SINGAPORE - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called on U.S. allies in Asia to render more aid to bolster the fight in Afghanistan.

SINGAPORE - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates opened the “Shangri-La Dialogue” Asia security summit outlining broad security issues and promising continued support from the United States.

SINGAPORE - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the United States will not accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state and promised to defend U.S. allies in the region.

ARLINGTON, Va. - A new program that provides special pay for soldiers deploying past their end-of-service dates is set to take effect Sept. 1 for the National Guard.

WASHINGTON - As the Army continues to battle radical extremists in Iraq and Afghanistan, global trends and conditions portend the likelihood that “persistent conflict” will occur around the world for some years to come, the Army’s top military officer said.

WASHINGTON - Footage of a controversial U.S. aerial bombing in Afghanistan this month shows the strike targeted Taliban militants.

WASHINGTON - The nation’s computer network infrastructure will be defended as a national strategic asset under a plan President Barack Obama announced.

WASHINGTON - Army Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, chief of the Army Reserve, is focused on the bottom line as he spreads his message that reservists are a "return on investment" to military and civilian communities.

KABUL - Afghan soldiers, advised by coalition forces, killed 35 militants in Zabul province.

MOSUL, Iraq - A new operations center in Mosul, Iraq, is fostering better coordination between local and national police and the military.

SUFFOLK, Va. - More than 180 U.S. and foreign military and government representatives are scheduled to gather in McLean, Va., for a war game to test the Defense Department's recently revised Capstone Concept for Joint Operations.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE TORKHAM, Afghanistan - Representatives from the Afghan and Pakistani militaries are working with NATO forces to coordinate efforts to catch insurgents.

BAGHDAD - A 20-minute high-intensity workout is improving soldiers' strength and endurance.

BAGHDAD - Navy Cmdr. Duane G. Wolfe, a reservist who helped rebuild Iraq, was killed with two other servicemembers in a roadside bomb attack May 25.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates downplayed the swirling rhetoric surrounding North Korea and said he sees no need to adjust U.S. military forces levels in the region.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama’s decisions to grow the military, broaden the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and focus on 21st century threats are making America “increasingly safer,” the president’s national security advisor said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed more than 30 militants in two separate operations.

WASHINGTON - The United States government is using diplomacy and international pressure as it closely monitors the situation regarding North Korea’s recent nuclear device and missile tests, a senior Defense Department official said.

WASHINGTON - A Marine who returned home from his second deployment from Iraq knew that “something was definitely wrong” with him. He got help, and now he helps to encourage others to step forward.

CAMP BUCCA, Iraq - Airmen with the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron say they take pride in treating all of the 750 detainees in their charge with dignity and respect.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Staff members at three combat stress control centers throughout Iraq work to fight stress in a combat area — or at least to teach people how to manage it.

HONOLULU - Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, says he leads with the principles he grew up with: to treat everyone with respect.

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - A Navy seaman won every event of the Strongest Man competition May 16 at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, which included two hours of weightlifting challenges.

WASHINGTON - The troop-support group, Operation Gratitude, will receive $232,948 from Target from an online campaign.

WASHINGTON - A new Veterans Affairs Web site aims to strengthen the connection between college and university mental health professionals and veterans studying on their campuses.

WASHINGTON - Service, leadership and goals were the main themes of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' speech to graduates at his alma mater, Wichita East High School in Wichita, Kan.

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reiterated U.S. commitment to South Korea’s and Japan’s security in light of what she called North Korea’s “provocative and belligerent” activities and rhetoric.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is leaving for two days of security talks with defense counterparts and other senior officials at the annual Asia Security Summit.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced a three-year study of an advanced artificial arm that easily allows those with severe limb loss to pick up a key or hold a pencil.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden called upon the newest U.S. Air Force Academy graduates to shape a new history for the country in an ever-changing U.S. military and world.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama held up Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as an example for America to follow toward energy independence.

WASHINGTON - Closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and abandoning so-called enhanced interrogations helps U.S. efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

BAGHDAD - A successful soccer tournament in a Baghdad stadium is a signal of a return to normalcy.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed five suspects and detained 10 during operations across Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Southern Iraq is “a much better place to live and raise a family than it was a year ago,” due to strides in security, governance and essential services.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The upgraded Mk3 Husky -- the premier route-clearance vehicle used to protect soldiers in Iraq -- is being fielded in Afghanistan.

CAMP BLANDING JOINT TRAINING CENTER, Fla. - Soldiers and airmen in Florida are prepared their emergency response efforts for the hurricane season, which begins June 1.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Army reservist 1st Lt. Alex R. Chester III is using his civilian skills as an electrical and civil engineer to provide critical support services in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces killed 84 militants and detained 14 more in recent operations throughout Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - It will take time before U.S. and international officials can know with some certitude whether North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test.

WASHINGTON - ‘Fear-mongering’ is clouding the national debate about closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces detained four suspected insurgents and found weapons in recent operations in central Iraq, U.S. military officials reported.

BASRA, Iraq - When Brett Turner enlisted in the National Guard, his father, Army Lt. Col. Harold Turner, was able to swear in his son -- just not in person.

