02/28/2006
Montford Point Marines Honored at DoD Observance
AUSTIN, Texas - The Defense Department honored five black military pioneers during its observance of National African American History Month here at Huston-Tillotson University Feb. 24-25.
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02/28/2006
DoD Honors 11 African-American Servicemembers
AUSTIN, Texas - Eleven servicemen and women were honored for their service in Iraq and Afghanistan and during Hurricane Katrina at a special reception hosted by the Defense Department and Army Test and Evaluation Command here.
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02/28/2006
Cheney: Strategy for Success in Iraq Is Working
WASHINGTON - Terrorists have demonstrated through their violence that they understand what's at stake in Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney said today, insisting that the terrorists will ultimately fail and that the strategy for success is working.
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02/28/2006
Iran, North Korea, China Emerging as Threats
WASHINGTON - After terrorism, the ongoing development of weapons of mass destruction is the second major threat to the safety of the U.S. and its allies, and Iran and North Korea are both emerging as potential dangers in that area, a top U.S. official told a Senate committee here today.
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02/28/2006
Terrorism Biggest Threat to National Security, Officials Say
WASHINGTON - Terrorism remains the pre-eminent threat to U.S. national security and interests abroad. But if progress continues at the current pace in Iraq, the terrorists can be defeated there and the U.S. can gain a foothold in the war on terror, a top U.S. official said here today.
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02/28/2006
Russia Recognizes Two U.S. Officers for Help in Sub Rescue
WASHINGTON - Underneath a portrait of Czar Peter the Great, the Russian Ambassador to the United States presented two U.S. officers with the Order of Friendship for their parts in rescuing submariners trapped underwater off the Kamchatka peninsula in August.
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02/28/2006
Rumsfeld Urges Guard Youth Program Members to Aim High
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld urged about 60 members of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program here today to dream big and reach for the stars as they seek ways to serve their country and its ideals.
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02/28/2006
DoD to Join Re-review of Ports Issue, Official Says
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will participate in a re-review of a slated acquisition of shipping terminal operations at six major U.S. ports by a United Arab Emirates-owned firm, a senior Pentagon official said here today.
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02/28/2006
Two U.S. Soldiers Killed; Suspects Detained on Tips
WASHINGTON - Two Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers were killed in separate incidents over the past two days, and five Iraqi patrols resulted in the detention of three suspected insurgents in Ramadi.
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02/27/2006
Iraqi Security Forces Show Unity Despite Sectarian Violence
WASHINGTON - Iraq's security forces are providing a model of unity for their countrymen, working together to maintain security in the face of sectarian violence, a U.S. spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq told reporters in Baghdad this weekend.
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02/27/2006
America Supports You: Toyota Helps Guardsmen, Reservists Find Jobs
WASHINGTON - Don Esmond, a Vietnam War hero, walked into the Toyota Motor Sales in Torrance, Calif., one day in early 2004 and told the staff he wanted the company to develop a hiring program for guardsmen and reservists returning to civilian life from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
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02/27/2006
U.S. Government to Review Port Operations Transaction
WASHINGTON - A United Arab Emirates-owned firm that's slated to take over shipping terminal operations at six major U.S. ports requested an extended U.S. government review of the transaction, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States announced in a news release yesterday.
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02/27/2006
Iraqis Can Draw Hope From Tragedy, Official Says
WASHINGTON - The violence in Iraq over the past week has been tragic and has caused tension throughout the country, but ultimately it will inspire Iraqis to unite and form a strong government to defeat the terrorists, a top U.S. official said yesterday.
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02/27/2006
Students Seek Information About Military, Civilian Careers
AUSTIN, Texas - More than 400 middle school, high school and college students from across Texas flocked to student expositions at Huston-Tillotson University here Feb. 25 seeking information about military service and civilian jobs in the Defense Department.
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02/26/2006
Ceremony Commemorates Sacrifices of Persian Gulf War
ARLINGTON, Va. - In a biting cold wind, families and dignitaries gathered at Arlington National Cemetery here today to remember American servicemembers who gave their lives in operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort.
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02/26/2006
African Americans Owe Much to Past Achievers, General Says
AUSTIN, Texas - African Americans who reach high ranks in the armed forces are "standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us and accomplished great things," an Army general told an audience of high school and college students at the Defense Department's African American History Month observance.
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02/26/2006
America Supports You: Advocates Discuss Issues at Summit
WASHINGTON - Supporting U.S. servicemembers who are defending America against terrorism is a cause that all citizens can identify with, advocates of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program agreed at an organizational summit held in New York City Feb. 17.
