WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama called on the nation during a Memorial Day address at Joint Base Andrews, Md., to honor the legacy of its fallen warriors and to live lives worthy of their sacrifices.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama visited gravestones at the Lincoln Cemetery near Chicago, but when torrential rains cancelled his prepared Memorial Day remarks, paid a stop at a newly opened Fisher House.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, hailed the unselfish service and sacrifices of past and present generations of U.S. servicemembers during the annual Memorial Day observance held at Arlington National Cemetery.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Multinational troops converged in front of a command building on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, to see officials unveil an I-beam segment from the World Trade Center during a Memorial Day ceremony.

WASHINGTON - The military will continue to support the effort to cap and mitigate the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but it does not have the technical expertise to take over the operation, the nation’s top military officer said.

WASHINGTON - It’s of vital importance that the Pentagon gain input from servicemembers and military families on their views about the repeal of the so-called “don’t ask, don’t tell” law, said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

CARTHAGE, Tunisia - Memorial Day observances will honor the 2,841 Americans buried in the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial in Carthage, Tunisia, as well as thousands more who gave their lives in the North Africa campaigns of World War II that laid the bloody groundwork for the Allied liberation of Europe.

WASHINGTON - Memorial Day is a time for Americans to remember and honor the ultimate sacrifices made by past and present generations of U.S. servicemembers, President Barack Obama said during his weekly address to the nation.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama promised to veto any legislation that includes funding for an alternate engine for the F-35 joint strike fighter or more C-17 cargo jets, expressing his “strong support” for Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ budget-reform effort.

WASHINGTON - During a seminar offering resources for survivors of fallen servicemembers, U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pledged his ongoing support for the families.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The new U.S. National Security Strategy recognizes that America’s strength is based on all elements of national power, and the power of its example to the world, Vice President Joe Biden told the U.S. Naval Academy's 2010 graduating class.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Vice President Joe Biden praised the U.S. Naval Academy’s graduating class for stepping forward to serve something bigger than themselves and challenged them to become leaders who inspire others.

WASHINGTON - Memorial Day honors the generations of military heroes who'd fought and died to maintain America's freedoms, as well as the sacrifices of their family members and children left behind.

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps is conducting reliability tests on its latest expeditionary fighting vehicle prototypes.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told troops worldwide that any repeal of the so-called “don’t ask don’t tell” law will be delayed until the president and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff all can certify the department is ready to make the change without hurting unit cohesion, military readiness, effectiveness, recruiting and retention.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested four terrorism suspects during three combined operations conducted with U.S. advisors.

WASHINGTON - The new U.S. National Security Strategy is one of renewal and global leadership that advances U.S. interests by shaping a more peaceful and more prosperous world, President Barack Obama’s national security advisor said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan soldiers, supported by International Security Assistance Force troops, have completed a clearing operation aimed at disrupting insurgent presence north of Heart in Badghis province

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Marine Corps Pfc. Duy Trinh, a native of Vietnam, said he's motivated to serve his adopted country as an engineer equipment mechanic.

FORT POLK, La. - Civilian role players, many from the Middle East, serve as an important feature in the training the Joint Readiness Training Center offers units preparing for deployments to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The United States and Japan agreed to relocate a controversial U.S.base to a less densely populated area on the island of Okinawa.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with members of the 3rd. Infantry, The Old Guard, at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., as they finished placing American flags on each of the graves in Section 60.

WASHINGTON - The nation’s top military officer and his wife were singled out for their ongoing commitment to families of fallen servicemembers at the U.S. Capitol building.

WASHINGTON - The Obama Administration has instituted a “whole-of-government” approach within the new National Security Strategy presented to Congress.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, returned to the Annapolis, Md. high school his sons had graduated, to encourage this year’s graduating class to take risks, push the envelope and be willing to fail in the quest for ever-higher goals.

WASHINGTON - An agreement to send hundreds of additional National Guardsmen to the southwestern U.S. border is one part of a comprehensive approach needed for immigration reform, said President Barack Obama.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces arrested five terrorism suspects in combined operations with U.S. advisors.

WASHINGTON - Upcoming U.S.-South Korean military training exercises are part of "strong measures" to address North Korea's sinking of a South Korean frigate and help stabilize tensions, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Cyberspace “will change how we fight” in the next 20 years, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the U.S. Air Force Academy graduating class in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military lawyers are working with Afghanistan's interior and defense ministries as they work to develop rule-of-law infrastructure.

BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana Army National Guard rotary-wing aviators are working hard in ongoing response efforts to clean up oil in the Gulf of Mexico after the April 20 oil rig explosion.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Combined Afghan-international security forces detained several suspected insurgents in eastern and southern Afghanistan.

GARDEZ, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Vermont Army National Guard Sgt. Theodore Sweet uses his innovative welding skills to produce life-saving devices for soldiers in the field.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, tells young graduates from the military service academies that duty, loyalty, integrity, courage and job knowledge are among the key factors that determine good leadership.

FORT POLK, La. - For the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team, Army Spc. Kevin Pemberton is the bane of their existence. He plays the role of an insurgent.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he’s comfortable with proposed legislation seeking to repeal the law banning gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. - The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have pointed to the importance of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, and Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III thanked airmen at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., who provide much of that data.

OMAHA, Neb. - A new task force will look for ways to skyrocket the pace of procurement of information systems out of the industrial age, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III told those attending the U.S. Strategic Command Cyberspace Symposium.

WASHINGTON - From camps to golf clinics to acclaimed museums, military children have an abundance of free summer programs to choose from this year.

WASHINGTON - With U.S. and NATO forces on the verge of major operations in Kandahar, a top commander underscored the complexity of their charge.

WASHINGTON - As the Afghan army rapidly approaches a 171,000-troop level this year, the force’s top-ranking uniformed leader is tackling growing pains with help from an U.S. Army advisor.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, hosted a poolside barbeque dinner for about 50 wounded warriors and their families at the U.S. Naval Observatory.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The National Guards of several states are closely watching Louisiana and are prepared to assist in its oil spill operations if needed.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, today challenged the Air Force Academy’s graduating class to embrace a sense of duty and build on the lessons they learned as they become tomorrow’s leaders.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - Army Spc. Scott D. Warren, who deployed to Iraq with the New York National Guard's 206th Military Police Company, is a descendant of a Revolutionary War general.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan-international security force captured a Taliban operations facilitator and other suspected militants in southeastern Afghanistan.

FORT POLK, La. - Trainer/mentors at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., are providing lessons-learned to soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team that’s preparing to deploy to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - North Korea was at the heart of discussions that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa held at the Pentagon. Another topic was the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Replacement Facility.

WASHINGTON - The federal workplace has to adapt to a looming personnel issue of "Baby Boomer" retirements that federal managers ignore at the country’s peril, the Defense Department's deputy chief information officer said.

WASHINGTON - The Army celebrated its recent reaching of 1 million hours of unmanned flight with an aircraft display and news conference at the Pentagon’s courtyard.

WASHINGTON - The Navy needs the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter’s fifth-generation capabilities including stealth, and advanced sensor and data fusion.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised outgoing Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad W. Allen for his close working relationship with the military.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government fully supports South Korea's response to the sinking of a frigate by North Korea in March that killed 46 sailors, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in Beijing.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates can accept a proposed congressional amendment overturning the ban on gay men and lesbians serving in the military, but would prefer that lawmakers wait until the department completes a review to assess its full impact, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan-international security force killed a key al-Qaida leader and several other enemy fighters in a fierce gun battle in Paktia province.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin Clark's strong work ethic and positive attitude pays dividends at his staff office job with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain.

FORT POLK, La. - Realistic scenarios at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La., are preparing the 101st Airborne Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team for duty in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Gulf of Mexico oil spill could soon reach levels on par with the 250,000 barrels of crude oil lost in the 1989 Exxon Valdez tanker spill, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has nominated Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, to head U.S. Joint Forces Command, based in Norfold, Va. Odierno was the operational architect of the U.S. troop surge in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force's top enlisted airman is working to improve the quality of life for airmen and their families, making suicide prevention a top priority.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. and South Korean militaries will undergo two new training exercises in light of last week’s finding that North Korea sank a South Korean navy ship killing 46 sailors.

WASHINGTON - Active duty servicemembers and their families will gain free access to museums throughout the nation this summer, thanks to a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces captured a Taliban commander in Kandahar, Afghanistan, the second Taliban leader seized in the region in recent days.

MANAMA, Bahrain - The USS McFaul located the pirated M/V Iceberg I off the coast of Somalia with up to 50 pirates and more than 20 crew members on board.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan - After 21 years of service, Marine Corps Master Sgts. Richard and Sabrina Bryan ended their careers at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, where they began dating 12 years ago.

