WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel welcomed Portuguese Minister of Defense Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco to the Pentagon, and expressed to the minister his appreciation for Portugal’s many contributions to international security, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a Defense Department news release.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered an overhaul of the Pentagon agencies responsible for recovering and identifying the remains of America’s war dead, creating a single agency to streamline operations and increase the number of identifications.

WASHINGTON - Thomas M. Brady, the new director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, has had a lot of challenging jobs in education since departing the Army.

WASHINGTON - Sequestration would degrade military readiness, senior military officials told a Senate panel.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - More than 1,100 Air and Army National Guard members from 13 states are taking part in exercise Alaska Shield 2014.

WASHINGTON - Naval Support Activity Bethesda looks forward to the newest United Service Organizations facility opening which will enhance the installation’s ability to care for troops.

JERUSALEM - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his Israeli counterpart met in Jerusalem to discuss threats to the region and ways to counter them.

WASHINGTON - A new state of the art family care center is set to open at Naval Support Activity Bethesda.

JERUSALEM - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he sees the possibility of new and different alliances emerging in the Middle East.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Army Staff Sgt. Dane Lentz, a 4th Division infantryman, is serving his third tour of duty in Afghanistan.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is Traveling to Israel for Meetings with Senior Israeli Military Officials.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel paid tribute to retiring Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander, crediting him with leading U.S. Cyber Command and the NSA during one of the most challenging periods in history.

WASHINGTON - Former prime minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg has been appointed to serve as the next secretary general of NATO, and is expected to succeed current Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen when his term expires Oct. 1, 2014.

WASHINGTON - All four active services met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal 2014 through February.

WASHINGTON - The military has a moral obligation to take care of veterans and the relatives of service members, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told attendees at the TAPS for Survivors Honor Guard Gala.

DARWIN, Northern Territory, Australia - Marine Rotational Force – Darwin met with staff members of a local primary school in Australia's Northern Territory to plan for MRF-D’s continued mentorship program with the students of Gray Primary School.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force has relieved nine officers, allowed a commander to retire and will discipline 91 others as a result of a cheating scandal among intercontinental ballistic missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.

WASHINGTON - Budget challenges and the prospect of continued fiscal uncertainty are troubling and could threaten capacity and capabilities, the Navy and Marine Corps service chiefs told Congress.

WASHINGTON - The ever-changing global security environment makes the worldwide presence of naval assets more important than ever, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Russia continues to reinforce units along the eastern and southern Ukraine border, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said during a news conference, adding that the United States is concerned about the build-up and is monitoring it closely.

WASHINGTON - Next week, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will convene the first U.S.-hosted meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Defense Department Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said

WASHINGTON - Learning to be resilient requires practice, two high-level Defense Department officials said at the “Building Resilience in Women Leaders Summit,” a daylong event as part of Womens History Month, sponsored by the Defense Suicide Prevention Office.

WASHINGTON - The Armed Services YMCA and Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, teamed to honor medics and corpsmen during the Angels of the Battlefield Gala.

WASHINGTON - Former CIA director and defense secretary James R. Schlesinger died from complications from pneumonia in a Baltimore hospital at age 85.

WASHINGTON - As part of the Defense Department's science and technology community, the role of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is to change what's possible, the DARPA director told a House panel.

WASHINGTON - The 100,000 personnel that make up the Defense Department's science and technology workforce have made remarkable achievements in the past, but that workforce is now showing the early signs of stress, the department's chief technology officer said.

WASHINGTON - The core missions of the Air Force have not changed since the service was established in 1947, but how airmen perform those missions has and will continue to change, the Air Force chief of staff said.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Defense Department office, received 2,864 nominations from Guardsmen and reservists for the 2014 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

WASHINGTON - Painful budget reductions will reduce the future capabilities of combatant commanders, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told Congress.

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kalib K. Walker was on his second deployment to Afghanistan when he became a father.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Children in military families move six to nine times between kindergarten and high school, and a Sesame Street-themed mobile app launched in December can help them cope with leaving a familiar place for the unknown.

WASHINGTON - During his speech in Brussels, President Barack Obama explained the American position on events in Ukraine and again laid out the case for Russia to disengage and rescind its annexation of Crimea.

WASHINGTON - With support from the Defense Department’s Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul is taking over a successful pilot effort to speed the growth of small- and medium-size companies and help to stabilize the Afghan economy.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department must slow compensation and benefits growth to balance military lifestyle with readiness and modernization, DOD’s top personnel specialist said on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON - Leadership is key to eliminating ethical lapses that have tarnished the reputation of the American military, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said during a Pentagon Channel interview.

