WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has authorized two Air Force Reserve C-130H aircraft to support the response to a massive oil slick that threatens wetlands and beaches along the Gulf Coast, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell confirmed.

ARLINGTON, Va. - At least three states along the Gulf of Mexico are preparing for a potential call for thousands of National Guard members as the nation ramps up its response to an oil spill that’s threatening the Gulf Coast.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces responded to a bombing attack at a bazaar in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - The First Tee Military Affiliate Program offers free golf instruction to children from National Guard and Reserve families at The First Tee’s 200 chapters across the nation.

NORFOLK, Va. - A working group of military health care providers and Veterans Affairs Department academic institutions' researchers developing cutting-edge medical techniques plans to meet next week to discuss new ways to further wounded warrior care.

NEW YORK - Time magazine editors have named Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Antonio D. Travis to the magazine's annual list of the 100 most-influential people in the world, for his efforts after the Haiti earthquake.

WASHINGTON - Navy officials announced they are moving ahead with plans to integrate women onto submarines beginning in late 2011 or early 2012, by phasing in three female officers in eight different crews.

WASHINGTON - A massive oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico that’s headed toward U.S. shores is receiving “top-level attention” within the Defense Department as it evaluates what capabilities it may have to support the response mission, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell credited the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower for its disciplined response last week when an Iranian military aircraft flew within 1,000 yards of it in the Gulf of Oman.

WASHINGTON - The U.S.-Pakistan partnership "is absolutely vital to U.S. interests, but it’s also complex,” Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy told the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - Five U.S. flags previously flown in Afghanistan, Germany, Hawaii, Iraq and South Korea will be unfurled at the inaugural Warrior Games to be held in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 10-14.

WASHINGTON - A Navy and Marine Corps program to help families cope with deployment stress and other pressures has proven so successful it is now a model for the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces killed or captured numerous enemy fighters and seized stockpiles of drugs and illegal weapons.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Kentucky National Guard is again partnering with state and local law enforcement agencies to provide security at Churchill Downs for the annual Kentucky Derby and Oaks races this weekend.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Air Force Tech. Sgt. Oswald Steley manages a resource center in Southwest Asia and sees how access to movies, books and music can help improve the morale of troops.

WASHINGTON - The military’s National Guard and reserve units need more funding to reflect the operational readiness they have proven in Iraq and Afghanistan, rather than the ready-reserve model for which their current funding provides, reserve-component leaders told Congress.

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III met with the employees of Facebook, the ubiquitous social media company, to discuss the Defense Department's approach to social media.

WASHINGTON - Most Afghans believe that despite increased violence, security actually has improved, according to a new report Pentagon officials sent to Congress.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department dedicated a corridor in the Pentagon depicting the history of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, better known as NORAD.

WASHINGTON - Men and women from across the services gathered on the White House’s South Lawn to give wounded warriors a send-off as they began a bike trip from the nation’s capital to Annapolis, Md.

WASHINGTON - Military compensation is competing well against the private sector, as evidenced by the high rate of recruitment and retention, a Defense Department official told a Senate Armed Services subcommittee.

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Airmen from the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are training with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System at the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center in Greenville, S.C.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden kicked off the fourth annual "White House to Light House" Wounded Warrior Soldier Ride, a three-day bicycle and wheelchair journey from the White House to the Naval Academy.

KABUL - Afghan and international forces detained numerous suspected insurgents, and seized illegal drugs and weapons.

FORT DETRICK, Md. - The Amputee Virtual Environment Support Space project aims to create a world for servicemembers and veterans to swap information and provide them support when they leave military treatment facilities.

RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - Air Force Lt. Col. Lisa Pike is helping create the first course for female Afghan officer candidates during her recent deployment to Afghanistan.

LOS ANGELES - Warfare has changed, and the U.S. military must shift to meet modern day threats from rogue nations and terrorists, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III told the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.

WASHINGTON - The military’s top officer is asking America’s philanthropic community to help military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan avoid the devastation of substance abuse, mental illness and homelessness.

WASHINGTON - The maker of rugged Pelican cases, widely used in the military to protect weapons and computer gear, has launched a program to give custom cases to wounded warriors for their prosthetics.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed satisfaction with the level of planning by the Defense Department and other elements of the U.S. government to counter threats from Iran.

WASHINGTON - The pace of changes in the military and in the world has made looking ahead a difficult proposition, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department agreed to provide access to some of the documents subpoenaed by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee related to the Nov. 5 Fort Hood shooting investigation.

