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12/31/2003 : Baghdad Commander Optimistic, Details Operation Iron Grip      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2003 - The commander of U.S. troops in Baghdad, delivered an upbeat assessment today of the future in and around Iraq's capital city.
12/31/2003 : NASCAR Celebrities, Civic Leaders Visit Deployed Troops      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2003 - A group of NASCAR celebrities, team owners, track owners and civilian employers of Guard and Reserve members left Dec. 29 for a five-day trip to Southwest Asia to visit deployed service members and highlight the importance of support for the Guard and Reserve.
12/31/2003 : Small Business Loans Bring Temporary Relief to Reservists      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2003 - Overseas deployments are always tough on families. Naturally, the initial focus falls upon the emotional cost of separation. But, for Guardsmen and reservists who own small businesses, the cost involved in a deployment takes on a whole new meaning.
12/31/2003 : Transformation: Why You Should Care      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2003 - If you ask retired Navy Vice Admiral Arthur Cebrowski why service members and Defense Department civilian employees should care about efforts to transform the military, he is neither hesitant nor uncertain in his response.
12/30/2003 : 'Operation Hero Miles' Expands to Families of Wounded Troops  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTION, Dec. 30, 2003 - Alice Rodgers, a single mother, paid more than $1,000 for round-trip tickets from Tipton, Iowa, so she and her daughter, Lindsey, could visit her son, who is recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here from wounds he suffered in an ambush in Iraq.
12/30/2003 : DoD Announces Military Commission Review Panel      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2003 - Trials of detainees accused of terrorist acts came a step closer today, following three moves announced by senior Pentagon officials.
12/30/2003 : Coalition Battles Sabotage, Smuggling of Iraqi Gasoline      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2003 - Coalition personnel are working with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to head off gasoline smuggling, sabotage of the oil industry infrastructure and black-market profiteering. Officials said these continue to be among the greatest problems facing the Iraqi people.
12/30/2003 : DoD Considers Creating Stability and Reconstruction Force      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2003 - The Pentagon is considering creating a military force that would be dedicated to stability and reconstruction operations, according to retired Navy Vice Adm. Arthur Cebrowski, chief of the Defense Department's Office of Force Transformation.
12/29/2003 : 'Any Soldier' Letter Leads to 'Happily Ever After'  This story contains photos.    
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 29, 2003 - It was late November 1990 and the build-up of troops, equipment and supplies for the first Persian Gulf War had begun.
12/29/2003 : Cebrowski Sketches the Face of Transformation      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2003 - If you want to see the face of transformation if you want to see what it looks like in action you need not look any further than Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
12/29/2003 : U.S. Delivers Supplies, Experts to Aid Iran      This story contains video.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2003 - Proving that disaster knows no politics, U.S. service members are delivering humanitarian aid to Iran in the wake of an earthquake that has left an estimated 25,000 Iranians dead.
12/27/2003 : Numbers Down, But Insurgent Attacks Continue      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2003 - Though the number of attacks by insurgents in Iraq continues the decline it has shown since mid-September, the coalition isn't ready to say the trend will continue.
12/27/2003 : Bush Praises Service Members, People Who Help Others      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2003 - Among other thoughts at Christmas, Americans think of the brave military men and women who are fighting terrorists in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere "so we do not meet these killers on our own streets," President Bush said in his weekly radio address today.
12/26/2003 : Four Soldiers Killed in Iraq, Accident Claims Another, Operation Nets 66      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2003 - Four soldiers were killed in operations in Iraq and another was killed in an accident Dec. 24 to 26, coalition officials announced.
12/24/2003 : Roadside Explosion, Suicide Bombing Kill U.S. Troops, Iraqis      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24, 2003 - Separate incidents in Iraq today claimed the lives of U.S. soldiers and Iraqis.
12/24/2003 : DoD Seeking Ways to Improve Commissary Benefits      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24, 2003 - Finding ways to improve commissary benefits tops the Defense Department's list of things to do to enhance quality of life for service members and their families.
12/24/2003 : Civil Affairs Soldiers Making a Difference One Project at a Time  This story contains photos.    
BAHGDAD, Iraq, Dec. 24, 2003 - He's opened the canals that supply water to farmers across southern Baghdad, provided a medical clinic to an isolated community, and given new schoolbooks to young Iraqi children. But more importantly, he is giving his soldiers the chance to make a difference for the Iraqi people.
12/24/2003 : Deployed Soldier Brings Christmas to Baghdad  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24, 2003 - Army Spc. Rebecca Burt loves Christmas. At home in Antioch, Calif., her family decorates everything in sight, bakes all sorts of goodies and holds huge family dinners.
12/24/2003 : Deployed Troops Plan Holiday Cheer in Iraq and Afghanistan    This story contains audio.  This story contains video.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24, 2003 - They may be thousands of miles away from home, but U.S. troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan are planning full holiday schedules to add a bit of cheer to their ongoing 24-7 mission requirements.
12/24/2003 : DoD Budget Reforms Aid Relationships With Private Sector    This story contains audio.  This story contains video.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24, 2003 - Transformation of DoD budgetary practices during the past few years is having a rippling effect, reaching far outside the Pentagon and positively influencing how private industry views working with the Defense Department.
