 lives, President Bush said today.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan's successful voter registration and presidential election topped 2004's accomplishments in the country's progress from brutal dictatorship toward democracy, a U.S. military spokesman said today in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

WASHINGTON - Good-hearted and compassionate Americans have given so much to help wounded servicemembers and their families that Walter Reed Army Medical Center officials have run out of storage space for the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of gifts received each week.

WASHINGTON - A large explosion in northwest Baghdad killed at least 22 people, including four Iraqi policemen, and injured at least 10 others at about 10:30 p.m. local time (2:30 p.m. EST) Dec. 28, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - Three Marine Corps disaster relief assessment teams are on the ground or about to arrive in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and at least two P-3 aircraft are conducting initial reconnaissance of damaged areas as a wide range of other Defense Department assets works its way to tsunami-stricken regions of the Indian Ocean.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi citizens continue to help U.S. soldiers rid their country of illegal weapons, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - Success in Iraq involves far more than combat operations and warfighting, the 1st Cavalry Division's assistant commander for support told reporters in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - Leads generated through a hotline to report insurgent activity in Iraq demonstrate that the Iraqi people want to bring an end to the violence against innocent civilians and critical infrastructure, a top officer in the Army's 1st Cavalry Division told reporters in Baghdad today.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq - An Army unit here is coordinating the construction of an equipment storage building for a farmers' co-op it formed earlier this year.

WAZA KHWA, Afghanistan - Service members stationed across Afghanistan celebrated the holiday season in a number of different ways, but Army Maj. Gen. Eric T. Olson, Combined Joint Task Force 76 commander, decided to give two soldiers a very special holiday gift.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the Multinational Division CentralSouth, the 403rd Iraqi National Guard Battalion and Iraqi police in Kut, Iraq, conducted a joint operation Dec. 27, searching for illegal weapons and ammunition northeast of Badrah in the Wasit province.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire," said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Geoffrey E. Jackson, reciting a Jewish proverb he said he lives by every day.

WASHINGTON - The United States will respond to the unprecedented international catastrophe caused by the tsunamis that engulfed nations on the Indian Ocean.

WASHINGTON - A soldier was killed and four others were wounded today when an improvised explosive device detonated in Baghdad.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - The North American Aerospace Defense Command, a binational command of Canadian and U.S. military forces, once again tracked Santa Claus on his Yuletide trip.

CAMP AL-TAHREER, Iraq - With recent questions raised in the media about the battle readiness of troops in Iraq, 1st Cavalry Division leaders wanted to assure their soldiers that they have the best equipment the Army has to offer and are continuing to work the issue.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Danger soldier died and another was wounded when insurgents attacked their combat patrol using an improvised explosive device in Samarra, Iraq, Dec. 26.

WASHINGTON - Military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in the capture of insurgents and the discovery of illegal weapons caches in recent days.

BAGHDAD - During a surprise trip to Iraq Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today shared Christmas-Eve cheer with U.S. troops serving here and in the cities of Mosul, Tikrit and Fallujah.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - "Looking back at why I joined, I realized I was never really good at English or science, but I loved working with my hands and the Marine Corps was definitely the place to do it," said Pfc. Jack H. Meese.

ASAD, Iraq - Instant decisions and decisive action led to two soldiers receiving the Soldiers Medal here Dec. 18 for heroism in a fight to save the lives of four Cobra AH-1 attack helicopter pilots March 29.

JALALABAD, Afghanistan - After nearly 30 years of war, Afghanistan is full of leftover munitions from the Soviet occupation and the unrest that followed until the coalition ousted the Taliban in October 2001.

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan - For leaders in Helmund province in southern Afghanistan, soccer is more than merely a fun pastime for youth. Soccer is being used to give young men a positive outlet and wholesome source of entertainment to share with others.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi Police Service graduated 141 officers today from six specialty training courses taught at the Adnan Training Center here.

WASHINGTON - An improvised explosive device killed one soldier and wounded two others in western Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is expanding its flu vaccination program to include people as young as age 50 and those in close contact with those at high risk of getting the flu, according to the Pentagon's top doctor.

SHINDAND AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Keeping servicemembers across Afghanistan connected is no small task for signal corps soldiers.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said he is "truly saddened" that anyone could have the impression "that I or others here are doing anything other than working urgently to see that the lives of the fighting men and women are protected and are cared for in every way humanly possible."

SAN DIEGO - More than 750 children of military families all over the San Diego area will receive a special holiday gift courtesy of the San Diego United Service Organizations and BAE Systems company.