WASHINGTON - If Congress turns down changes to force structure and military pay and benefits in the Defense Department’s fiscal year 2015 budget request, the legislators will have to find $2.1 billion in other cutbacks in 2015 and $31 billion more over five years, Comptroller Robert F. Hale told a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James provided a House panel with an overview of her top priorities for the Air Force.

WASHINGTON - The rich history of women in the military paved the way for today’s servicewomen, two general officers said at a Capitol Hill Women’s History Month event in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and United Kingdom defense leaders reiterated that there must be consequences for Russia following President Vladimir Putin’s forced annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will record a troop talk and town hall gathering on April 8 to be broadcast on the Pentagon Channel.

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. - Air Force reservist Master Sgt. Stephanie Kimbrell unselfishly donated one of her kidneys to help a man stricken with kidney disease.

WASHINGTON - Beginning April 15, Defense Department and Coast Guard civilian employees will be able to take advantage of the TSA Pre-check expedited screening program at more than 115 airports across the country.

WASHINGTON - Increased risk to American forces in the Pacific due to shrinking defense budgets, regional challenges and partnerships and cyber capability were among the topics that Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III and Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti told a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has chosen Navy Rear Adm. Margaret “Peg” Klein, who is currently chief of staff to the Joint Staff’s director of strategic plans and policy, to serve as his senior advisor for military professionalism.

WASHINGTON - While the money for the Army is getting short, demand for soldiers continues to grow, Gen. Ray Odierno, the Army chief of staff, told the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Since the founding of the Marine Corps in 1775, Marines have answered the nation's call, faithfully protecting the American people and maintaining a world-class standard of military excellence, the Marine Corps commandant said.

WASHINGTON - Funding the Army properly could mean the difference between safety and insecurity, Army Secretary John M. McHugh told the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Interaction between the Navy and Marine Corps has never been better as the two services continue their global forward-presence mission, Navy Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, the chief of naval operations, told a House panel.

WASHINGTON - “Whether facing high-end combat, asymmetrical threats or humanitarian needs, America's maritime forces are ready and present on Day One of any crisis for any eventuality,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told a House panel.

WASHINGTON - The beneficiary website for the TRICARE military health plan recently earned Best Government and Public Sector honors in an annual competition.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Carmelo Vega Martinez is assisting the Afghan air force in setting up its recruiting system.

NORFOLK, Va. - A male sailor and a male civilian suspect are dead following a March 24 shooting at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.

WASHINGTON - As the United States continues to support the search for the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, the Navy is sending a towed pinger locator, as well as a Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle, to Perth, Australia, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said.

WASHINGTON - When Sandra Gonzales and Tony Turin were enrolled in the Defense Department’s Transition GPS course, they found their career calling through an optional entrepreneur track called “Boots to Business.”

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Walk-in service at TRICARE service centers in the United States is ending April 1, TRICARE officials said, reflecting “the always growing number of TRICARE beneficiaries who most often now turn to a laptop or cell phone with questions about their health care.”

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met with his leadership team to discuss military professionalism, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said.

PHILIPPINE SEA - U.S. Pacific Command has ordered U.S. Pacific Fleet to move a black box locator into the region where searchers are continuing efforts to locate Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared March 8 shortly after leaving Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Air Force 1st Lt. Kristina Roberts described how the life of her late, great uncle, Medal of Honor recipient Army Chaplain (Capt.) Emil J. Kapaun, has shaped her own.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke with the Malaysian defense minister about the ongoing search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department estimates funding set aside for assistance to the Malaysian government in the search for missing Malaysia Flight 370 could last until April, a Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Navy’s USS Elrod relieved the USS Stout of its escort duties for the Morning Glory tanker ship March 19, Army Col. Steven Warren, a Defense Department spokesman, told Pentagon reporters.

WASHINGTON - In a phone conversation with Ukrainian Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel repeated his praise for the restraint demonstrated by Ukrainian forces in Crimea and commended Tenyukh’s leadership, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said.

WASHINGTON - Today is Nowruz, the first day of Afghan Year 1393, and Marine Corps Col. Michael E. Langley said his Afghan “brothers” assure him this year will be a year of prosperity. Langley and about 100 other international service members are working to train, advise and assist the 215th Corps of the Afghan National Army.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - In the United States, winning the lottery means winning a pile of cash. In Ghana, West Africa, the lottery means a new life, a U.S. visa, and for one Marine, a chance to serve.