12/24/2003 : Secretary of Defense's Congratulatory Message to the U.S. Armed Forces      This story contains video.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24, 2003 - It gives me great pleasure to congratulate each man and woman in America's Armed Forces for the honor of being named this year's "Person of the Year" by Time magazine. It is an honor you have earned not only this day, or this year, but throughout your volunteer service.
12/23/2003 : Rumsfeld, Myers Salute Success in Iraq, Warn Terror Threat Remains  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2003 - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today lauded the accomplishments of those who willingly put their lives at risk so that all Americans can live in peace and freedom.
12/23/2003 : Conditions Improve in Southeastern Iraq, Says British General      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2003 - The security situation in southeastern Iraq "is now relatively stable" and improving daily along with economic conditions, the British general in charge of that area said in Baghdad today.
12/23/2003 : Agile Transportation for the 21st Century to Improve Troop, Supply Movement      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2003 - Troops in the field could reap the benefits of U.S. Transportation Command's information technology initiative, Agile Transportation for the 21st Century known as AT21 -- as early as May, according to the command's director of operations.
12/23/2003 : Military Blood Program Seeks Holiday Donors  This story contains photos.    
FALLS CHURCH, Va., Dec. 23, 2003 - The Armed Services Blood Program urges eligible donors to give blood this holiday season to ensure supplies are available to treat service members, retirees and their families.
12/23/2003 : DoD's CFO Committed to Best for Troops, Families      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2003 - If there were ever any doubts about Dov Zakheim's commitment to taking care of service members and their families, then those doubts were laid to rest during a May 2001 DoD press briefing.
12/23/2003 : ESGR Volunteers Help Protect Guardmen's, Reservists' Jobs  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2003 - All many reservists and guardsmen want for Christmas is assurance that their civilian jobs will be waiting for them when they redeploy from overseas.
12/23/2003 : The 101st Celebrates Christmas in Northern Iraq  This story contains photos.    
NORTHERN IRAQ, Dec. 23, 2003 - Army Sgt. Paul Mauney had trudged through crowded Baltimore-Washington International Airport, pushing an artificial Christmas tree in a rolling cart and enjoying onlookers' attention.
12/23/2003 : Learning Democracy Is Iraq's Biggest Challenge, Bremer Says      This story contains video.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2003 - The biggest challenge facing Iraq is putting in place a new democracy, Ambassador L. Paul Bremer said today.
12/23/2003 : DoD Stops Anthrax Vaccinations; Maintains Shots Safe  This story contains photos.  This story contains audio.  This story contains video.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2003 - Editors Note: This is a revised story based on updated DoD policy on the
anthrax vaccine. Please disregard earlier AFPS story, "DoD Examines Anthrax
Court Decision, Calls Vaccine Safe," dated Dec. 23, 2003.
12/23/2003 : Snapping Up the Holiday Season in Afghanistan  This story contains photos.    
BAGRAM, Afghanistan, Dec. 23, 2003 - "Just like senior pictures."
12/22/2003 : Auto Show Honors Combat Service Members By Giving Away New Car      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2003 - One lucky service member will return from combat duty to see a new Toyota Camry parked in the driveway, thanks to a spouse or family member holding on to the car -- literally.
12/22/2003 : Rumsfeld Urges Driving Safety as Holidays Approach      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2003 - As many military members take to the nation's highways to visit family and friends for the holiday season, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld wants to make sure they come back to duty safe and sound.
12/22/2003 : Comptroller's Vision Helps Advance Transformation Efforts      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2003 - Dov Zakheim, undersecretary of defense (comptroller) and the Defense Department's chief financial officer, often refers to DoD as America's largest corporation. And during a recent interview, he did not hesitate to characterize that reference as a vision that can be a bit overwhelming at times.
12/22/2003 : Gen. Myers Sends Holiday Message      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2003 - For generations, U.S. service men and women and government civilians have spent the holiday season far from loved ones, so that all Americans can celebrate the peace, prosperity and liberty that our armed forces have fought to protect.
12/22/2003 : Secretary of Defense Sends Holiday Message      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2003 - As Americans across our land move toward the holiday season, its message of peace and hope echoes and re-echoes in our hearts.
12/22/2003 : Heightened Security Alert Unrelated to Saddam's Capture, Bremer Says      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2003 - The heightened security alert in the United States is not related to the capture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, coalition administrator Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III said here today.
12/22/2003 : FALCON Phase 1 Contractors Selected  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2003 - Nine contractors have begun work to place a small satellite or other payload weighing about 1,000 pounds into a low Earth orbit.
12/22/2003 : Time Magazine Selects American Soldier as Person of the Year  This story contains photos.  This story contains audio.  This story contains video.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2003 - Three 1st Armored Division soldiers -- Sgt. Ronald Buxton, Spc. Billie Grimes and Sgt. Marquette Whiteside -- grace the cover of today's Time magazine. They represent "The American Soldier" - all men and women in uniform - who have been chosen as Time's 2003 Person of the Year.
