WASHINGTON - The United States will continue to push for a missile defense system in Europe despite resistance from Russia, a top Pentagon official said.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - As disabled veterans test their mettle during the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, they’re finding motivation not just on ski slopes, but in each other.

POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thanked soldiers and airmen based in North Carolina for their service during what he called the "most dangerous time" he has seen.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - On his second stopover en route to the NATO summit conference in Bucharest, Romania, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited Copenhagen, Denmark, to thank a country he called a steadfast ally.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iraqi security forces killed 48 insurgents and captured 11 others during a series of operations conducted across Baghdad.

EN ROUTE TO COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed condolences to the family of a soldier whose remains were identified this weekend after he was captured by enemy forces in Iraq four years ago.

INDIANAPOLIS - The Greater Indianapolis YMCA has created “Operation Indiana Partners” to offer free memberships to the families of deployed Indiana National Guardsmen.

WASHINGTON - Charges have been sworn against a Guantanamo Bay detainee, alleging he was involved in the preparation and planning of the 1998 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.

FORWARD OPRATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Citizens once afraid to leave their homes because terrorists were among them gathered to celebrate the opening of a middle school and health clinic in Adwaniyah.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghan officials held opening ceremonies for a new medical clinic, district center and refurbished school in the Khakrez district of Kandahar province.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - While some 19-year-olds are off to college or hanging out with friends, Army Pvt. Derk Hayes is beginning his adulthood in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WARRENTON, Va. - U.S. Africa Command is making progress in gaining acceptance in Africa, the command’s deputy for civil-military affairs said.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - About 400 disabled veterans converged in Colorado to kick off the world’s largest disabled ski clinic.

MONS, Belgium - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates stopped in Belgium for a fact-finding visit on his way to the NATO Summit in Bucharest, Romania.

WARRENTON, Va. - U.S. Africa Command wants to work in partnership with African nations, and its establishment does not signal the militarization of U.S. foreign policy, said the organization’s commander, Army Gen. William E. “Kip” Ward.

KIRKUK, Iraq - Quick action on the part of U.S. soldiers and Air Force medical personnel saved the life of a 13-year-old boy injured by an improvised explosive device in Kirkuk, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and coalition forces killed or captured dozens of terrorists and discovered weapons and explosives caches during operations throughout Iraq, military officials reported.

WARRENTON, Va. - U.S. and African officials addressed security concerns during a three-day Defense Policy Dialogue sponsored by the Defense Department in Warrenton, Va.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Army Lt. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey became acting chief of U.S. Central Command during a relinquishment-of-command ceremony on MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

WASHINGTON - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is proud of its bond with the military, its chairman and chief executive officer said.

WASHINGTON - The Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard have joined forces in an unprecedented effort to create a unified maritime strategy that will apply seapower in the 21st century to protect America’s way of life.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces are focused on reducing criminal activity in Basra, Iraq, Multinational Force Iraq’s deputy chief of staff for strategic effects said during a conference call from Baghdad with military analysts.

WASHINGTON - A rock star is putting a successful career on hold to serve in Iraq as an Army Reservist.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Africa Command is another way the United States can connect with the countries of the continent, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told representatives from more than 40 African nations.

WASHINGTON - President Bush called Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s actions against criminals and militants in Basra a demonstration of leadership during a “defining moment in the history of a free Iraq.”

WASHINGTON - A coalition operation to capture a Taliban leader and disrupt facilitation networks in Afghanistan’s Helmand province March 26 resulted in insurgents’ deaths and the wounding of a civilian not involved in hostilities, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - President Bush thanked Australia’s prime minister for his country’s support in the war on terror and for continuing to be a solid partner in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Progress in training and equipping Afghan national security forces has been “pretty astounding,” but could proceed faster if not for a shortfall in military trainers.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed 15 terrorists and detained 17 suspects during operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq elements in Baghdad and in central and northern parts of the country. They also killed or captured dozens of others in other recent operations, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates praised Navy Adm. William J. Fallon at his relinquishment-of-command ceremony in Tampa, Fla. Gates said Fallon led U.S. Central Command through a period of great progress in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces and government ministries have made vast improvements in the past year.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - In its 50 years of flight, only six women have flown the U-2 Dragon Lady aircraft.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - The first day of school at Jan Qadam elementary school in Parwan province was alive with excited children, dignitaries, government officials and soldiers who dedicated a new school library and science lab.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - Revitalization of the Narhwan Brick Factory Complex has led to an explosion of employment since January, providing jobs for nearly 15,000 workers.

WASHINGTON - Army officials announced that the service has suspended its contract with a company that delivered ammunition from China for use by Afghan army and police forces in a way that violated the contract terms.