WASHINGTON - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu assured Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that Russian troops along the Russia-Ukraine border are there solely for exercise purposes and will not cross over into Ukrainian territory, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered a comprehensive review of the military decorations and awards program, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said.

WASHINGTON - The unemployment rate for Iraq- and Afghanistan-era veterans fell in 2013, and the jobless rate for all veterans also edged down to 6.6 percent, according to Labor Department statistics.

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - A wounded warrior led Team USA’s sled hockey team to a hard-won victory over Russia at the Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, March 15.

WASHINGTON - During a phone conversation with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed his deep concern about Yaalon’s reported comments on U.S. policy towards Iran and reiterated the U.S. commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a Defense Department news release.

ELVEGAARDSMOEN, Norway - U.S. Marines enjoyed nutritional cold-weather meals during the Cold Response 14 multinational exercise in Norway.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel received an update on the situation in Crimea during a phone conversation with Ukrainian Minister of Defense Ihor Tenyukh, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a Defense Department news release.

WASHINGTON - There must be consequences for Russia’s actions against Ukraine, the NATO secretary general said at the Brookings Institution in Washington, adding that “the only way for us to address these challenges is for Europe and North America to stand together.”

WASHINGTON - U.S. Navy aircraft and personnel remain engaged in the search effort for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared March 8 after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, en route to Beijing, a Defense Department spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - Twenty-five Navy personnel remain aboard the oil tanker Morning Glory after a team of Navy SEALs boarded and took control of the ship March 17, Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel led a celebration correcting an injustice, as 24 Army veterans whose heroics spanned three wars were inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes.

WASHINGTON - The most significant findings of the Navy’s own investigation into security, personnel and contracting factors related to the last year’s Navy Yard killings involved the insider threat posed by the shooter, contractor Aaron Alexis, the Navy’s lead investigator said.

WASHINGTON - Three Defense Media Activity organizations and Department of Defense Education Activity schools in the Pacific and Europe are syncing entertainment with command information and social media to help stop bullying.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - What he originally thought was “cool” has turned into a passion and a formidable career for Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) Chris Neal.

WASHINGTON - Twenty-four U.S. Army veterans from three wars -- World War II, Korea and Vietnam -- received upgrades to the highest military decoration for uncommon bravery and gallantry at a White House ceremony.

WASHINGTON - Representatives of review panels that looked at last year’s shooting rampage that left 12 workers dead at the Washington Navy Yard briefed Pentagon reporters on their recommendations.

SPRINGFIELD, Va. - At a time when technological development is flourishing in countries such as China and North Korea, the United States is at risk of falling behind due to budgetary constraints, the acting assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering said.

WASHINGTON - All four active services met or exceeded their numerical accession goals for fiscal year 2014 through January, Defense Department officials announced.

WASHINGTON - Six months after a disturbed federal contractor shot 12 fellow workers to death at the Washington Navy Yard, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel detailed steps the Defense Department is taking based on reviews of security standards in place at the time.

WASHINGTON - Social Security claims from veterans with a Veterans Affairs Department disability compensation rating of 100 percent permanent and total have a new process that will treat their applications as high priority and issue expedited decisions.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - After four deployments in Iraq, Army Staff Sgt. Lakeesha Terrell said, she felt prepared for her first deployment to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke with Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein to discuss the ongoing search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

WASHINGTON - A high-tech mineral-mapping effort nearly complete in Afghanistan and the first of its kind in the world already generates $146 million in yearly revenue, and Afghanistan’s minister of mines and petroleum hopes to report $1 billion in revenue by 2020.

INDIAN OCEAN - The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Kidd and its crew are stepping up search efforts for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in the Indian Ocean.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Donald Rucker and his brother, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ian Smith, reunited in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - American forces boarded and took control of a commercial tanker ship that was seized by three armed Libyans, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a Defense Department news release.

WASHINGTON - With warmer weather comes peak moving season, so when orders are in hand, people should plan ahead to ensure the most hassle-free relocation, a senior official who oversees personal property moves for military families said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke by phone with French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force’s fiscal year 2015 budget request was built to ensure its combat power remains unequaled, but that does not mean it will remain unaffected by reduced funding, the Air Force chief of staff told the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Air Force leaders at all levels are tackling tough issues, airmen are demonstrating “superb” total force teamwork, and they’re enthusiastic about their service to the nation despite serving in challenging times, newly appointed Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told members of the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - The threats the United States faces are continuing to evolve, and while homeland threats have diminished, threats to our interests overseas are increasing, the military’s top special operations officials said on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON - The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush will remain in the Mediterranean Sea a few days longer than originally scheduled for additional training and to enhance maritime capabilities in the region.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Navy vessel USS Kidd has moved to replace USS Pinckney as the United States continues to aid in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, and at Malaysia’s request, the USS Kidd is north of the Strait of Malacca, a Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - The presidential election scheduled April 5 is the main focus for Afghanistan and its national security forces, the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said.