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02/26/2006
University President Calls DoD Observance an Eye-Opener
AUSTIN, Texas - Having the Defense Department's two-day National African American History Month observance at Huston-Tillotson University here was an eye-opener for faculty and students, the university's president said.
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02/25/2006
DoD, Historically Black Colleges and Universities Sign Pact
AUSTIN, Texas - The Defense Department and 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities signed a pledge of commitment to support each other's needs during the DoD observance of National African American History Month held here yesterday and today.
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02/25/2006
U.S., Iraqi Troops Step Up Patrols, Defuse Weapons Caches
WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iraqi troops have stepped up their patrols in Iraq's Baghdad and Babil provinces, and thanks to assistance from ordinary Iraqis, they've found and defused numerous roadside bombs, mine fields, and weapons caches, U.S. military officials in Iraq reported.
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02/25/2006
DoD Observes African American History Month in Texas
AUSTIN, Texas - The Defense Department held its official observance of National African American History Month here yesterday and today at the 130-year-old Huston-Tillotson University, one of more than 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country.
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02/25/2006
Search and Rescue Ops End, Relief Ops Continue in Philippines
LEYTE, Philippines - Armed forces of the Philippines and the United States with Joint Task Force Balikatan 2006 ended a week-long search-and-rescue operation at the direction of the Leyte Island governor in the wake of a massive mudslide that destroyed the village of Guinsaugon here Feb. 17, military officials reported today.
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02/24/2006
Iraqi Forces Have Risen to Crisis Security Challenge
WASHINGTON - This week's terrorist attack on the Golden Mosque in Samarra, Iraq, is the "toughest test" for Iraq, a senior DoD official said today. But the government and security forces are rising to the challenge.
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02/24/2006
Iraqi Forces 'Stepped Up' Following Sectarian Violence, Official Says
WASHINGTON - Today was "very quiet" in Baghdad, and for the most part people are complying with a new curfew, a military official in Iraq said today. Iraqi security forces have established a number of static traffic control points throughout the city so they can enforce the rule of law, the official said.
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02/24/2006
Iraqis Take Security Lead in Wake of Mosque Bombing
WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces are leaning forward to provide security in areas of sectarian strife prompted by this week's terrorist bombing of a prominent Shiite religious shrine, a U.S. military official said here today.
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02/24/2006
Marine Corps Special Operations Command Activated
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - The Marine Corps officially joined the ranks of U.S. Special Operations Command here today in a ceremony that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld called an important milestone in the nation's fight against terrorism.
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02/24/2006
Bush: Veterans Set Example for Today's Military Heroes
WASHINGTON - With "the greatest force for freedom in the history of the world on their side," Americans should feel confident in efforts to combat terrorism and spread democracy, President Bush said today in praise of the nation's armed forces.
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02/24/2006
Reagan Carrier Strike Group Launches First Air Missions
ABOARD THE USS RONALD REAGAN - F/A-18E Hornets assigned to the "Eagles" of Strike Fighter Attack Squadron 115 on Feb. 22 became the first aircraft launched from the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan to drop ordnance on enemy targets in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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02/23/2006
Nine Charged With Stealing Protective Gear for Resale
WASHINGTON - The arrests of several Marines charged with stealing and reselling ballistic vests and other military items destined for U.S. troops in Iraq were isolated incidents in a system that works to ensure full accountability of all controlled equipment, a Marine Corps spokesman told American Forces Press Service today.
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02/23/2006
England Discusses Port Security Issue on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department's No. 2 civilian today endorsed the United Arab Emirates as a valued ally of the United States that can be entrusted to manage shipping terminal operations at a group of major U.S. ports.
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02/23/2006
Late Mailing of Absentee Ballots Affects Texas Primary Deadline
WASHINGTON - A delay in the mailing of absentee ballots means ballots sent in by some servicemembers and their families overseas for the March 7 primary election in Texas will be counted until March 20, Federal Voting Assistance Program officials here said.
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02/23/2006
Military Has Tools to Respond to Domestic Disasters, Report Says
WASHINGTON - The federal response to Hurricane Katrina demonstrated that the Defense Department is one of the only federal departments capable of playing a critical role in the nation's response to catastrophic events, a government report released today stated.
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02/23/2006
Country Music, Rodeo Stars Entertain Wounded Warriors
SAN ANTONIO - When the 2006 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo pulled up stakes Feb. 19, it left the wounded warriors recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center here and hospital staff with fond memories of Texas and cowboy hospitality.