WASHINGTON - The American people have a responsibility to serve the troops as well as they serve the country, President Barack Obama said during his weekly radio address to the nation.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi air force graduated its first intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircrew members with help from a coalition Air Force team.

WASHINGTON - The 586th Air Expeditionary Group is one of three Air Force groups organized to complete joint expeditionary taskings and is contributing significantly to operations in Iraq and Kuwait, the group’s commander said.

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - One hundred and six soldiers, Marines and sailors from Mexico to Japan, celebrated their first Memorial Day as U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama hailed the willingness of U.S. military members to lay down their lives on behalf of their fellow citizens during the annual Memorial Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military’s top officer saluted servicemembers, wounded warriors and veterans at the 20th annual National Memorial Day Concert.

WASHINGTON - As part of his Memorial Day message, the military’s top officer asked the nation to remember U.S. troops and families for their sacrifices -- and called today's fighting force the "best we've ever had."

WASHINGTON - The president and the nation’s top military officer denounced North Korea's claim that it carried out a powerful underground nuclear test, much larger than previous such tests, to “bolster its nuclear deterrent for self-defense."

WASHINGTON - From parades to somber ceremonies and a moment of silence, Americans marked Memorial Day to recall the sacrifices of military members who paid the ultimate price for freedom.

WASHINGTON - Pam Crane sat peacefully in a patch of freshly mowed grass along a highway in the nation’s capital, remembering her husband, his patriotism and his cause. She overlooked a sea of motorcycles and bandana-wearing war veterans gathered in the Pentagon’s north parking lot for the 22nd Annual Rolling Thunder rally.

WASHINGTON - The detainee facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, should be closed, the Pentagon’s senior military officer said. He said the detention facility has served as a recruiting symbol for Islamic extremists to take up arms against the United States.

WASHINGTON - The full text of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., follows.

WEST POINT, N.Y., - Under the grey skies of West Point, the “Long Grey Line,” made up of a diverse and impressive group of graduating cadets, said goodbye to academic studies and turned their sights toward the business of soldiering.

WEST POINT, N.Y., - Before 970 cadets took the commissioning oath or "covers" tossed high overhead, graduating West Point cadets heard some praise and sage advice from their future boss.

BATH, Maine - It wasn’t the enormity of the sections of ship being welded together at Bath Iron Works here that impressed the defense secretary, but rather those stitching the hulking pieces together and the crews that would man the finished ships.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - There’s no responsibility in the military community more important than caring for families who have lost loved ones to war, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - As the world struggles to manage demands for energy, dwindling natural resources, a highly vulnerable environment and an economic downturn, the Navy is developing new technologies to reduce energy consumption at sea.

WASHINGTON - The next 12 to 18 months are critical to the success of the new Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy, a senior military official said.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Pageantry and tradition reined in Annapolis, Md., as 1,036 members of U.S. Naval Academy’s Class of 2009 raised their right hands and swore to protect and defend the United States and its Constitution.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces detained one suspect and seized a weapons cache during operations in Iraq this week.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan troops have killed nearly 50 militants, detained three and seized drugs in ongoing operations in Afghanistan this week.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has little choice in closing the military-run prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, because its name alone is a “taint” on U.S. war efforts, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today" show.

WASHINGTON - U.S. servicemembers are the key to America’s success in the world, President Barack Obama said at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed defense acquisition legislation that he said will increase government oversight, save taxpayer dollars and spend defense funding more efficiently.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force is taking a more critical eye in weighing the technological capabilities of new systems against their corresponding cost.

WASHINGTON - Understanding the bureaucracy and laws surrounding the defense acquisition process are key to its reform, a senior military official said.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - U.S. soldiers met with the commanders of the tactical support unit companies in Basra to discuss training.

FORT POLK, La. - The 1st Brigade Combat Team’s rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center on Fort Polk, La., proved that a day in “the box” is worth a month in Iraq, and notional events beget combat readiness.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Commanders from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility gathered to discuss regional security issues and possible solutions.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Spc. Francisco Rivera Gonzales was trained as a cavalry scout, but now takes pride in supplying troops on the front lines in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - As Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pushes to get deployed troops whatever they need to succeed and return home safely, the services are gearing up campaigns to reduce deaths at home during the summer vacation season.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, evoked the sacrifice of an airman recently killed in Afghanistan in his annual Memorial Day message to servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - More than 3,000 servicemembers officially kicked off the Memorial Day commemoration as they placed more than 250,000 miniature flags at every grave at Arlington National Cemetery.

NEW YORK - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates relayed the poignant and humorous stories of military heroes as he accepted the 2009 Intrepid Freedom Award.

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - Vice President Joe Biden offered heartfelt thanks to the troops at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, noting that their service gives them a rare opportunity to be able to tell future generations what it was like when the Balkans became part of a free Europe.

MANAMA, Bahrain - For the first time in more than 60 years, the Naval Support Activity Bahrain hosted an American aircraft carrier at its pierside - the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

WASHINGTON - The example the U.S. military sets can inspire people around the world, Vice President Joe Biden told servicemembers at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo.

WASHINGTON - A new Web-based National Guard program is helping military pilots and aircrews to “FlyAwake” and avoid aviation accidents.

