WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke of the ever-changing, fast-paced world Florida State University graduates will soon embark on, stressing “no one makes it through the world alone.”

WASHINGTON - Preventing suicide in the military is showing signs of progress, but breaking the social stigma attached to it remains a challenge, said Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli.

WASHINGTON - The federal government needs to strike a better balance between funding the Defense Department and civilian agencies for long-term national security, said Michele Flournoy, the undersecretary of defense for policy.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Air Force Col. (Dr.) Christian Benjamin has employed his love of running as a way to gather his thoughts, relax, and stay in shape.

WASHINGTON - Combined forces detained several suspected insurgents, including a Taliban leader, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Nearly 3,000 National Guardsmen are supporting civilian authorities in response to a number of fires, floods and tornados that have wreaked havoc nationwide.

WASHINGTON - The Asia-Pacific region "is the most important and most dynamic region in the world today -- and likely to be more so as this still-young century unfolds,” said Michele Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy.

WASHINGTON - The coalition and its Afghan partners have made “tangible progress” in Afghanistan over the past six months in not only arresting enemy momentum, but also reversing it in many key areas, said a senior defense official.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan - Soldiers of the U.S. Army's 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, are making progress in thwarting insurgent activities in the brigade's area of operations in Paktika province.

WASHINGTON - The commander of Afghanistan Engineer District-North is pleased engineers are completing reconstruction projects at a rapid pace.

CHICAGO - Building resilience in troops and families and ensuring they have access to support programs are ways to ensure a high quality of life for troops and their families, senior enlisted leaders said.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Marines at Camp Pendleton, Calif., have received "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal training as part of Defense Department efforts to prepare the force for the repeal of the law.

WASHINGTON - April 30 marks the 36th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War –- a conflict that claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans and continues to affect the United States.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. David H. Petraeus plans hang up his uniform in September to lead the CIA.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama thanked Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates for his service as he announced his intention to nominate CIA Director Leon E. Panetta to lead the Pentagon after Gates retires June 30.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John R. Allen, deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, is poised to become the first Marine to command all U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has to be part of the solution for the country’s debt crisis, said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - CIA Director Leon E. Panetta, President Barack Obama’s choice as the next secretary of defense, would bring to the job more than 40 years of public service experience from local government to the legislative and executive branches.

WASHINGTON - Calling personnel issues his greatest comfort and greatest concern, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised U.S. service members for the way they’ve served and adapted over a decade of war.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Members of a Florida National Guard unit work tirelessly to support the force-protection mission on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, and Parwan province.

CHICAGO - The Defense and Agriculture departments formally recognized a 25-year working relationship as well as a budding partnership aimed at improving military families’ lives.

PATROL BASE WOLFPACK, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Zach R. Mullin has earned respect from his superiors for his leadership, but he credits his success to the hardworking Marines around him.

WASHINGTON - Combined forces killed two armed insurgents in a gun battle in the Ab Band district of Afghanistan’s Ghazni province.

WASHINGTON - Members of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency train constantly so they're prepared in the event of a terrorist attack against Defense Department personnel and assets in the national capital region.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has issued new standards on how medical criteria will be applied to determine whether soldiers who have suffered brain injuries will qualify for the Purple Heart Medal.

WASHINGTON - Enemy fighters are beginning to make their annual spring resurgence in Afghanistan, but are resurfacing as a weakened force with less support from residents, Marine Corps Gen. Richard P. Mills said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama intends to nominate CIA Director Leon E. Panetta as the next defense secretary, a senior administration official said.

WASHINGTON - The operations of the past year, from Japan to Libya, highlight the need for the United States to maintain responsive and flexible global forces, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said at a Defense Writers Group breakfast.

CHICAGO - The Defense Department is growing its network of military and civilian helping professionals so that military families get the support they need, said Robert L. Gordon III, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy.

