ARLINGTON, Va. - More than 60 Iraq War veterans gathered at a reception in Crystal City, Va., sharing their memories as they prepared to receive the nation's thanks for their service at a White House dinner in their honor.

WASHINGTON - Retired Army Capt. Alvin Shell suffered severe burns saving his fellow soldiers’ lives in Iraq -- actions that spurred President Barack Obama to hail him as a hero in a national speech. Yet, when he separated from service, and despite extensive military and civilian work experience, Shell was unable to land a job.

WASHINGTON - In its mission to strengthen the defense capabilities of African states, the U.S. Africa Command considers countering extremist organizations its top job, Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, Africom commander, said.

WASHINGTON - Planned reductions to U.S. forces in Europe is an extension of the post-Cold War drawdown that is both manageable and appropriate in the new global context, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, commander of U.S. European Command, told members of Congress.

FORT MEADE, Md. - Majid Shoukat Khan, the only legal U.S. resident being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has become the first high-value detainee to plead guilty to charges of helping terrorists plot and carry out attacks.

WASHINGTON - The North Korean government has agreed to stop all nuclear activities at its main production and testing plant and to allow the return of inspectors, in a move the Defense Department described as a positive step toward denuclearization of the communist state, a Pentagon spokeswoman said.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - While government programs are essential, it will take a concerted community-level effort to ensure troops, veterans and their families realize their independent “capacity for greatness,” said Army Col. David Sutherland, special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for warrior and family support.

WASHINGTON - As the Air Force gets smaller in the years to come, it will have to emphasize the areas that will be the most relevant to defense, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz told the Defense Writers Group.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Command continues to meet all of its obligations to military combatant commanders and warfighters despite increasingly tighter budgets and an access dispute with Pakistan, Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III told a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - In the wake of a report detailing operations at the Dover Port Mortuary in Delaware, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz said mortuary personnel followed policies in place at the time -- which have changed -- in handling some remains of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - Air Force Staff Sgt. Lionel Garcia, a 49th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., recently saved the life of a San Antonio police officer while on leave visiting his family.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Health Board subcommittee has released a report outlining 20 recommendations for improvements at Dover Port Mortuary, Del.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force already is adopting many recommendations to improve its mortuary affairs operations at Dover Air Force Base, Del., and is studying other improvements an independent committee recommended, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said.

WASHINGTON - NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen took questions from reporters about the recent violence in Afghanistan, NATO’s position on the Syrian uprising and the upcoming NATO summit.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s new strategic shift toward the Asia-Pacific region will solidify longstanding partnerships, build on newer ones, and allow the military to address security challenges in the area, the commander of U. S. Pacific Command said.

WASHINGTON - Fiscal austerity adds to the challenge of building NATO capacity, but identifying priorities and instituting new initiatives will help the alliance meet evolving security threats, the acting undersecretary of defense for policy said.

WASHINGTON - The responsibility to reduce the deficit cannot be borne by defense alone, said Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta during his testimony detailing President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2013 defense budget request to the Senate Budget Committee.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Military leaders at a recent Fort Belvoir, Va., event issued a call to action to U.S. employers: hire wounded warriors.

WASHINGTON - The Agriculture Department and American Legion have agreed to help veterans and service members making the transition to civilian life find jobs that promote agriculture, animal and plant health, food safety, nutrition, conservation and rural communities.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Army Pvt. Precious Abraham's journey to becoming a Missouri National Guard recruit began more than 6,500 miles away.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki invited disabled veterans to the latest in a series of regular meetings the two have held to discuss issues of common interest.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta met with Portuguese Defense Minister Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco in the Pentagon to discuss a range of common challenges, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, urged the nation’s governors to remove employment barriers for military spouses with professional licenses.

WASHINGTON - The rioting and killings that have followed the accidental burning of Qurans by coalition personnel will not change the NATO strategy in Afghanistan, said Pentagon Press Secretary George Little during a press briefing at the Pentagon.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition and Afghan forces recently have worked together throughout Afghanistan, capturing several insurgent leaders who led attacks against them and killing one in self defense.