MOSUL, Iraq - Iraqi police numbers rose by 1,000 this week with the latest graduation ceremony in Mosul.

WASHINGTON - What started as a White House tribute to the Super Bowl XVIII champion Pittsburgh Steelers turned the spotlight to wounded troops and their families.

WASHINGTON - Helping the Afghan and Pakistani governments defeat Taliban and al-Qaida insurgents is tied to U.S. national security interests, the Pentagon’s senior military officer told a U.S. Senate committee.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - When the 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers participated in sporting events during All-American Week at Fort Bragg, N.C., they knew that one day they might have to depend on their fellow players in combat.

PORT O’CONNOR, Texas - When a community along Texas' Gulf Coast decided to bring together civilians and combat veterans for a 'Warriors Weekend,' some 8,000 people, including 200 wounded soldiers, enjoyed more than just good fishing.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department's new "Real Warriors" campaign is encouraging combat veterans to seek mental health help by eliminating the stigma associated with treatment.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama vowed to protect the American people while staying true to American values because America's most potent weapon is its belief system.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan operations left 25 enemy fighters dead and seven in custody.

WASHINGTON - Authorities say they have foiled the second terrorist plot within a month, this time against an Air National Guard base and a synagogue and Jewish community center in New York.

WASHINGTON - An Air Force major recovered from injuries suffered in Afghanistan to complete 20 years of honorable service. "I wanted to finish what I started,” said Maj. Matthew Conlan.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Cpl. Ronald Clemente and two fellow reservists are promoting better living through development projects in the Kunar province.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi officials met with leaders of the “Sons of Iraq” civilian security group to discuss concerns about the program's progress.

WASHINGTON - Army Staff Sgt. Melissa K. Dion tried to nominate her mother for Operation Homefront’s Military Motherhood Award, but her mother had nominated her first.

WASHINGTON - In his annual Memorial Day message to U.S. troops worldwide, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urges the nation's men and women in uniform to observe a moment of silence on the holiday to honor their fallen comrades.

NEW DELHI - An officer based at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi is on the leading edge of the Navy’s new foreign area officer program.

WASHINGTON - The new strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan treats the area as an integrated theater of operations, said the Defense Department’s policy chief.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Of all the people who gathered to watch the 82nd Airborne Division kick off its annual celebration of its history, perhaps no one faced more obstacles to be there than Army Sgt. John Hoxie.

IRBIL, Iraq - Three new schools that provide new classroom space for nearly 2,500 children in northern Iraq were completed here recently, thanks to the efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division.

CHAKLALA, Pakistan - The kind of fast-action, humanitarian outreach used this week to help more than a million Pakistanis is exactly what the Air Force’s 3rd Airlift Squadron was trained to do.

WASHINGTON - The recently submitted $664 billion defense budget proposal for fiscal 2010 by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates can best be characterized as a “reform budget,” the Pentagon’s chief financial officer said.

WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. and French soldiers have been working with Afghan National Army observers in a new training program.

WASHINGTON - Army National Guardsman Maj. L. Tammy Duckworth, a wounded warrior herself, was sworn in as assistant secretary of veterans affairs for public and intergovernmental affairs.

WASHINGTON - Afghan army commandos, assisted by coalition forces, killed 18 enemy fighters and confiscated significant arms and drug caches in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has unveiled “DoDLive,” a centrally linked and unified platform from which services can create and maintain blogs about commands and units.

WASHINGTON - Characterizing it as a “reform budget,” Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates described for members of Congress the thinking underlying his recommendations for fiscal 2010 Pentagon spending.

WASHINGTON - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates spoke about ways to bring stability and security to the greater Middle East during a Pentagon meeting.

HONOLULU - Pacific Partnership 2009 four-month humanitarian mission will begin as scheduled next month, led by the USNS Richard because a sailor aboard the USS Dubuque, which was to lead the mission, was confirmed to have the H1N1 flu virus.

WASHINGTON - Two Air Force C-17 airlifters have begun delivering humanitarian aid to internally displaced people in Pakistan’s northwestern provinces, according to the chief U.S. defense representative.

WASHINGTON - Military wife and author Melissa Seligman has created a podcast to give military spouses an outlet to voice feelings unique to those married to the military.

KABUL - A large number of Taliban fighters consolidated in the homes of villagers in Afghanstan's Farah province during a May 4 firefight in which multiple civilians were reported killed, an investigation shows.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates helped to dedicate a Pentagon corridor that recognizes the efforts of America’s men and women in uniform to bring hope to people in need of help around the world.

BANGKOK - Members of the Washington National Guard are working to help first responders in Thailand build up their own domestic response abilities in a unique partnership program.

WASHINGTON - A group of California high school seniors reading about efforts to bring education to Afghanistan and Pakistan, spoke with an Army colonel who helped build schools in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The United States has pledged more than $100 million worth of humanitarian aid to relieve Pakistan as it wages battle against extremists inside its borders, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said.

WASHINGTON - The United States fully supports Pakistani operations against the Taliban and other terror groups, a senior Defense Department spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - It’s ironic that as Iranian leaders continue to arm insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, they accuse the United States of destabilizing Iran, a senior Defense Department spokesman said.