12/21/2003 : American Soldier as Time's Person of the Year 'A Fitting Tribute,' Says Myers      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2003 - The American soldier, Time magazine's choice for Person of the Year, is "exactly right," the nation's top military officer told Sunday news shows audiences here today.
12/20/2003 : Waging the War on Terror in the Horn of Africa      
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti, Dec. 20, 2003 - The American presence here has helped thwart at least three and possibly as many as 10 terrorist attacks in the Horn of Africa region, said Marine Brig. Gen. Mastin Robeson, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.
12/20/2003 : Bush, Blair Welcome Libya's Pledge to Dismantle WMD Programs      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2003 - Libya's leader, Colonel Moammar al Ghadafi, confirmed his commitment to disclose and dismantle all weapons of mass destruction programs and has agreed to allow inspectors from international organizations to enter his country, President Bush said here Dec. 19.
12/20/2003 : Navy Detains 4 Suspected Al Qaeda      
MANAMA, Bahrain, Dec. 20, 2003 - Navy forces have detained four al Qaeda suspects as a result of maritime interdiction operations in the U.S. Central Command area or responsibility, Vice Adm. David Nichols said Dec. 19.
12/20/2003 : Troops Counted in President's Praise of Volunteers      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2003 - Service members are among volunteers President Bush singled out in his radio address here today in praise for their community service.
12/19/2003 : Walter Reed Red Cross Manager Asks Donors To Hold Off      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2003 - In August, the American Red Cross asked the public for donations of phone cards, clothing, small suitcases, and comfort items for service members recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.
12/19/2003 : 'Tremendous Strides' Made in Iraq, Afghanistan      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2003 - While the instability and conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan often dominate the news, between 80 and 90 percent of the people in these countries live "much more normal lives than the media normally presents," Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability Operations Joseph J. Collins said here Dec. 18.
12/19/2003 : MREs Evolve to Match Deployment Conditions, Warfighter Preferences      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2003 - Troops in the field about to grab a meal, ready to eat combat ration might want to choose the "Jamaican pork chop," the "pasta with alfredo sauce" or the "beef with mushrooms."
12/19/2003 : Iraqis' Spirit Liberated with Capture of Saddam      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2003 - When U.S. troops stormed Baghdad in April, the Iraqi people were liberated. This week, with the capture of Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi people were "liberated in spirit," Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Bryan Whitman said here today.
12/19/2003 : Insurgents 'Kill One to Terrorize a Thousand,' But Won't Succeed      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2003 - Insurgents targeting Iraqis are relying on the terrorist adage "Kill one, terrorize a thousand," but won't succeed in their efforts to derail freedom and stability, the deputy operations director for Combined Joint Task Force 7 said in a Baghdad news conference today.
12/19/2003 : Rumsfeld Approves Brigade Deployment, Extension      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2003 - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has approved the 120-day deployment to Iraq of units of 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, senior military officials announced Dec. 18.
12/19/2003 : Natick to Field New Combat Ration for Troops on the Move      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2003 - "Ration stripping," they call it when forward- deployed combat troops jettison all but the most essential items from their Meals, Ready to Eat so they don't have so much to carry as they set out on a mission.
12/19/2003 : Coalition Pursues Dual Missions in Afghanistan      
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, Dec. 19, 2003 - While coalition forces will do their utmost to kill or capture terrorist leaders here, the provincial reconstruction teams in Afghanistan are the wave of the future, said Army Lt. Gen. David Barno.
12/19/2003 : Military Essay Contest Winners to Ride in Rose Bowl Parade  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2003 - Two military officers will join marching bands, equestrian teams and colorful floats traveling down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, Calif., at the 115th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1.
12/19/2003 : Rumsfeld Meets Combat Controllers, Paratroopers  This story contains photos.    
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C., Dec. 19, 2003 - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld welcomed a new crop of Air Force combat controllers, watched an Army infantry training exercise and consoled family members Dec. 18 during a visit to Pope Air Force Base and Fort Bragg here.
12/18/2003 : USO Holiday Show Tours Central Command      
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 18, 2003 - Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers has not forgotten what it was like to be a junior officer assigned to a remote post. That's why he understands the importance of the USO Holiday Tour he has taken to the U.S. Central Command area.
12/18/2003 : Iraqis Volunteering in Record Numbers Since Saddam's Capture      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2003 - Iraqi citizens are volunteering in record numbers to serve in the country's new security services since the Dec. 13 capture of deposed dictator Saddam Hussein, with the largest concentration of volunteers coming from the area around Saddam's hometown of Tikrit, coalition officials said today.
12/18/2003 : Iraqi Legal Profession Trains for Prosecutions      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2003 - Iraqi legal community members have completed training that will help them investigate and prosecute alleged crimes committed by Saddam Hussein's regime, the senior spokesman for the Coalition Provisional Authority said at a Baghdad press conference today.
12/18/2003 : Screaming Eagles Passing Along Knowledge to Successors      
MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 18, 2003 - The soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division here are working to give their follow-on unit -- a multinational division -- a head start, division commander Army Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus said Dec. 17.