WASHINGTON - Eight International Security Assistance Force service members and an ISAF civilian died following a shooting incident in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s director of antiterrorism and force protection said the Oct. 12, 2000, attack on the USS Cole caused Navy commanders to take antiterrorism and force protection measures seriously.

LANDSTUHL, Germany - A top trauma surgeon who oversees the care of some of the most severely wounded warriors will soon direct the Air Force trauma center in Baltimore.

LANDSTUHL, Germany - Thanks to modern military medicine and a dedicated staff, wounded warriors treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, have a 99 percent chance of survival.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan - A U.S. soldier who died during a battle in Paktika province, was honored by his comrades at an April 26, 2011, memorial service.

FORT MYER, Va. - During a ceremony in his honor at Fort Myer, Va., Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward, the first commander of U.S. Africa Command, said he has found no greater honor than to lead soldiers during his 40-year military career.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he was pleased the dialogue with top British defense leaders at the Pentagon advanced the two nations' relationship "at such a challenging time" of international defense issues.

WASHINGTON - A partnership the Defense and Energy departments formed last year to conserve energy in the military is the perfect union to lead the nation in conservation, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said at the White House Energy Security Forum.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Defense Department officials announced that 148 employers have been selected as semifinalists for the 2011 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

ARLINGTON, Va. - About 900 National Guard members are responding to floods, fires, tornadoes, and other emergency situations in six states.

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - Thanks to advanced aeromedical evacuation procedures, battlefield patients from combat theaters such as Afghanistan have a much-higher survival rate since they typically receive advanced care within three days of being wounded.

WASHINGTON - Helping professionals from around the world are gathering in Chicago to share information and research and to hear from some of the nation’s most renowned military family experts.

WASHINGTON - International Security Assistance Force officials confirmed that an April 13 airstrike in Kunar province killed the No. 2 targeted insurgent in Afghanistan.

SHARAN, Afghanistan - A provincial governor highlighted the U.S. military for contributing funding and expertise to a new boys' orphanage in Sharan, the capital of Paktika province.

WASHINGTON - For Zelma Owens, the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon set in motion a career path that has led to her position as an antiterrorism officer.

WASHINGTON - To optimize U.S. cybersecurity using a new information-sharing enterprise network in a reduced-budget era, a top Defense Department official gave industry leaders a challenge: “We need your innovation.”

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani terrorist network leader in the Nadir Shah Kot district of Khost province.

WASHINGTON - Recruiting and retention has stayed high throughout the military for the first half of the fiscal year, according to Defense Department statistics.

WASHINGTON - An easy-to-navigate version of the National Resource Directory website -- which connects wounded warriors, service members, veterans and families with those who support them -- is now available for mobile phones.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon Force Protection Agency’s antiterrorism and force protection directorate safeguards the Pentagon Reservation, as well as the more than 100 DOD-leased facilities in the capital region.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Tony Soto attributes his recent promotion to a top rank that few achieve to "having the opportunities to take the right jobs at the right times."

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama had little knowledge of the challenges associated with military life, but meeting military families on the campaign trail with her husband inspired her to strive to help them.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Dr. Clifford L. Stanley, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, visited with U.S. troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and at the U.S. embassy in Islamabad.

WASHINGTON - The Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces’ strategic alliance with the U.S. Coast Guard will enhance an already-successful program, said Army Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, chief of the Army Reserve.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - New TRICARE Online features give users access to expanded personal health data, including lab results, patient history and diagnoses, and provider visits.

BAGHDAD - All American troops will be out of Iraq at the end of the year in accordance with the security agreement signed in 2008, said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Combined forces captured the top Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan terrorist group leader in Afghanistan during operations in the Khanabad district of Afghanistan’s Kunduz province.

