U.S. Department of Defense Official Website

	Jan. 19, 2009

LATEST PHOTOS

GREETING THE CROWD - From Left: Jill Biden, Vice President-elect Joe Biden, President-elect Barack Obama, and Michelle Obama wave to the crowd during inaugural opening ceremonies at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2009. More than 5,000 men and women in uniform are providing military ceremonial support to the presidential inauguration, a tradition dating back to George Washington's 1789 inauguration.DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class George Trian

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MILITARY NEWS

Decisions Loom for Joint Strike Fighter Program

Decisions about the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 Raptor aircraft programs are expected early in President-elect Barack Obama’s administration. Story

• Mullen Credits Bush, Obama for ‘Smooth’ Transition

• New CENTCOM Unit Makes It Tough to be a Pirate

NATIONAL GUARD

Wyoming Guard Commander Preps for War

Wyoming National Guard officials have traveled throughout the states to help communities prepare for the largest deployment in the state’s history. Story

• Advance Notice Helps Soldiers Prepare to Deploy

AROUND THE SERVICES

• Army Returns Wuerzburg Installation to Germany

• Marines Urged to Participate in Great Aloha Run

• Navy Makes Mayport, Fla., New Homeport

• U.S. Air Force F-22s Begin Training in Japan

INAUGURATION

Top Defense Leaders Host
Medal of Honor Recipients

America’s most senior defense leaders hosted a luncheon for 43 Medal of Honor recipients who will be honored guests at the presidential inauguration. Story

• Guard Supports Obama' s 'Whistle-stop’ Tour

• National Guard Provides 10,000 Troops

• Marine Band to Play 'Hail to the Chief'

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

Gates: 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 | Transcript | Video

• Volunteers Gear Up for ‘Service for Military’ Day

TOP NEWS

Nominee to Improve Vast Processes

William Lynn, the nominee to be deputy defense secretary, promised the Senate Armed Services Committee he will do his utmost to improve processes in the “sometimes vast and unwieldy bureaucracy” of the Defense Department. Story

Comptroller Nominee Sees Budgets, Financial Accountability as Priorities

Robert Hale, president-elect Barack Obama’s choice to be the Defense Department’s chief financial officer, said his first priority would be to help the department obtain the resources to meet the country's national security objectives. Story

Defense Policy Nominee Pledges Work
On Iraq, Afghanistan, National Security

Michelle A. Flournoy, the president-elect's pick for undersecretary of defense for policy, vowed to rebalance U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and advance U.S. security interests in other parts of the world. Story

Legal Chief Nominee Values Listening

Jeh C. Johnson, the nominee for the Defense Department’s general counsel, said he would foster collaborative relationships between himself and military lawyers at all levels to best advise the defense secretary. Story