12/18/2003 : Grant and Gill Honor Troops During 'Simply Christmas' Tour  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2003 - Five-time Grammy-winning gospel and pop music star Amy Grant pays special tribute to U.S. service men and women deployed far from home through the holidays during her "Simply Christmas with Amy Grant and Vince Gill" tour.
12/18/2003 : Myers Touts Afghanistan's Economic, Governmental Progress  This story contains photos.    
BAGRAM, Afghanistan, Dec. 18, 2003 - Afghanistan is advancing on the security front, but now there is visible proof of advances on the economic and governmental fronts, said Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers during a press conference here today.
12/17/2003 : Wolfowitz Calls Spread of Terror Weapons 'Urgent Threat'      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2003 - "The spread of weapons of mass terror is one of the most urgent threats facing the globe today," Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told members of the Proliferation Security Initiative here today.
12/17/2003 : 4th ID Follows up Big Catch with Operation in Samarra      
KIRKUK, Iraq, Dec. 17, 2003 - The Army's 4th Infantry Division is continuing its aggressive fight against enemy cells with a raid in Samarra that picked up 73 men and a significant amount of material useful in making improvised explosive devices.
12/17/2003 : Capture of Saddam Not Luck, but Skill, Abizaid Says      
KIRKUK, Iraq, Dec. 17, 2003 - Coalition successes in Iraq including the capture of Saddam Hussein are not the result of lucky breaks, but the patient, exacting work of intelligence professionals and the soldiers who act on their information, U.S.Central Command chief Army Gen. John Abizaid said here today.
12/17/2003 : DoD Launches New Web Site Focusing on Transformation      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2003 - Defense officials continue to improve their public face on the World Wide Web. Beginning today, DoD has a new Web site focused on transformation.
12/17/2003 : New Technologies Make Life Easier, Safer for Troops on the Battlefield  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2003 - A Defense Department-led effort to quickly deliver new technologies to the warfighter is making life easier -- and, more importantly, safer -- for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
12/16/2003 : Terror War Continues, Rumsfeld Says, Despite Saddam's Capture      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2003 - While the Iraqi people were liberated "in fact" in April, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today that the Dec. 13 capture of Saddam Hussein liberated them "in spirit."
12/16/2003 : Rumsfeld Asks CIA to Oversee Saddam Hussein Interrogations      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2003 - The Central Intelligence Agency will oversee the interrogations of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Pentagon reporters today.
12/16/2003 : 4th ID Troops Express Jubilation Over Saddam's Capture      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2003 - It was the height of irony.Soldiers from the Army's 4th Infantry Division were huddled around television screens in Saddam Hussein's opulent palace in Tikrit, Iraq, watching the Dec. 14 announcement that a task force from their division had pulled the former dictator from a hole in the ground beneath a hovel just nine miles away.
12/16/2003 : Documents Found With Saddam Point to Regime Network      
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 16, 2003 - Intelligence from the capture of Saddam Hussein already is making Baghdad a safer place.
12/16/2003 : Organization Briefs Guard, Reserve on Re-Employment Rights      
ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 16, 2003 - Bobby Hollingsworth calls it "closing the loop."
12/16/2003 : Regis and Kelly to Feature Troop Holiday Messages  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2003 - Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, hosts of the popular morning talk show, "Live with Regis and Kelly," will feature televised holiday greetings from deployed U.S. troops to their loved ones at home throughout Christmas week.
12/16/2003 : Myers Speaks on Saddam's Leadership, Need for New Iraq  This story contains photos.    
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 16, 2003 - "Leadership from a hole is not leadership," said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers during a press conference here today.
12/16/2003 : Long Search for Saddam Ends in Ironhorse's Backyard  This story contains photos.  This story contains audio.  This story contains video.
AD DAWR, Iraq, Dec. 16, 2003 - The image of a bearded and bowed Saddam Hussein, who was captured Dec. 13 in this small farming village, is now a worldwide phenomenon.
12/15/2003 : Camp Arifjan Readying for 'The Surge'      
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait, Dec. 15, 2003 - Logistics experts at this camp are preparing for one of the greatest feats of transportation in military history.
12/15/2003 : Psychological Operations Team Makes Friends Through Newspaper  This story contains photos.    
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 15, 2003 - As soldiers here drop a bundle of the latest "Baghdad Now" newspaper onto the sidewalk, Iraqi children pounce on the newspaper heap as if it were a fumbled football during the Super Bowl.
12/15/2003 : Saddam's Fate 'Up To The Iraqis,' Bush Says      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2003 - The United States will assist Iraqis in developing a process to bring captured former dictator Saddam Hussein to justice for his crimes, President Bush told reporters here today.
12/15/2003 : 'Task Force All American' Continues Security Operations in Anbar      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2003 - The Army's 82nd Airborne Division and attached units, known collectively as "Task Force All American," is enjoying increased cooperation with the Iraqi people as the task force continues security operations to improve safety within the Anbar Province, according to U.S. Central Command officials.
12/15/2003 : Sanchez Says Saddam Receiving Geneva Conventions Protections      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2003 - Coalition forces are ensuring that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's Geneva Conventions rights are protected while he is in custody and that he receives "all of the privileges of a prisoner of war," according to the commander of coalition forces in Iraq.