FORT POLK, La. - The 101st Airborne Division's "Currahee" brigade will be operating under a sense of deja vu when it returns to an area of Afghanistan where it served before and where the soldiers' Afghan counterparts still know their names.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, praised Saudi Arabia’s religious leaders for taking a major step toward promoting broader counterterrorism cooperation by their recent rejection of financing terrorism as un-Islamic.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama praised the U.S. Military Academy’s Class of 2010 at its graduation and commissioning ceremonies for choosing to serve their country during wartime.

MCLEAN, Va., - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates returned to his career roots to accept a lifetime achievement award for his four decades of public service in U.S. intelligence and national security.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III called the establishment of U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Md., a milestone in the United States being able to conduct full-spectrum operations in a new domain.

WASHINGTON - Developing a deliberate approach to energy and climate change is an important platform to national security and the U.S. military mission, Dorothy Robyn, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, told Congress.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Military officials provided more details on the May 19 attack at the Bagram Airfield that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded several servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested eight suspected terrorists in recent combined operations in Iraq with U.S. advisors.

WASHINGTON - Building resilience, facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning servicemembers and veterans are important to prevent and treat combat stress.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces detained several insurgents and seized illegal drugs and weapons.

WASHINGTON - A clear understanding of the Afghan people’s needs and attainable milestones for progress are necessary for U.S. funds to be used wisely, Arnold Fields, special U.S. inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, told Congress.

WASHINGTON - The USNS Mercy, a hospital ship, is docked in Guam to bring on mission-support teams, supplies and other equipment to prepare for a five-month humanitarian deployment.

CAMP ATTERBURY JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Ind. - Indiana Army National Guard 1st Sgt. Robert Hempstead and his daughter, Sgt. Crystal Hempstead, also an Indiana Guard member, recently returned from a deployment to Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Drug trafficking “is a present and growing danger” to U.S. security, but the Defense Department's global counterdrug efforts are improving and the business processes in that office are being streamlined, a Pentagon official said.

WASHINGTON - A visit to the warrior transition unit at Fort Carson, Colo., was worth the time, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a wide-ranging Pentagon press briefing.

WASHINGTON - It is up to South Korea, not the United States, to determine how it will deal with a North Korean attack on one of its ships, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates vowed to take the time necessary to change the way the Defense Department does business and eliminate unnecessary overhead expenses.

WASHINGTON - The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have made significant strides in assisting sexual assault victims, but more work remains to be done, said Kaye Whitley, director of the Defense Department’s sexual assault prevention and response office.

VENICE, La. - The Louisiana National Guard’s construction of the Tiger Dam shoreline protection system in the Mississippi River Delta continues to move ahead as an oil spill threatens the Gulf Coast.

WASHINGTON - The new NATO strategic concept looks to build on the alliance’s obvious strengths, said Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, the alliance’s supreme allied commander for Europe.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces captured two Taliban commanders and seized weapons and drugs.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces arrested 11 terrorism suspects in recent operations conducted with U.S. advisors.

LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. - One year ago, Air Force Senior Airman Brian Petras was was diagnosed with cancer, underwent extensive surgery, and passed his physical fitness test with no score adjustments; all with just one foot.

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Forces Afghanistan officials have launched a criminal investigation into allegations that a small number of U.S. soldiers were responsible for the unlawful deaths of as many as three Afghan civilians.

WASHINGTON - A joint civilian-military team created by South Korea says it has forensic evidence that North Korea torpedoed the South Korean frigate Cheonan on March 26, killing 46 sailors.

WASHINGTON - Through outreach and a robust system of educating servicemembers, Defense Department officials are working to keep troops financially fit to fight and protected from predatory lenders.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. James Winnefeld was promoted and accepted command of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command from Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., succeeding retiring Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr.

WASHINGTON - Reports that Defense Department officials deemed flawed missile defense tests to be successful are based on incomplete information, a Missile Defense Agency spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is making strides toward acquisition reform and budget reductions, starting with the buildup of its federal acquisitions work force.

WASHINGTON - The nearly 73,000 single military parents across the active-duty force routinely juggle military and home demands.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan and international forces killed or detained militants and seized weapons.

SAN FRANCISCO - Air Force Capt. Mike Hawkins and his bride, Vanessa, were wed on the waterfront after winning the San Francisco Dream Wedding Giveaway. For a moment, they could forget her Stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command dedicated a new 9/11 memorial during a ceremony held at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - About a dozen insurgents were killed during an attack on Bagram Airfield that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded nine servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - The new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia is “the right thing for us to do,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also testified.