WASHINGTON - Projected negative economic impact accompanying future realignment of U.S. forces in Europe and elsewhere to stateside bases is a key reason why the military's exchange system needs to become more efficient, a senior DoD official looking into these issues said.

KHOWST, Afghanistan - To borrow from a Bob Dylan song from the 1960s, "the times they are a-changing."

WASHINGTON - When soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, of the Army's 1st Cavalry Division rolled into Baghdad, Iraq, returning from Fallujah early one recent morning, there were 10 Christmas trees waiting for them. Also waiting were boots, Harley Davidson T-shirts and other gifts.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The 2004 W-2 forms for military members will now report pay earned while serving in combat zone tax-exclusion areas.

WASHINGTON - The provisional reconstruction team in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan -- the 19th in the country -- held a grand-opening ceremony today.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. commander of multinational forces in Iraq today expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in an attack on a dining facility tent in Mosul, Iraq, Dec. 21 and vowed that terrorism will not stop scheduled January elections.

WASHINGTON - An Orlando, Fla., running enthusiast is showing her support for U.S. servicemembers involved in the global war on terror by running 21 marathons during her "21 Run Salute" campaign.

WASHINGTON - Military officials in Iraq today released casualty figures from the Dec. 21 explosion at a dining facility at Forward Operating Base Marez in southwest Mosul. Twenty-two people died, and another 72 were wounded in the attack.

WASHINGTON - A preliminary investigation indicates that the explosion at the U.S. Army dining facility at Forward Operating Base Marez in Mosul Dec. 21 was likely caused by a makeshift bomb worn by a suicide attacker, a written statement from Multinational Force Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - It appears that a suicide bomber was responsible for the attack on the mess hall at Forward Operating Base Marez in Mosul that killed 22 people Dec. 21, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a Pentagon news briefing today.

WASHINGTON - President and Mrs. Bush spent time today with wounded troops and their families at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.

WASHINGTON - Learning to live with a disability is difficult enough. Factor in a wheelchair and living accommodations that aren't so accommodating, and the result is frustration and a loss of some independence.

SAN DIEGO - With so many U.S. troops on lengthy deployments overseas, the Family Literacy Foundation is helping ease fear, uncertainty and anxiety in children in military families through a program called "Uniting Through Reading."

WASHINGTON - A statewide effort is helping provide a happier holiday season for California residents serving in the military and their family members.

ARLINGTON, Va. - National Guard troops in 11 states and Puerto Rico are preparing for some post-holiday festivities in January. They will take part, in one way or another, in the inaugurations for their state commanders in chief -- their governors.

WASHINGTON - A California businessman is supporting the U.S. military through his line of special cookies featuring emblems of the armed services.

WASHINGTON - Sixty years ago last month, members of the 66th Infantry Division boarded the USS George Washington and sailed through New York Harbor on their way to the war in Europe. The men went to England and prepared to cross the channel to engage in fierce fighting in Belgium's Ardennes Forest.

WASHINGTON - Explosives experts are investigating the source of a single, large explosion on a U.S. base in southwest Mosul, Iraq, Task Force Olympia Commander Army Brig. Gen. Carter Ham said in a televised statement.

WASHINGTON - An explosion rocked a U.S. military installation in Mosul, Iraq, at noon local time today (4 a.m. EST), causing "multiple casualties," Multinational Force Iraq officials said in a brief statement.

GRAPEVINE, Texas - During the holiday season "The Twelve Days of Christmas" plays repeatedly in homes, on radios and on stereos throughout America. At the new Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport United Service Organizations Center, they sing a slightly different tune.

FORT HOOD, Texas - "It's a family tradition," Army Sgt. Ronnie Fisher said. "Every generation in my family has served in the military and honestly, I wanted to be like my dad."

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials are balancing individual rights against the need to protect American citizens in determining who to release from custody in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

WASHINGTON - An annual review process has begun to determine if individual detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are still threats to the United States or if they can be released to their home countries.

WASHINGTON - Progress in standing up a trained, equipped Iraqi security forces willing to fight for their country is "mixed," President Bush acknowledged today, noting that the coalition is continuing to work toward this critical milestone in Iraq's long-term security.

WASHINGTON - The Joint Chiefs of Staff join Mary Jo and me in extending our warmest wishes to you and your families during this holiday season. At this special time of year, we pause to reflect on our many blessings and freedoms. Our Nation is very grateful for your courage and selfless service at this important time in history. You are a tremendous force for good in the world and I am proud to serve with you.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - It's an age-old debate this time of year: real or artificial? Christmas tree that is.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz got a warm welcome at a town hall meeting here at this wintry northwestern New York state base Dec. 17.