12/15/2003 : Rumsfeld Says Saddam Compliant, But Not Cooperative      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2003 - Saddam Hussein has been compliant since he was captured Dec. 13, but so far is not cooperating, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Lesley Stahl on the CBS News program "60 Minutes" Dec. 14.
12/15/2003 : Saddam Capture 'Another Step' on Path to Iraqi Freedom  This story contains photos.    This story contains video.
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait, Dec. 15, 2003 - The capture of Saddam Hussein was just one more step "admittedly a big step" in the path to Iraqi freedom and democracy, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers said today.
12/14/2003 : Saddam Hussein 'Caught Like a Rat,' U.S. Commander Says      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2003 - Saddam Hussein was "caught like a rat" and offered no resistance when U.S. soldiers captured him near Tikrit Dec. 13, the U.S. general in charge of the operation said today.
12/14/2003 : Saddam Was 'Disoriented and Bewildered' When Captured      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2003 - Saddam Hussein had been living in "two small rooms in an adobe hut" and seemed disoriented and bewildered when captured by U.S. soldiers, the general in command of those soldiers said today.
12/14/2003 : President Says Saddam Capture Ushers in 'Hopeful Day' for Iraqi People      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2003 - President Bush praised the "superb skill and precision by a brave fighting force" that led to the 4th Infantry Division's Dec. 13 capture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, which Bush said "marks the end of the road for him, and for all who bullied and killed in his name."
12/14/2003 : 'We Got Him' -- Bremer Announces Saddam's Capture      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2003 - "We got him" Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III announced at a press briefing in Baghdad today that U.S. forces had captured Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein near his hometown of Tikrit.
12/13/2003 : Iraqi Cooperation Makes Precise Strikes Possible, Sanchez Says      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2003 - Thanks to Iraqi cooperation, coalition forces are making precise offensive strikes to capture or kill former regime forces and anti-coalition fighters, the military commander in the country said today.
12/13/2003 : Florida Man Pounds the Pavement for the Troops  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2003 - A Naples, Fla., man walked 45 miles last weekendfrom the Naples City Hall to the Fort Myers City Hallto pay tribute to U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
12/13/2003 : Most Commissaries Not Closing; Future is 'Bright'      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2003 - To soothe anxiety among service members and their families about reports of the Defense Department closing commissaries, a top DoD official emphasized here this week that the department strongly supports commissaries as an important benefit of military service.
12/12/2003 : Much-Deployed Guard, Reserve 'Doing A Superb Job,' Rumsfeld Says      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2003 - The Defense Department's top civilian today praised reserve and National Guard members serving in the global war on terrorism, while acknowledging some of that force is being stretched by multiple deployments.
12/12/2003 : Ballistic Missile Defense Test Successful  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2003 - A missile launched from the Navy Aegis cruiser USS Lake Erie successfully intercepted a ballistic missile target over the Pacific Ocean, Navy and Missile Defense Agency officials said here Dec. 11. The target was fired from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Hawaii's oldest island, Kauai.
12/12/2003 : Soldier Helps to Form Democracy in Baghdad  This story contains photos.    
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 12, 2003 - He inputs data into his hand-held computer organizer to remind himself of important details. He attends every meeting. He has a busy job -- aiding in the establishment of a new government. One could say his work is history in the making.
12/11/2003 : DLA Transformation Improves Automation, Service, Savings      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 - Though several factors got the Defense Logistics Agency into the transformation business, the primary focus is to provide better service and cost savings to the warfighter, Navy Vice Adm. Keith Lippert, DLA director, said here today.
12/11/2003 : No War Trophies Allowed from Iraq, Afghanistan      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 - Do not even think about bringing back to the United States war trophies from your service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
12/11/2003 : 82nd Paratroopers Nab Suspected Terrorists In Fallujah Raid      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 - American paratroopers with the Army's 82nd Airborne Division recently captured several suspected terrorists during a raid in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, according to a U.S. Central Command news release.
12/11/2003 : Iraqis Stage Sweeping Pro-Coalition Demonstrations      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 - Pro-coalition demonstrators gathered throughout Iraq Dec. 10 to protest terrorist actions and urge their fellow Iraqis to take action against anti-coalition forces.
12/11/2003 : DoD, Coalition to Look into Iraqi Army Resignations      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 - Defense Department and coalition officials will look into why about a third of the men in the first battalion of the new Iraqi army have resigned, Pentagon officials said.
12/11/2003 : 'Treasures' Program Offers Chance to Support Troops      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 - The public's response to the American Red Cross "Treasures for Troops" program has been overwhelming, Gwynn Schneider, associate with Armed Forces Emergency Services, Headquarters ARC, said here Dec. 10.
12/11/2003 : DoD Honors Employees with Disabilities  This story contains photos.    
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 11, 2003 - Paula L. Briscoe, guided by her faithful companion, a 7-year-old golden retriever named Jenny, confidently walked to the front of the Crystal Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Hotel here Dec. 9. She smiled as she shook hands with Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness David S.C. Chu and accepted her award.