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02/22/2006
Marine Wife and Mom Pens Books to Help Military Kids Cope
WASHINGTON - Who could better share pearls of wisdom with military kids about how to cope during a parent's deployment or yet another move than a military wife and mom who's gone through the travails herself for more than 20 years?
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02/21/2006
Attorney General: Indictments Emphasize Need for Vigilance
WASHINGTON - The U.S. attorney general called today's indictment of three Ohio men who conspired to kill U.S. citizens overseas, particularly military forces in Iraq, another indication that the United States must remain vigilant in fighting terrorism.
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02/21/2006
Soldiers Must Be Adaptive for Future, Army Chief Says
WASHINGTON - The nature of the threat facing the U.S. military has changed drastically, and soldiers need to grow and become more flexible to face that threat, the Army chief of staff said here Feb. 17.
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02/21/2006
Iraqi Brigade Assumes Responsibility for Central Baghdad
BAGHDAD - The 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, assumed responsibility from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, for areas in central and southern Baghdad yesterday during a battlespace transfer-of-authority ceremony at Forward Operating Base Honor.
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02/21/2006
Terrorist Bombs Kill 11 Iraqis, Wound 28
WASHINGTON - Eleven Iraqi civilians were killed and 28 others were wounded yesterday when terrorists detonated two vehicle bombs in Baghdad, military officials reported.
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02/20/2006
Joint Military Response to Mudslide Continues in Philippines
WASHINGTON - The joint military response to a devastating Feb. 17 mudslide in southern Leyte in the Philippines continues today, much of it being provided by sailors, Marines and airmen who were already in the region for a joint multinational training exercise, Balikatan, officials reported.
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02/20/2006
Army Vice Chief Awards, Seeks Views Of, Troops in Iraq
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - It was a day for some troops serving in Iraq to remember. Some were re-enlisting, some received Purple Heart Medals and other troops were being awarded combat infantryman, medical and action badges. The day meant even more to the soldiers because the presenter was Gen. Richard A. Cody, the Army's vice chief of staff.
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02/20/2006
Palace Drill Prepares Combat Lifesavers for Real-Life Attack
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - Just as any other day at Al Faw Palace, soldiers work to continue the mission of freeing Iraq. Boom! Suddenly the palace shakes and the noise within becomes faint. Soldiers run around frantically, trying to figure out what has went wrong.
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02/20/2006
DoD Identifies Helicopter Crash Victims
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department announced the names of eight Marines and two airmen killed in a Feb. 17 helicopter crash while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
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02/19/2006
Airmen Providing Relief in Philippines
WASHINGTON - Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan, and Andersen Air Base, Guam, in the Philippines as part of an annual bilateral exercise, are providing real-world humanitarian assistance after mudslides engulfed a village and 1,800 people, Feb. 17
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02/19/2006
Navy Ships Arrive in Philippines to Provide Disaster Relief
LEYTE, Philippines - Two Navy ships, USS Essex and USS Harpers Ferry, and elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived off the coast of Southern Leyte today to provide humanitarian relief and assistance following a deadly Feb. 17 landslide.
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02/18/2006
Search Continues Off Djibouti for Helicopter Crewmembers
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti - Search and rescue operations continue off the coast here for 10 crewmembers still missing after two U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 helicopters crashed with 12 crewmembers aboard, military officials reported.
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02/18/2006
Amphibious Ready Group Responds to Philippines Landslide
WASHINGTON - Sailors and Marines from the Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group and elements of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade were called upon yesterday to help the victims of a mudslide on southern Leyte Island in the Philippines, U.S. 7th Fleet officials reported.
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02/18/2006
Iraqi, Multinational Forces Destroy Roadside Bombs, Find Weapons
WASHINGTON - Iraqi army and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers found and destroyed 11 roadside bombs and three weapons caches during a 24-hour period this week, and conducted two major offensive operations resulting in the detention of 29 suspected terrorists, military officials reported.
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02/18/2006
Rumsfeld: U.S. Must Outdo Terrorists in Public Opinion Battle
WASHINGTON - The war on terror is unlike any conflict the U.S. has ever faced, and some of the most important battles are fought not on the ground, but in newsrooms around the world, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said yesterday in New York.
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02/17/2006
Chairman Cites Continued Progress in Afghanistan, Iraq
WASHINGTON - Noting "incredible" strides for democracy in Afghanistan and pointing out continued progress in Iraq, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today told a National Press Club audience here that U.S. efforts in those countries are bearing fruit.