WASHINGTON - A NATO Training Mission is working with advisors and the Afghan interior ministry to give Afghanistan a national law enforcement presence.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - NATO has come forward in a very positive way to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya and protect Libyan citizens from the Moammar Gadhafi regime, said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Once a big-city chef, Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 J.D. Ward now manages food operations for the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team on Fort Bragg, N.C.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - The U.S. military needs to get it right as it transitions out of Iraq, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told soldiers in Baghdad. About 47,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, mostly in an “advise and assist” role.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the comprehensive defense review he plans to launch soon will ensure any further defense budget cuts are based on a well-thought-out analysis of the consequences of decisions made.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has approved the use of U.S. armed predator strikes in Libya, said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

WASHINGTON - Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials are rolling out a redesigned website to give the Defense Department’s workforce easier, quicker access to the information they need.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Contract Management Agency is keeping focused on its mission to save taxpayer dollars as it supervises contracting activities, while relocating its headquarters staff from the Washington, D.C., area to Fort Lee, Va.

WASHINGTON - Coalition efforts in northern Afghanistan have become more relevant over the past year with the addition of new capabilities from U.S. forces, said the top commander for NATO forces in the region.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Reaffirmation of the relationship between the U.S. and Pakistani militaries was the most important aspect of his meeting last night with his Pakistani counterpart, said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Combined forces captured a Taliban leader and numerous other suspected insurgents during operations in Kandahar province.

GULF OF OMAN - Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Kashou grew up speaking Arabic and now employs his language skills during security operations in the Gulf of Oman.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Coalition forces eventually will have to say they’ve done all they can in Afghanistan, but “we’re not there yet,” said Army Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, the commander of Regional Command East.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The Pakistani military is stretched by its fight against extremist groups along the country’s western border, senior defense officials said.

WASHINGTON - As the Defense Department seeks additional cost cuts to support the president's deficit-reduction efforts, weapons systems and other major procurement programs certainly will be on the table, but they won’t be enough to achieve those fiscal goals.

WASHINGTON - The chief prosecutor of the Defense Department’s Office of Military Commissions has recommended capital charges be brought against the alleged mastermind of the October 2000 USS Cole bombing.

ISLAMABAD - Military-to-military ties between the United States and Pakistan remain good despite recent tensions between the two countries, said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces detained several suspected insurgents in the Sayyidabad district of Afghanistan’s Wardak province.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistani and U.S. leaders recognize the importance of a partnership and will work through problems to ensure it remains strong, said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii - Marine Corps Master Sgt. Timothy D. Greenleaf has taught and coached his and other people's children in a variety of sports for more than 18 years.

WASHINGTON - The Afghan army is growing and meeting its recruiting and retention quotas as the quality of its soldiers improves.

WASHINGTON - The Army plans to transfer Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, charged with leaking classified military information in the WikiLeaks incident, to a new Joint Regional Correctional Facility at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., said Jeh C. Johnson, the Defense Department’s general counsel.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan - The Haqqani network is a tough foe in Afghanistan's Paktia, Paktika and Nurestan provinces, but U.S. troops are making headway, said Army Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, commander of Regional Command East in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Members of Disabled American Veterans, working with the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, are helping wounded warriors make the transition from active duty.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. military fighter jet destroyed two of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s surface-to-air missile sites near the Libyan capital of Tripoli, continuing U.S. support of NATO operations there.

WASHINGTON - Veterans dealing with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder can turn to their smartphones for help any time with a new application.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan - Cooperation between U.S. and Pakistani soldiers on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border is better than it has ever been, said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, while visiting Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed an insurgent commander in a precision airstrike in the Burkah district of Baghlan province.

YOKOSUKA, Japan - The forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington will return to Yokosuka, nearly a month after it left its port following the earthquake and tsunami that struck northern Japan.

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. - Air Force Capt. David Simons Jr. taps his experience gained from a previous duty tour in Afghanistan to teach young airmen the ropes as they prepare to deploy.

NAVAL AIR STATION KEY WEST, Fla. - A new, high-tech command center at Naval Station Key West, Fla., will move the fight against illicit traffickers to a new level, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama presented the Commander in Chief's Trophy to the U.S. Air Force Academy’s football team, marking the first time since 2002 that the trophy will return to Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - Operations on Fort Bragg, N.C., are “pretty fluid” after severe weather damaged buildings and cut off power to the installation and surrounding communities over the weekend, Fort Bragg officials said.