WASHINGTON - The American military’s role in Haiti will decrease substantially after May, but the United States will maintain a scaled-down presence in the area through hurricane season, a top military commander said.

WASHINGTON - As oil continues to leak into the Gulf of Mexico after a rig exploded April 20, Coast Guard officials in charge of clean-up operations say they’re doing the best they can to contain the spill.

KABUL - The discovery of six roadside bombs, including one that insurgents were in the process of planting, highlighted recent operations in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces working with U.S. advisors arrested 11 terrorism suspects in combined operations in Iraq, military officials said.

DAKAR, Senegal - Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Chirstelle Byll, born and raised in Togo, is back in Africa aboard the USS Gunston Hall, supporting Africa Partnership Station West.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDELTON, Calif. - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III visited the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force's battle simulation center at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.

WASHINGTON - The focus of a New York Times article depicting neglect and suffering by a group of wounded soldiers recovering in an Army transition unit is not representative of the progress in the recovery effort at large, said Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Eric B. Schoomaker, the Army surgeon general.

NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND, Calif. - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III thanked the crew of the USS Carl Vinson for its efforts to rescue Haitians after the earthquake there, actions he said demonstrated the adaptability that makes America’s military the best in the world.

SAN DIEGO - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III is in California to visit with servicemembers and discuss asymmetric threats to the United States, and meet with top officials from high-tech companies.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, said he’s convinced the Iraqi security forces are ready to take over more responsibility, and that the sacrifices the United States has made to get to this point will prove worthwhile.

WASHINGTON - A senior militant commander in Kunduz province and two of his top advisors were killed in a precision air strike.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Louisiana National Guard is scheduled to lead a “New Horizons” humanitarian assistance exercise in Haiti beginning June 1.

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska - Air Force 1st Lt. Christina Geller has provided a $750 scholarship to the University of Alaska Anchorage's ROTC program.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued a joint statement on the 65th anniversary of the meeting of Soviet and American troops at Elbe River in Germany during World War II.

WASHINGTON - Two dozen U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, born in countries from Brazil to Tobago, stood before U.S. President Barack Obama in the White House Rose Garden to take the oath of citizenship for the country they serve.

WASHINGTON - To mark the 102nd anniversary of the U.S. Army Reserve, a hand-picked group of 60 reservists representing units in every U.S. state and territory re-enlisted together at a ceremony on Capitol Hill.

WASHINGTON - The first graduates of a program that provides culture and intensive language training are headed to Kabul to bridge gaps and ensure mission continuity.

WASHINGTON - As American troops draw down, the Iraqi government and U.S. State Department are preparing to take the reins on their respective roles for the future.

FORT POLK, La. - An Army sniper now serving on Fort Polk, La., Sgt. 1st Class Brandon McGuire reflects on his service in Iraq, and finds that one shot still stands out in his mind.

WASHINGTON - With more than 6,000 veterans committing suicide every year, the Department of Veterans Affairs is redoubling its outreach to veterans and promoting its toll-free suicide-prevention hotline.

WASHINGTON - After giving the oath of U.S. citizenship to 24 U.S. servicemembers during a ceremony in the White House’s Rose Garden, President Barack Obama said he is honored to be their Commander-in-Chief.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Chelsea Jarvis prefers to stay busy, rather than focus on her military father’s frequent absences. She’s hard-pressed to remember how many times her father has deployed, but guesses it’s more than 10.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - At age 16, Cornelius Madison already has moved five times, started five new schools and has dealt with the fact that both his parents have been deployed within three years.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Unlike many of his peers who grew up in the military, Darien Crank was 12 when his father joined the Army. Darien said the dual perspective has made him all the more appreciative of what the Army has done for his family.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Navy is sponsoring research that seeks to better understand how marine mammals respond to human-made undersea sounds.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is well on its way to reducing its energy consumption on military bases by 34 percent by 2020.

WASHINGTON - Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary W. Scott Gould kicked off the National VA Research Week commemoration, marking 85 years of ground-breaking research that’s improving veterans’ lives.

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - After extensive testing and evaluation, the military has launched an improved system to better compensate servicemembers who personally move their household goods on military orders.

WASHINGTON - Marine Corps Sgt. Michael Blair, retired Lance Cpl. Tim Lang and other injured military veterans and troops plan to showcase more than their athletic abilities at the inaugural Warrior Games next month.