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Gavin Cox could have traveled anywhere or tried any profession. But this 5-year-old boy with leukemia chose to be a soldier with his one wish. It was granted March 18 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

WASHINGTON - U.S. strategic interests are best served by finishing the job in Iraq, President Bush said during a visit to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces are making progress in Iraq’s Diyala province through three lines of operation, a military official there said.

WASHINGTON - Public and patient confidence in the military health system is growing, and that system is leading the nation in developing new patient technologies.

WASHINGTON - With progress made in developing Afghanistan’s army and police forces, the coalition focus has expanded to include building an Afghan air corps.

WASHINGTON - Terrorists launched 11 indirect-fire attacks against civilians and Iraqi and coalition forces in Baghdad. Five similar attacks near the International Zone killed one civilian and wounded 14.

WASHINGTON - A group of volunteer mental health professionals will host a conference May 16-18 in Los Angeles for military members who have served in the global war on terror and those who interact with them.

WASHINGTON - The surge of forces has enabled the Iraqi government to realize security, political and economic gains, President Bush said during a visit to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in Dayton, Ohio.

HAQLANIYAH, Iraq - Marines and sailors delivered the first batch of personal protection equipment, valued at $118,000, to employees of the Northern Petroleum Co. at the K3 Oil refinery at Haqlaniyah, Iraq.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan - Task Force Pacemaker’s engineers have conducted construction workshops to promote positive relationships with Afghans while teaching them skills to rebuild their nation and economy.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - On Sept. 11, 2001, Nicholas Pata was a volunteer firefighter at the World Trade Center. Now he's a soldier fighting terrorism as a radio-telephone operator in Iraq.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The USO of Metropolitan Washington, which assists some 300,000 local troops and families, honored those in uniform and the people who gave them 60,000 hours of volunteer service last year.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki should be commended for taking the initiative to go after extremists and criminals in Basra, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - The Army is doubling its investment in family support programs in the 2009 budget and will use that money for a range of services, from improving child care to expanding educational opportunities for spouses and children, the Army secretary said.

WASHINGTON - Some 2,000 Iraqi security force members entered Basra, Iraq, on a mission to crack down on “lawlessness.”

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces are days away from publishing their first uniform weapons-qualification standards, said a senior U.S. official charged with helping the Iraqis build and train their troops.

WASHINGTON - A coalition air strike targeted an al Qaeda in Iraq operative linked to local car bombings.

MONROVIA, Liberia - Members of the Army’s 64th Medical Battalion and “Project Hope” volunteers administered the rabies vaccine to pets in Monrovia, Liberia. The Africa Partnership Station helped make the project possible.

WASHINGTON - The Afghan National Army doubled its production of soldiers over the winter and will assume a leading role in the fight against enemy forces this spring.

WASHINGTON - A grant of just $163 from “Our Military Kids,” a group that supports military familites of deployed or wounded National Guard and reserve members, put the organization over the $1 million mark in grants it has awarded.

WASHINGTON - Four years ago, the Afghan Army was "a developing organization." Today, with security ensured by what has turned into the "most respected institution on the ground," the people of Eastern Afghanistan are enjoying improved healthcare and governance.

WASHINGTON - President Bush, Vice President Richard B. Cheney and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley met Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon to discuss the way ahead in Iraq.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq - As the government of Iraq works to build capacity, increasing the number of engineers is essential to design, contract, construct and maintain the country’s infrastructure. One response is a program to increase the number of qualified engineers in the area.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - U.S. Army Capt. Jody Brown is barely 5-foot-tall and her M4 rifle is more than half her size. But she and her counterparts are working to save lives in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - U.S. 5th Fleet officials expressed regret for the death of an Egyptian citizen who died the night of March 24, an apparent result of warning shots fired at a small boat approaching a ship chartered by the U.S. Navy.

WASHINGTON - A story highlighting 40-plus years of troop support by a California city has sparked interest in similar efforts.

WASHINGTON - Afghan National security forces assisted by coalition forces detained seven suspected Taliban facilitators in the Zhari district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. air strike killed five terrorists and wounded several other insurgents from among a group that was attempting to emplace a roadside bomb in the Basra, Iraq, area.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military has regained control of four non-nuclear nose cone assemblies for Minuteman missiles mistakenly sent to Taiwan in 2006, U.S. Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said during a Pentagon news conference.

WASHINGTON - American soldiers are volunteering their time to collect toys and deliver them to the American Hospital at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, for the injured Afghan children there who are innocent victims of war.

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - When Will Sims entered basic training as an Air Force recruit, it represented a new direction as well as weighty determination: He lost more than 125 pounds to get there.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - Not long ago, Tuwaitha was an al Qaeda hotbed. Local residents never dreamed that U.S. Army soldiers like Lt. Col. John Kolasheski would come into their village and sip chai with their local leaders and talk about rebuilding their now-safe city.