ARLINGTON, Va. - National Guard members from four states are supporting civil authorities in Texas as they battle more than 30 wildfires threatening lives and property.

WASHINGTON - The WikiLeaks episode underscores the need for laws and policies that address the unintended consequences of “technology at the intersection of national security,” a senior Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed more than 10 insurgents after conducting a precision airstrike and security operation in the Burkah district of Baghlan province.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is “a leader when it comes to fiscal responsibility” and will provide President Barack Obama with options -- along with the pros and cons of each -- to make additional defense cuts, a senior Pentagon spokesman said.

NEW ORLEANS - Marine Corps Sgt. Daniel Evans didn’t see himself working in a kitchen but went on to take top honors for food service excellence.

WASHINGTON - Tristan Fissette’s leadership qualities led a panel from the nonprofit “Our Military Kids” organization to choose him as one of four Military Kids of the Year.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s voluntary authorized departures for service members’ eligible family members to leave Japan in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake has effectively ended.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials launched DOD Safe Helpline, the Pentagon’s newest initiative to support victims of sexual assault.

WASHINGTON - NATO nations will continue operations against the regime in Libya until Moammar Gadhafi leaves power, President Barack Obama and the leaders of Great Britain and France wrote in an article published in their respective countries.

WASHINGTON - Combined forces captured a Taliban leader and found a weapons stockpile during operations in southern and eastern Afghanistan.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of the vice president, helped kick off of the fifth installment of the Sesame Street and USO Experience for Military Families, a free traveling tour exclusively for military families, while visiting Columbus, Ohio.

WASHINGTON - “Our Military Kids,” a national nonprofit organization, honored four children and a military family in an award ceremony at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Bob Cuyler employs his victory to remain in the military after ostomy surgery to inspire others to continue serving.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, visited Columbus, Ohio, to thank military members and their families for their service and to urge community leaders to assist the “Joining Forces” military family support campaign.

WASHINGTON - Key areas of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province in recent months have become free of insurgent control for the first time, a U.S. commander there said.

MOUNT VERNON, Va. - Since its beginning, the United States has had to balance its idealistic impulses with realism, and that remains true today, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a speech at George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon’s top acquisitions official asked Congress to help set up a funding system so the Defense Department can more quickly meet deployed warfighters’ most urgent requests.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has made much progress toward buying and fielding equipment smarter and faster, the Pentagon’s undersecretary for acquisitions, technology and logistics told a congressional panel.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition force killed several insurgents, including the Taliban’s central appointed leader for Afghanistan’s Jowzjan province.

WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Lt. Col. Larry Daley sees his job of improving coordination among Afghan forces as a sign of what the future of the coalition presence will become.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the Army's new chief of staff, touched on the drawdown in Iraq, the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the future of the Army and other issues during an interview with reporters.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor posthumously to two soldiers for conspicuous gallantry nearly 60 years ago during the Korean War, White House officials announced.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama’s effort to seek additional savings within the Defense Department likely will affect the department’s fiscal 2013 budget, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said he will work with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to find more savings in the Defense Department to reduce the federal deficit.

WASHINGTON - A recent groundbreaking for a new solar micro grid at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., is the latest example of a military “going green” to reduce installation energy costs -- saving environmental resources as well as taxpayer dollars.

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - Treasury Department officials Holly Petraeus and Elizabeth Warren are meeting with troops and their families to better understand financial challenges in the military community.

WASHINGTON - A family advocacy program addresses the issue of domestic and child abuse in the military through various prevention, support and treatment efforts.