BURAS, La. - Members of the Louisiana National Guard are filling and placing sandbags as part of efforts to protect the coastline near Empire, La., against potential negative effects of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

WASHINGTON - Saying the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty strengthens America’s defenses, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged the Senate to ratify the U.S.-Russian pact in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Coast Guard members are among the more than 20,000 federal, state and local government personnel that continue to work together to find a solution to the oil spill incident in the Gulf of Mexico, said Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry.

WASHINGTON - Six International Security Assistance Force servicemembers and numerous Afghan civilians were killed, and several others were wounded in Kabul, Afghanistan, this morning when a vehicle bomb detonated near an international convoy.

WASHINGTON - Corruption has constituted a viable threat in Afghanistan for some time, but measures are being taken there to help keep Afghan officials honest.

WASHINGTON - The Employer Partnership Office of the Armed Forces is providing the resources needed to help enlisted soldiers, veterans, retirees and spouses secure employment after their tours of duty end.

FORT POLK, La. - By removing a firing pin from a weapon, Army Spc. Albert Godding prevented his friend, Army Spc. Joe Sanders, from taking his own life in Iraq in 2008. Godding, who just received an award for the act, says he was just doing the right thing.

WASHINGTON - Advanced combat helmets subject to a recall for not meeting the Army's standards are not a "direct risk" to soldiers, said Army Brig. Gen. Peter Fuller, who heads up the organization that oversees development and testing of Army equipment.

WASHINGTON - The new NATO strategic concept seeks to help the alliance sort through the challenges of the future and discuss where the alliance is going, said Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe.

WASHINGTON - The NATO allies are in Afghanistan for the long haul and have made both significant progress and significant commitments to the effort there.

WASHINGTON - All four military services met or exceeded their April recruiting goals for their active and reserve components.

BREVARD, N.C. - The U.S. Army Reserve opened its second Army Strong Community Center in Brevard, N.C. The center teams with the local Brevard community to assist military families in need.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces killed or captured numerous enemy fighters and seized illegal stockpiles of drugs and weapons.

WASHINGTON - A team of Iraqi police and U.S. forces secured and recovered a disabled U.S. helicopter after it was forced to make a precautionary landing.

MARJA, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Jason Glew of India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment thrives at juggling multiple tasks as his unit takes on the Taliban in Marja, Afghanistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan - The International Security Assistance Force is helping Afghan authorities in their search for a civilian passenger aircraft that was reported missing.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates spoke of the satisfaction of a life of service during graduation exercises at Morehouse College in Atlanta and urged the Class of 2010 to follow him in serving America.

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. - Thousands of civilians attended the 2010 Joint Service Open House to get a closer look at the military’s best aircraft and vehicles and the servicemembers who operate and maintain them.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 2010 Warrior Games may have ended, but for the wounded warriors who competed their work is just beginning.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - As the inaugural Warrior Games draw to a close, they leave in their wake a few hundred happy, but very tired troops, family members and volunteers.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Afghan President Hamid Karzai brought a message of thanks to soldiers and their families at Fort Campbell, Ky., as the 101st Airborne Division continues to deploy to his country.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - As U.S. forces increasingly work as part of multinational coalitions, they are part of a cultural shift toward more information sharing and collaboration with allied troops, senior military leaders at the 2010 Joint Warfighting Conference in Virginia Beach, Va.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The National Guard is uniquely poised to be part of the solution to the Defense Department’s future budget woes, the National Guard’s top officer told the Joint Warfighting Conference in Virginia Beach, Va.

FORT MEADE, Md. - Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley recognized winners of the Defense Department’s 2010 Communicators of Excellence Awards during a Defense Information School ceremony held at Fort Meade, Md.