CAMP ATTERBURY Ind. - As the new tornado season approaches, leaders at Camp Atterbury, Ind., are offering tips on what helped them survive a tornado last year.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Central Command quoted President Theodore Roosevelt during a speech at the Virginia Military Institute, reminding the 249 new graduates that the best prize life offers is "the chance to work hard at work worth doing."

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces detained a suspect and seized weapons in Iraq, and a U.S. commander refuted charges against American troops in the past three days, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces killed seven militants and detained another during operations in Afghanistan over the past two days, military officials said.

CEDAR BLUFF, Va. - About 30 soldiers from the Virginia National Guard’s 1033rd Engineer Company will assist with West Virginia's flood recovery operations.

TIKRIT, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi soldiers played a friendly soccer game in Kirkuk after U.S. soldiers presented awards to nine Iraqi police officers for a job well done.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - For warriors who know how heavy the battlefield burden can feel, one of the reinforcements all branches of service count on is the chaplain.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - A new vehicle patrol base and observation post in northeastern Afghanistan provides additional security to the road and villages of the area near the Pakistan border in Afghanistan’s Kunar province.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff identified increasing Middle East security, revitalizing U.S. forces and focusing on global challenges as his top priorities in remarks at the Brookings Institution.

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - The Air Force men’s team and the Navy women’s team won gold medals in the 22nd annual Armed Forces Basketball Championship at the Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tenn.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard can expect new peacekeeping roles in Afghanistan and Iraq, similar to the service's role in Kosovo.

WASHINGTON - Pakistan’s uncertainty about the outcome of the war in neighboring Afghanistan motivates its intelligence service to keep ties to the Taliban as a strategic hedge, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is funding research to help warfighters learn and adapt to the social and cultural norms in their deployment areas and develop cross-cultural skills.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is ready to send aid to help the internally displaced people in Pakistan, a senior official said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed an insurgent and detained 18 others during recent operations in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi and coalition forces found a weapons cache and detained six suspects in operations in Iraq the week of May 11.

WASHINGTON - A North American Aerospace Defense Command exercise to test the aerospace defense capabilities in the national capital area has been rescheduled for May 19-20.

KABUL - The Afghan National Army’s top leaders convened in Kabul with the army's elite commando brigade and kandaks -- battalion-size units -- in what was the first meeting of the two groups.

HONOLULU - The three major tenets of the U.S. Pacific Command strategy – partnership, readiness and presence – are having a powerful impact in bringing together the joint, interagency and international capabilities required to promote regional stability, the top commander says.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - Iraqi National Police, working with Pennsylvania National Guardsmen, distributed more than five truckloads of food and supplies to needy women in the Taji area.

BAGHDAD - A father and son serving together in Multinational Division Baghdad on Camp Liberty, Iraq, epitomize their family’s five generations of service.

NESHANIK STATION, N.J. - Mike Corrado, a Marine recording artist, is one of the headliners in Rolling Thunder’s “Saluting the Troops” program in Washington, D.C., May 23.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Five military families with children who have a parent buried in Arlington National Cemetery received copies of a new book published to help people like them cope with their loss during a ceremony at the cemetery.

WASHINGTON - The Afghan national army could lead operations in Afghanistan in two to four years, with the U.S. playing a support role, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a "60 Minutes" television interview.

LA SPEZIA, Italy - The Iraqi navy reached a critical milestone by receiving its first patrol ship from an Italian shipbuilder.

BAGHDAD - Iraq’s Interior Ministry held its third and final conference to review accomplishments under its 2008 annual plan, and a senior official said 80 percent of the plan’s goals were met.

WASHINGTON - The works screened at the GI Film Festival, the only American cinema expo dedicated to honoring U.S. troops, represent a view of the military that goes beyond the usual Hollywood fare.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama moved a step closer toward reforming and reviving the military commissions that have been stalled since the change in administrations.

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps is lean and built for a fight, including the scrutiny of the upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review, the service's commandant said.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Villagers in a remote area along the Pakistan border celebrated the recent opening of a school for boys and girls, as well as other coalition improvements, and vowed to protect it from insurgents.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Marines and Iraqi police uncovered several weapons caches near Karmah, Iraq.

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. - The first Air National Guard officer to serve with the Air Force Thunderbirds retains his childhood excitement for airplanes, even now as a commander of the nation’s premiere F-16 squadron.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has turned to a group of senior executive business leaders to review its newest system of hiring and compensation.

WASHINGTON - For the last five years, a California-based troop-support group has met monthly to pack civilian care packages and write letters of support to send to deployed troops.

WASHINGTON - Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a statement released in support of Armed Forces Day that today’s military is “as united in common purpose, spirit and understanding” as he has ever seen.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force announced that Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, is the preferred alternative for the permanent location of 24th Air Force, which will focus on the service's cyber mission.

NORTH ISLAND, Calif. - The wife of the vice president spoke with military family members and support group representatives at the Island Club on Naval Air Station North Island.

SAN DIEGO - The vice president and his wife visited USS Ronald Reagan as part of a familiarization tour of naval facilities in southern California.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama signed and issued a proclamation designating May 16 as Armed Forces Day. He said the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coastguardsmen "who have answered the call to service deserve recognition and gratitude."