WASHINGTON - President Bush praised Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's leadership today, acknowledging that managing the Defense Department is "a complex job" even during peacetime, but particularly during times of war.

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. soldiers were wounded when their patrol reported taking small-arms fire northeast of Shinkay in Zabul province Dec. 18.

WASHINGTON - This is the time of year when we want to give special recognition to the men and women in uniform -- volunteers all -- who defend our Nation and the cause of freedom.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi citizens stopped a Task Force Danger combat patrol and led them to a possible mass gravesite near Kirkuk today.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi National Guard and 1st Infantry Division soldiers detained 15 individuals during a joint operation today near Abbarrah.

WASHINGTON - No one wants to be away from family and friends during the holidays.

WASHINGTON - Four individuals, including two wanted anti-Iraqi force members, were captured by 1st Infantry Division soldiers in a raid near Ad Dwar, Iraq, today.

BASTOGNE, Belgium - A carnival-like atmosphere here today celebrated the U.S. Army's victory over Nazi oppressors 60 years ago.

WASHINGTON - Officials commended the success of a Dec. 15 interdiction operation in Nangarhar province during a Combined Forces Command Afghanistan news conference today in the Afghan capital city of Kabul.

FORT HOOD, Texas - One Texas National Guard soldier said she has found a unique way to support soldiers deployed overseas: Spc. Amy Pinkston is using her talent for making jewelry to raise money for care packages delivered to troops through the United Service Organizations.

WASHINGTON - Army Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly doesn't like the word "reservists." Members of the Army Reserve are "soldiers" plain and simple, he said.

WASHINGTON - More than 80 percent of eligible Iraqi voters have registered to vote in the Jan. 30 elections, a senior U.S. officer said today in Baghdad, Iraq.

HOUFFALIZE, Belgium - Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge got a hero's welcome today from local residents who endured some of the most brutal fighting of the battle between U.S. and German troops here 60 years ago.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Marine assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was killed in action Dec. 16 in Anbar province during security and stabilization operations.

BASRA, Iraq - In July 2005, Basra International Airport in Iraq will officially open for commercial air and passenger traffic.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today signed into law a bill designed to improve coordination and effectiveness among the nation's various intelligence networks.

WASHINGTON - Car bombs and other attacks are creating an illusion that the insurgency his forces are fighting is powerful, the general in charge of coalition forces in Iraq said at a Pentagon news conference today.

WASHINGTON - Things in Iraq are generally headed in the right direction, the commander of coalition forces in Iraq said here today.

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - The October elections here were a referendum on the Taliban, "and they lost by eight and a half million votes," the coalition military commander said here today.

WASHINGTON - Joining a groundswell of support for American troops serving in the war on terror is an organization dedicated to making severely disabled veterans' lives a little easier at home.

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - A proclamation issued today by President Bush praises veterans of the Battle of the Bulge for their service and sacrifices and notes that today's military men and women continue to follow "this great tradition of achievement and courage" as they defend the nation against terror.

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Citizens of Luxembourg and Belgium joined veterans of the Battle of the Bulge here today to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the opening day of the battle and to honor the 19,000 U.S. soldiers who died during what proved to be one of the largest and bloodiest encounters of World War II.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway and Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers helped the United Service Organizations dedicate the Corporal Pat Tillman USO Center here today.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - "I just want to be successful at anything I do and I want to always be able to support myself," explained Pfc. Timothy A. Spreder. "That's why I joined the Marine Corps so early in life."

WASHINGTON - Sixty-six children of fallen military special operators have used Special Operations Warrior Foundation-provided scholarship grants to earn college degrees over the past 24 years, the organization's head official noted.

WASHINGTON - Insurgents realize upcoming Iraqi elections represent a tremendous threat to their interests, the Defense Department's senior civilian told radio personality Sean Hannity Dec. 15.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - In a mountain range in the barren, poverty-stricken country of Afghanistan, automatic-weapons fire and grenade explosions fill the air with soot and rock debris. The high altitude and polluted air choke the Marines and local military forces as enemy tracer rounds whiz past, forcing them to hunker behind whatever cover they may find.

WASHINGTON - The Stars and Stripes military newspaper is offering a "unique new software product" for free holiday gift giving.

WASHINGTON - Army Reserve Sgt. Terri Doughty made an important discovery while stationed for 12 months in Kuwait during Operation Iraqi Freedom: Kool-Aid and hot water taste pretty good together.