WASHINGTON - The United States continues to support NATO operations in Libya, including suppression of regime air defense assets, a Defense Department spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saluted the thousands of USO volunteers for their selfless efforts in supporting service members and their families over nearly a decade of conflict.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Derrick Butler's love of military cameraderie and travel had caused him to reenlist in the Corps after a nearly 12-year gap of service.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden said they have spoken with countless military families in their travels and have heard some “breathtaking” stories of service and sacrifice. It’s now time for the rest of the nation to hear these stories, they said.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, launched a national initiative that calls on all sectors of society to join forces to support and honor service members and their families.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama made caring for military families a national priority, calling to action his entire administration and communities across the United States on their behalf.

WASHINGTON - Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. expressed pride in his soldiers and their families as he ended more than 40 years of service.

WASHINGTON - Normalizing U.S. military duty tours in South Korea will increase combat readiness and greatly reduce stress for service members and their families, said the top U.S. military commander in the region.

WASHINGTON - The South Korean and U.S. militaries are well prepared to defend South Korea should North Korean provocations continue, the top U.S. military commander posted in the region told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed several insurgents during a security operation in the Bal Chiragh district of Faryab province.

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - Army Sgt. Mark Arnett has used his experience in training his peers to help children understand the impact drugs and alcohol can have on their lives.

FORT DETRICK, Md. - Tthe Defense Department’s Blast Injury Research Program is examining what happens to a brain when it is exposed to a blast with no direct head impact.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wanted an Army chief of staff willing to challenge the status quo, and he believes he has one in Gen. Martin E. Dempsey. He praised Dempsey for his keen mind, strategic vision, quiet confidence and energy.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military has not been called to help with the most-recent aftershocks in Japan, but it continues to give support and remains positioned to respond to requests by the Japanese government.

WASHINGTON - The United States continues to support NATO efforts in Libya, as Moammar Gadhafi’s forces continue attacks on Misrata and Ajdabiya and forces discuss a potential cease fire, a Pentagon official said.

WASHINGTON - All service members will receive their full mid-month pay they have earned in their April 15th paychecks, Pentagon officials said today.

WASHINGTON - Efforts to take the stigma out of seeking help when it’s needed and to build resiliency within the force appear to be paying off, a brigade commander said.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition force captured a Taliban facilitator during a security operation in Kandahar province’s Zharay district.

SENDAI, Japan - Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Fletcher fell in love with Japan as a young airman, and now is happy to aid the nation's people in humanitarian efforts.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will launch a national initiative that will call on all sectors of society to support and honor America’s troops and their families.

WASHINGTON - Government agencies are continuing normal operations after the administration, the Senate and the House of Representatives agreed to a fiscal 2011 budget.

WASHINGTON - Less than an hour before the federal government would have been forced to shut down, President Barack Obama announced that leaders in both parties had reached a budget agreement.

WASHINGTON - All commissaries will remain open worldwide even if the government shuts down, Pentagon spokesman Marine Col. Dave Lapan said today.

WASHINGTON - Wounded warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center received a boost when Army Col. Sean Jenkins stopped by for a visit during his rest-and-recovery leave from the 101st Airborne Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Military children of service members who died or who were seriously disabled in the line of duty might be eligible for a college education through the Fisher House Foundation.

WASHINGTON - While still hoping to be spared a shutdown, Defense Department officials are making plans should the government close over the fiscal 2011 budget impasse, a senior Pentagon official said.

MOSUL, Iraq - As they move ahead, the services must find the right balance between the new capabilities they’ve had to develop in Iraq and Afghanistan while maintaining the traditional capabilities they used in previous wars, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

MOSUL, Iraq - The unique circumstances that have contributed to the situation in Libya are unlikely to be replicated in another country, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told U.S. soldiers during his visit to Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Whether it’s kayaking down a river, backpacking through the forest or racing “high-adventure style,” military teens with a thirst for adventure will have a host of options to choose from this year.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates concluded a three-day visit to Iraq with two stops in the north before flying to meet with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nubayan in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces today detained numerous suspected insurgents during a security operation targeting a Haqqani Network facilitator in the Sayyid Karam district of Paktiya province.