WASHINGTON - The commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan explained in detail his confidence in the ability to preserve multiple options for a post-2014 presence in Afghanistan, during a media roundtable at the Pentagon.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Marine Corps Sgt. Erik Anderson competed against his father in the Western Division marksmanship matches.

WASHINGTON - In the second town hall meeting he has conducted on his Facebook page, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff fielded questions from around the world that focused largely on the Defense Department’s fiscal year 2015 budget request and its correlation with U.S. military strategy.

WASHINGTON - Though drug interdiction looms large among U.S. Southern Command’s responsibilities, it isn’t the only national security role filled by the command, the Southcom commander said during a media briefing at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan gave a clear vote of confidence for Afghanistan’s national security forces, but he noted that an enduring mission will be necessary beyond this year, during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - If sequestration begins again in fiscal year 2016, the U.S. military will not be able to carry out defense strategy, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee.

WASHINGTON - After 50 years of battling drug trafficking alongside the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean, budget cuts are reversing hard-fought gains and forcing U.S. Southern Command to accept significant risks, the Southcom commander said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s fiscal year 2015 budget request is a pragmatic document that balances America's national security and fiscal responsibilities, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee.

WASHINGTON - The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 provided an important reprieve by enabling short-term readiness fixes and selected program buybacks of significant importance, the commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command said.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama hosted military children and their families at the White House for a special screening of the Disney motion picture “Muppets Most Wanted,” with an opening address by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - On a 70-degree California day, track stars took their warm-up lap to get started, focusing on their form and the rhythm of their breathing to ensure a better race. But unlike other track stars, Marine Corps Cpl. Ivan Sears was competing in a wheelchair.

WASHINGTON - If potential adversaries are to challenge the United States, they must do so in the space domain, the Defense Department’s top space policy official told Congress.

WASHINGTON - By any measure, the U.S. and NATO campaign in Afghanistan has been successful, but that success will be jeopardized if international troops must withdraw at the end of the year, the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and of U.S. forces in Afghanistan told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Shrunken but stable Defense Department budgets through fiscal 2015 allow the Navy an acceptable forward presence and have temporarily restored critical training and operations, but the force still faces shortfalls, backlogs and higher risks, the chief of naval operations said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is assuming more risk in infrastructure with its proposed 2015 budget, the acting deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment told a House Appropriations Committee panel.

WASHINGTON - Officials are gearing up to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, and the U.S. commemoration commission is beginning its mission of education now to provide Americans some context for the epochal war.

WASHINGTON - A dozen more F-16s and 300 personnel based at Aviano Air Base, Italy, will augment the U.S. aviation detachment at Lask Air Base, Poland, a Pentagon spokesman said, following Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announcement last week in light of the situation in Ukraine.

WASHINGTON - The Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program, or CAP, was established in 1990 to provide assistive technology and accommodations at no cost to make sure people with disabilities have equal access and opportunities at the Defense Department.

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. - Army Sgt. 1st Class Perry Taylor, who suffered serious back injuries in Iraq, now is a personal trainer helping people to get and stay physically fit.

WASHINGTON - While the scale of the homeland security threat has diminished, overseas threats to U.S. interests continue to grow, the military’s top special operations leaders said on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama’s nominee to be director of the National Security Agency and commander of U.S. Cyber Command told a Senate panel that legislation and transparency are critical to the nation’s security in cyberspace.

WASHINGTON - Feedback on “Transition GPS,” which prepares service members to enter the civilian workforce, indicates it improves on the program it replaced, director of the Defense Department’s Transition to Veterans Program office said.

WASHINGTON - The impact of sequestration, the drawdown in Afghanistan and the situation in Ukraine were among the topics Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva addressed before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing to lead U.S. Transportation Command.

WASHINGTON - Air Force personnel are worried about budgetary uncertainty, and service leaders pledge to be transparent about priorities and programs available as the service moves forward, Air Force Undersecretary Eric Fanning said.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Air Force Airman 1st Class Joshua Hanson used his ingenuity and carpentry skills to help build an outdoor hockey rink.