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The defense department’s budget and acquisition reform efforts represent a dramatic, and needed, departure from the past, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden announced the Defense Department’s plan to expand its housing assistance program with $555 million devoted to servicemembers forced to sell their homes at a loss.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force has made tough choices and some prudent trade-offs to balance the service across the spectrum of capabilities needed for the future, Air Force leaders said.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Afghanistan’s health care system has made “remarkable” advances, but clearly defining its capabilities is an important factor for further improvements.

WASHINGTON - Without success in Pakistan, efforts to rid both it and Afghanistan of the Taliban will be significantly harder, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - U.S. troops and Afghan civilians practiced force protection and emergency interoperability.

NEW DELHI - The senior U.S. commander in the Pacific shared with Indian government and military leaders the importance of the U.S.-Indian military relationship in furthering peace and stability in a challenging neighborhood.

BAGHDAD - An element of Iraqi special operations forces rescued an 8-year-old kidnap victim being held for ransom in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - The tragedy on Camp Liberty, Iraq, in which a soldier being treated for stress has been charged with killing five fellow troops, highlights the need for the Army's efforts to make mental health as important as physical health, the service’s top officer said.

ABOARD USS GETTYSBURG AT SEA - Ships from Combined Task Force 151 have prevented a piracy attack in the Gulf of Aden, apprehending more than a dozen suspected pirates aboard an alleged "mothership."

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - Air Force Capt. Charlotta Blalock maintains a rigorous diet and fitness regime as an amateur figure competitor, even while traveling 20 days a month as an aide-de-camp.

BAGHDAD - The refurbishment and expansion of a Baghdad maternity hospital is a sign of friendship between the Americans and Iraqis who made it happen.

WASHINGTON - The presidential nominee for assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and Americas' security affairs said he welcomes the opportunity to strengthen government partnerships at all levels.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates stands behind President Barack Obama’s decision to fight releasing hundreds of photos of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior Pentagon spokesman said.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Army National Guard is working to help soldiers returning from deployment to handle mental health issues.

WASHINGTON - Less than halfway into a four-month deployment, personnel involved in Operation Continuing Promise 2009 already have treated more than 25,000 patients from three countries.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A greatly changed global security environment makes it imperative for the United States to field balanced military forces, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said.

KIRKUK, Iraq - Provincial police representatives in Iraq’s Kirkuk province are working with Christian leaders in Kirkuk city to address concerns about increased violence against the Christian minority there.

WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. soldiers have launched a new program to increase security and empower residents to play a larger role in protecting their villages.

WASHINGTON - The North American Aerospace Defense Command is planning to conduct an exercise over the nation’s capital and its suburbs May 15, Defense Department officials announced.

WASHINGTON - The Army is getting operational needs and long-term requirements back in balance despite current demands on the force.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama’s nominee to be assistant to the secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs said he agrees with a recent report on future opportunities for the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program.

WASHINGTON - Enemy fighters fired rockets at two forward operating bases in southeastern Afghanistan overnight, and combined Afghan and coalition forces killed or captured several insurgents in various operations, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed the details of the proposed $534 billion defense budget for fiscal 2010 during a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Afghan forces killed eight insurgents and repelled a complex suicide attack May 11 on government buildings in Khost, the capital of the eastern Afghanistan province of the same name.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials released the names of four soldiers killed in a shooting at a combat stress clinic at Camp Liberty, Iraq on May 11.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - With piracy generating big news in the Gulf of Aden, a far-less-recognized multilateral partnership has brought pirates’ swashbuckling days to a virtual halt in the strategic Strait of Malacca, according to the head of U.S. Pacific Command.

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan - A simple idea earned $10,000 for Air Force Staff Sgt. Jerome Latham, an engine maintainer serving in Japan. And as a bonus, his suggestion saved the service thousands more.

WASHINGTON - The Army is leading a collaboration with the Energy Department and other agencies, industry and academia to develop the “holy grail” of power technology: an inexpensive, lightweight and reliable battery.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Security experts from inside and outside the Pentagon soon will test out predictions on what the U.S. military will look like and how it will operate in coming years, a senior U.S. military officer with Joint Forces Command said.

WASHINGTON - Military officials in Baghdad have identified a soldier who has been charged with killing five of his comrades at a combat stress center at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama nominated Navy Adm. James Stavridis to serve as NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe and as commander U.S. European Command, Pentagon officials said.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Army will require a different type of leader in the fight against terrorism and irregular warfare.

WASHINGTON - The United States can be a more reliable partner with African nations if U.S. Africa Command devotes constant attention to the continent.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Military provisions have come a long way from C-rations packed in tin cans, thanks to changes at the Defense Logistics Agency’s Defense Supply Center Philadelphia.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The U.S. military requires a new, grand strategy to address today’s complex security threats as well as tomorrow’s challenges.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Members of the Guard and Reserve are being encouraged to bring their civilian employers with them to the 2009 U.S. Army Soldier Show through outreach by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

WASHINGTON - Military recruitment and retention is likely to remain strong, despite an $800 million cut in the proposed fiscal 2010 defense budget, a senior Defense Department official said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces captured two drug traffickers, seized about a half ton of opium, and captured three other suspects in separate incidents.