WASHINGTON - More than 1,500 people graduated from Iraqi police training courses today.

WASHINGTON - Two pilots were injured today when their Army OH- 58 Kiowa Warrior scout helicopter crashed just north of Shindand, in Afghanistan's Herat province.

GARDEZ, Afghanistan - After building countless schools, roads and wells here, coalition forces are routinely met with a thumbs up and a "How are you?" nearly everywhere around here and the surrounding province of Paktia.

GARDEZ, Afghanistan - When Army Staff Sgt. Mark Matteson rode through an Afghan village for the first time, he saw barefoot children everywhere -- not because they didn't want to wear shoes, but because they had none.

WASHINGTON - When Ginny Bauer walked into the room of a patient recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here from wounds suffered in Iraq, she immediately started sobbing and wiping away the heavy flow of tears from her reddened cheeks with a dampened white handkerchief.

BALAD, Iraq - All of the medium and heavy trucks soldiers drive in Iraq have some form of armor on them, said the logistics boss in the country during an interview Dec. 14.

WASHINGTON - With six weeks to go until the inauguration, the term "Presidential Inaugural Committee" gets bandied about daily in the nation's papers, but the armed forces are emerging as a central focus of the Jan. 20 inauguration.

WASHINGTON - More than 1,600 veterans in 17 communities in 15 states will be placed in new jobs, thanks to $3.78 million in Labor Department grants awarded Dec. 14.

WASHINGTON - Noting that "we could probably have elections tomorrow" in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces, U.S. Central Command's No. 2 officer today pledged continued efforts to stabilize the country's remaining security problems in time for Iraqis to elect a national assembly Jan. 30 as scheduled.

WASHINGTON - Today was a special day for Army Cpl. Eli F. Cook: Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz presented him with a Purple Heart on his 23rd birthday.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Since the retaking of Fallujah, there has been a decrease in attacks throughout Iraq, officials said. But officials are unsure what this means, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he expects the attacks to increase as the Jan. 30 election approaches.

WASHINGTON - Rose Sliepka routinely saw engraved messages for customers at her trophy shop in Lancaster, Calif., and one day she decided to use her expertise to help military members serving overseas in the global war on terrorism.

WASHINGTON - Despite security concerns and intimidation by insurgents, Iraq's reconstruction continues, with thousands of construction projects started and thousands more Iraqis showing up for work.

WASHINGTON - Proving that all it takes is a little ingenuity and teamwork to get things done, Orbitz, the Illinois lieutenant governor's office, La Salle Banks and Operation Support Our Troops have pooled efforts and resources to support deployed troops.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Smiles were plentiful among the group of kids, despite a visit from the doctor.

WASHINGTON - A Marine and a soldier died in separate attacks in Iraq Dec. 14.

WASHINGTON - Implementation of the first phase of the Defense Department's new National Security Personnel System is slated for next summer, senior officials said here this week.

CLERVAUX, Luxembourg - Luxembourg officials opened a weeklong lineup of ceremonies and observances throughout the Ardennes region here today by thanking about 100 veterans of the Battle of the Bulge for liberating them from their German occupiers 60 years ago.

CLERVAUX, Luxembourg - The courage, determination and patriotism demonstrated by U.S. soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge are the same qualities exhibited throughout the Army's history and among today's soldiers, an Army official told veterans gathered here today to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the battle.

WASHINGTON - Up-armoring tactical wheeled vehicles continues to be a priority for the Army, officials involved in the effort told reporters today at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Chefs from 10 area restaurants prepared a smorgasbord of savory delights for war-wounded patients and their families at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here Dec. 13 for a flavorful and thoughtful beginning to the holiday season.

AL ASAD AIRFIELD, Iraq - Aviation is continuing to play a part in mopping up insurgents in Fallujah, the commander of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said here today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department today identified fresh troop units that will deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan between 2005 and 2006.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Pockets of resistance remain in Fallujah, but the vast majority of insurgents have been cleared out, said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a visit here today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush today bestowed the nation's highest civilian honor on three men who he said "have played pivotal roles in great events and whose efforts have made our country more secure and advanced the cause of human liberty."

WASHINGTON - Adaptive tactics used by a "thinking enemy" have posed a continuing challenge to protecting American forces in Iraq, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here Dec. 13.

DIEKIRCH, Luxembourg - Veterans, servicemembers and government and military representatives are arriving here along the Belgium-Luxembourg border to begin a full week of events commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.

WASHINGTON - American troops on patrol in western Baghdad Dec. 13 found car bombs and other enemy ordnance during the search of a local home.