12/11/2003 : Defense Auditors Investigate Potential KBR Overcharges      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 - Halliburton's Kellogg, Brown and Root, a long-time supplier of logistical support for the military, may have overpriced fuel provided to the Iraqi people by as much as $61 million, according to defense contract auditors.
12/11/2003 : TRANSCOM Commander Addresses Supply Chain Problems      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2003 - When boxes of bubble wrap, filing cabinets and DVDs show up among "Triple Nine" cargo -- a number that designates the Air Force's highest priority shipment that usually is assigned to military units in places like Iraq -- it tells Air Force Gen. John W. Handy there is a problem with the military's supply chain process.
12/11/2003 : 101st Donates More Than 230 Computers to Mosul City Hall  This story contains photos.    
MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 11, 2003 - A 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) program to provide computers to the employees of Mosul city hall made its final contribution here today, bringing the total number of computers donated to 233.
12/10/2003 : Only Coalition Countries Allowed to Bid on Iraqi Contracts      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2003 - Only nations committed to Operation Iraqi Freedom may bid on contracts to rebuild Iraq, Pentagon officials said today.
12/10/2003 : Space, Missile Defense Essential To Defense, Rumsfeld Says      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2003 - Defending America, its overseas military and its allies from ballistic missiles laden with weapons of mass destruction "is now America's highest priority," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld noted today.
12/10/2003 : DoD Exceeds Goals for Hiring People with Disabilities      
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 10, 2003 - The Defense Department has exceeded its goals to hire people with disabilities for the last three years, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy Ginger Groeber said here Dec. 9.
12/10/2003 : Blindness Doesn't Slow Employee's Contributions  This story contains photos.    
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 10, 2003 - Seven-year-old Jenny, a golden retriever, sat silently beside Paula L. Briscoe, an intelligence officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C. From time to time, Jenny's tail would wag as she heard Briscoe's voice, but the guide dog obediently stayed inches from her companion.
12/10/2003 : Bremer Notes Human Rights Progress in Iraq      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2003 - Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III , administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, observed Human Rights Day today by promising that the coalition would continue to work to ensure equality for all Iraqis.
12/10/2003 : Cancer Survivor Earns DoD Recognition  This story contains photos.    
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 10, 2003 - Alice E. Dickerson lost a leg to cancer as a young girl. Since then, she's survived two recurrences of the disease and she's now waiting on the results of some tests. If the news is good, she said, she plans to complete her master's degree in social work.
12/10/2003 : 101st Soldiers Seize Former Regime Members, Weapons      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2003 - U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division soldiers seized more than 50 suspected supporters of the deposed Saddam Hussein regime and confiscated weapons today in two separate operations in northern Iraq, according to U.S. Central Command.
12/10/2003 : Two Soldiers Killed, Four Wounded in Separate Mosul Attacks      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2003 - Two American soldiers were killed by insurgents in separate attacks in the Iraqi city of Mosul today, according to U.S. Central Command.
12/10/2003 : Employee Lauded for 'Can Do' Attitude  This story contains photos.    
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 10, 2003 - The young man frequently glanced toward the back of the room as he sat in the front- row chair that sported his name on a piece of plain white paper. This was no ordinary day for Johnathan D. Stone, nor was it a day his family was going to miss.
12/09/2003 : Troop Rotations Won't Affect Readiness, Defense Leaders Say      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2003 - Troop rotations in Iraq during the next several months will create a temporary transition time in Iraqbut will in no way affect U.S. readiness in Iraq or anywhere else in the world, Defense leaders told Pentagon reporters today.
12/09/2003 : Defense Leaders Outline Conditions for Success in Iraq, Coalition Progress      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2003 - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today outlined the conditions to be met for the coalition to achieve its goals in Iraq: Iraqi self- governance, responsibility for its own internal security and a growing economy that encourages people "to come back to the country rather than leave."
12/09/2003 : Vets Purchased Freedom for America, Myers Says      
DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Va., Dec. 9, 2003 - Throughout America's history, veterans "purchased the freedom we enjoy today," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers said here today.
12/09/2003 : U.S. Army Helicopter Forced Down in Iraq; Crew OK      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2003 - A U.S. Army helicopter made a hard landing near Fallujah, Iraq, today, according to U.S. Central Command.
12/09/2003 : Hoarding, Truckers Strike Caused Iraq Gas Shortage      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2003 - Black marketers, hoarding, and a recently-ended transportation strike combined to cause a shortage of gasoline in some areas of Iraq, a senior Coalition Provisional Authority spokesman told reporters at a Dec. 8 Baghdad press briefing.
12/09/2003 : Blast Wounds 31 U.S. Soldiers in Iraq; Stryker Accident Kills 3      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2003 - A car bomb exploded early today outside a U.S. military compound west of Mosul, Iraq, wounding 31 American soldiers, according to U.S. Central Command.
12/09/2003 : Military Pay Increases, Concurrent Receipt Changes Highlights of 2004 Act      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2003 - Military personnel will see their basic pay more in line with that of civilian counterparts in the private sector in 2004 thanks to an increased pay and benefits compensation package included in the 2004 Defense Authorization Act approved by Congress this year. The act also includes changes to the controversial "concurrent receipt" issue.