FORT HOOD, Texas - When Army Capt. Latoya James was honored for her volunteerism on Fort Hood, Texas, her inspiration -- her grandmother -- was there for the ceremony.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has called Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, to offer condolences for the “tragic killing of U.S. troops” in Kabul and to discuss the ongoing violence in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - After learning of the murders of two U.S. military officers serving in Kabul, Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has backed the decision to recall International Security Assistance Force-Afghanistan personnel working in ministries located there, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Wrapping up his first trip to Afghanistan since assuming the Pentagon’s No. 2 post, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter visited a key site that provides irrigation and hydroelectric power to residents of Helmand province.

MARJAH, Afghanistan - Simply by walking through the marketplace in Marjah, Afghanistan, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter showed how much progress has taken place in this former Taliban stronghold in Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is making “tremendous” strides in its efforts to ease employment challenges for military spouses with occupational licenses, a DOD official said.

WASHINGTON - Climate trends indicate new missions for the Coast Guard, as former “hard water” ice zones become “soft water” operation areas, said Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert J. Papp Jr. during a recent interview.

STERLING, Va. - An imam speaking to about a 1,000 members of a Washington, D.C., area mosque delivered a sermon with a message for Muslims around the world: "Don't respond to a wrong with a wrong," in response to the mistaken destruction of Qurans in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - If something touches the nation’s waters, the “multi-mission” Coast Guard probably has some responsibility, according to that service’s only four-star officer.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David Shouse's fellow Marines and coworkers weren't surprised to hear he put his life in danger to rescue a stranger one day.

FORT MEADE, Md. - Army Pfc. Bradley E. Manning was arraigned at Fort Meade, Md., on 22 charges that include wrongfully releasing intelligence, theft of records and aiding the enemy and, if convicted, faces penalities that could include confinement for life and a dishonorable discharge.

KEY LARGO, Fla. - For 38 military widows, a four-day retreat along the Gulf of Mexico is a time to grieve and celebrate the lives of their lost loved ones with others who understand their loss better than anyone.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff fielded questions during a town hall meeting at Naval Air Station Pensacola on everything from the defense strategy and budget to the future force, the challenges of military families and the evolution of homeland defense.

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Partnership has been essential to success in Iraq and Afghanistan, and this emphasis continued as U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter met with Polish troops in Afghanistan.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Warfighters’ needs served as the driving force for U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter as he met with two groups of service members in Kandahar, Afghanistan, to receive feedback on weapons, equipment and training.

WASHINGTON - In a complicated world, service members must rededicate themselves to the profession of arms, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a just-released white paper.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta called Georgian Defense Minister Bachana Akhalaia to express his condolences for the Feb. 21 deaths of three Georgian soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, blogs about a white paper he has released on the values, professionalism and trust of the military profession of arms.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials are set to release the names of 64 service members who will represent all U.S. troops that served in Iraq, as they attend a White House dinner honoring the efforts of American troops who served in the country since 2003.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told a visiting Jordanian delegation he is firmly committed to the U.S. military partnership with that nation’s armed forces, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon’s top public affairs official, Douglas B. Wilson, announced that he will retire at the end of March.

WASHINGTON - A man wearing an Afghan army uniform turned his weapon against International Security Assistance Force service members in eastern Afghanistan, killing two.

HAT YAO, Thailand - Deploying, embedding and ultimately ensuring the safety of the Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit is just the start of what former Marine Corps Cpl. Edwin A. Ventura does to help the unit.

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter met with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak to discuss progress in the Afghan national security forces and other issues.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is working to break down credentialing barriers for service members and veterans preparing to enter the civilian workforce, a DOD official told the audience gathered for the National Credentialing Summit.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently told ROTC cadets at Tuskegee University in Alabama, that they are the next generation that will lead the military forward, and he spoke of the importance of the issue of trust.

WASHINGTON - The Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Program, established and run by Afghans since 2010, resolves grievances that lead to fighting and delivers peace at a local level, a senior coalition officer said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter met with Afghan leadership and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to training and transitioning Afghan national security forces and a long-term U.S.-Afghan partnership.

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, on a trip to Afghanistan, joined other senior officials in condemning the improper disposal of religious materials, including Qurans, at Bagram Airfield.

LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - Like most other boys, Air Force Staff Sgt. John Hammer dreamed of growing up and being a professional football star. Instead, the 30-year-old husband and father of three is a senior watch supervisor at the Air Force’s busiest airfield.