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02/17/2006
Spread of Democracy Will Yield Peace, Bush Says
WASHINGTON - "The world is changing because freedom is on the march. And we shouldn't be discouraged about ... short-term setbacks," President Bush told an audience in Tampa, Fla., today.
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02/17/2006
Troop Levels in Iraq Must be Balanced Carefully, Officials Say
WASHINGTON - The level of U.S. forces in Iraq must be balanced so as not to create an occupying force, but to still be effective and able to maintain a secure environment, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told a House of Representatives committee here yesterday.
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02/17/2006
Task Forces Bolster OIF, OEF Maritime Security
WASHINGTON - Three years ago, U.S. Navy SEALs secured the Basra and Khwar Al Amaya oil terminals and started maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf. Today, the U.S. Navy and its coalition partners continue operations there and have expanded the range of the maritime mission, but continue to support operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
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02/17/2006
Bush Sends Supplemental Funding Request to Congress
WASHINGTON - President Bush submitted a request to Congress yesterday for $72.4 billion in supplemental funding to tackle the global war on terror and other ongoing international activities for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
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02/16/2006
Military Needs Flexibility to Fight Terror, Rumsfeld Says
WASHINGTON - In the face of the dispersed, ever-changing threat posed by terrorists, the only way to protect the American people is to give the military a wide range of options and capabilities, top defense officials told a House of Representatives committee here today.
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02/16/2006
'Apprentice' Winner Credits Military Training
WASHINGTON - Kelly Perdew was hired as Donald Trump's "Apprentice" in 2004, and he believes his training at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point helped him win the reality TV competition.
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02/16/2006
U.S. Donates Mobile Hospital to Pakistan for Earthquake Relief
WASHINGTON - The United States today transferred the 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, the last unit of its kind in the U.S. Army, to the Pakistan government for continued use in earthquake relief efforts, a Defense Department spokesman said.
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02/15/2006
'Able Danger' Yielded Counterterrorism Tools, Official Says
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department did not hamper the transfer of intelligence gleaned from the Able Danger program to other agencies, and the program did, in fact, yield useful tools for the counterterrorism effort, a senior DoD official said here today.
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02/15/2006
Carrier Group Finishes OIF Support, Journeys Home
ABOARD THE USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT - The USS Theodore Roosevelt and associated strike group units completed their support of maritime security operations and Operation Iraqi Freedom today when the carrier and USS San Jacinto transited the Suez Canal as they continue their return trip home.
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02/15/2006
Army Modernizing to Win Long War, Officials Tell Congress
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army needs the support of Congress to win the long war against terrorism and to meet other 21st century threats, Army officials said during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee here yesterday.
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02/15/2006
Four Insurgents Killed, 16 Detained in Iraq; Weapons Found
WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed four terrorists and detained 16 in a series of operations in the past 24 hours, and coalition forces also found several weapons caches yesterday, military officials in Iraq said.
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02/15/2006
Spreading Democracy Requires Vision, Optimism, Rice Says
GARMISCH, Germany - The key to spreading and sustaining democracy is for leaders to remain visionary and optimistic, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told more than 200 students from 49 countries here Feb. 10.
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02/14/2006
Gainey Speaks to South African Air Force Students
PRETORIA, South Africa - South Africa's young troops should be proud of what their country has accomplished in the 12 years since it abolished apartheid, the government's former official policy of forced racial segregation, a top U.S. military leader said here today. Since the new constitution was approved in 1994, South Africa has integrated all ranks and all military services.
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02/14/2006
New Military Mail Contract Projected to Save Millions
WASHINGTON - A new mail delivery contract is projected to save millions of dollars in costs to air freight letters and packages to U.S. servicemembers deployed in the Middle East, a senior DoD official said here yesterday.
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02/14/2006
Terrorists Kill Iraqi Officer, Son; Police Wounded
WASHINGTON - Terrorists killed an Iraqi army major and his son during an attack in the Taji area today, and wounded several Iraqi police officers elsewhere in separate incidents yesterday, officials in Baghdad reported today.
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02/14/2006
Defense Department Updates Equipment Reimbursement Policy
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department announced today the revision of a memorandum on the policy and procedures for the reimbursement of privately purchased protective equipment for Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
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02/13/2006
Terrorist Foothold in N. Africa 'Extremely Low Possibility,' Rumsfeld Says
IFRANE, Morocco - Thanks to the way Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco manage their internal affairs, it's "an extremely low possibility" that al Qaeda or a similar terror organization can establish a foothold in those North African nations, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today.