KABUL - Afghan forces and their international partners conducted several operations around Afghanistan, resulting in numerous insurgents being killed, wounded or captured, military officials said.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Army Spc. Shawn Porter, a Texas National Guard soldier receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, won a gold medal during the air rifle competition at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Army Sgt. Monica Southall got help from two competitors who assisted the injured soldier in crossing the finish line during the handcycling competition at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Army Spc. Marie Princler is participating in the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., to prove she is not limited by her disability.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - An amputated left leg couldn’t keep Army National Guard Sgt. Kisha Makerney out of Iraq, and it certainly isn’t stopping her from giving her all at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Military veterans James Stuck and Russell Wolfe work as mentors to injured troops and veterans as part of the Paralympics ambassador program.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. made a surprise visit to the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., capping a pivotal night in medal game play.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Marine Corps athletes used teamwork and skill to win gold in the inaugural Warrior Games wheelchair basketball tournament, but Lance Cpl. Justin Martin’s performance could lead people to believe he could have won the game all by himself.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Air Force team bounced back from a loss to Army in sitting volleyball competition at the inaugural Warrior Games, ultimately earning the bronze medal.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A rivalry that had been brewing since the start of the inaugural Warrior Games was decided when the Marine Corps team topped the Army in sitting volleyball competition.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ call for more efficiency and less waste is starting at the top, with Pentagon components being told they’ll lead the rest of the department by example, the secretary’s top policy advisor said.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Air Force Warrior Games team earned two medals, including its first gold, in cycling.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Military officers must challenge assumptions in many areas to maintain effectiveness in the future, the commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command said.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials have launched the Military Family Life Project, a large-scale survey that aims to obtain a better sense of how military families are weathering nearly a decade of war.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Safe Harbor, the Navy's organization for coordinating the nonmedical care of wounded, ill, and injured sailors, Coast Guardsmen and their families, also recruited participants to compete at the inaugural Warrior Games being held in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - Changing the perceptions of the Afghan people about the coalition, their own government and the Taliban will be key to success in that nation, Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan said.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Navy coaches and athletes vow to to better in swimming events after the first two days of competition in basketball and volleyball at the inaugural Warrior Games at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-international security force killed more than two dozen insurgents and captured several others while pursuing a senior Taliban commander in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi security forces arrested four suspected al-Qaida in Iraq criminal associates during separate combined security operations in central and southern Iraq.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Injured soldier Army Staff Sgt. Eugene Ethengain IV competed in archery events at the inaugural Warrior Games being held in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - Afghan President Hamid Karzai, flanked by America’s top defense leaders, walked among the white marble tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery, a silent tribute to U.S. servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice, many while battling terrorism in Afghanistan.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Army teams now have something to cheer about after taking home four medals in archery and qualifying with the best time in 12 of 24 preliminary swim categories at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Originally from the island country of Cape Verde, Army Spc. Carlos Baptista of the Rhode Island Army National Guard has realized his dream of becoming an American citizen.

WASHINGTON - The outgoing commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command emphasized that the threats confronting the United States – both natural and manmade – will continue.

WASHINGTON - Joint Task Force Haiti is preparing to stand down its disaster-relief mission in Haiti at the beginning of June, nearly six months after a Jan. 12 earthquake devastated the country.

WASHINGTON - Mobility solutions and content aggregator uVuMobile has partnered with the Pentagon Channel to deliver live programming to personnel around the world with video-enabled mobile phones.

VENICE, La. - Louisiana National Guard troops are supporting the shoreline protection mission near the southwest pass of the Mississippi River delta.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Marine Corps Sgt. Mark Windmassenger and his wife, Marine Corps Sgt. Emily Windmassenger, are coaching the Marine shooters at the inaugural Warrior Games being held in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Retired Air Force Staff Sgt. Ricky Tackett, a former firefighter, emergency medical technician and aeromedical evacuation airman, is a member of the Air Force's sitting volleyball team that's competing at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Air Force sitting volleyball team took down two Army teams to finish undefeated in pool play, advancing to the semifinals at the inaugural Warrior Games being held in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - With a 13-10 victory over Navy, the Air Force earned the bronze medal in wheelchair basketball in the inaugural Warrior Games at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Marines earned both gold and silver medals in compound-bow archery competition at the inaugural Warrior Games held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Army took the bronze medal.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Families and relatives are cheering on the 200 wounded troops and veterans competing at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Countering roadside bombs and improving intelligence efforts are among 10 capabilities the military needs to improve on in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Centcom’s commander said at the Joint Warfighting Conference.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama issued a national challenge to all sectors of American society: mobilize and take action to support and engage military families.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai reaffirmed the shared U.S. and Afghan goals to defeat al-Qaida and to establish good governance and a growing economy in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has directed the national security staff to lead a 90-day review aimed at developing a federal government wide approach to supporting military families, First Lady Michelle Obama announced.