WASHINGTON - Coalition members are working with Afghan leaders to quickly and fully investigate the “grave mistake” that ended in partially burned Qurans at the Parwan detention facility near Bagram, Afghanistan, a coalition official said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Coalition and Afghan security forces captured three Taliban leaders and multiple other insurgents during separate operations conducted throughout Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - U.S. special operations forces are helping four Central African nations reduce the size and lethality of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a group that has terrorized the region for more than 20 years.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter is in Kabul, Afghanistan, on his first trip as the Pentagon’s second-in-command to meet with coalition military forces and Afghan leaders.

WASHINGTON - Four Air Force special operators were killed Feb. 18, when their single-engine U-28 aircraft crashed in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Army leaders are aware of the differences between field forces and garrison forces and seek to unify the different experiences in an effort to keep soldiers excited about serving their country, the Army chief of staff said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Health Board has received findings and recommendations from an independent review of practices at the Dover Port Mortuary in Delaware directed in December by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army presence will remain strong in the Pacific to reflect the increased emphasis on the region, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno told a Defense Writers Group roundtable.

WASHINGTON - Citing the potentially devastating impact of financial issues on career and home life, officials are encouraging troops and their families to build financial fitness by kick-starting a savings plan and reducing their debt.

KABUL, Afghanistan - All International Security Assistance Force personnel in Afghanistan will complete training in the proper handling of religious materials.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff discusses his recent budget testimony on Capitol Hill in his latest Chairman's Corner.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force, joined with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in condemning a recent spate of insurgent violence in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta joined the commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan in apologizing to the Afghan people for the reported inappropriate treatment of religious materials, including copies of the Quran, on Bagram Airfield.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - Army Sgt. Sandra Coast recently graduated from Basic Combat Training on Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., officially beginning her Army career at 51 years old.

WASHINGTON - The military’s strategic shift to the Pacific region provides an opportunity to improve U.S.-China relations, said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during an interview with CNN.

WASHINGTON - The security challenges in Syria are different geographically and militarily from those that led to NATO operations in Libya, and intervention would be difficult, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department raised nearly $16 million in contributions during the 2011 Combined Federal Campaign, marking its fifth consecutive year raising more than $15 million, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said.

BETHESDA, Md. - The Navy and more than 25 large employers are teaming up to host the first-ever “100,000 Jobs Mission Hiring Event” at Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Md., on Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WASHINGTON - Fresh from three days of Capitol Hill testimony, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta flew to Louisiana, where he shared his strategy and budget vision with service members on Barksdale Air Force Base.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Continued close integration and coordination between federal agencies and their partner organizations is critical to safeguarding nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists, a senior defense official said.

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. - Shortly after being commissioned as a second lieutenant, Donna Tluczek received her first salute from her husband, Tech. Sgt. Pawel Tluczek, with the help of modern technology.

WASHINGTON - The senior enlisted advisors for the four military services discussed budget, retention and other issues on service members’ minds during a hearing of a House Appropriations Committee subcommittee.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière responded to reporters’ questions on Afghanistan, Syria, Iran and Israel following a bilateral Pentagon meeting.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta met with German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière at the Pentagon, as Defense Department officials announced details of planned changes in the U.S. military presence in Europe.

WASHINGTON - The United States and its allies face a broad spectrum of national security threats from terrorism, nuclear proliferation and cyber attacks, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Army Lt. Gen. Ronald L. Burgess Jr. told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - The nation is open to reaching diplomatic solutions with Iran, but is keeping all options on the table in case clear-cut “red lines” are crossed, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told members of Congress.

WASHINGTON - The fiscal 2013 Defense Department budget request is a product of the strategic guidance introduced by President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, said Mike McCord, principal deputy to the Pentagon comptroller.

WASHINGTON - Doubling defense spending cuts under sequestration would leave the military without a workable strategy to counter global threats, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told a House panel.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force killed several insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader in the Shirin Tagab district of Faryab province.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Air Force Staff Sgt. Trisha Smeenk of the South Dakota Air National Guard realized her childhood dream when she was selected as Miss Rodeo USA for 2012 in Oklahoma City.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s strategy-based budget proposal would strengthen the nation’s nuclear weapons enterprise and modernization, said John Harvey, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs.