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02/13/2006
Iraqi, U.S. Security Forces Capture, Kill Insurgents
WASHINGTON - Iraqi and U.S. soldiers killed two terrorists and captured 16 in the Tikrit area, and Iraqi police and American troops captured eight suspected terrorists and destroyed two weapons caches in the Baghdad area, officials reported today.
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02/13/2006
Multinational Experiment Will Yield Real Change, Officials Say
WASHINGTON - The latest in a series of multinational experiments will use hypothetical events to help U.S. government and coalition agencies coordinate planning and will translate to real-world change, two U.S. officials working with the program said here today.
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02/13/2006
DoD's 2007 Budget Reflects Hard Choices, Official Says
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department's proposed fiscal 2007 budget reflects difficult decisions made by senior leaders as they seek to balance today's military needs with those anticipated for tomorrow, a senior official said here Feb. 10.
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02/13/2006
Forces Work Together to Eliminate Terrorist Inflow
MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq - Soldiers from 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, joined Iraqi troops here recently in a project designed to stop the flow of insurgents and to help prevent the emplacement of improvised explosive devices.
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02/13/2006
IED Strike Kills Four U.S. Servicemembers in Afghanistan
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Four U.S. servicemembers were killed today when a suspected improvised explosive device struck their up-armored Humvee was north of Deh Rahwod in Uruzgan province, officials here reported today.
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02/12/2006
Nations United Against Nuclear Program in Iran, Rice Says
WASHINGTON - A "tremendous" coalition of countries remains united in its stance against nuclear weapon development in Iran, a situation sparking increasing international concern, said the nation's senior diplomat today.
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02/12/2006
Rumsfeld Continues N. Africa Tour to Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco
RABAT, Morocco - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld arrived here today, after spending the morning in Tunisia and the afternoon in Algeria during a series of visits designed to strengthen the military relationships between the United States and the three North African nations.
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02/11/2006
Rumsfeld Meets With Leaders in Tunisia
TUNIS, Tunisia - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld had separate meetings today with Tunisia's president, foreign affairs minister and defense minister to kick off a three-day series of visits to nations in North Africa.
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02/10/2006
NATO Troops in Iraq Learn Lifesaving Techniques
BAGHDAD - NATO soldiers assigned to the Iraqi Military Academy of Rustamiyah here trained with the U.S. 801st Brigade Support Battalion, 506th Regimental Combat Team, this week on Eagle First Responder lifesaving techniques.
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02/10/2006
Free Turbo Tax Proves Popular Among DoD Filers
WASHINGTON - A partnership that enables military members and their families to file their tax returns electronically without charge is proving tremendously popular, with 103,000 returns already filed as of Feb. 7, a Military OneSource official told the American Forces Press Service.
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02/10/2006
Home Project Offers Wounded Vet New Beginning
WOODBRIDGE, Va. - As he maneuvered his wheelchair through rooms under renovation yesterday, former Army Staff Sgt. Eugene Simpson celebrated the purchase of his new house and raised awareness that the project still needs more help to reach its goal.
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02/10/2006
Western Anbar on the Right Track, Commander Says
WASHINGTON - U.S. forces in western Anbar province have made great progress in the fight against insurgents and efforts to secure the Iraq-Syria border, a U.S. commander in the area said today.
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02/10/2006
First Lady Offers Thanks, Encouragement at Italy Base
WASHINGTON - First lady Laura Bush thanked U.S. airmen at Aviano Air Base, Italy, today for their sacrifices as they and their fellow servicemembers defend the United States and help bring peace and stability to the world.
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02/10/2006
African Countries Working Together to Undo Past Troubles
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa - Leaders in many African countries are now conscious of the negative impact of corruption and human rights abuses, and are working together to right some past wrongs, a South African general said here yesterday.
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02/10/2006
Insurgents Nabbed After Attack on Police
WASHINGTON - In separate incidents over the past several days, Iraqi police caught two insurgents after they attacked a station, Iraqi soldiers conducted a raid through Safra village, and a suicide car bomber hit a U.S. patrol north of Baghdad, officials said.
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02/10/2006
Senate Confirms Edelman to Top Policy Post
WASHINGTON - Eric S. Edelman, undersecretary of defense for policy, was officially confirmed to the post last night by Senate voice vote, Senate officials confirmed today.