EN ROUTE TO DENVER - Tattoos on the arm of a 22-year-old soldier tell the story of his past as he prepares for his future as one of the 21,000 additional troops going to Afghanistan as part of a new military strategy in the area.

BAGHDAD - A partnership among the local government, Iraqi security forces and U.S. soldiers has given citizens of northwestern Baghdad’s Hurriyah neighborhood an improved community.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Members of the New York Air National Guard's106th Rescue Wing were ready to respond to the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis, which reached orbit for NASA’s final visit to refurbish and restore the Hubble Space Telescope.

WASHINGTON - Iraq’s Interior Ministry is a “learning organization” that understands the need to build Iraqis’ confidence in their police force, a coalition advisor said.

BAGHDAD - Army Sgt. Anne M. Mitchell misses her children in Montana while she’s deployed in Iraq, but those who serve with her say she brings her mothering instincts to their unit.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military denies using white phosphorous during recent fighting with Taliban militants, and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said American and Afghan officials will further investigate the recent Western Afghanistan battle.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said his administration “will press to ensure that we fully understand” what led to the shooting of five U.S. servicemembers, allegedly by a U.S. soldier, on a U.S. military base in Iraq.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The National Guard is helping with relief efforts in Kentucky, West Virginia and Alaska to combat spring flooding resulting from adverse weather.

WASHINGTON - Citing the need for new thinking and new ideas in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has recommended President Barack Obama nominate Army Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the new commander of NATO and U.S. forces there.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the Defense Department will devote its “highest-priority attention” to the slaying of five U.S. servicemembers in Baghdad. The U.S. military has in custody an American soldier suspected of involvement in the shooting deaths that occurred at Camp Liberty in the Iraqi capital.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A coalition Special Operations team in southern Afghanistan rescued and treated 19 civilians after a suicide bomb attack in a bazaar.

WASHINGTON - All 10 active-duty and reserve military components met or exceeded their recruiting goals in April, Defense Department officials announced.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates recommended Army Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal to replace Army Gen. David D. McKiernan as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, citing the need for fresh leadership as the U.S. takes a new approach to the region.

KABUL - Afghan and coalition forces killed one militant and detained seven suspects, disrupting Taliban networks in eastern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces detained one suspect and uncovered a weapons cache in recent operations, military officials said.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - Eighty-six soldiers and civilians stationed on Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, and National Guard soldiers in Minnesota "joined" together in the 12th Annual Bataan Memorial March.

KAPISA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Students at a decrepit school in Afghanistan will use a temporary shelter until their new school is built.

WASHINGTON - An American soldier suspected of involvement in the shooting deaths of five U.S. servicemembers in Baghdad is in U.S. custody, defense officials said.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The top U.S. general in Southern Afghanistan said he’s “unapologetically optimistic” about the difference incoming U.S. troops will make.

WASHINGTON - Taliban operatives shaking down villages for money appear to have forced civilians to remain in buildings that were bombed in the course of a long May 4 firefight, the commander of U.S. Central Command said.

WASHINGTON - Pakistani leadership is united in opposing the Taliban occupation of the Swat Valley, the chief of U.S. Central Command said.

WASHINGTON - The director of the White House Military Office has submitted his resignation in the wake of an April 27 aerial photo shoot with a presidential aircraft over New York City.

WASHINGTON - From an overall perspective, security in Iraq remains improved, the Multinational Force Iraq commander said during a Pentagon briefing.

WASHINGTON - Elite Afghan National Army commandos recently spent 48 hours conducting operations alongside their coalition brothers-in-arms in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, ensuring military access in an insurgent stronghold.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama signed and issued a proclamation designating Military Spouse Day.

WASHINGTON - Five military spouses, selected from among 650 nominees, received recognition for their valued service to the nation from Military Spouse Magazine readers.

BAGHDAD - Soldiers with the 46th Engineer Combat Battalion, 225th Engineer Brigade have turned a set of high-rise offices in Baghdad into apartments for soldiers' housing.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Army Col. (Dr.) Kathryn L. Hall-Boyer is doing her part to provide medical treatment to women and children in Afghanistan, which has one of the highest death rates for mothers in the world.

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited the only battalion-sized U.S. unit operating in the southern Afghanistan province of Kandahar.

WASHINGTON - Afghan forces, advised by coalition forces, confiscated 600 pounds of opium and killed seven armed militants last night during operations in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

CAMP VIRGINIA, Kuwait - Staff Sgt. Robert I. Johnson and Sgt. Tracey R. Johnson, twin brothers from Louisiana, have found ways to spend time together while both serve in the Marine Corps.

JALALABAD AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - An agribusiness development team from the Kansas National Guard is working to jump-start the agricultural economy in Afghanistan's Laghman province.