WASHINGTON - Alongside the nation’s top defense officials, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, unveiled a new report that spotlights military spouses’ employment challenges and aims to remove barriers for spouses with occupational licenses.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta urged Congress to undo an automatic $500 billion cut to defense spending due to go into effect next year, and made his case for two new rounds of military base realignments and closures.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon’s fiscal 2013 budget request follows the defense strategy in shaping an adaptable, rapidly deployable military force with 21st-century capabilities, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a House panel.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The strategy-based budget proposal sent to Congress earlier this week will help to maintain the world’s finest fighting force capable of defeating any adversary, said Robert F. Hale, the Defense Department’s comptroller.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta welcomed Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to the Pentagon with full military honors for what was the first ceremony of its kind for a visiting vice president, Defense Department officials said.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey will unveil a new report outlining military spouses’ employment challenges and featuring suggestions for how states can help.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Army Maj. Gen. Thomas Katkus, Alaska’s adjutant general, and his dog team raced to victory at the "Top Brass" Charity Dog Sled Race in Anchorage. Sponsored by ExxonMobile, the race pays tribute to the official sport of Alaska, while highlighting the sacrifices made by the nation's wounded warriors.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan-led and coalition-supported security force captured a Haqqani network leader in the Bak district of Khost province.

WASHINGTON - The Air Force made tough choices in its proposed fiscal 2013 budget as it transitions away from supporting large-scale ground wars to planning for the future, said Maj. Gen. Edward L. Bolton Jr., the deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for budget.

WASHINGTON - The $48.7 billion in medical spending contained in the 2013 defense budget request follows Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta’s often-stated priority of keeping faith with military members, said Dr. Jonathan Woodson, the department’s assistant secretary for health affairs and director of the TRICARE Management Activity.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the nation’s military members and thanked their families during his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Senior military and civilian leaders participated in an intensive strategy review before compiling the Defense Department's fiscal 2013 budget request, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Testifying with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the fiscal 2013 defense budget proposal is “an investment in people … who serve this nation in our military.”

FORT SILL, Okla. - Wounded warrior Army Staff Sgt. Louis Thompson is taking advantage of an internship program developed by the Defense Department for recovering service members.

WASHINGTON - Though its portion of President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2013 defense budget request required tough decisions made necessary by looming spending cuts, the Army will remain a superior fighting force, Army officials said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force captured two Taliban leaders and a suspected insurgent during an operation in the Maidan Shar district of Wardak province.

WASHINGTON - The proposed $525.4 billion Defense Department base budget reflects a well-thought-out plan for military spending that should be considered in its entirety as it moves through the budget process, said Robert F. Hale, the Pentagon’s top budget official.

WASHINGTON - The Navy and Marine Corps will be leaner and smaller, but still rapidly deployable under the fiscal 2013 budget request President Barack Obama sent to Congress, said Rear Adm. Joseph P. Mulloy, the Navy’s deputy assistant secretary for budget.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2013 budget proposal includes several provisions dedicated to supporting service members, veterans and their families.

WASHINGTON - Alongside some of the nation’s top officials, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will unveil an employment report intended to ease military spouses’ ongoing issues with occupational licenses, White House officials announced.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama called his fiscal 2013 budget proposal, which includes reductions in the Pentagon's budget, a blueprint to an economy built to last that will require tough cuts and shared responsibility.

WASHINGTON - The military will reduce its end strength by 5.5 percent over five years, while preserving military pay and benefits for current members and investing in technology and systems to counter future threats, according to Pentagon budget documents.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader responsible for conducting direct-fire and roadside-bomb attacks against coalition forces, in the Maiwand district of Kandahar province.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Army 1st Sgt. Walter Josephs Jr., who is on his sixth overseas deployment in Afghanistan, is serving there with his son and namesake, Air Force Airman 1st Class Walter Josephs Jr.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - A quick trip to Afghanistan this week, and meetings with leaders and troops there, encouraged the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the Afghan National Security Forces will be ready by 2014 to take the combat lead.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he voiced both concerns and commitment to Egyptian defense leaders during meetings in Cairo.

CAIRO - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff met today with Egypt’s top defense officials to discuss a wide range of issues related to the long-standing security relationship between the two countries.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta issued a message providing his perspectives from his recent trip to visit U.S. troops and attend a security conference in Germany and take part in a NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Daniel J. Houten, born to a successful Orthodox Jewish family in Brooklyn, N.Y., served in the Israeli army before returning to the U.S. to join the Georgia Army National Guard.