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02/09/2006
Leaders Assess Katrina Successes, Lessons Learned
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is applying lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina to build its capabilities to respond to similar or even bigger catastrophes within the United States, defense and military leaders who oversaw the military response told Congress today.
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02/09/2006
Los Angeles Skyscraper Was Terrorist Target, Bush Says
WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda terrorists were planning to fly a plane into the tallest building on the West Coast not long after they'd launched the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York City and Washington, President Bush said here today.
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02/09/2006
NATO Defense Minister Meetings Begin in Italy
TAORMINA, Italy - NATO defense ministers, including Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, are meeting here to discuss the alliance's continuing transformation, its mission in Afghanistan and other issues.
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02/09/2006
Fighting Terror Must Be International Effort, Bush Says
WASHINGTON - After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, some people doubted that the world's nations would unite to prosecute a forward-leaning global war against terrorism, but, in fact, that's just what has occurred, President Bush said here today.
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02/09/2006
Iraqis Fighting Terrorists, Cooperating With Coalition
WASHINGTON - Iraqi citizens are tired of insurgents and their violent tactics and are turning against them, providing tips to coalition and Iraqi security forces and, in some cases, taking action themselves, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said today.
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02/09/2006
Gainey Shares NCO Leadership Ideas With International Audience
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa - Senior noncommissioned officers should afford their troops responsibility, authority, accountability and assistance, the U.S. military's top NCO told an international conference of sergeants major here today.
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02/09/2006
Rumsfeld Arrives in Italy for NATO Meetings
TAORMINA, Italy - Calling NATO "probably the most impressive military alliance in history," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld noted the alliance's successes and expressed optimism for its future during a news conference on his overnight flight here from Washington.
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02/08/2006
DoD Proposes Tricare Hikes for Younger Military Retirees
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is proposing that working-age military retirees and their families pay higher premiums to help address rising health care costs that have doubled over the past few years, senior DoD officials said here today.
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02/08/2006
DoD Personnel Strategy Changing to Meet Mission Needs
WASHINGTON - While the Defense Department is busy transforming the military to meet the nation's needs in a changing world, it hasn't turned a blind eye to its civilian workforce, a DoD official said here today.
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02/08/2006
DARPA's Cutting-Edge Programs Revolutionize Prosthetics
WASHINGTON - In the old Star Wars movie "The Empire Strikes Back," Luke Skywalker gets a new, fully functional right hand after Darth Vader chops his off with a light saber. Today, thanks to work under way through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, servicemembers who have lost limbs in the line of duty could experience something almost as revolutionary in the years ahead.
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02/08/2006
Jones Details NATO Missions, Transformation
WASHINGTON - Far from being a pact that has had its day, the NATO alliance may have yet to make its major contributions, said the Supreme Allied Commander Europe before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday.
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02/08/2006
Commands Host Senior Enlisted Leaders
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command hosted a visit yesterday from more than 40 senior enlisted leaders representing every service branch.
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02/07/2006
Pace Highlights Troops' Needs to Senate Committee
WASHINGTON - The nation's highest-ranking military officer addressed medical care, reserve component changes and recruiting and retention issues during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee here today.
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02/07/2006
NATO Transformation, Operations on Tap for Meeting
WASHINGTON - NATO's continuing transformation and the alliance's operations, particularly in Afghanistan, are among major agenda items for NATO defense ministers when they meet Feb. 9 and 10 in Taormina, Sicily, a senior Defense Department official said here today.
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02/07/2006
Rumsfeld Speaks on Process Behind Budget, QDR
WASHINGTON - No nation has the resources or capability to defend against every conceivable attack, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told the Senate Armed Services Committee today.
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02/07/2006
Operations in Iraq Net 26 Suspects, Weapons Caches
WASHINGTON - Raids near Salman Pak, Iraq, yesterday resulted in the detention of suspected terrorists, and U.S. forces discovered a significant weapons cache Feb. 3, Multinational Force Iraq officials said today.
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02/07/2006
Armies Working to Define Role of Future Senior NCOs
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa - Armies worldwide are working to redefine the roles of noncommissioned officers. Senior NCO leaders from around the globe are discussing and debating such issues here this week.
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02/06/2006
DoD Uses Katrina Lessons to Improve Response Capability
WASHINGTON - The U.S. military performed admirably as it responded to Hurricane Katrina during the largest, fastest civil support mission in U.S. history - but it needs to do better in the future, according to the Pentagon's chief of homeland security.