WASHINGTON - Gulf War veterans with medical symptoms should seek treatment through the Department of Veterans Affairs in light of a recent study that says Gulf War service is a cause of post-traumatic stress disorder.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command has continued to provide airlift capabilities despite the cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano that has troubled international commercial and military air travel.

FORT DETRICK, Md. - From developing a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic leg to a non-chafing socket device, researchers at Fort Detrick, Md., are making big strides in advancing prosthetic science to help wounded warriors.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon Force Protection Agency Officers Marvin Carraway and Jeffery Amos, both credited with stopping a gunman at a Pentagon entrance March 4, were recognized in the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Military children are growing up in a decade marked by war. They endure , frequent moves, multiple new schools and long separations from a parent who may be in harm’s way. What they endure would knock most well-functioning adults to their knees, according to a school psychologist at Fort Campbell, Ky.

WASHINGTON - The assassination of the deputy mayor of Kandahar, Afghanistan, as he prayed in a mosque reflects the values of a barbaric enemy, said Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Mark Miller, an Air National Guardsman with more than 23 years of service, takes the core value of "service before self" very seriously.

WASHINGTON - More than 100,000 requests from troops desiring to transfer their unused education benefits to family members have been approved under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

WASHINGTON - The past week was a very good one for security progress in Iraq, with two al-Qaida leaders being killed in an Iraqi-led operation, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

BOLLING AIR FORCE BASE, D.C. - Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, partnered with the USO to deliver special performances to military youth as part of its award-winning “Talk, Listen, Connect” outreach initiative.

WASHINGTON - Better understanding of post-combat brain injuries and psychological trauma, and a host of measures to treat them are preventing servicemembers from being unfairly discharged.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces detained numerous suspected insurgents and seized illegal weapons.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces working with U.S. advisors killed one senior al-Qaida in Iraq leader and captured two others in recent operations in Mosul.

WASHINGTON - Clarification, consolidation, coordination and consultation are essential pieces to the export-reform proposal announced by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, said James A. Hursch, director of the Defense Technology Security Administration.

NOORVIK, Alaska - Air Force Maj. Emily Cerreta is serving with a medical team in a remote Alaskan village, offering preventive medical care and earning the trust of her patients.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Integrating veterans into society is a challenge not only for the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, but for the communities they’re transitioning into, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

WASHINGTON - Iran may be capable of striking the United States with an intercontinental ballistic missile by 2015, according to a Defense Department report submitted to Congress.

WASHINGTON - Ballistic missiles are an increasing threat to the United States, and the Defense Department must keep up with them, James N. Miller, deputy undersecretary of defense for policy said.

WASHINGTON - In a prelude to Earth Day, a major independent research group called the Defense Department a leader in energy conservation.

WASHINGTON - The United States must totally revamp the Cold War-era export control system, because as currently configured, it actually harms national security, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - Ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has forced the U.S. military to reroute some American troops wounded in Afghanistan through Iraq instead of Germany.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the members of the U.S. Paralympic team that they are inspirations to all members of the armed forces.

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - Joshua, 9, and Zachary, 4, won't get to hug their mother, Air Force Lt. Col. Nancy Klein, on Mother's Day. She's deployed to Tampa, Fla., but will be available via the Internet.

WASHINGTON - International Security Assistance Force troops killed four occupants of a vehicle that threatened their convoy in eastern Afghanistan’s Khost province.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces killed a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader and an associate during a combined operation conducted with U.S. advisors northeast of Mosul.

ROTA, Spain - Naval Station Rota and Moron Air Base in Spain have absorbed many U.S. military flights diverted from northern European routes by ash being spewed from a volcanic eruption in Iceland.

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan - Air Force Brig. Gen. Michael R. Boera, a pilot, and his son, Marine Corps 1st Lt. Benjamin Boera, a platoon commander, are serving together in Afghanistan.

PITTSBURGH - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen met with community leaders and organizations in Pittsburgh as part of his “conversations with the country” initiative to ensure better futures for Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans.

PITTSBURGH - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, echoed Vice President Joe Biden’s praise of Iraqi and U.S. security forces for successfully killing the two top leaders of al-Qaida in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military is making adjustments to confront airborne ash from an Icelandic volcano eruption that continues to wreak havoc with air flights across Europe, including American military flights.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command conducted the second Exceptional Family Member Program Summit to enhance services for family members with special needs.