ARLINGTON, VA - This year's Military Child of the Year recipients are “shining examples” of what youth can accomplish with “a little will, a little passion, and a little determination,” First Lady Michelle Obama said.

SENDAI, Japan - Marine Corps Cpl. Tori K. Tadehara said he's proud to be in Japan helping its citizens stricken by the March 11 earthquake and follow-on tsunami.

WASHINGTON - Promising signs of progress are being demonstrated in the remote but strategically important Paktika province, said the leader of the last combat brigade to deploy to Afghanistan as part of the troop surge.

WASHINGTON - U.S. forces in Japan providing support after a devastating earthquake and tsunami last month appear to have dodged a bullet as yet another earthquake rocked northeast Japan.

WASHINGTON - Two months into training to allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military, the leaders of all four services say implementation is going well – something they attribute to the caliber of today’s service members.

DALLAS - The Army and Air Force Exchange Service plans to continue operations in the event of a federal government shutdown because it is a non-appropriated fund activity.

BAGHDAD - With the last U.S. forces scheduled to leave Iraq at year’s end, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, reflected on three tours of duty.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard has successfully transformed into an operational force and must not be put back on the shelf in a strategic reserve status, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said.

BAGHDAD - As the drawdown of remaining U.S. forces nears, any U.S. military presence to remain in Iraq beyond this year would be geared toward specific kinds of assistance the Iraqi government requests, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is hopeful that a government shutdown will be averted, but is releasing guidance to help plan for an orderly process if a shutdown becomes necessary, said Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III.

WASHINGTON - Military personnel will report to duty as normal if the U.S. government shuts down April 8, and the DOD has identified tasks that must continue if or when a government shutdown occurs.

BAGHDAD - The policy on women serving in combat hasn’t kept up with reality, and the military needs to find ways to keep its young, combat-seasoned leaders, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told U.S. soldiers in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - Security forces ended operations in the Marawara district of Kunar province after clearing out insurgent fighters near four villages.

WASHINGTON - Changes made to the U.S. military’s Unified Command Plan shift geographic boundaries and stress the growing importance of the Arctic.

NEW LONDON, Conn. - Coast Guard Cmdr. Diane W. Durham was pressed into action when her crew's cutter was the first U.S. vessel to arrive in Haiti after last year's earthquake.

BAGHDAD - As training begins to pave the way for implementing repeal of the so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told soldiers in Baghdad he expects service members to take the change in stride.

BAGHDAD - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told U.S. soldiers in Baghdad that they and their predecessors have been part of an “extraordinary success story.”

BAGHDAD - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told U.S. service members in Baghdad that he hopes a government shutdown doesn’t happen April 8, because "it’ll be an inconvenience for a lot of troops.”

WASHINGTON - While the U.S.-South Korean troop alliance works to secure and stabilize Northeast Asia, it still faces threats from North Korea, the U.S. Forces Korea commander said.

WASHINGTON - The Army Reserve’s top officer, Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, wants legislative changes that would allow his troops to respond to homeland disasters or attacks when federal military capabilities are needed.

WASHINGTON - The transition from the U.S.-led Operation Odyssey Dawn to the NATO-led Operation Unified Protector has occurred seamlessly, British Royal Navy Rear Adm. Russell Harding said in Naples, Italy.

WASHINGTON - Military members would continue to earn wages in the event of an April 8 shutdown of the federal government, but they’d have to wait to collect them until Congress agrees on a budget.

BAGHDAD - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has arrived in Baghdad to visit U.S. troops and meet with Iraqi officials to discuss the importance of completing the formation of Iraq’s government as U.S. troops draw down.

WASHINGTON - Prospects for continued peace, economic growth and advancing security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region remain promising, Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard told a congressional committee.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates emerged from a 90-minute meeting with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, convinced that the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia is “in a good place.”

WASHINGTON - A NATO three-vehicle convoy was involved in an accident in Kabul that killed an Afghan civilian and wounded two others.