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02/06/2006
Budget Request Focuses on Irregular Warfare, Transformation
WASHINGTON - President Bush sent his $439.3 billion defense budget request for fiscal 2007 to Congress today, reflecting what Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld called a solid ongoing commitment to defeating global terrorism, transforming the military while increasing its capabilities, and taking care of men and women in uniform.
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02/06/2006
Interpol Launches Global Alert for Escaped Terrorists
WASHINGTON - The International Criminal Police Organization, known as Interpol, issued a worldwide alert yesterday for 23 prison escapees, including 13 convicted al Qaeda terrorists, according to an Interpol news release.
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02/06/2006
Afghan Leader Discusses Taliban Attacks, Desperation
WASHINGTON - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that while Taliban and al Qaeda attacks have increased in southern and eastern parts of his country, the type of attacks show the terrorists' desperation.
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02/06/2006
U.S., Iraqi Forces Detain Suspects, Seize Weapons
WASHINGTON - Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained 10 suspects and discovered weapons during several operations in and around Baghdad on Feb. 4, military officials in Iraq reported today.
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02/05/2006
Iraqi Forces Find Roadside Bomb; Bridge Bomber Nabbed
WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces discovered a roadside bomb and caught the would-be bomber of a bridge in two separate incidents in Tikrit, Iraq, yesterday, Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq officials said.
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02/05/2006
Detainees Released; Iraqi, U.S. Troops Help Flood Victims
WASHINGTON - About 50 male detainees were released today from the Theater Internment Facilities in Iraq, and Iraqi and U.S. forces helped flood victims yesterday in northern Iraq, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported.
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02/04/2006
Four Insurgents Killed, Three Detained; Troops Seize Weapons
WASHINGTON - A combined U.S. and Iraqi patrol killed four insurgents yesterday, and in separate incidents Feb. 2, a U.S. team seized a weapons cache west of Fallujah and Multinational Division Baghdad forces detained three suspected terrorists, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.
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02/04/2006
General Says U.S.-Korean Alliance Relevant, Ready
SEOUL, South Korea - The alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States is relevant and military forces are ready, but people must speak out in support of the pact, outgoing commander Army Gen. Leon J. LaPorte said here yesterday.
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02/04/2006
Humanitarian Group Shares Experiences
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - While the southern United States continues to recover from the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, a small group of officers at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Fla., monitors human suffering in faraway places.
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02/04/2006
Eight Detained in Southern Afghanistan Fighting
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Eight enemy fighters were detained and a motorcycle was destroyed after Afghan and U.S. forces attacked enemy forces who fired on a government complex in Afghanistan 's Helmand province.
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02/03/2006
Army Reserve Restructuring for Future Challenges
WASHINGTON - As the Army Reserve reshapes its force structure to make it more prepared for future overseas or domestic missions, the component will emerge as a more fully manned, better-trained and more capable force, its chief told the American Forces Press Service today.
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02/03/2006
Rumsfeld Reacts to Latin American Populist Leaders
WASHINGTON - Bolivia's electoral results and Venezuelan president's continued hold on power do not indicate a trend of anti-American governments sprouting across Latin America, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told a National Press Club audience here yesterday.
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02/03/2006
DoD Releases QDR to Chart Way Ahead to Confront Future
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department unveiled the Quadrennial Defense Review today, charting the way ahead for the next 20 years as it confronts current and future challenges and continues its transformation for the 21st century.
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02/03/2006
Bush Cites DoD Internet Development in Promoting U.S. Innovation
WASHINGTON - President Bush cited the Defense Department's development of the Internet during a speech yesterday as an example of the ingenuity he hopes to promote through his American Competitiveness Agenda to ensure the United States maintains its leadership role in the world.
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02/03/2006
CENTCOM Group Plans Future Operations
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - A group of military officers huddles closely around a computer monitor at U.S. Central Command headquarters. The officers all weigh in on the issue, offering their opinions, and each of them is heard.
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02/03/2006
Anti-Terror Conflict Is War of Wills, Rumsfeld Says
WASHINGTON - The war against global terrorism is a war of wills and ideas that's being fought across newspaper front pages and the Internet, as well as on the battlefield, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told a National Press Club audience here yesterday.
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02/03/2006
Quadrennial Review Allows DoD to Make 'Vector Changes'
WASHINGTON - The Quadrennial Defense Review is a chance for the Defense Department to make "vector changes" on the transformation of the American military, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a recent interview.
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02/03/2006
Change to Continue as U.S.-Korea Alliance Moves Forward
SEOUL, South Korea - Changes that have taken place in the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance are meant to find a "better balance" in the very successful pact, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.