12/08/2003 : Soldier Killed in Mosul Shooting; Offensive Operations Continue      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2003 - A drive-by shooting attack today on soldiers guarding a gas station in Mosul, Iraq, left one coalition soldier dead, even as coalition forces continue to take the offensive against the enemies of a stable and free Iraq, officials said today at the headquarters of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad.
12/08/2003 : Rumsfeld Wraps Up Overseas Trip With Visit to Baghdad      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2003 - A first-hand look at Iraqi Civil Defense Corps training and a series of meetings with military, coalition and Iraqi officials made for a busy afternoon Dec. 6 for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
12/07/2003 : U.S.-Coalition Offensive Efforts in Iraq Bearing Fruit, Sanchez Says      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2003 - Recent U.S.-coalition operations against insurgents in Iraq are succeeding, a senior U.S. military commander said today during a briefing from Baghdad.
12/06/2003 : Rumsfeld 'Pleased' With Georgia Visit, Moved by Troops' Dedication in Iraq      
SHANNON, Ireland, Dec. 6, 2003 - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld applauded current Georgian leaders' close working relationship and improving conditions in Iraq during a news conference today with reporters en route with him back to Washington.
12/06/2003 : Insurgent Success Rate Down in Northern Iraq Attacks Against Coalition      
KIRKUK, Iraq, Dec. 6, 2003 - Attacks against coalition forces in northern Iraq have dropped significantly in recent weeks, and 95 percent of them fail to hurt coalition personnel or even damage coalition vehicles, the commander of the Army's 4th Infantry Division told visiting Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld here today.
12/06/2003 : Wolfowitz Accepts Patriot Award on U.S. Defense Team's Behalf  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2003 - Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz accepted the 2003 American Patriot Award Dec. 5 "on behalf of our fallen heroes" and "the hundreds of thousands of men and women in uniform and all of those that support them," including defense civilians and contractors.
12/05/2003 : DoD Health Officials Prescribe Protection Against Deadly Flu Virus      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2003 - With flu season here and deadly outbreaks of the virus being reported across the country, Defense Department health care officials are urging military personnel, DoD civilians and family members to get vaccinated.
12/05/2003 : Roadside Bomb Claims Coalition Soldier, Wounds Iraqi Citizens      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2003 - One coalition soldier was killed and approximately 12 Iraqi citizens were wounded when a convoy was struck by a roadside bomb in Baghdad early this morning, a military spokesman said in a briefing today from the Iraqi city.
12/05/2003 : Rumsfeld Visits Georgia, Affirms U.S. Wish That Russia Honor Istanbul Accords      
TBILISI, Georgia, Dec. 5, 2003 - With mounting concern in this former Soviet republic over Russia's behavior in the region and a new interim government still finding its feet, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld toured a U.S.- sponsored military training facility and met with key leaders here today.
12/05/2003 : Troops See President Usher in Christmas at the White House  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2003 - The countdown began with "5," and four seconds later the 40-foot blue spruce burst forth in with red, white and green Christmas at the White House had officially begun.
12/05/2003 : 'Howard Huge' Calendars to Be Sent to Deployed Troops  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2003 - Local Junior ROTC cadets packed thousands of 2004 poster-size calendars into mailing cylinders at the United Unions Building here Dec. 4.
12/05/2003 : Lightless Holiday Tree Honors Missing Servicemen  This story contains photos.    
ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 5, 2003 - Peggy Marish-Boos had been assigned here to the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office for two years when she finally asked, "Why don't we ever have a Christmas or holiday tree?"
12/05/2003 : Military Aviation Showcased at New Air and Space Center  This story contains photos.    
DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Va., Dec. 5, 2003 - To call the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center awe-inspiring is just not adequate.
12/04/2003 : Marshall Center Debuts Counterterrorism Course in June      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2003 - A decade-old, U.S.-German- operated educational facility nestled near the Bavarian Alps is transforming itself to address the challenges of global terrorism.
12/04/2003 : Rumsfeld Visits Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan      
MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Dec. 4, 2003 - The British Provincial Reconstruction Team here is helping to bring the influence of the provisional national government beyond the national capital of Kabul, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today during a visit.
12/04/2003 : Rumsfeld, Karzai Note Progress in Afghanistan      
KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 4, 2003 - U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today praised the "truly remarkable" progress Afghanistan's government has made in the two years since the country's liberation, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he expects his country's condition to continue improving in the months and years to come.
12/04/2003 : Paper Versions of Computer-Based CLEP Tests Coming Online      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2003 - The College Level Examination Program that has become a popular route for service members seeking degrees will introduce 14 new paper tests in April 2004.
12/04/2003 : Engineers Work to Keep Clean Water Flowing to Iraqis  This story contains photos.    
MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 4, 2003 - American engineers in northern Iraq are using their skills to keep the water flowing into the people's houses in Mosul -- and to keep the oil out.
12/03/2003 : U.S. Global Posture Realignment Process Will Take Time      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2003 - Although DoD is planning to realign its global forces to better confront 21st century threats, U.S. troops and families stationed overseas shouldn't pack their bags just yet.