LAJES FIELD, Azores - Cynthia Burney retired as a chief master sergeant after 26 years in the Air Force, but continues to serve as a counselor an airman and family readiness center.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined other senior officials in praising the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), a nonprofit organization devoted to providing support to grieving military families of the fallen.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is meeting with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh to discuss bilateral military relations, progress in a major arms sale, recent unrest in the Middle East, and concerns about Iran.

WASHINGTON - The unrest in Libya and the coalition intervention there illustrates the dynamics of the African political and military environment, the commander of U.S. Africa Command told a congressional committee.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Command remains on schedule with the drawdown in Iraq and continued operations in Afghanistan, despite near monthly contingencies that challenge the focus of its operations, said Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, the command's top leader.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials believe that a government shutdown can be avoided, but they are making prudent plans for the military services and defense agencies in the event one does occur, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military will continue to stand squarely with Japan for as long as needed following the devastating earthquake, tsunami and radiological crisis, Navy Adm. Patrick M. Walsh, U.S. Pacific Fleet commander, said.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military demonstrated its global reach and effectiveness in the past month of crises after providing humanitarian aid to Japan and preventing a massacre in Benghazi, Libya, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki have agreed to create a joint common platform for their departments’ electronic medical records after years of planning and discussions.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan and coalition force killed several Taliban insurgents and detained several suspected insurgents in the Sayad district of Sar-e Pul province.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan Ministry of Defense and the U.S. task force charged with the rule of law mission in Afghanistan signed a memorandum of agreement that establishes a vocational training program for selected insurgents who agree to renounce the insurgency.

BAGHDAD - Air Force Staff Sgt. Carla Washington has plenty of room to stretch her legs, with 16-million square feet of flightline to patrol and 760 lights to check daily.

WASHINGTON - The five alleged co-conspirators in the 9/11 attack against the United States will be tried by a military tribunal, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has announced.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Philippine forces will kick off Balikatan, their annual bilateral training exercise in the Philippines, though in a scaled-down form.

WASHINGTON - Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa boarded the USS Ronald Reagan to thank U.S. service members for their help after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

WASHINGTON - The Veterans Affairs Department's fiscal 2012 budget request will aim to improve the delivery of services and benefits to veterans and make the VA more effective, said Deputy Veterans Affairs Secretary W. Scott Gould.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during a raid in the Zharay district of Kandahar province.

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Staff Sgt. Wesley Shealey wears two hats as a noncommissioned officer and as mayor of Combat Outpost Deh Yak in Ghazni province, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Service members in certain prefectures of Japan will receive monthly hardship duty pay effective April 1, Defense Department officials announced.

WASHINGTON - Respect for all service members is at the heart of training for the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law, said Clifford L. Stanley, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

WASHINGTON - A memorandum that took effect throughout the Defense Department in June is expected to have a major impact on efforts to identify and treat traumatic brain injuries in the combat theater faster and more systematically.

WASHINGTON - Military children continually rise to the challenges of military life and deserve the nation’s gratitude for doing so, Robert L. Gordon III, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy, wrote in a recent blog.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has a new use for an existing technology that could replace classroom learning with a 3-D experience.

WASHINGTON - Beginning June 1, Social Security numbers on military identification cards will begin to be replaced by Department of Defense identification numbers to protect cardholders from identity theft.

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. - A former Army tanker, Air Force Maj. Roy Bentley now pilots C-17 Globemaster III aircraft during air mobility missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed two armed insurgents and detained at least 10 others during clearing operations in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province.

WASHINGTON - Service members serving outside of the United States -- including those supporting operations in Libya and Japan -- will receive an automatic two-month tax filing extension this year.

WASHINGTON - Military children around the world will be honored throughout April for their contributions to their families’ well-being and sacrifices on behalf of the nation.

WASHINGTON - The United States and its military cannot be complacent, said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, noting, “If past is prologue, there will be challenges this century that we cannot imagine today.”

WASHINGTON - The coalition's mission to prevent Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi from massacring his people has been complete and successful, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told a Senate committee.