WASHINGTON - A ship on short-term charter to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command fired warning shots at a small boat approaching the ship as it was preparing to transit the Suez Canal, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Working together, coalition and Iraqi personnel are bringing peace to war-torn Baghdad streets, a senior commander said.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military passed a sad milestone today: the 4,000th U.S. death in operations in Iraq. “Every single loss of a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine is keenly felt" by military commanders, families and friends, said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England presented seven top “Check It” campaign awards to agencies for improving processes that save time and money and lead to improved quality in products, services and care.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. troop surge in Iraq and increased community involvement have helped improve operations involving detainees.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq killed two terrorists and detained eight suspects during operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq operatives in the central and northern parts of the country.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two armed insurgents during an operation designed to degrade Taliban command and control networks in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

WASHINGTON - What began in 1919 as lodging for troops returning from WWI has become a “jewel in the heart of Manhattan” with new services.

NOWRAK, Afghanistan - When Army Capt. Curtiss Robinson and his police mentoring team rode into Zabul province’s Shahjoy district, they found an enthusiastic police force with no formal training.

ADHAMIYAH, Iraq - When U.S. Army soldiers and Iraqi soldiers teamed up to patrol Adhamiyah, Iraq, "people were scared to come out of their homes," said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Matthew Jensen. Now the Chem Street market is back in business.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Spc. Monica Brown, 19, used to be afraid of blood. Now she is the second woman soldier since World War II to receive a Silver Star, a top combat award.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq killed 12 terrorists during an operation east of Baqouba targeting members of a suicide bombing network.

WASHINGTON - Afghan national security forces, assisted by coalition forces, killed more than a dozen insurgents in Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province.

WASHINGTON - A provincial reconstruction team is working to build capacities in Iraq’s Wasit province for the long-term benefit of its citizens.

WASHINGTON - In 2006, a Five for Fighting hit single asked fans what kind of world they wanted, and now they have a forum to answer the question and help five charities at the same time.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates heard senior officers' thoughts on the way forward in Iraq during meetings over two days. The officers include the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of U.S. Central Command and Multinational Force Iraq, who are preparing to brief President Bush.

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq - An Iraqi toddler, badly burned in a home accident, will receive medical treatment in the United States, thanks to lifesaving efforts by personnel at the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base, Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi soldiers and coalition forces detained 10 suspects in four separate operations throughout Iraq.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - Because soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division and Multinational Division Baghdad can't tune in to their favorite radio stations while they’re deployed to Iraq, two enterprising disc jockeys decided to bring the show to them.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - C-130 crews assigned to the U.S. Air Force’s 74th Air Expeditionary Squadron have set an airdrop record by delivering 1 million pounds of supplies to forward deployed forces and humanitarian aid for Afghans.

WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda terrorists and other Iraqi insurgents are “off balance” in Iraq, an Army counterinsurgency expert said.

WASHINGTON - After four semesters in college, Daniel K. Winnie wanted more direction. “I thought the military maybe would get me out of the rut that I was in,” he said.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - Army Chief Warrant Officer Fred White has flown more than 150 combat hours at the controls of a Black Hawk helicopter since recovering from a hand injury caused by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Richard B. Cheney thanked American servicemembers for their service in Afghanistan, saying they are making history every day.

WASHINGTON - An Army colonel honored for breaking down barriers for future generations of women hopes such recognition will be obsolete by continued success for women.

WASHINGTON - New units moving into Iraq have the challenge of continuing the security improvements while helping the Iraqis build economic and political structures.

WASHINGTON - Military personnel serving in combat zones are eligible for an economic stimulus payment, an Internal Revenue Service spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - Wounded warriors in need in San Antonio now have a place to call home as they transition from military to civilian life.

WASHINGTON - The increased cooperation between coalition forces and Iraqis at the local level as well as economic progress in Iraq are leading reasons for increasing stability in an unstable region, said Navy Adm. William J. "Fox" Fallon, the retiring CENTCOM commander.

WASHINGTON - The 3,200 Marines on their way to help Afghanistan indicate the depth of the U.S. commitment to rebuild the country, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said in Kabul.

WASHINGTON - Coalition troops in Iraq captured 15 suspected insurgents during operations in central and northern Iraq.

WASHINGTON - President Bush praised the performance and courage of U.S. troops engaged in the global war on terrorism while discussing Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa during a Pentagon Channel interview.

WASHINGTON - The Navy presented its Superior Public Service Award to TV host Montel Williams for his continuous support and recognition of sailors, Marines and their families.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - An Iraqi girl and her family, as well as soldiers at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, are anxiously awaiting a decision from Los Angeles doctors who will determine if surgery can retore her eyesight.

NANGAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The 173rd Airborne Brigade’s Special Troops Battalion commander hopes supplying the Afghan and Pakistani border police with radio equipment will help them catch insurgents.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - A noncommissioned officer in Iraq takes on challenges outside his speciality and tries to motivate others to become "not just better soldiers, but better people."