WASHINGTON - Military children of wounded or fallen troops will be able to catch a wave this summer, thanks to Freedom Is Not Free, a California-based troop-support group hosting a surf camp for kids.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE AIRBORNE, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wrapped up a two-day visit to Afghanistan, telling reporters he’s optimistic about efforts under way and the initiatives he pushed to support them – and that he’s ready to go back to Washington with a “to do” list to continue the momentum.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE AIRBORNE, Afghanistan - Afghan leaders, special operators and 10th Mountain Division soldiers gave Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates their stamp of approval on a new program that’s getting local Afghans to help build security in their communities.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE AIRBORNE, Afghanistan - During his last stop on a whirlwind visit to Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates brought encouragement and assurance of support to 10th Mountain Division soldiers.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE AIRBORNE, Afghanistan - History provides an important lesson on the perils of ignoring Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said as he visited a remote site in Afghanistan's Wardak province.

WASHINGTON - Tanya Queiro, a former Marine Corps noncommissioned officer who described military service as a lifestyle, was named the 2009 Military Spouse of the Year at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama was surprised to learn that most military families feel their struggles often go unnoticed, she said in an interview with The Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon budget experts unveiled the Defense Department budget request, describing Secretary Robert M. Gates’ recommendations as a “reform budget.”

WASHINGTON - After three combat deployments over more than 19 consecutive months, Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys will begin a global tour with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates held a lively question-and-answer session with Marines in southern Afghanistan, responding to everything from deployment lengths to military operations.

KABUL - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited two remote outposts in Afghanistan that will accommodate incoming troops and thanked the soldiers for providing the security foundation needed for the Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy to succeed.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces swept up weapons and insurgents during three days of operations in Iraq this week, military officials said.

WASHINGTON - About 40 Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard crews and aerial firefighters are participating in a week-long annual certification hosted by the U.S. Forest Service to be qualified and prepared to fight forest fires at a moment’s notice.

WASHINGTON - The United States, coalition and Afghan government regret even one innocent civilian death, and they will continue to do all they can to avoid civilian casualties, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a visit to Kabul.

WASHINGTON - The Taliban “overreached” in their offensive in Pakistan’s Buner district, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in Kabul.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials want to increase acquisition jobs by 20,000 over the next five years, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Army Secretary Pete Geren marked the Army's Mental Health Month of May by visiting soldiers assigned to the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Jackson, S.C., to discuss mental health issues.

IRBIL, Iraq - A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers division is working with emergency room doctors to design a new hospital in Iraq.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - Army Sgt. 1st Class Angela Amundson is preparing Mother's Day moments for fellow mothers in uniform in Iraq -- but misses her own traditions with her children.

WASHINGTON - Critical dual-use items needed for both domestic and overseas missions are a top priority for the National Guard.

WASHINGTON - Providing better lives for future generations was the predominant theme as the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan met with President Barack Obama at the White House.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military, which is tracking the path of the H1N1 influenza virus, has prepared for years to confront a public health challenge like this, a senior Defense Department official said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said he is encouraged by the spirit of cooperation between the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan as the two nations confront the common threat from extremists.

WASHINGTON - The presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan vowed during meetings at the U.S. State Department to work closely together to defeat the common threat to both countries: a resurgent Taliban.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Defense Education Activity's 2009 Teacher of the Year is readying content and design from more than 400 educators to launch a virtual learning community.

KABUL - U.S. and Afghan officials in Kabul have launched an investigation into a May 4 engagement in Afghanistan’s Farah province to determine the validity of claims of high civilian casualties.

WASHINGTON - Five members of the U.S. military are among the finalists for the White House fellowship program, the nation's most prestigious program for leadership and public service.

KABUL - The new U.S. Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy, with more troops, opens a window of opportunity to break a security “stalemate,” the senior coalition military official in Afghanistan said.

GROTON, Conn. - National Guard civil support teams from throughout New York, New Jersey and New England are participating in CONN-EX 09 to practice responses with federal, state and local agencies to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction.

WASHINGTON - America’s gratitude inspires the members of its armed forces, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a message he issued to commemorate May as National Military Appreciation Month.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GARDEZ, Afghanistan - Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Began has brought a little culture to Forward Operating Base Gardez while minding its Exchange Service store.

TAJI, Iraq - Pennsylvania Army National Guard soldiers and their Iraqi counterparts have been hitting the streets to maintain security in Taji Market.

KABUL - Afghan and coalition forces detained six suspected militants in Afghanistan’s Logar province.

KABUL - Expansion efforts are well under way in southern Afghanistan, where most of the 21,000 troops deploying to the country this summer will be concentrated.

WASHINGTON - Former North Carolina governors Jim Martin and Jim Hunt have been named as honorary co-chairs of the North Carolina Heroes Fund Statewide Advisory Board.

KABUL - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in Kabul after visits to Egypt and Saudi Arabia for a surprise visit to assess operations.

ESKAN VILLAGE, Saudi Arabia - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called the mentorship that U.S. forces are providing the Saudi Arabian military a key factor in maintaining stability in the region.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military will continue its efforts to help thwart acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia, but merchant-ship-supplied security is the best short-term defense, a senior Defense Department official told Capitol Hill legislators.

WASHINGTON - The United States’ maritime supremacy allows the Defense Department to slow production of sea-based defense systems and shift money to boost unconventional warfare capabilities, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.

WASHINGTON - JetBlue airlines is offering active duty military personnel $1 fares for domestic, nonstop flights, for a limited time in honor of National Military Appreciation Month.