WASHINGTON - An active-duty soldier and seven Army veterans are competing this week in the Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

WASHINGTON - The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review was completed in about half the usual time in an environment marked by tremendous uncertainty, and isn’t like previous reviews, a senior Defense Department official said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

WASHINGTON - Whether it’s how to replace a lost military service medal, ship a package to overseas troops or get the details of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, there’s a good chance the Defense Department’s Knowledge Base will have the answers.

WASHINGTON - The military’s top enlisted leader praised service members and their families at Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Va., for their professionalism, flexibility and tenacity during a time of impending change for the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - More U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcons will deploy to Poland in the coming days and weeks, a Pentagon official said, adding that U.S. European Command would provide the aircraft once a decision on numbers is finalized.

WASHINGTON - The United States continues to assist the Malaysian government in the search for Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department needs to hammer home to service members what it means to be members of the profession of arms, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said on the PBS “Newshour” program.

WASHINGTON - It’s a fact of life that the depth of budget reductions and the draconian way they are applied will affect military readiness and increase risk, said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during the PBS “Newshour” program.

WASHINGTON - The 2014 Paralympic Winter Games opened in Sochi, Russia, March 7 with a ceremony called "Breaking the Ice," honoring the strength of the human spirit.

ABOARD USS DENVER AT SEA - Marine Corps Cpl. Josh Fenstermaker holds a billet of responsibility normally reserved for a staff noncommissioned officer because of his exceptional skills and composure.

WASHINGTON - The Navy is contributing to the search effort for a Malaysia Airlines jet that dropped off the radar of Subang, Indonesia, traffic controllers early Saturday morning while over the South China Sea, according to a statement from the U.S. Seventh Fleet public affairs office.

WASHINGTON - March is National Save Your Vision Month, and the Defense Department wants service members to take care of their eyes by wearing eye protection when performing dangerous work, reducing eye strain and routinely undergoing eye examinations.

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia - Despite being the reigning Olympic four-man bobsled champion, former U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program driver Steven Holcomb and his "Night Train 2" crew face an uphill climb to reach the medal podium.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Cyber Command has again stressed his concern about leaks to the media of classified information and issues the nation faces involving cyber attacks.

WASHINGTON - The use of overseas contingency operations funding has relieved some pressure on the Defense Department’s base budget, but as the war in Afghanistan winds down, those base budget requirements are at risk, a senior Pentagon official said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s nuclear deterrent is the ultimate protection for the United States while also assuring distant allies of their security against regional aggression, a senior Pentagon official told a Senate subcommittee.

WASHINGTON - The strength of coalition bonds in Afghanistan can be demonstrated by a recent helicopter recovery effort that involved four of the eight countries deployed to Regional Command Southwest, said Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Walter Lee Miller Jr., former commander of the regional command and the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

WASHINGTON - The Quadrennial Defense Review establishes priorities for defense spending, assets and a rebalancing of the military in anticipation of the security challenges the nation is likely to face in the coming years, all in light of an increasingly tight fiscal situation, a senior DOD official said.

SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - Air Force Airman 1st Class Tracy A. Guardado didn't falter or fail during a series of obstacles during her training.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe "Boogie" Yaalon and received a briefing on Israel's interdiction operation in the Red Sea that seized a suspected Iranian shipment of advanced weapons bound for terrorist organizations operating in Gaza.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s top doctor says the innovations and technology in military medicine derived from more than a decade of war have led to advances in caring for the sick and injured.

WASHINGTON - The past year can best be characterized as one of transition for Afghanistan’s Regional Command Southwest, Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Walter Lee Miller Jr. said during a Pentagon news briefing.

WASHINGTON - With a lens on the Syria spillover and the growing threat of terrorism and sectarianism in the Middle East, the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs reaffirmed the Defense Department’s commitment to the stability and security of regional partners.

WASHINGTON - Helped by the Arab Spring, terrorist groups in North and West Africa have expanded their operations, increasing threats to the United States and its interests, the commander of U.S. Africa Command told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called compensation a “critical” issue as he addressed compensation reform during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on the Defense Department’s fiscal year 2015 budget proposal.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is working to support the coordinated U.S. response to Russia’s recent aggression toward Ukraine, and to help Ukraine and U.S. allies and partners in the region, DOD and administration officials said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s latest budget request is a collaborative proposal that has adjusted to new strategic realities and fiscal constraints for the future, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

WASHINGTON - Service members, veterans and their families who complained to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about financial products or services have recovered more than $1 million, but some military families are not receiving the added consumer protections they have earned.