CAMP LEJEUNE - "I didn't want to go to college right after high school, but the longer I stay in the Marines where I'm around professional people, the more I want to learn and strive for advancement," said Marine Pfc. Tameka Hill.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - "Securing the Future," the name of a new memorial being sculpted for Fort Hood, Texas, explains it all.

CAMP ATTERBURY - Like thousands of former active duty soldiers, many soldiers now serving with the 844th Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy) got letters and telegrams ordering them back to service.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad was presented with a Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award at the Pentagon today.

CAMP VIRGINIA, Kuwait - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today thanked the men and women here who are readying to go to Iraq by bringing a world-class United Service Organizations tour to entertain them.

WASHINGTON - Unlike their active and reserve counterparts, members of the Army and Air National Guard can be called on to serve two different masters: their state governors and their commander in chief.

WASHINGTON - He may be best known as Forrest Gump's "Lt. Dan" and the name follows him wherever he goes, especially when he's in the company of servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - As the National Guard celebrates its 368th birthday today, its members are focused more closely on homeland defense than the four Massachusetts militia units that stood up on Dec. 13, 1638, might ever have imagined.

WASHINGTON - Seven Marines assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force were killed in action Dec. 12 in two separate incidents while conducting security and stabilization operations in Iraq's Anbar province, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - There were tears, but there was also cheering and even smiles, as thousands of people turned out to take part in "Operation Holiday Cheer," a rally in support of troops and their families, held in Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 11.

WASHINGTON - Three U.S. servicemembers were killed over the weekend as Iraqi and coalition forces battled against continued attacks in Iraq.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes First Annual Road to Recovery Tribute and Conference ended with a bang at the House of Blues here on Dec. 11. Roughly 130 veterans and their families were treated to two concerts by individuals known for their strong support of U.S. troops.

WASHINGTON - One year after U.S. forces found him hiding in a spider hole near his hometown of Tikrit, former dictator Saddam Hussein remains imprisoned at an undisclosed location awaiting his trial on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Roughly 130 military veterans and their families partied on Main Street, U.S.A., Dec. 10 during a special evening in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

WASHINGTON - The United States is backing Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai's efforts to eradicate the production of narcotics in that country, a Combined Forces Command Afghanistan spokesman said today.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Baghdad soldier was sentenced Dec. 10 to three years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering an Iraqi civilian, military officials in Baghdad, Iraq, reported today.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Phil Randazzo is standing outside the Heinrich Family YMCA in Las Vegas as the sun sets over the Nevada desert. Behind him, a huge American Flag covers an entire side of the young Men's Christian Association building. A cameraman is shining a harsh white light on him, as a local television reporter attempts to hook a microphone to his collar. For Randazzo, this will be the second television interview in less than 20 minutes.

WASHINGTON - Experience gained combating drugs has come in handy in the global war on terrorism, said DoD's top counternarcotics official.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - President Bush and first lady Laura Bush today helped United Service Organizations volunteers here pack items like snacks, phone calling cards and messages of support destined for holiday delivery to U.S. troops deployed overseas.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Disabled veterans and their families gathered here for the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes: 1st Annual Road to Recovery Tribute and Conference were treated to a night of entertainment Dec. 9 at an event dubbed the "Gala Gratitude Tribute to Veterans."

WASHINGTON - Clear signs of progress both in the southern Yugoslav province of Kosovo as well as in other countries, are encouraging troops and residents in Kosovo, said officials who traveled to the region recently with Marine Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Help is only as far away as a local Department of Veterans Affairs office.

NEW YORK - Dream Big Media, Inc. is offering members of the U.S. armed forces stationed overseas a new way to connect with their kids back home during the holiday season.

BETHESDA, Md. - Eileen Aukward, 81, said when she was growing up in the nation's capital in the 1920s and 1930s, people didn't pay any attention to persons with disabilities, except to feel sorry for them.

WASHINGTON - The United States won the gold medal in the 41st Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe Basketball Tournament that ended Dec. 5 in Mons, Belgium.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has increased drug testing for troops stationed in the U.S. Central Command area of operations, DoD officials said today.

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. - When Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Smith was asked by a visitor if he could send for a couple of soldiers from the 844th Engineer (Combat Heavy) Battalion to talk about their pending deployment to Iraq, the entire Charlie Company knocked on his door.

WASHINGTON - Stars and Stripes, the daily newspaper of the U.S. military, has announced that it started same-day printing and delivery in Afghanistan on Dec. 2.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Dana Bowman was a member of the Special Forces and the Army's elite parachute team, the Golden Knights, during his military career. He retired from the military in 1996 with the rank of sergeant 1st class.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Organizations that offer assistance to veterans aren't terribly helpful if veterans don't know they exist.