WASHINGTON - Americans must be as committed to defeating the terrorist enemy as that enemy is to defeating the United States and all that for which the nation stands, said Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England.

WASHINGTON - Winning the war on terrorism will be a long, slow process predicated on earning the loyalty of people insurgents want to control for their own ends.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army wants to locate more than 6,300 families to collect samples of their DNA to identify missing soldiers from World War II and the wars in Korea and Vietnam.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Several enemy fighters were killed during a coalition military operation in Afghanistan’s Khowst province.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two suspected terrorists and detained dozens of others in recent days during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq, military officials reported.

SAN DIEGO - The first woman pilot in the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds is now in the Women in Aviation International's Pioneer Hall of Fame.

WASHINGTON - Despite the task NATO faced when it arrived in Afghanistan in 2003, the alliance has made significant progress in the country, the deputy chairman of the alliance’s military committee said.

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Mechanics from the 91st Cavalry Regiment keep their unit’s vehicles rolling despite enemy action and harsh conditions. "Everything was freezing up," said Army Spc. Larry Gonzales. "The fuel even started to gel."

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, a silent partner in the Iraq fight, creates a vivid picture of battle space and gives commanders on the ground a forward look into enemy territory.

WASHINGTON - President Bush reflected at the Pentagon on the triumphs and tragedies of the Iraq war, five years after the United States ousted Saddam Hussein and roughly one year after a troop surge helped to tamp down violence there.

WASHINGTON - U.S. soldiers captured an individual designated a “high-value target” for his role in several improvised explosive device attacks during a raid in Narhwan, Iraq.

MOSCOW - U.S. and Russian officials have agreed to a draft of a “strategic framework” document intended to guide the two sides through dealing with tough issues such as a European missile defense plan.

WASHINGTON - Information culled from 48 foreign fighters in custody of Multinational Force Iraq yields a profile for al Qaeda foreign terrorists.

CAMP BUCCA, Iraq - Members of the Oklahoma National Guard are meeting the urban challenge of supplying services like sewer and water to thousands of military personnel on a base in the Iraqi desert.

WASHINGTON - The U.S Embassy in Baghdad and Multinational Force Iraq condemned the attack in Karbala that targeted civilians on their way to worship.

LANDSTUHL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, Germany - When Tiamae Cruz and Taija Alcantara left their island home of Guam to join the U.S. Air Force, they turned to the Buddy System for island-style support.

FORT RILEY, Kan. - The 1st Infantry Division’s commanding general yesterday welcomed home 37 U.S. servicemembers who served overseas for the past year as advisors with Afghan or Iraqi forces.

WASHINGTON - On the eve of Operation Iraqi Freedom’s fifth anniversary, Vice President Richard B. Cheney vowed commitment to what he characterized as an ideological fight in Iraq against violent extremists who prefer tyranny to democracy.

WASHINGTON - For troops coping with serving during wartime, help is just a phone call away, thanks to a national mental health network.

FORT RILEY, Kan. - In simulated villages on a honey-hued Kansas prairie, U.S. troops are learning to serve as military advisors to Iraqi and Afghan forces from none other than Afghan soldiers and contractors.

WASHINGTON - The United States must continue operations in Iraq until the job is done, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - The city of San Mateo, Calif., "adopted" an Army unit during the Vietnam War and still supports it today.

MOSCOW - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed a surprised satisfaction with the open manner of their meetings with Russian leaders.

WASHINGTON - Iraq’s air force, with help from a U.S. transition team, attained a tenfold increase in its number of weekly sorties and doubled the size of its fleet over the past year.

MOSCOW - Talks between top U.S. and Russian officials got off to a positive start, with Russian President Vladimir Putin hinting at progress on key issues between the two countries.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces detained 27 suspected terrorists during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Richard B. Cheney arrived in Iraq to deliver a message to Iraqis and meet with top U.S. officials ahead of the five-year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Special operations Marines operate at a fast pace, visiting villages, distributing humanitarian aid and always searching for insurgents.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Chicken farming in Iraq is moving toward pre-war levels, as coalition forces work with farmers to overcome challenges including limited electricity.

MOSCOW - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice landed in Moscow for two days of talks with their Russian counterparts aimed at gaining ground on key issues that could forge a missile defense plan for all of Europe.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - On the heels of two operations south of Baghdad, coalition forces of Multinational Division Center are pushing further south to squeeze extremists during Operation Marne Rugged.

WASHINGTON - Coalition troops killed a number of armed militants and detained five suspects were detained in two coalition operations to degrade militant networks in the region.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces captured suspected terrorists and seized weapons caches in Baghdad, Mosul and Baqouba over the past two days.

WASHINGTON - A new award administered by troop support groups and sponsored by a major corporation aims to recognize the sacrifices made by military moms with a $5,000 prize.