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden praised Iraqi and U.S. security forces for killing two top terrorists in Iraq, calling the deaths "potentially devastating blows" to al-Qaida in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military’s role in Haiti is slated to further decrease by June, with the 2,200-strong U.S. force currently there expected to drop to about 500 members.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces killed several insurgents and captured at least one other, according to initial reports of a firefight in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested nine suspected terrorists in recent days and killed a man identified as an al-Qaida in Iraq leader in the northern city of Mosul.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces are doing a good job in maintaining security in the country, and the American withdrawal can proceed as planned, Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi security forces, supported by U.S. troops, killed the two most-senior leaders of al-Qaida in Iraq during a series of operations southwest of Tikrit.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Soraya Silva, a Brazil native assigned to Camp LeJeune, N.C., is on track to become a noncommissioned officer a year after she joined the Marines.

WASHINGTON - With a reorganization of units overseeing military medicine in the national capital area under way, interim steps are in place to maintain good care and emergency preparedness during the transition.

WASHINGTON - The military services met or exceeded their March recruiting goals for the active and reserve components.

NEW YORK - Investing in America’s military veterans through education and employment will benefit local communities, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at Columbia University.

NEW YORK - Although a U.S. military approach in Iran would hinder Iranian nuclear proliferation, military might isn’t necessarily the best solution, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said here.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates says a New York Times article mischaracterized the purpose and intent of his January memo to the National Security Advisor regarding Iran. The memo identified next steps in the defense planning process.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials recognized the best in National Guard and reserve family programs saying they are critical to combat readiness.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates disputed claims that the department was withholding information from the Senate Homeland Security Committee about the Nov. 5, 2009, Fort Hood, Texas, shooting incident.

WASHINGTON - Scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, D..C., are discovering new ways to prevent the spread of malaria.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said his attendence at a regional security summit in Barbados and President Barack Obama’s Caribbean Basin Security Initiative send a signal that “the United States is reengaging with this region.”

KABUL - Afghan and international forces captured several insurgents, evacuated civilians after an explosion, and seized enemy weapon stockpiles.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Iraq-deployed Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 William R. Halevy, 60, is a Vietnam veteran who is winding up a 36-year military career that focused on flying and safety.

WASHINGTON - Efforts by military engineers to help Haiti rebuild after a devastating Jan. 12 earthquake will continue after the joint U.S. military task force there winds down at the end of May.

WASHINGTON - Commercial vessels should be armed when sailing through the pirate-infested waters off Somalia, said Navy Adm. Mark P. Fitzgerald, commander of U.S. naval forces in Europe, Africa and NATO’s Allied Joint Task Force Command Naples.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in Bridgetown, Barbados, for meetings to show support for the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative aimed at curbing drug trafficking and other trans-border threats.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard has many federal employees who play a crucial role in domestic and overseas operations, and Guard leaders hope to expand their numbers in the states, territories and the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON - Navy Vice Adm. James “Sandy” Winnefeld Jr., told a Senate committee that if confirmed to head U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, he will work to build and maintain the command’s critical relationships.

WASHINGTON - The new U.S. Cyber Command needs to strike a balance between protecting military assets and personal privacy, Army Lt. Gen. Keith B. Alexander, the presidential nominee to lead the command, told a Senate committee.

WASHINGTON - Wounded soldiers like Army Sgt. Robert Laux, who trains to throw a shot put, are preparing for the inaugural Warrior Games in May in Colorado Springs, Colo.

BOGOTA - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates offered high praise to Colombia as an “exporter of security” that, by sharing lessons learned in its crackdown against a leftist insurgency and drug-trafficking cartels, provides a model for the region.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has directed the Defense Department immediately to implement 26 interim recommendations of an independent panel he appointed to look into the Nov. 5 shooting spree at Fort Hood, Texas.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested 12 suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members and associates during combined operations with U.S. advisors near Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan-international security force captured a Taliban bomb expert and two other militants during an operation conducted in the Khogyani district of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Military leaders and a host of celebrities paid tribute to outstanding servicemembers and other special honorees at the USO of Metropolitan Washington's 28th annual awards dinner in Arlington, Va.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Spc. Brandon Sitton, a gunner, and his brother, Army Pfc. Joshua Sitton, a driver, both from Graycourt, S.C., are serving together in Paktika province, Afghanistan.

BOGOTA - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived in Bogota to offer congratulations and support for Colombia’s progress in the fight against its insurgency and the lessons it is sharing with its neighbors in the region.

LIMA, Peru - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed confidence in progress being made toward passing a U.N. Security Council resolution that would ratchet up sanctions against Iran for refusing to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

WASHINGTON - The number of suspected suicides among soldiers serving on active duty dropped slightly for the first quarter of the year compared to the same period last year.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Military space operators and their private-sector partners are going to have to find ways to grow capabilities while operating in a fiscally-constrained environment, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.