WASHINGTON - Service members and their families are among the Americans who will benefit from a “landmark” $25 billion foreclosure settlement between the government and banks, federal and state officials said.

WASHINGTON - Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, of Arizona, was on hand during a ceremony at the Pentagon as Navy Secretary Ray Mabus unveiled the newest littoral combat ship in the Navy inventory which will be named in her honor.

WASHINGTON - NATO’s top military commander conducted an on-site survey of the International Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command West at Camp Arena in Herat province.

WASHINGTON - Leaders will provide dollar details Feb. 13 for the Defense Department’s fiscal 2013 budget request, which is based on the defense strategic guidance framework announced last month, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, traveled to a forward operating base in eastern Afghanistan to have lunch with troops and present awards to eight soldiers, including a Bronze Star Medal to a soldier from the Czech Republic.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s new obesity and nutrition awareness campaign sets a powerful example for the rest of the nation, First Lady Michelle Obama said during her visit to Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.

WASHINGTON - The new defense strategy guidance laid out by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is a blueprint for the budget proposal President Barack Obama will announce next week, the vice commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to develop innovative methods of creating and using clean energy to power its buildings and installations, as well as serve as a test bed for the civilian community.

WASHINGTON - New Defense Department policies that open more jobs to women reflect both women’s increased roles in and out of combat and the fact that war is no longer linear, senior officials said.

WASHINGTON - Military women, particularly soldiers, will see more than 14,000 new job or assignment opportunities because of Defense Department personnel policy changes.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama visited an Arkansas military base to join in the launch of a "groundbreaking" Defense Department campaign to raise awareness about obesity and nutrition and improve the health of troops, veterans and their families.

WASHINGTON - Japan, South Korea and other traditional allies will remain the bedrock of U.S. strategy in the Pacific even as the nation reaches out to others, Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead U.S. Pacific Command, told a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - The Army is investigating how post-traumatic stress disorder is diagnosed to ensure consistency at all service hospitals in identifying and treating the condition, the service’s surgeon general told Congress.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban facilitator and detained another suspected insurgent in the Nawa district of Helmand province.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Michelle L. Smoak, in North Carolina, was able to watch with pride as her husband Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Derek Smoak was promoted during a ceremony while serving in Afghanistan with the help of modern video chat technology.

WASHINGTON - The War of 1812 was a watershed moment in the nation’s development of a strong national defense system that changed the U.S. position on the global stage, a senior military historian said during a recent blogger's roundtable.

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Afghanistan to meet with senior military leaders and service members as he seeks updated first-hand information on the current situation on the ground there.

WASHINGTON - The United States must be prepared to sustain its special operations forces during fiscally constraining times and the new defense strategic guidance for reduced spending has taken that into account, a senior Pentagon official said.

WASHINGTON - The United States hasn’t seen a large-scale terrorist attack since 9/11 because U.S. forces have crushed al-Qaida over the last decade, Michael A. Sheehan, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, said.

WASHINGTON - A medical exercise under way in Tanzania, featuring the participation of about 20 U.S. soldiers along with Army Department civilians, is building strong bridges between the U.S. and Tanzanian militaries.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said the U.S.-Japan joint defense posture statement affirms both nations are committed to relocating U.S. Marines within Okinawa, and also to moving some of those forces to Guam.

WASHINGTON - The Taliban are responsible for the rising civilian death toll in Afghanistan, said Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, commander of ISAF Joint Command.

WASHINGTON - Afghan national security forces and the International Security Assistance Force have the right plan, the momentum and the will to succeed in the country, said Army Lt. Gen.Curtis M. Scaparrotti, the commander of ISAF Joint Command.

MIAMI - The United States is joining with European and Western Hemisphere partners in a multinational effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force captured two Taliban leaders during an operation in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials say they’re all for a “New York-style tickertape parade” honoring combat troops who served in Iraq, but bowing to the military leadership’s wishes, agree that the best time to do so is after all combat troops have returned home from Afghanistan as well.

WASHINGTON - Another state has joined an interstate agreement to ease school transitions for children from military families, bringing the overall tally of member states to 40 nationwide.

WASHINGTON - Military members have until Feb. 20 to submit images they've taken in a contest aimed at showcasing the daily life of troops while they are deployed or on overseas assignments.

WASHINGTON - While the U.S. military will shrink in the coming years, the contracting career field will buck the trend and grow, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center officials said.