BETHESDA, Md. - "I do what I want, when I want, only in a different way," said Air Force pilot Lt. Col. Andrew Lourake, keynote speaker for a DoD disability awards ceremony Dec. 7.

AUSTIN, Texas - Watching a segment of CBS' "60 Minutes" the week before Thanksgiving, Ronald Cheng realized he had to do something to support America's troops.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz hosted a gala holiday dinner at the Pentagon Dec. 9 to express appreciation to wounded servicemembers being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center and their families.

WASHINGTON - One Marine was killed during operations in Iraq's Anbar province, and two soldiers were killed and four were wounded in a helicopter accident in the northern Iraq city of Mosul on Dec. 9.

WASHINGTON - Three-time World Wrestling Entertainment champion Mick Foley joined the Pentagon brass at a Dec. 9 holiday gala dinner for wounded U.S. troops and their families to thank them for their service and share with them the message of DoD's new program, "America Supports You."

WASHINGTON - President Bush has named Jim Nicholson as his nominee as the next secretary of veterans affairs.

WASHINGTON - Web site operators are uniting in the first "Friends of Iraq Blogger Challenge" to help the Spirit of America foundation help the Iraqi people build a new future.

WASHINGTON - "None of us wants to send a young man or woman into harm's way without adequate protection," said the top general in Kuwait today.

WASHINGTION - With more than 1,000 new construction projects started in November, the Iraqi people are "beginning to see a difference in their neighborhoods," the military commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq said today.

BETHESDA, Md. - DoD has startup funding for a new initiative for servicemembers injured in the global war on terror, a senior official said here Dec. 7.

WASHINGTON - Congress has passed and President Bush will sign a historic piece of legislation that will revamp the nation's intelligence system.

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. - For more than 50 years, the only life here was on weekends and for two weeks in the summer. Now, you actually have to keep a watchful eye for marching troops and military convoys at the four-way stop entering the camp.

WASHINGTON - People who can't attend the MPC Computers Bowl college football game pitting the University of Virginia's Cavaliers against Fresno State's Bulldogs Dec. 27 in Boise, Idaho, can opt to donate their tickets to Air Force members and their families.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes' Road to Recovery Tribute and Conference kicked off here with a reception Dec. 8 to open the weekend's activities.

NEW DELHI, India - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met this morning with India's minister of defense, Pranab Mukherjee, to discuss defense issues, including military cooperation and the war on terrorism.

NEW DELHI, India - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he is not surprised that soldiers at a town-hall meeting in Kuwait Dec. 8 asked him tough questions. He is surprised, however, that the media has chosen to focus on the concerns of a few and ignore the overall positive tone of the event.

BETHESDA, Md. - Fundamental changes have taken place in the Defense Department's disability policy, a top Pentagon official told attendees at the 17th DoD Disability Forum here Dec. 7.

WASHINGTON - American industry is cranking out armored Humvees as fast as it can, but other initiatives already have saved lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, Defense Department officials said here today.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The ball officially began rolling when retired Army Gen. Tommy Franks spoke at a kick-off luncheon on Nov. 9 in Washington. Just a month later, the Disney Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center here is ready to welcome about 500 troops severely wounded and disabled in the global war on terrorism.

NEW DELHI, India - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld arrived here today for meetings with the country's leaders and top defense officials.

WASHINGTON - Some soldiers headed for duty in Iraq took the secretary of defense at his word in Kuwait today when he encouraged them to ask him tough questions at a town-hall meeting.

BETHESDA, Md. - With the theme, "You're Hired! Success Knows No Limitations!" the Defense Department presented awards to 17 outstanding employees with disabilities during the 24th DoD Disability Awards ceremony here Dec. 7.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Every day since Muqtada al-Sadr's militia turned in its weapons in October, hostile activity has decreased in Sadr City, allowing Task Force Lancer soldiers to help rebuild the city.

FORT MYER, Va. - Army Spc. Kyle Knapp speaks proudly of being a soldier, and proudly about what he does in the military and the unit he serves with.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - With several million dollars worth of infrastructure projects under way in Sadr City, the 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team has been moving forward to bring progress to the once conflict-torn streets in eastern Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Baghdad soldier was killed Dec. 7 when his patrol came under small-arms fire in the Iraqi capital, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced.

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of American Marines may deploy to the Philippines to help that country following two killer typhoons.

