U.S. Department of Defense Official Website

	Jan. 15, 2009

LATEST PHOTOS

OPENING CEREMONY - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England join keynote speaker Russell Adams, professor of African-American Studies at Howard University, and Army Chaplain Brig. Gen. Donald Rutherford, deputy chief of chaplains, for opening ceremonies marking the Pentagon's annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy, Jan. 15, 2009. DoD photo by R. D. Ward

Hi-Res | Lead Photo Archive

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

Gates: Equal Rights Pioneers Would be Proud

As Pentagon employees celebrated what would have been Martin Luther King Jr.’s 80th birthday, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told them about an early participant in the struggle for equal rights, a young African-American sailor. Story

Volunteers Gear Up for ‘Service for Military’ Day

Operation Gratitude is joining forces with Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and thousands of volunteers on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to assemble care kits for troops overseas. Story

MILITARY NEWS

Officials Launch Science-related Radio Show

Defense Department officials have launched "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military," an online radio show. Story

FACE OF DEFENSE

Soldier Juggles Versatility at Work, Home

Army Spc. Susan Fautner has found that her ability to multitask and be flexible has served her well in the military and as a deployed, single parent. Story

WARRIOR CARE

New Military Psychological Health Center Opens

Defense Department officials today announced the opening of a new outreach center that will provide servicemembers, veterans and their families a new resource for psychological health problems and traumatic brain injuries. Story

AROUND THE SERVICES

• Army Notes Penalties for Exceeding Fuel Card Limits

• Lejeune Marines Complete Predeployment Training

• Navy Changes Selective Reenlistment Bonus Policy

• Airmen Earn Top Marks in Nuclear Inspection

TOP NEWS

Planners Prepare Options on Iraq, Afghanistan for Obama

Military planners are hard at work preparing options for drawing down troops in Iraq and moving forward in Afghanistan to present to President-elect Barack Obama after he takes office, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said. Story

Detainee Treatment Remains Key as Officials Weigh Guantanamo’s Future

With Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and President-elect Barack Obama advocating closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba, the Defense Department is working to protect the American people and treat detainees properly. Story

Clinton Maps Course for Iraq, Afghanistan

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will be top priorities for President-elect Barack Obama’s administration, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama’s nominee to be secretary of state, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at her confirmation hearing. Story

Nominee Promises Transformation

President-elect Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs promised senators at his confirmation hearing that he will transform the department into a 21st-century organization. Story

Horn of Africa Mission Preparations Begin

Leaders preparing to deploy to Djibouti are participating in a training exercise at U.S. Joint Forces Command’s Joint Warfighting Center. Story

• Peacekeeping Airlift to Darfur Begins

IRAQ NEWS

Citizen Security Guards' Transition Into Police Officers Eases Sectarian Violence

The Iraqi police has graduated its second class of former citizen security guards into its ranks, giving sought-after jobs to more than 1,900 Iraqis and helping to heal sectarian violence, an Army commander said. Story

Report Charts Continued Iraq Progress

The lack of essential services has replaced security as the major concern in Iraq, pointing to the progress the country has been making, according to a Defense Department report. Story

• Report: Measuring Security and Stability in Iraq

• General Voices Concern Over Elections

• Iraqi Forces Detain 16 Criminal Suspects

AFGHANISTAN NEWS

School Project Brings Hope to Province

At the groundbreaking for a new school for 1,400 girls in the Behsood district of Afganistan’s Nangarhar province, members of the provincial government spoke about the opportunities created by education. Story