U.S. Department of Defense Official Website

	May. 6, 2009

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LATEST PHOTOS

KABUL WELCOME - U.S. Army Gen. David McKiernan, commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan and NATO's International Security Assistance Force, welcomes U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to Kabul, Afghanistan, May 6, 2009. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison

Hi-Res | Special | Lead Photo Archive

MILITARY NEWS

Chairman Salutes America's Armed Forces

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

• Chairman Honors Resiliency of Military Spouses

Former Governors Join Heroes Board to Help Vets

Former North Carolina governors Jim Martin and Jim Hunt have been named as honorary co-chairs of the North Carolina Heroes Fund Statewide Advisory Board to help servicemembers in transition. Story

Top Teacher to Connect Military Educators

Photo: Dorothy Goff Goulet, DoDEA’s 2009 Teacher of the Year

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

• Officials Update Guard, Reserve Activations

NATIONAL GUARD

Eight States Practice Contamination Response

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

FACE OF DEFENSE

Piano Man Brings Music to Afghan Mountain

Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Began is responsible for stocking the shelves and seeing to the needs of those on Forward Operating Base Gardez's Exchange Service store. But he also has taken to bringing a little culture to the base. Story

AROUND THE SERVICES

• Seven Soldiers Strike Gold as Army Takes Boxing Title

• Marines Help Iraqis Enhance Land Navigation Skills

• Navy's Freedom Showcases Mission Module Systems

• Airmen Support Successful Launch of Delta II Rocket

TOP NEWS

Obama: Afghanistan, Pakistan Pledges 'Unprecedented'

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

• Afghanistan, Pakistan to Fight Taliban

Gates Seeks 'Ground Level' View of Afghanistan Ops

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in Kabul for a surprise visit “to get a sense from the ground level” about how operations are going in Afghanistan. Story | Special

Secretary Lauds U.S. Efforts to Mentor, Boost Saudi Arabian Military Capacity

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called the mentorship that U.S. forces are providing the Saudi Arabian military a key factor in maintaining stability in the region and an example of the capacity-building efforts he’d like to see more of elsewhere in the world. Story | Special | Transcript | Photos

McKiernan Views Incoming Troops as Window of Opportunity in Afghanistan

The new U.S. Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy, with more troops and nonmilitary resources to flow into Afghanistan to support it, opens a window of opportunity to break a security “stalemate,” the senior coalition military official in Afghanistan said. Story

• U.S., Afghan Officials to Investigate Incident

Fellows Finalists List Includes Five Troops

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