WASHINGTON - The demands of 10 years of war have driven special operations and general-purpose forces closer together, Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, said.

FORT MEADE, Md. - A new program is helping partner nations develop public affairs expertise to address challenges not only at home, but also as they participate in coalition operations around the world.

WASHINGTON - It once was thought that servicewomen neither were exposed to the same combat situations as men nor developed the same psychological injuries. But officials now recognize otherwise and are working to address those injuries in women.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department's acquisitions, technology and logistics office will need the brightest, most cost-conscious staff asking tough, introspective questions to meet future strategic and budgetary demands, said Frank Kendall, ATL's acting director.

FORT LEE, Va. - Latorial Faison, an educator, military spouse and poet, believes "writing is risky because you have to say what you feel, be truthful."

WASHINGTON - Pentagon Press Secretary George Little traded a range of 140-character questions and answers with hundreds of users of the online social networking service Twitter during a Defense Department virtual town hall.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.

LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - The Defense Department’s Military Working Dog Breeding Program on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio provides military working dogs to every service branch.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Japanese representatives met to discuss changes under consideration to agreements on the realignment of U.S. forces in the Pacific, which include the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has nominated Lt. Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger to the rank of general and commander of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, potentially making her the Air Force’s first female four-star general, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has announced.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will honor Iraq War veterans and their families during a dinner at the White House later this month, White House officials have announced.

WASHINGTON - Armed attacks by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime that have killed and wounded thousands of citizens since last January are “utterly deplorable,” Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

SAN ANTONIO - Future miltary working dogs from the Defense Department’s Military Working Dog Breeding Program on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio first enjoy several months of love with local volunteer foster care families.

BETHESDA, Md. - Super Bowl festivities were in full swing at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, as hundreds of wounded warriors, their families and big-name celebrities gathered recently for the big game.

WASHINGTON - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey's just-released Strategic Direction to the Joint Force outlines how the U.S. military will transition to a more efficient fighting force to confront present and future threats.

WASHINGTON - A recently published rule modifies the way major defense contractors report to the Defense Department on how their independent research and development projects enhance communication between government and industry.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Culinary specialist Navy Seaman Apprentice Justin Cramer said his chef's training in Santa Barbara, Calif., will enable him to improve the food for the crew aboard the nuclear submarine USS California.

WASHINGTON - An International Security Assistance Force helicopter crew have been safely recovered and moved to a nearby base after their aircraft crashed in eastern Afghanistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, International Security Assistance Force commander, said he finds a United Nations report that notes a decline in coalition-related civilian casualties "promising, but there is more work to be done."

FORT HOOD, Texas - Army Brig. Gen. Terence J. Hildner, who commanded the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), died of apparent natural causes Feb. 3 in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to Fort Hood, Texas, officials.

USS ENTERPRISE AT SEA - House Armed Services Committee leaders and other senior guests visited the USS Enterprise in the Atlantic Ocean as the 50-year-old nuclear aircraft carrier prepared to participate in the Bold Alligator 2012 naval amphibious operations exercise.

MUNICH - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has called for European nations to match the United States’ vote of confidence in the transatlantic partnership, through investment in common defense and commitment to a long-term solution in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Operation Deep Freeze, the Defense Department’s support mission in Antarctica, is beginning to wind down after another successful season of transporting millions of pounds of cargo and thousands of passengers to the icy destination.

WASHINGTON - Maintaining morale is an essential aspect of any service member's life. To keep spirits high, American Forces Radio and Television Service will broadcast Super Bowl XLVI to service members worldwide so they can root for their favorite team on game day.

WASHINGTON - Within the last two years, Arlington National Cemetery has seen much progress in correcting gravesite deficiencies, increasing customer service, and instituting effective computer recordkeeping, the Army’s inspector general told members of Congress.

WASHINGTON - During a Pentagon press conference, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz detailed force structure changes that will be made in the service over the next year.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The NATO defense meetings that concluded in Brussels were “very productive” on alliance issues ranging from Afghanistan to Kosovo to smart defense, a senior defense official told reporters.

LANDSTUHL, Germany - Some 150 U.S. service members gathered at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, to join U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta as he honored the service and sacrifice of U.S. military nurses.

ARLINGTON, Va. - President Barack Obama continued his commitment to improving employment among veterans by introducing an initiative to hire them as the country’s first responders during an event held in Arlington, Va.