WASHINGTON - Putting cybersecurity in place poses significant challenges for the Defense Department, the government as a whole and for critical infrastructure, the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for policy said.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested four terrorism suspects in two operations.

KABUL - Afghan and international forces killed a leading Taliban commander in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - Emphasizing the critical role the reserve components play in U.S. national defense, the senior Pentagon reserve affairs official emphasized to Congress the importance of adequately funding the force and providing predictability about deployments.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Only one day into the inaugural Warrior Games for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers, the commander of the Army’s Warrior Transition Command already is dreaming about future competitions.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Army hoopsters and volleyballers remain undaunted after getting a drubbing early on during the inaugural Warrior Games being held in Colorado Springs, Colo.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Laura Stanislaw is publishing a collection her own poems about her observations on life under the title: “One Heart, True Words.”

WASHINGTON - A Navy task force is relying on the service’s experience with similar milestones as it works to implement the lifting of a long-standing ban on women serving on submarine crews.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Air Force 1st Lt. Dan Taylor said he had to adjust his perspective before he could begin coaching his wheelchair basketball players at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Marine Corps team is on top after the first day of competition at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., sweeping their opponents and finishing 4-0 in team play.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Former Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeanne Goldy-Sanitate, an injured military veteran, will be shooting, swimming and cycling during the inaugural Warrior Games held in Colorado Springs, Colo., through May 14.

WASHINGTON - Senior U.S. and Afghan officials agreed to explore ways to broaden and deepen defense cooperation between the two countries and establish a long-term partnership for the future, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made a surprise visit to Norfolk, Va., where he fielded questions from Navy spouses while emphasizing their important role in supporting the force.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials announced the start of the congressionally mandated 11th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation.

GRAND ISLE, La. - The Louisiana National Guard is conducting around-the-clock operations to fill in a breach near Grand Isle, La., in support of operations related to the oil spill off the Louisiana coast.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's call for a sweeping overhaul of federal government recruitment and hiring practices creates a “historic opportunity” for the Defense Department to revamp its outdated hiring system, a defense official said.

WASHINGTON - The 200-some wounded servicemembers competing in the inaugural Warrior Games held through May 14 at Colorado Springs, Colo., "demonstrate not only the benefits of fitness to recovery, but the finest sense of courage after fire," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in his "Chairman's Corner" blog.

WASHINGTON - In the midst of a series of diplomatic meetings here, Afghan President Hamid Karzai took time to visit with American servicemembers who were wounded helping his country.

WASHINGTON - Army Sgt. Robert W. Laux wants to win some medals at the inaugural Warrior Games at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Laux suffered nerve and tendon damage from an improvised explosive device in 2007.

WASHINGTON - Army Staff Sgt. Dean Isaacs has had numerous painful back surgeries, but the noncommissioned officer looks forward to competing at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed Army Sgt. Brandon Bougades re-enlisted for another six years in the service despite being wounded by a roadside bomb.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international patrols targeted bombing facilitators and weapons used to attack security forces during operations in southern and eastern Afghanistan, military officials said.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi forces arrested two suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members and four criminal associates during separate operations conducted with U.S. advisors in southern and northern Iraq.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Army Lt. Gen. Michael L. Oates, who leads the fight against improvised explosive devices, spoke about the promise of new counter-IED efforts.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Army Sgt. Robert Price was the first servicemember to carry the torch before handing it over to representatives from each of the other services during the opening ceremonies of the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - Defense officials are lauding the Senate’s confirmation of Army Lt. Gen. Keith B. Alexander, director of the National Security Agency, to also lead the new U.S. Cyber Command.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Three years after surviving a horrific motorcycle accident, Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Pollock II will compete in multiple events including wheelchair basketball during the inaugural Warrior Games this week.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - War-wounded veterans participating in the inaugural 2010 Warrior Games are redefining the term “standing on your own two feet.”

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Some 200 wounded warriors and disabled veterans from all branches of military service marched proudly down Irwin “Ike” Belk Olympic Path at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., during the opening ceremony for the inaugural May 10-14 Warrior Games.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Strategic Command officials are urging renewed vigilance against Internet-based identity theft after detecting a widespread “phishing” expedition against servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - The top military commander and senior U.S. diplomat in Afghanistan both expressed confidence that the U.S. strategy being employed there will succeed.