WASHINGTON - The nation's commander in chief traveled to Camp Pendleton, Calif., today to thank the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force "for serving our country in a time when we need you."

WASHINGTON - Vince Gill and Amy Grant are huge country music stars who've made it a habit of saluting U.S. military members for their service.

WASHINGTON - President Bush urged every American today "to find some way to thank our military and help out the military family down the street."

WASHINGTON - An organization that began supporting the military during the American Civil War will continue to do so under a memorandum of understanding signed today at the Pentagon.

BETHESDA, Md. - A feature documentary film about the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences is in the works.

WASHINGTON - A Marine assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was killed today in a motor vehicle accident while conducting security and stability operations in Iraq's Anbar province, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - U.S. troops here spent time with two high-level U.S. officials who were in the country today to attend the inauguration of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The first freely elected president in Afghanistan's 5,000-year history took the oath of office here today.

WASHINGTON - All members of the U.S. armed forces will deal with the fallout of the sexual assault problems at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Defense Department officials said here today.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said the Defense Department has a "longstanding, excellent relationship" with the Boy Scouts that's mutually beneficial and should continue.

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said today that President Bush asked him to stay on in his current position and he "enthusiastically" accepted.

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld arrived here this evening on the first leg of a trip that will take him to Afghanistan to attend the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai and to India to meet with that country's leaders.

WASHINGTON - Today's attack on the U.S. consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, must serve to remind Americans "that the terrorists are still on the move," President Bush said today.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi Defense Ministry continues to work on revisions to the Iraqi Code of Military Discipline in an effort to respond more effectively to incidents of indiscipline in the Iraqi armed forces.

WASHINGTON - Another milestone is on the horizon for the people of post-Taliban Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Raids in Iraq on Dec. 5 netted 36 suspected insurgents, including two cell leaders.

BALAD, Iraq - Medical supply drops have become an important mission in establishing trust between American soldiers and Iraqi citizens. Units all over Iraq have been donating medical supplies from their medical centers to Iraqi hospitals.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi security forces continued to receive large shipments of weapons and materiel from the Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq in November, including large deliveries of armor for the Iraqi army's growing mechanized force element.

WASHINGTON - President Bush said he looks forward to working with Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf in the global war on terror and in many other international arenas.

WASHINGTON - Two American soldiers were killed and four were wounded in an attack in Mosul, Iraq, Dec. 4, U.S. officials in Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - Delaying elections would only prolong the agony in Iraq, the country's interim president said on NBC's "Meet the Press" today.

WASHINGTON - Insurgent attacks in Baghdad and Mosul have killed at least 25 Iraqis, according to news reports.

WASHINGTON - Though many big-name stars in country music have come out to support troops fighting the war on terror, so too have some lesser- known stars.

CHARIKAR, Afghanistan - With a final score of 3-1, the Parwan youth soccer team recently defeated its coalition visitor, Team Eagle, at Parwan's home field in Charikar village. After 60 minutes of "futbol," the crowd of nearly 1,000 cheered and rushed onto the field to congratulate the home team on a solid victory.

WASHINGTON - Before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, strategic resources were allocated based mainly on combatant commanders' concerns, the Joint Staff's logistics director said this week.

WASHINGTON - Weekly Reader magazine wants to know what its readers would say to the world on Jan. 20, the date President Bush takes the oath of office and gives his second inaugural address.

WASHINGTON - A Texas realty company has stepped up to provide snacks, socks and myriad other items to members of a U.S. Army unit now serving in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - President Bush announced today the nomination of Bernie Kerik to succeed Tom Ridge as homeland security secretary.

CAMP LEJEUNE - Dec. 3, 2004 "I wasn't feeling college, and it was hard to balance school and work. So I made the conscious decision to serve my country," explained Marine Cpl. Jonnah Gonzalez.

WASHINGTON - Fourteen-year-old Alison Goulder got personal thanks at the Pentagon today from Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for supporting U.S. troops in Iraq through a grassroots-level campaign collecting Beanie Baby dolls.

WASHINGTON - Evidence found by coalition and Iraqi forces in Fallujah provides chilling proof that the insurgency there was heavily armed and dug in and prepared to fight, a senior official from the Joint Staff told reporters here today.

WASHINGTON - Although headlines citing insurgent attacks tend to overshadow its efforts, U.S.-led reconstruction initiatives in Iraq continue to make progress, a senior U.S. official noted here today.