WASHINGTON - Information gleaned from 48 foreign fighters detained in Iraq offers insight into al Qaeda’s methods, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman told reporters during a Baghdad briefing.

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers reported about the same number of sexual assaults across the military this year as last year.

WASHINGTON - Nearly seven percent of active-duty women and two percent of active-duty men surveyed said they have experienced some type of unwanted sexual contact.

WASHINGTON - The senior military leaders of U.S. European Command, U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Africa Command discussed issues related to their areas of operation during testimony before a House panel.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has taken custody of a “high-value” al Qaeda operative and a close associate of Osama bin Laden, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. - Defense networks see more than a million suspicious “hits” a day, according to Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan troops teamed up to repel an enemy attack and seize nearly a dozen suspected insurgents.

WASHINGTON - Coalition troops in Iraq captured a suspected bomb maker and thwarted an insurgent ambush during recent operations in Baghdad.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - An airman's quick action following a Feb. 26 explosion that sent shrapnel across the flightline averted a possible explosion of an F-15E Strike Eagle at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - A new "virtual installation" project soon will allow military families to tap into the same services as others when their loved ones are deployed.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ZORMAT, Afghanistan - An Afghan girl who survived a Feb. 26 tribal shoot-out that killed family members is doing well, thanks to soldiers at Forward Operating Base Zormat.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq - With help from a provincial reconstruction team, a girls' school enters the modern era with 10 computers.

WASHINGTON - Four years in the Marine Corps helped turn John Sand into a dean's list college student.

WASHINGTON - The majority of severely wounded warriors say the military health system is on the right track, and is doing all it can to provide their care, a new Zogby International survey shows.

WASHINGTON - Security in Iraq has dramatically improved, but it remains brittle, and it will take time to lead to political and economic progress.

WASHINGTON - More than a year ago, the Iraqi city of Ramadi was a ruin of blasted buildings amid a population ravaged by al Qaeda terrorists and the effects of war, but the capital of Anbar province is bouncing back, a senior U.S. military commander in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush praised the work of provisional reconstruction teams in Afghanistan, calling them key to a counterinsurgency strategy that requires more than just military action.

WASHINGTON - Congressional leaders honored U.S. troops who have served in Iraq and elsewhere around the world during a bipartisan remembrance ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

WASHINGTON - The 10th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation has suggested a new way to measure military pay, proposed that more money be spent on special and incentive pays, and recommended restructuring the basic housing allowance.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two terrorists and detained 22 suspects during operations in central and northern Iraq.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Afghan security forces, with help from coalition forces, provided medical and humanitarian aid to villagers in Oruzgan province.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - As the desert weather heats up, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers will need to keep drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration. The Camp Liberty Oasis International Waters water treatment facility has been working 24 hours a day since the summer of 2005 to provide purified bottled water to the thirsty troops.

CINCINNATI - Three veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan arrived unannounced on the University of Cincinnati campus to lead classroom discussions with about 250 students and shed light on their military lives.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi judges surveyed the new government center in Salman Pak, Iraq, during their first visit back since 2005 when they were forced to relocate by extremist groups, which made the area too dangerous to remain.

CINCINNATI - University of Cincinatti ROTC cadets attended on-campus lectures by three members of the Defense Department’s “Why We Serve” outreach program.

WASHINGTON - NATO’s efforts against insurgents in Afghanistan are helping the Afghan people realize a better future.

WASHINGTON - New ways of dealing with detainees in coalition-run facilities in Iraq are paying off through less violence, more actionable intelligence for warfighters, and a better separation of extremists from more moderate detainees, a senior leader told military analysts.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. officer in the Pacific told Congress that he’s working to strengthen the U.S.-Sino relationship, but he emphasized the need to keep a close eye on China as it strives to expand its influence in the region.

WASHINGTON - Police in Iraq’s Wasit province are gaining the trust of the local populace while assuming more responsibility for security.

WASHINGTON - Two officials from the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs cited a veritable laundry list of changes in wounded warrior and family care in testimony before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi military efforts against al Qaeda in Iraq and other insurgents over the past few months have achieved much success toward making the country a more stable and secure place for its people.

WASHINGTON - A car bomb exploded at a “Sons of Iraq” headquarters building in Duluyiah, Iraq, killing seven Iraqis and injuring 11 others.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Richard B. Cheney commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Strategic Defense Initiative, pressing for a renewed U.S. commitment to a national missile defense system to protect against current and future threats.

MIAMI - Two military officers were recognized for their recovery efforts after the 2007 Minneapolis bridge collapse.

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan - With the growth of Afghan national security forces, the need to consolidate information and authority has become essential.

CINCINNATI - University of Cincinnati students will be surprised to find their history courses taught by troops in uniform instead of their familiar tweed coat-clad professor.