WASHINGTON - With the news the Pakistani Taliban were behind last week’s failed terror attack in New York City’s Times Square, a senior defense official emphasized the importance of U.S. support to Pakistan as it confronts the threat within its borders.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, working with U.S. advisors, arrested a suspected vehicle bomber and four accused extortionists.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces seized weapons and drugs while continuing to disrupt the insurgency across Afghanistan.

AUSTIN, Texas - Army Spc. Shawn Porter, a Texas Guardsman, will compete in air rifle and recurve-bow events this week at the inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon Channel has launched a new widget that makes the latest Defense Department news podcasts available for use on Web sites or social networking pages.

FORT RILEY, Kan. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with military spouses during a town hall meeting on Fort Riley, Kan. He discussed local school issues and healthcare before thanking the spouses for supporting their soldiers.

ABILENE, Kan. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates used the occasion of the 65th Anniversary of the Victory in Europe to declare war on duplicative overhead, bloat and needless spending within the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials hosted their fourth annual motorcycle safety event to rev up interest in learning the right way to ride.

NEW ORLEANS - The Louisiana National Guard’s 205th Engineer Battalion built an improved ribbon bridge in St. Bernard Parish to be used in support of operations related to the oil spill off the state’s coast.

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - Differences between conventional and irregular warfare are becoming "less relevant in the real world," where new analysis, doctrine, strategy and tactics must meet new challenges, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a speech at the Army Command and General Staff College in Kansas.

WASHINGTON - The Asia-Pacific region stands at a pivotal point in history as it draws on the strength of regional alliances and partnerships to contend with a broad range of threats and challenges, a senior defense official said.

WASHINGTON - Military support continues as part of an interagency response force that's working to clean up an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

WASHINGTON - For the second straight year, more sailors are serving on the ground with U.S. Central Command than are serving at sea in the Centcom area of operations, Navy officials told a Senate subcommittee.

CANMER, Ky. - More than 80 members of the Kentucky National Guard remain on flood-relief duty after storms drenched the south-central part of the state with several inches of rain.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces today captured a terrorism suspect in Afghanistan who is linked to suicide bombings and other attacks.

WASHINGTON - Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. said his service and its leaders realize they need to adopt counterinsurgency tactics and strategies as a necessary capability.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, tells troops it's OK to get help for behavioral health-related issues during his appearance in a new Tricare Military Health System video.

MONROVIA, Liberia - Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Gary Morris feels he's making a difference in Liberia as part of a military mission that also lets him serve as a volunteer teacher for Liberian children.

WASHINGTON - The Army’s conversion to a modular combat brigade structure in the years immediately preceding the surge of forces into Iraq was a key factor in the strategy’s success, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of U.S. Central Command, said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation declaring May 7, 2010 as Military Spouse Appreciation Day, calling spouses "pillars of strength in their families."

WASHINGTON - The inaugural Warrior Games competition May 10-14 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., will feature individual and team events and an ultimate champion multi-sport challenge for a Chairman’s Cup trophy.

WASHINGTON - Ongoing operations in Marja, Afghanistan, are proving the Obama administration is on the right track in that country, Defense and State Department officials said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Cabinet will visit Washington for sessions focused on ensuring success of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and strengthening the two countries’ long-term partnership.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is slated to go to Capitol Hill to brief the full Senate on the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed last month, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is encouraged by Pakistan’s efforts to go after terrorists within their borders and abroad, such as the suspect currently under investigation for last weekend’s failed terror attack in New York City’s Times Square, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. military and civilian leaders in Afghanistan say they are more optimistic than ever about success there, due to military and government advances and the changing will of the Afghan people.

WASHINGTON - The Army is continuing the most fundamental and profound series of changes it has seen since World War II, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. told the Defense Writers Group.

KABUL - A Taliban commander and a few other insurgents were captured by an Afghan-international security force in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Master Sgt. Roberto Gutierrez is one of about 500 independent duty medical technicians in the Air Force whose duties range from treating patients to inspecting dining halls.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Rolling Thunder motorcyclists joined Warrior Games athletes in a wreath-laying ceremony today at the Pentagon Memorial here to honor the victims of Sept. 11, 2001.

WASHINGTON - Representatives from five military bases deemed the “best of the best” were awarded the highest award for excellence among installations at a Pentagon ceremony.

WASHINGTON - A new online inbox that enables servicemembers and their families to comment anonymously about the impact of a possible repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law has gone live.