FORT HOOD, Texas - U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Ron Riling said he's honored to be awarded the Silver Star, but he'd gladly give it back if it would bring back the 12 Marines who lost their lives in Rammadi, Iraq, April 6.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Aviators from Task Force Diamondhead are helping to ensure the success of coalition forces here by providing air support for various missions throughout the southern region of Afghanistan.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Behind nearly every deployed National Guardsman or Reservist, there is a civilian employer who is waiting for an employee to return.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Danger soldier was killed and two others were wounded when insurgents attacked a combat patrol today near Kirkuk, Iraq, military officials in Baghdad reported.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working to help rebuild Iraq's infrastructure and to help restore law and order by building and refurbishing military facilities, border posts, and police and fire stations.

WASHINGTON - Iran is proving to be "a big problem" in the war on terror, not only because it is aiding al Qaeda and Taliban extremists, but also because it's developing long-range weapons, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said during a Dec. 2 television interview.

WASHINGTON - Beating the insurgency in Iraq is "a test of wills," but one that the United States, the coalition, and most importantly, the Iraqis, are committed to winning, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said during a Dec. 2 interview on "The O'Reilly Factor" program on Fox News Channel.

WASHINGTON - On June 2, college student Scott Erwin was shot four times while doing his part to defend freedom in Baghdad, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The stabilization mission in Bosnia is complete and American servicemembers who served in the region can look with pride on their accomplishments, said DoD officials today.

FORWARD OPERATNG BASE UNION I, Iraq - Take a look at any brigade headquarters company in the Army and chances are you'll find it's staffed with a number of officers that graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

WASHINGTON - In 1967 a servicemember wrote advice columnist "Dear Abby" requesting "just a letter from home" for deployed troops serving during the Vietnam War.

WASHINGTON - The military services have chosen a longtime Air Force volunteer from Arizona as this year's recipient of the Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award.

WASHINGTON - American troops in Iraq captured a known maker of improvised explosive devices and two associates during a raid today near Al Duluiyah, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan civilian today turned in a weapons cache, including anti-tank mines, to coalition forces operating near Shkin, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - President Bush said today that elections in Iraq, scheduled for January, should go forward as planned.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force unveiled its new Future Total Force concept at the Pentagon Dec. 1, introducing six test cases that will help shape the way the service trains, equips and employs its active- and reserve- component members.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will increase the number of troops in Iraq by 12,000, Joint Staff officials said at a Pentagon news conference today.

WASHINGTON - In September 2003, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld appointed U.S. Transportation Command as the distribution process owner, or DPO, of the military's strategic distribution system. This action gave Rumsfeld one contact, TRANSCOM Commander Air Force Gen. John W. Handy, who is responsible for the carrying out the responsibilities that come with the designation.

WASHINGTON - The last U.S. peacekeeping troops in Bosnia are gone, as NATO turned over control of operations in the country to the European Union.

WASHINGTON - In a series of radio interviews Nov. 30, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld praised America's fighting forces and their families for the sacrifices they are making to defend freedom. He predicted that elections in Iraq will proceed on schedule and strengthen the newly formed Iraqi government, and expressed optimism about the future of freedom and democracy there.

WASHINGTON - A power tool company has pledged more than $1 million over five years to help fund a Veterans of Foreign Wars-sponsored initiative designed to help military families in need.

WASHINGTON - Successful military operations in Fallujah, Iraq, have put insurgents and foreign fighters on the run, and the military commander of coalition forces in Iraq said today the city is "no longer held hostage to terror."

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MCHENRY, Iraq - When soldiers conduct convoys in Iraq, they try to watch out for and stay far away from improvised explosive devices.

WASHINGTON - In the war on terror, the positive examples of successful Muslim democracies are as important as efforts to track down and eliminate terrorists, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said Nov. 30.

WASHINGTON - Karen Williams, a self-described patriot who lives in Lutz, Fla., says Americans have a lot to be thankful for.

WASHINGTON - Military operations by Iraqi security and coalition forces in Baghdad and Mosul, Iraq, netted more than 30 suspected militants over the past 48 hours, military officials in Baghdad reported.

WASHINGTON - The Harrisburg, Ill., duo of Amy Oxford and her mother, Kathy Williams, are knee-deep in packages to send to troops.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Air Force Airman Michael Roomsburg stopped the Humvee, as Air Force Staff Sgt. Chad Marten called to notify the command post that their team was set to patrol the outer perimeter road here.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Searchers who reached the wreckage of an aircraft missing since Nov. 27 in Afghanistan on Nov. 30 found no survivors, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan officials reported today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush traveled to Halifax in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia today to thank Canada's people for helping America "in an hour of need."