AIRAI, Palau - A volunteer Kansas Air National Guard crew has returned the human remains recovered from a B-24 Liberator bomber shot down near the Pacific island nation of Palau in 1944.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he “respects and honors” the decision of a dear friend and mentor – Navy Adm. William Fallon – to retire as commander of U.S. Central Command effective March 31.

WASHINGTON - The latest quarterly report on the situation in Iraq notes continued security improvements and limited but important political, economic and diplomatic progress that must expand to preserve fragile security gains.

WASHINGTON - U.S. troop returns will be based on successes on the ground in Iraq, not politics.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. general in Korea told Congress he supports three-year, family-accompanied tours in Korea in light of planned operational and quality-of-life changes under way there.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has reluctantly accepted Navy Adm. William J. “Fox” Fallon’s letter of resignation as commander of U.S. Central Command and request for retirement. Fallon’s resignation will take effect March 31.

WASHINGTON - The selection of Northrop Grumman Corp. to build the next-generation air-refueling tanker aircraft followed a fair competition and was based on the merits of the proposals submitted.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq detained 11 suspected terrorists during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Three buildings that had served as an al Qaeda detention and torture facility were destroyed by a U.S. military bomber.

WASHINGTON - Six New Hampshire volunteers committed to making sure deployed troops get sendoffs and homecomings were on the receiving end of the thanks from the commander in chief himself and others on Capitol Hill and in the Pentagon.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Construction of Patrol Base Vanderhorn has begun near Sayifiyah, a region once controlled by insurgents.

FORT CARSON, Colo. - Every chance he gets, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen stops to visit wounded warriors, and his visit to Fort Carson, Colo., was no exception.

VICENZA, Italy - Friends, yoga, travel and a toddler helped lift Samantha Windell out of a funk when her husband went to war.

FORT CARSON, Colo. - It’s dry enough to be Iraq, but Pikes Peak and the rest of Colorado’s snow-capped Front Range in the background give it away.

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - It’s hard to imagine that Frank Cavanagh, a tall thin Army Reserve sergeant with a shaved head, once had long hair and played bass for the rock band Filter.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command are models of interagency cooperation.

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - For more than four hours, Camp Buehring, in the middle of the Kuwaiti desert, became a hard-rocking outdoor amphitheater.

WASHINGTON - In a broad-ranging news conference, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell fielded questions on the costs of the war on terror, troops’ water safety in Iraq, and the delivery schedule for mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles.

WASHINGTON - All active and reserve components met or topped their recruiting goals for February, Defense Department officials announced.

WASHINGTON - President Bush thanked Poland’s prime minister for his country’s support in Iraq and Afghanistan and promised that, as the United States and Poland explore plans for a proposed missile defense system, the U.S. will help Poland modernize its military.

WASHINGTON - A month into his third tour in Iraq, the commander of Multinational Force West said he’s stunned by the sharp drop in violence across Anbar province.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed two terrorists and detained nine suspects during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan - Since April 2007, communication specialists have helped soldiers stay connected with loves ones by providing civilian Internet in their quarters.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen arrived in Colorado Springs, Colo., for meetings with U.S. Northern Command leaders.

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - Save for the crowd and the celebrity at its core, it could have been a day like any other for a soldier strumming his guitar in the recreation center in Kuwait.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - After months of oppression from al Qaeda in Iraq, the southern Baghdad community of Hawr Rajab is coming back to life.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FENTY, Afghanistan - Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Loetz ran through enemy fire to save an Afghan in 2007.

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - Clyde the camel is a local celebrity on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, where he boosts troops' morale with his famous camel rides and photo opportunities.

WASHINGTON - A military spokesman in Iraq praised soldiers of an Army brigade that will soon redeploy to the U.S. and mark the first reduction in the number of surge forces sent to stabilize Iraq last year.

WASHINGTON - More than 100 high school students, wearing business suits and looking more like politicians than teenagers, crowded the halls of the Pentagon during one of their final stops in a week-long tour of the capital city.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Richard B. Cheney thanked recruits and sailors at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., for choosing to serve a cause greater than themselves.

WASHINGTON - Colombia is making solid progress against terrorism, prompting desertions to rise among various subversive armed groups, the commander of U.S. Southern Command told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Ten terrorists were killed and 16 captured in operations across Iraq, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Nearly 300 detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are provided respect and the best quality of life available under the circumstances, the commander of the detention task force said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces have disrupted extremist activity in the northern part of Iraq’s Babil province, a senior military official said.

WASHINGTON - Frank Woodruff Buckles lived an unassuming life for 105 years. That was until word got out that he was among the last of a generation that his countrymen only recently seemed to embrace.

WASHINGTON - A new Defense Department policy prohibits the commercial gathering of detailed street-view imagery on all military installations after details of an Army base were posted on Google maps.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Department program is providing some of the department’s military and civilian personnel with cultural and linguistic training before they deploy abroad.