WASHINGTON - Defense and Veterans Affairs leaders told Congress they have made progress on diagnosing and treating traumatic brain injuries and expanded follow-on care for wounded warriors and vets who have TBI.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama signed legislation to improve health care for veterans and to recognize the important role that family caregivers play in the recovery of wounded personnel.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Almost 300 Tennessee National Guard members continue to assist civilian emergency responders in Nashville after nearly 20 inches of rain drenched the state last weekend.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces, in a combined operation with U.S advisors, arrested eight terrorism suspects over a two-day period.

ARLINGTON, Va. - A student at Vilseck High School, Germany, has been named a 2010 U.S. Presidential Scholar, Department of Defense Education Activity officials announced.

CAMP JULIEN, Afghanistan - The first class of U.S. troops and civilians in the new “AfPak Hands” program has arrived in Afghanistan to start the next phase of training at the Counterinsurgency Training Academy.

WASHINGTON - Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy told Congress that she’s “cautiously optimistic” about progress in Afghanistan as the new strategy there begins to show signs of success.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will hit the road again soon for more “conversations with the country,” an initiative to help local communities understand the value of their military veterans.

TUCSON, Ariz. - Pakistan's air force soon will upgrade its 30-year-old fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons, and the pilots charged with flying them have learned from the best teachers - the Arizona Air National Guard.

WASHINGTON - Walk into any of the Army’s 29 warrior transition units, and you will find people struggling through the worst time of their lives, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Eric B. Schoomaker the Army’s surgeon general, said in an interview.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq - In honor of Military Spouse Appreciation Day, Army Sgt 1st Class Helen Foster tells how her husband’s support during her Iraq deployment has helped her succeed.

WASHINGTON - If civilian leaders ask, the National Guard is ready to send more troops to patrol the Southwest border. A small number of guardsmen now provide support.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has given verbal approval to the governors of Alabama, Mississippi and Florida for National Guardsmen to help combat the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

WASHINGTON - The name of U.S. Army Lt. Col. William L. Taylor is one of six names being added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The six died as a result of wounds sustained in the combat zone.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard is transforming itself to meet the threats of the 21st century, but the transition is hard and will be painful for units, Air Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the National Guard Bureau said.

NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana National Guard members worked with St. Bernard Parish officials and workers from a company called Oil Mop on oil-spill response operations at the Breton Sound Marina in Hopedale, La.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama called the failed terror attack in New York’s Times Square a sobering reminder of the need to remain vigilant against terrorists committed to destroying America’s way of life.

KABUL - Afghan and international forces captured suspected militants and seized illegal weapons and drugs.

PAKTIA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Sibling rivalry isn’t a problem for a brother and sister from Collegeville, Pa., who are both soldiers serving together in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama presented the Naval Academy football team with its seventh straight Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.

WASHINGTON - To promote transparency and help stem nuclear proliferation, the United States released newly declassified details about its nuclear stockpile, including information about the significant progress made in dismantling warheads.

ARLINGTON, Va. - National Guard soldiers and airmen are on the ground in Louisiana, Alabama and Florida supporting civilian authorities tackling the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

WASHINGTON - After flying over a massive oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reiterated the Defense Department’s commitment to work with other U.S. agencies to reduce the environmental impact of the oil slick.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The types and numbers of Navy ships will change, but the quality of the sailors and Marines aboard those ships and serving ashore must endure, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said at the Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Convention.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The Navy and Marine Corps are going to have to question some embedded thinking, such as whether the Navy needs 11 carrier battle groups or whether the Marines ever will launch another amphibious landing, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

ARLINGTON, Va. - In the wake of severe storms in the southern United States, National Guard members in Arkansas and Tennessee are assisting local evacuation and search-and-rescue efforts.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces with U.S. advisors arrested the suspected leader of the Ansar al-Islam terrorist group, bringing to two dozen the number of terrorist suspects apprehended in Iraq in recent days.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan border patrol unit confiscated 4 tons of a substance suspected of being ammonium nitrate -- the principle ingredient in roadside bombs in Afghanistan -- after stopping a truck at a random checkpoint.

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - Army Lt. Col. Scott Glass is the 3rd Army’s logistics operations plans branch chief. His father served in Gen. George Patton's 3rd Army during World War II.

WASHINGTON - Air National Guard units from North Carolina, California and Wyoming are preparing for the summer wildfire season.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, evoked civil rights leader Martin Luther King’s contention that “everybody can be great, because anyone can serve” in commencement remarks at Florida A&M; University in Tallahassee, Fla.