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE and LANDSTUHL, Germany - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta paused between a NATO defense ministerial and the annual Munich security conference to visit with U.S. service members at Ramstein Air Base and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

WASHINGTON - The director fo the Armed Forces Tax Council explains how the Thrift Savings Plan's new Roth option can help save troops money, and he also provides tips for making the most of their military tax benefits.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, have announced the 20 finalists that will compete for top honors in the Joining Forces Campaign's Community Challenge.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Capt. Stan Maczek has become fascinated by his new hobby: conducting paranormal research to investigate haunted places and hunt down ghosts.

WASHINGTON - High school students got an inside look at Defense Department information technology jobs during a Pentagon event that showcased the wide variety of opportunities available in the field.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader and detained one additional suspected insurgent during an operation in the Nahr-E Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

BRUSSELS - NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels this week agreed on a clear message: they are committed to a transition to Afghan security force control, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

WASHINGTON - On the final day of the 2012 Military Health System Conference, the Defense Department’s top health affairs official called for more collaboration, transformation and organizational courage to carry on the system's reputation for excellence.

WASHINGTON - The threat to U.S.-based computer networks is one of the country’s most pressing security problems, and Congress needs to act on it soon, the director of national intelligence told a congressional panel.

WASHINGTON - A transition to Afghan security lead in the country in 2013 is a prudent step, but one that doesn’t change the December 2014 deadline for NATO to end combat operations in the country, Pentagon officials said.

WASHINGTON - Service members now will receive imminent danger pay only for days they actually spend in hazardous areas, Pentagon officials said. The change came as a result of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law Dec. 31.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader and detained an additional suspected insurgent during an operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

FORT POLK, La. - As Army Pvt. Larry Corwin prepares to deploy to Afghanistan, he is getting the training he needs on Fort Polk, La., and gaining the confidence of his leaders.

BALTIMORE - Six months after arriving at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center to help train Air Force medical personnel in trauma care, its program director already sees potential to expand the training experience and ensure airmen develop stronger skill retention.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department needs another round of base realignments and closures if the military is to retain its balance as it cuts $487 billion over the next decade, said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - As the U.S. military faces a constrained budget environment in the years ahead, it will build on experience gained in expansions and contractions throughout its history, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - The USO has adapted to the needs of service members and their families throughout its 71-year history and continues to serve America’s troops as it works to educate others about the invisible wounds of war, a senior executive of the organization said.

WASHINGTON - Federal officials are urging military members, their families and other Americans living outside the United States to register to vote and request an absentee ballot.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s drug-testing program is expanding to add screening for the prescription medications hydrocodone and benzodiazepines to the range of legal and illegal drugs it currently detects.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said he will stress during this week’s NATO defense ministers conference that ongoing coalition commitment is essential to success in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The same budget constraints that are helping to produce a smaller, more agile and technologically enabled joint force by 2020 also will drive the growth of innovation in the Defense Department, said Kathleen Hicks, deputy undersecretary of defense for strategy, plans and forces.

WASHINGTON - Agreements signed last week in the Canadian capital of Ottawa created a roadmap for U.S. and Canadian officials to work together more smoothly in the event of a natural disaster or attack.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is part of a federal government effort to end human trafficking, a form of modern slavery that forces millions of men, women and children around the world into forced labor, prostitution, involuntary servitude and debt bondage.

WASHINGTON - The recently released movie, “Red Tails,” tells the story of the famed hard-fighting Tuskegee Airmen, African-American Army Air Corps fighter pilots who sucessfully protected U.S. bombers from the fury of the German Luftwaffe during World War II.

BALTIMORE - Doctors at Baltimore's prestigious shock trauma center - the first and highest-volume shock trauma in the country - are providing pre-deployment training to Air Force medical professionals heading to Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader and detained multiple suspected insurgents during an operation in the Kandahar district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.

FORT MEADE, Md. - Air Force Lt. Col. Rodney Lewis, a White House Fellow, is helping First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, in their "Joining Forces" program effort to rally national support for troops and their families.

PHILADELPHIA - When U.S. military forces serving in Afghanistan watch the New England Patriots and New York Giants battle it out in this year’s Super Bowl, they can enjoy a wide variety of American finger foods, thanks to the efforts of the Defense Logistics Agency.