PHOENIX - While growing up in rural Montana, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Pamela Higgins remembers watching the Montana Guard members helping with community activities and admiring their sharp uniforms.

WASHINGTON - Progress remains steady in the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter’s operational testing, reprogramming, fueling, and stand-up training, the F-35 program executive officer said.

WASHINGTON - If U.S. and NATO forces are required to leave Afghanistan at the end of the year in the absence of a security agreement, the Afghan government’s long-term viability “is likely to be at high risk,” the commander of U.S. Central Command told Congress.

WASHINGTON - A defense official provided details on the United States augmenting its participation in NATO's air policing mission in the Baltics and increasing joint training through its aviation detachment in Poland.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. military commander for the Asia-Pacific region told Congress that growing challenges posed by China’s rising military power, an increasingly dangerous and unpredictable North Korea, escalating territorial disputes and humanitarian aid efforts after natural disasters are putting the U.S. military in Asia at greater risk.

WASHINGTON - Congressional failure to fund the Defense Department above levels required by sequestration in fiscal years 2015, 2016 and beyond will compromise national security, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

ARLINGTON, Va. - To ensure on-time, on-cost delivery of quality products and services to the warfighter, a Pentagon official encouraged clear and ongoing dialog between Defense Department decision-makers and industry leaders.

WASHINGTON - Global security threats are not fading, even as the Defense Department looks for ways to balance worldwide security demands with diminished resources, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey outlined Defense Department activities pertaining to the crisis in Ukraine.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force’s fiscal year 2015 budget request repositions the force to focus on future challenges and opportunities, while continuing to recover readiness lost during sequestration in fiscal 2013, the service’s budget director said at a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - The Navy Department’s fiscal year 2015 budget request reflects tough, but responsible choices, a senior Navy official said at a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - Under the Army's fiscal year 2015 budget request, soldiers will receive a 1 percent pay increase as well as a basic allowance for housing increase of 1.5 percent and a 3.4 percent increase in basic allowance for subsistence.

BUSAN, South Korea - Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aleasha Gatewood, assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet Staff embarked on the flagship USS Blue Ridge, had a rare opportunity to spend time with her aunt, Navy Lt. j.g. Aricka Faulkner, while underway in support of the ongoing Key Resolve 2014 exercise.

SOCHI, Russia - Former and active-duty soldiers from the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program played a major role in five of the United States' 28 Olympic medals won at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

WASHINGTON - A senior Defense Department official says the Pentagon will not be able to manage some of the changes that will be required should another budget sequester be imposed in 2016.

WASHINGTON - The defense strategic guidance can work under the president’s fiscal year 2015 budget request for the Defense Department, but Defense officials caution another round of deep spending cuts associated with a budget sequester, which could return in 2016, would jeopardize national security.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has proposed a $163.9 billion fiscal year 2015 budget for the Veterans Affairs Department, a 6.5 percent increase over fiscal 2014.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s Missile Defense Agency continues to develop technology and work with its partners amid growing ballistic missile threats around the world, the agency’s director said.

WASHINGTON - The 2014 version of the Quadrennial Defense Review takes the defense strategic guidance formulated in 2012 and evolves it through the future.

WASHINGTON - The fiscal year 2015 defense budget request squares priorities with resources while calling for a 1 percent pay raise for the military, Defense Department officials said.

WASHINGTON - Fred Smith served two tours in Vietnam with the Marine Corps, earning the Silver Star, Bronze Star and two Purple Heart medals. He later used his military experience to build FedEx.

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. - For most recruits, their arrival to recruit training is their first taste of the Marine Corps. But for some, it is a way of life passed on from generation to generation.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has “put on hold” military-to-military activities with Russia, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said.

MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY, Ga. - Marine Corps Sgt. Thomas Over was tapped as "Hometown Hero of the Week" by a New York radio station.

WASHINGTON - Appearing on CBS’ “Face the Nation," Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel urged a diplomatic approach to resolve what he described as a “dangerous situation” in Ukraine.

WASHINGTON - Calling Ukraine a valued NATO partner, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged Russia to de-escalate tensions in Ukraine.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called their Russian counterparts to express their concerns over recent events in Ukraine, according to White House and Defense Department news releases.

BRUSSELS - President Barack Obama’s recent statement of willingness to let Afghanistan’s next president sign a critical bilateral security agreement may give hope to Afghans who feared NATO-mission troops would withdraw from the nation by Dec. 31.