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02/03/2006
McHale: Homeland Defenses Deterring al Qaeda Attacks
WASHINGTON - Reinforced defenses within the United States, coupled with extensive antiterrorism operations overseas, have hampered terrorists' ambitions to launch a follow-up attack against the country since Sept. 11, 2001, according to the Pentagon's homeland defense chief.
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02/02/2006
QDR Will Help Military Meet Challenges, England Says
WASHINGTON - The Quadrennial Defense Review will shift the "strategic direction" of the U.S. armed forces to help the United States win the long war against terrorism, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon R. England said here yesterday.
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02/02/2006
Military Working to Ensure Best Body Armor Possible
WASHINGTON - The Army and Marine Corps are pulling out all the stops to ensure deployed troops have the best body armor possible, including ceramic side plates to protect their torsos, leaders from both services told members of the House Armed Services Committee yesterday.
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02/02/2006
Army Medical Program Makes Changes to Benefit Soldiers
WASHINGTON - The Army medical system provides superior care, but officials are always looking to the future and working to improve the system for soldiers, the deputy surgeon general of the Army said here today.
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02/02/2006
Military Reorganization Continues After Hurricane Katrina
WASHINGTON - Organizational changes in the military continue in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina response, the Army general who was second in command of the military's Katrina task force told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee here yesterday.
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02/02/2006
January Casualties in Iraq Show Decrease
WASHINGTON - For most of January, the casualty rate in Iraq was at the lowest rate since the spring of 2004, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman said in a briefing from Baghdad today.
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02/02/2006
BRAC Will Facilitate Medical Transformation, Official Says
WASHINGTON - The results of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process have created opportunities and challenges for the military community at large, and specifically the military medicine community, the BRAC Commission's chairman said here today.
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02/02/2006
Jordanian Military Helps Its Neighbors
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Jordanian military continues to help Iraq's fledgling military forces and provide Afghan and Iraqi citizens with medical care they have lacked for decades, Jordanian officials said here this week.
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02/01/2006
Survivors Praise Body, Vehicle Armor to House Subcommittee
WASHINGTON - Three soldiers just back from Iraq -- including two who credit personal and vehicle armor with saving their lives -- traveled to Capitol Hill today to tell Congress that when it comes to protecting troops, more isn't always better.
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02/01/2006
Bush Calls Victory America's Only Option in Iraq
WASHINGTON - Reinforcing his State of the Union message, President Bush today defended his decision to go to war in Iraq and repeated his assertion that victory is America's only option.
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02/01/2006
Koreans Remember History as They Help Old, New Allies
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Korean army Lt. Col. Hyunmo Lee did not fight in the Korean War. But the sacrifices U.S. troops made during that war are in the forefront of his mind as he works as a coalition partner in the global war on terror.
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02/01/2006
System Must Sustain Benefits, Navy Surgeon General Says
WASHINGTON - The military health system provides the best health care in the world, and that quality must be sustained, even as the demand and requirements for health care change in the future, the Navy's surgeon general said here today.
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02/01/2006
Iraqi Army Unit Assumes Command of Forward Base
WASHINGTON - The Iraqi army's 5th Brigade, 6th Division, assumed control of a base in central Baghdad from the U.S. 4th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team during a transfer-of-authority ceremony yesterday.
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02/01/2006
NORTHCOM Prepares for Possible Pandemic
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - U.S. Northern Command recently hosted representatives from more than 40 international, federal and state agencies for an exercise designed to provoke discussion and determine what governmental actions, including military support, would be necessary in the event of an influenza pandemic in the United States.
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02/01/2006
Iraqi, U.S. Troops Disarm IED, Find Weapons Cache in Desert
WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers destroyed an improvised explosive device attached to railroad tracks about 20 miles south of Baghdad Jan. 30. Elsewhere, Iraqi and U.S. soldiers yesterday discovered a large weapons cache stashed in a remote desert area, officials said.
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02/01/2006
Military Heroes, Families Respond to State of Union Message
WASHINGTON - The family of a fallen Marine President Bush honored as a hero during his State of the Union address last night and five servicemembers invited to attend the address expressed gratitude today for the nation's support for the military.
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02/01/2006
Small Nation Helps Build Democracy in Iraq, Afghanistan
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Estonia is helping two nations rebuild in the wake of extremism and a violent dictatorship. Its forces are now deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, and the country is a coalition partner at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Fla.
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