WASHINGTON - An integrated command center set to become operational in May will improve the global situational awareness critical to U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Command in protecting the homeland.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - Soldiers from 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team have delivered 240 cases of bottled water to a town east of Baghdad.

CAMP CLARK, Afghanistan - A graduation ceremony for a new breed of Afghan National Army soldiers is a sign of a renewed shift of focus in the fight against insurgents that doesn’t involve combat.

WASHINGTON - Troops with sound personal finances are better able to focus on accomplishing their mission.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Capt. Edward V. Szczepanik hopes to promote understanding of what troops face in the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has unveiled an exhibit of portraits of the last known WWI veterans, including one of 107-year-old Frank Woodruff Buckles, who said he felt "honored to be here as a representative of the veterans of WWI.”

WASHINGTON - More than 200 representatives from worldwide militaries and other agencies came to Maryland for Expeditionary Warrior ’08, a war game that explored how to use the U.S. military’s seabasing concept for military support.

WASHINGTON - In an ongoing operation, U.S. troops have killed or detained 35 suspected terrorists and helped boost the local economy near Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - No one was injured and only minor structural damage was reported after a bomb went off outside the Armed Forces Recruiting Station in New York City’s Times Square.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A number of factors have combined to decrease the level of Taliban infiltration into Afghanistan, the commander of NATO’s Regional Command East said.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - A medic credited with saving a French soldier’s life says he just did “simple stuff,” but others know better.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces killed four terrorists and detained 26 suspects during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks in northern and central Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff praised the Army medics and Navy corpsmen who risk their lives on the battlefield to save others at the 2nd annual Armed Services YMCA gala in Washington.

JALALABAD, Afghanistan - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited with soldiers serving at the leading edge of the counterinsurgency fight in Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan is a key ally in the war on terror, and its cooperation with NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan is crucial to progress in that country, according to senior U.S. embassy officials in Islamabad, speaking on background.

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - U.S. soldiers who practice Islam answer questions about their religion and put a familiar face on an unfamiliar culture.

WASHINGTON - Various enabling capabilities for Iraq’s security forces must mature before the country is capable of handling internal and external threats without help.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff continued talks with Pakistani President Pervez Murharraf and military leaders during his visit to Pakistan, a crucial ally in the war on terror.

WASHINGTON - Troops in Kuwait will experience an online rock 'n' roll concert when the MySpace network hosts the show March 10.

WASHINGTON - The America Supports You Caucus kicked off on Capitol Hill to stand by the Defense Department's program.

WASHINGTON - China’s proclaimed 18 percent increase in undisclosed military spending is a concern, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - The partnerships U.S. forces are developing in Iraq and Afghanistan are solidifying their military progress on the ground.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - A Czech native, U.S. Marine Cpl. Marek Vyskocil is now living the American dream.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Women’s history month kicked off at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, with a celebration that included a fashion show with U.S. troops wearing traditional Afghan dress.

BAGHDAD - Coalition forces detained 22 suspects during operations to disrupt al Qaeda networks operating in northern and central Iraq.

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq - More than a dozen Mahmudiyah community representatives toured the Iskandariyah Vocational School to see how their townspeople may benefit from it.

WASHINGTON - Afghan national security forces killed several insurgents after a failed Taliban ambush in Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - As security improves, Iraqi and coalition forces add pressure to al Qaeda in Iraq and focus on its senior leaders.

WASHINGTON - A revised Defense Department directive provides sharper definition of what troops may and may not do within the political realm, particularly running for political office.

WASHINGTON - The company that made inspiration standard has done the same with its support of the nation’s troops since before World War II.

FORT BLISS, Texas - As Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno urged the Army’s return to 12-month deployments, a brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas, just back from Iraq, got word that it’s time to start training for its next combat rotation.

WASHINGTON - Soldiers need shorter deployments and more “dwell time” in between to reduce strain on the force and allow for more training, the former commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - U.S. special forces are expected to grow as the United States continues its fight against global terrorism, a senior military officer told a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON - Much has changed in the approach coalition forces take to detainees in Iraq over the past year, a senior military officer said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department posthumously inducted Army Master Sgt. Woodrow Keeble into its Hall of Heroes, a day after the Korean War hero was awarded the Medal of Honor.

WASHINGTON - Iraq’s security forces have taken advantage of security gains to grow their force both in size and quality.

WASHINGTON - The former commander of Multinational Corps Iraq reflected on vast improvements made during the past 15 months and said Iraq is approaching the point where no single incident or chain of events will be able to reverse those positive trends.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces are targeting a foreign-terrorist-facilitator network in Mosul, Iraq, a senior military official said.

KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq - The highest ranking U.S. military officer made a brief visit to Kirkuk Regional Air Base to meet with several deployed units March 2.