12/03/2003 : Transformation Part of War on Terror, Myers says      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2003 - Transforming the U.S. armed forces while still fighting a global war on terrorism is the biggest challenge facing military leaders today, Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers said today.
12/03/2003 : Rumsfeld Meets With Leaders in Azerbaijan      
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 3, 2003 - Conveying President Bush's gratitude for Azerbaijan's help in the global war on terror, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld arrived here today for meetings with the president and defense minister of this former Soviet republic on the western shore of the Caspian Sea.
12/03/2003 : Officials Stand by Number of Attackers Killed in Samarra; Operations Continue      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2003 - U.S. Central Command officials are standing by the claim that 54 attackers were killed in the Nov. 30 ambush at a bank in Samarra, despite Iraqi civilians who say the number is much lower.
12/03/2003 : Looking for Technology, Doctrine to Transform the Face of War      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2003 - The chief of the DoD Office of Force Transformation wants to ensure that some future leader does not look back on today and regret the decisions made.
12/03/2003 : Military Works to Establish Modern Global Communications Network      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2003 - The U.S. military is working to establish a state-of-the-art global communications network that's designed to provide real-time information to warfighters.
12/03/2003 : Air Force-Navy Combine Forces to Develop Joint Radio System      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2003 - The Air Force and Navy have agreed to merge their two formerly separate programs for the acquisition of improved radio systems.
12/03/2003 : Korean War Vet Turns Letters, Photos Into Book  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2003 - Merlin "Mage" Magerkurth got one of the biggest surprises of his life about 15 years ago - scores of letters he'd written to his mother from the battlefields of the Korean War.
12/02/2003 : Reshaping the Heart of the Nation's Deterrence Paradigm      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2003 - During the Cold War, deterrence was at the heart of American strategy. The nuclear weapon triad of land-based missiles, bombers and submarine-launched missiles deterred the Soviet Union from attacking the United States and its allies.
12/02/2003 : Tomorrow's Uniforms Offer New Capabilities, Less Weight  This story contains photos.    
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2003 - They call it the "Christmas tree" effect. Defense engineers come up with the latest new gadgets and gizmos to help troops on the battlefield, and just like ornaments being added to the holiday tree they "hang" them on the warfighter.
12/02/2003 : Rumsfeld Calls NATO Defense Ministers Conference a Success      
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Dec. 2, 2003 - As the NATO defense ministers wrapped up their two-day conference here today, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld termed the meetings "very successful" and said he looked forward to continued progress on the issues facing the alliance.
12/02/2003 : Global Military Posture's Part in Transformation      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2003 - Transformation is more than just new capabilities. Inherent in transformation is a physical change of the global military posture, said Andrew Hoehn, deputy assistant defense secretary for strategy, today.
12/02/2003 : Transients Stopped At Border, Soldier Dies After Enemy Ambush      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2003 - More than 100 persons were stopped from entering Iraq from the Jordanian border Dec. 1, while elsewhere in Iraq enemy forces ambushed a U.S. patrol, mortally wounding a U.S. soldier, according to U.S. Central Command.
12/02/2003 : Children Define Freedom in Patriotic Essays      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2003 - When posed the question of what freedom meant, a 10-year-old student's entry to the Weekly Reader's Operation Tribute to Freedom essay contest gave a thoughtful response, uncharacteristic of a mind that might ordinarily turn to skateboards, baseball and video games.
12/01/2003 : Rumsfeld Praises NATO's Transformation, Progress      
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Dec. 1, 2003 - Praising the alliance's transformation to meet its 21st century challenges, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today that the United States supports an expanded role for NATO, especially in Afghanistan and Iraq.
12/01/2003 : 'Vast Majority' of Iraq Relatively Stable, Rumsfeld Says      
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Dec. 1, 2003 - Though sporadic violence continues in Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today that "the vast majority of the country" is relatively stable and not in conflict.
12/01/2003 : Iraqi People Look to Their 'Better Angels,' Bremer Says      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2003 - "You earn your future of hope every time you ignore the demons of fear and look to the better angels of your nature," Coalition administrator Ambassador L. Paul Bremer told the Iraqi people.
12/01/2003 : Coalition Forces Repel Ambushes in Samarra      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2003 - Several soldiers and one civilian were wounded as coalition forces successfully repelled ambush attacks in Samarra, Iraq, Nov. 30, a military spokesman said today from Baghdad.
12/01/2003 : Three NATO Countries Pledge More Troops for Afghanistan      
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Dec. 1, 2003 - Three NATO countries agreed today to send more troops to Afghanistan in the first morning of meetings among the alliance's defense ministers here.
12/01/2003 : Bush: Americans at Home Support Troops' Families      
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2003 - A number of government and volunteer efforts are supporting the families of U.S. troops deployed overseas in the war against global terrorism, the commander-in-chief told the nation Nov. 29.
12/01/2003 : New NATO Chem/Bio Battalion Starts Operations      
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Dec. 1, 2003 - A new multinational battalion designed to defend against and respond to attacks by weapons of mass destruction is now operational, NATO officials announced here today.
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