WASHINGTON - A recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning to consumers has prompted military exchanges to remove the diet supplement Hydroxycut from store shelves, officials say.

WASHINGTON - Leading-edge software technology being developed by the military and NASA is proving 98 percent effective in eliminating aircraft crashes, a NASA test flight director said.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has issued a message to servicemembers and their families around the world, commemorating May 8 as Military Spouse Appreciation Day.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - Army Staff Sgt. Melodie A. Hunt and her sister, Army Pfc. Mallorie A. Hunt, serve in different units and are 12 years apart. But the North Carolina natives find deployment in Iraq is easier with family.

WASHINGTON - Chinese fishing vessels closed in on and maneuvered near the USNS Victorious in international waters in the Yellow Sea, Pentagon officials reported.

CAIRO - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised Egypt as a key U.S. ally during a trip to the Middle East and said progress on a wide range of security issues in the region will require Egypt’s “full participation and leadership.”

BAGHDAD - The quality of life for residents of Abu Ghraib is steadily improving thanks to the efforts of an Army sergeant who oversees construction work.

WASHINGTON - Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the severity and reach of the H1N1 flu virus is encouraging, the secretary of homeland security said.

CAIRO - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates emphasized on the first day of his trip to the Middle East that the United States will keep its Arab allies informed of any talks it enters into with Iran.

WASHINGTON - Getting the defense budget right for servicemembers and their families will be the measure of success, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - Sixty years after its inception, NATO remains committed to helping to shape the security environment, the alliance’s chief of staff said.

WASHINGTON - A report broadcast by the Arab news network Al Jazeera about U.S. servicemembers trying to convert others to a different religion, a practice known as proselytizing, in Afghanistan, is just plain wrong, U.S. defense leaders said.

KABUL - Coalition and Afghan Special Operations medical personnel are working to provide medical assistance for the people of Shindand district in Afghanistan's western province of Herat.

WASHINGTON - U.S. forces have brought Iraqis closer to managing their communications frequencies, information security and automotive maintenance.

WASHINGTON - The type of “hybrid warfare” that defense experts predict the United States is increasingly likely to face will pull the military in two directions, the Defense Department’s top policy official said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan commandos, advised by coalition forces, killed 19 militants during operations in Helgal Valley in the Shakail Shatel district of Afghanistan’s Kunar province.

WASHINGTON - U.S. forces captured two suspected terrorists during operations in Baghdad.

FORT KNOX, Ky. - A drill sergeant with two Iraq tours under his belt continued to show his mettle in the Senior Leaders Course on Fort Gordon, Ga.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military strategic focus is shifting from Iraq to Afghanistan even though U.S. troop presence continues in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Wounded warriors will get a chance to compete in sports while working toward their rehabilitation when the Warrior Transition Battalion on Fort Lewis, Wash., hosts a Paralympics Military Regional Sports Camp.

EN ROUTE TO CAIRO - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is traveling to Egypt and Saudi Arabia for sessions aimed at reaffirming ties with the important regional powers that both have strong military-to-military relationships with the United States.

WASHINGTON - The recent push by Taliban forces to take more ground in Pakistan has served as a wake-up call for the government there, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - The name of an American serviceman who died as a result of wounds suffered in combat in the Vietnam War will be inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

WASHINGTON - In an effort to ensure the public stays up to date on the latest news and information on the H1N1 flu outbreak, White House officals are employing such new media Web and social networking tools as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

WASHINGTON - The outbreak of H1N1 flu "is a cause for concern, but not alarm," President Barack Obama said after meeting with his Cabinet.

WASHINGTON - Senior military health officials are warning against taking antiviral medicines to fight the H1N1 flu virus until a doctor has confirmed the diagnosis because “everything that looks like flu is not flu."

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama welcomed two dozen American servicemembers as newly naturalized citizens of the United States at a White House ceremony.

GARMISH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - The focus on civil matters as well as security that is part of the new U.S. strategy in Afghanistan strengthens the reconstruction mission that has been the focus of Germany’s efforts there, German Defense Minister Franz-Josef Jung told students at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.

WASHINGTON - The al-Qaida terrorist network and its affiliate members continue to pose the greatest danger to the United States and its allies, a senior U.S. State Department official says.

WASHINGTON - Acting on a warrant, coalition advisors operating with Iraq’s 4th Emergency Response Battalion in Tikrit, Iraq, killed two suspected terrorists while attempting to arrest them.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed 15 militants, wounded 12 others and detained one in the Arghandab district of Afghanistan’s Zabol province after their convoy came under attack.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers and veterans who enroll in the new Post-9/11 GI Bill will be able to attend some of the country’s most prestigious – and high-cost –universities, thanks to a new program that’s gaining momentum in academic circles.

WASHINGTON - The Pakistani government finally is beginning to respond to the threat that Taliban extremists pose inside the country, the secretaries of State and Defense told the Senate Appropriations Committee.

WASHINGTON - Walter Reed Army Medical Center opened 100 years ago with 80 beds at a time of U.S. peace. Today, it is one of the world's busiest and most innovative military medical facilities.

CAMP AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - Cpl. Susy H. Aguilar was a California city girl when she became the first in her family to join the Marines. But that was only the first step in many that would surprise those around her.