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska - U.S. Air Force Capt. Timothy Bobinski, a fighter pilot assigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, will be among the contestants in the March 6 episode of "Jeopardy!"

CAMP SHELBY JOINT FORCES TRAINING CENTER, Miss. - Fourteen soldiers with the Arkansas National Guard's 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were injured last night when severe weather passed through Camp Shelby, Miss.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed three suspected terrorists, captured one and found a weapons cache in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Overseas troops may soon get a refreshing gulp of appreciation from True Lemon, a company that hopes to donate 1 million packets of citrus flavoring to Operation Gratitude.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE JALALABAD, Afghanistan - Task Force Pacemaker engineers have expanded housing for the Jalalabad Provincial Reconstruction Team.

BAGHDAD - With the security situation in Baghdad improving every day, Iraqi and coalition forces increasingly are helping displaced families return to their old neighborhoods.

BETHESDA, Md. - The U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command has awarded a $641.4 million contract to establish the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

WASHINGTON - China is a rising military power with new and developing capabilities that have global implications, according to the Defense Department's 2008 China Military Power Report.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England is the latest in a series of government officials to express concern about the United States’ cyberspace vulnerabilities.

WASHINGTON - President Bush thanked the former commander of Multinational Corps Iraq on behalf of all U.S. troops who have served in Iraq for creating a turnaround that Bush promised to continue to support.

WASHINGTON - President Bush presented the Medal of Honor to the family of the late Army Master Sgt. Woodrow Keeble, the first full-blooded Sioux Indian to receive the nation’s highest military award, for heroism during the Korean War.

BAGHDAD - There is a new, more upbeat mood among American troops in Iraq and the improved security situation in Iraq is undeniable, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

WASHINGTON - War-funding delays will become harmful within months if continued, the Pentagon’s second-ranking official said.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, for his second set of meetings with Pakistani military leaders in a month.

FORT BLISS, Texas - The reflagging of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team represents the first big step in relocating the 1st Armored Division from Germany to its new stateside home.

WASHINGTON - A joint office that oversees the rebuilding of Baghdad’s infrastructure is making progress to address the city’s sewage, water and electricity needs, senior U.S. and Iraqi officials said.

WASHINGTON - The ongoing debate about the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and criticism of military operations there don’t affect the troops who serve there, who know how important their mission is, the commander of the detention task force said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces are fighting aggressively to secure the battle-scarred city of Mosul, Iraq, in an effort to stamp out al Qaeda safe havens.

BAGHDAD - Security progress in Iraq is undeniable, but it will take "a sustained period of time to make sure that security will strengthen itself," U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in Iraq.

FORT BLISS, Texas - The 4-1 Cavalry is about to case its colors and be redesignated 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division, heralding the first major step in the 1st Armored Division's move from Germany to Fort Bliss, Texas.

TAJI, Iraq - In a sign of a maturing Iraqi military, planners took U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen to a sprawling logistics base north of Baghdad. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited training areas and toured production lines where Iraqis are reconditioning Humvees.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq detained 11 suspected terrorists, including an Iranian-supported “special groups” facilitator, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Iraqi security forces are targeting al Qaeda terrorists who have taken refuge in Mosul after fleeing Baghdad in the wake of surge operations.

WASHINGTON - An armed insurgent was killed and two suspects were detained during a joint Afghan and coalition operation to degrade Taliban operations, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials have confirmed an attack against an al Qaeda terrorist in Somalia.

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan - Personnel at Camp Eggers, Afghanistan, dedicated a new building to honor a fallen airman described as "awesome."

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - Sixteen prominent landowners gathered with members of the Baghdad-7 embedded provincial reconstruction team at Patrol Base Whitehouse in Sayifiyah for a farmers union meeting.

WASHINGTON - A new memorial in Oklahoma City will honor fallen troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Army Staff Sgt. Joseph Peer, a combat medic, knows how to rise to the occasion in the heat of battle to save the life of another

BAGHDAD - The top military commander in Iraq gave some insight into what he will consider as he prepares to report to the president and Congress in April on the way ahead.

HAWIJAH, Iraq - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff walked through the bustling market street of an Iraqi town that al Qaeda ruled just three months ago.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces in Iraq captured an alleged homemade-bomb facilitator with ties to al Qaeda in Iraq and detained numerous other terrorism suspects in a variety of operations.

WASHINGTON - Several insurgents were killed and 14 suspected insurgents were detained during coalition forces operations conducted to degrade Taliban leadership networks in Afghanistan.

DIYALA PROVINCE, Iraq - Citizens who had been assisting with security efforts in Baqouba as “Sons of Iraq” agreed to return to their duties following a meeting at the Diyala provincial governance center.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials, servicemembers and distinguished guests gathered in New Orleans to christen a tangible symbol of America’s mettle, the USS New York.