LIMA, Peru - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates declared his meeting with Peruvian Defense Minister Rafael Rey a positive step toward deepening a bilateral security arrangement that “is vitally important to both of us.”

WASHINGTON - The U.S. approach on Iran focuses on preventing that country from obtaining nuclear weapons and on countering its influence in the Middle East, Michele Flournoy, undersecretary of Defense for policy told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Space provides critical capabilities for the Defense Department, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said at the National Space Symposium held in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, delivered the keynote address at an annual gala sponsored by the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.

WASHINGTON - The military’s top doctors told lawmakers the Defense Department’s Medical Centers of Excellence are becoming the best in the world for medical research and treatment of wounded warriors.

KABUL - Afghan and international forces detained several suspected militants and seized a variety of weapons in recent operations.

SOUTHWEST ASIA - Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tyson Hall is a contracting officer in Southwest Asia who lives up to his Middleton, Wis., hometown motto of being a "good neighbor."

LIMA, Peru - Video of a 2007 helicopter attack in Iraq that resulted in civilian casualties shows just part of the story and lacks context, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Department of Defense Education Activity’s educational partnership has launched an interactive resource for military and school leaders and military families.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed confidence that political upheaval in Kyrgyzstan won’t cause the United States to lose use of an air base in Manas that’s critical to supplying operations in Afghanistan.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates re-emphasized the top priority U.S. and NATO forces have put on protecting civilian lives, an effort he called critical to the success of the Afghanistan strategy.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is traveling to Lima, Peru, for the first stop of a regional visit to encourage continued multilateral cooperation in confronting common threats and to explore new ways the United States can help.

WASHINGTON - With help from a few familiar faces from Sesame Street, top defense officials hosted a Pentagon preview of Sesame Workshop’s newest outreach initiative, “When Families Grieve."

KABUL - Afghan and international forces captured several militants and seized enemy weapons stockpiles in recent operations.

WASHINGTON - While the risk of nuclear war between countries has dropped, the risk of a nuclear attack has risen, President Barack Obama said as he officially opened the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - The hurdles to be overcome in Afghanistan, a country with a complex "human terrain," are no simple matter, said Navy Rear Adm. Greg Smith, communications director for NATO and U.S. forces.

BAGHDAD - Iraq-deployed Air Force Senior Airman Kayla Manning has personalized her mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle by dressing up her steering wheel in pink.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The goal of the inaugural Warrior Games, scheduled for May in Colorado Springs, Colo., is to build confidence and provide rehabilitation for disabled servicemembers and veterans.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Brazilian Defense Minister Nelson Jobim signed a new defense cooperation agreement that Gates said provides an example of partnership and “offers a transparent, positive model for engagement throughout the Americas.”

WASHINGTON - The international summit on nuclear security is an opportunity to draw greater attention to the issues of nuclear nonproliferation and the control of nuclear material, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard is helping civilian authorities to protect 46 heads of government and international organizations at the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said recently published footage of a U.S. Apache helicopter killing 12 people in Iraq, including two Reuters news agency personnel, was “painful to watch,” and that the attack has been thoroughly investigated.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, working with U.S. advisors, captured a dozen suspected terrorists and killed three others in recent operations.

WASHINGTON - NATO’s International Assistance Security Force is expressing regret over civilian casualties that occurred after a bus was driven toward a patrol of international troops.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, paid tribute to military children in a video message posted on the White House Web site.

WASHINGTON - Afghan army commandos constitute a military "gem" among Afghanistan's security forces, said Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg, NATO's deputy commander for Army forces.

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Pfc. Cody Anderson, 25, a former Marine now stationed in Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division, once competed on the "American Idol" talent show.

WASHINGTON - While the new U.S. nuclear posture review removed some of the intentional ambiguity from the country’s nuclear policy, “all options are on the table” for countries like North Korea and Iran, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates offered condolences to the Polish military after a plane crash killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and the country's armed service chiefs.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama applauded servicemembers and defense civilians for their commitment and service to the nation in a speech in the Pentagon courtyard, calling America’s military community the finest in the world.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced the winners of the 2010 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence.

KABUL - Afghan and international forces killed several insurgents during a battle in Helmand province and also confiscated drugs and weapons caches.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, with U.S. advisors, continued their assault on al-Qaida in Iraq, arresting one terrorism suspect near Baghdad and two others in Mosul.

WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency and the Defense Department are working together to protect the environment and bolster homeland security.

BAGHDAD - Three brothers, originally from Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and currently deployed in Iraq, had a chance to get together for the first time since they left the United States.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will focus on Latin America, signing a defense agreement with Brazil, then visiting Peru, Colombia and the Caribbean to reaffirm U.S. commitment to the region and promote closer defense cooperation.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey crashed in southern Afghanistan, killing three U.S. servicemembers, one civilian employee and injuring numerous other servicemembers.

WASHINGTON - Developing Afghan police forces is equal to that of raising a strong military there, said Canadian army Maj. Gen. Mike Ward, deputy commander of police training for NATO Training Mission Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - With 153,000 veterans enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill this semester, and new automation tools arriving to improve processing procedures, the program is "on track" and headed toward greater efficiency, said Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Forces Korea is gearing up for a full range of activities to begin this summer commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, and the strong U.S.-South Korea alliance that continues to maintain stability on the Korean peninsula.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Joint Forces Command has developed a computerized training program that immerses ground troops in the sights, sounds and smells of war, while forcing them to make quick, critical decisions.

WASHINGTON - Two senior Defense Department officials spoke with journalists on a DoDLive Bloggers’ Roundtable to answer questions about the new Nuclear Posture Review.

WASHINGTON - Deployed servicemembers now have many communication options, whether it’s webcams, instant messaging, e-mail or social media, to stay connected with loved ones back home.

WASHINGTON - The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization is focusing on Afghanistan to reduce the number of enemy-implanted improvised explosive devices employed there as well as the number of American casualties caused by them.

WASHINGTON - Navy Seaman Judi Boyce intends to overcome her disabilities and set the tone for the next chapter of her life by competing in the inaugural Warrior Games scheduled for May in Colorado Springs, Colo.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department released its Open Government Plan, which articulates how the department seeks to make its operations and data more transparent to the public.

WASHINGTON - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Nuclear Posture Review provides senior defense leaders and field commanders the opportunity to better shape U.S. military nuclear weapons posture, policies, and force structure to meet an ever-changing security environment.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces have captured a Taliban explosives expert who is believed to be a leader for insurgent bomb-making efforts in the Kandahar province.

WASHINGTON - Supply mission operations at the transit center at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, are delayed but have not been adversely affected by the civil unrest there, said Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman.

WASHINGTON - Supporting the work of African nations in creating African solutions for African challenges is the mission of the newest U.S. unified command.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in Prague, with both countries pledging to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in their stockpiles.

WASHINGTON - Close collaboration between the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments is helping to treat mental-health issues in returning combat veterans before they escalate into long-term problems, Veteran Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Spc. Joseph Carter lost his best friend in Iraq and suffered terrible injuries in a stateside accident, but he persevered to rejoin the Army and now serves in Afghanistan.

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Two F-16 fighters under the direction of North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted a Denver-bound airliner after a passenger reportedly caused a disturbance.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Getting special operations forces a seat at the defense budget table has been a priority since he took office, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Vision, perseverance, candor and moral courage are essential qualities for 21st-century military leaders, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy.

WASHINGTON - With the April 15 tax deadline around the corner, a defense official offers guidance on how troops can file their returns, and reminded servicemembers to submit their forms on time.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and NATO troops were involved in a 12-hour battle with insurgents in western Afghanistan’s Badghis province, killing dozens of enemy fighters.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, with U.S. advisors, have arrested nine suspected terrorists, one of whom is believed to be the leader of the Mosul branch of al-Qaida in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The Army is now 35 percent complete in its effort to move equipment and materiel out of Iraq as part of the U.S. withdrawal.

MANAMA, Bahrain - The crew of the USS McFaul captured 10 suspected pirates and rescued eight crewmembers from the Indian cargo dhow Faize Osamani near Salalah, Oman.

PAKTIA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - An Air Force psychologist and mental health technician spend their time getting to know troops, trying to break the lingering stigma attached to seeking mental health care.

WASHINGTON - People should take action sooner rather than later to get their finances under control, and the military has resources that can help.

NEW ORLEANS - Army 1st Lt. Heather S. Englehart of the Louisiana National Guard is nationally known as a "war artist."

WASHINGTON - Basic research not only pushes the boundaries of technology, but also provides exciting career opportunities.

WASHINGTON - No one who has served the United States in uniform should end up living on the street, said Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki, who is committed to ending homelessness among America's veterans within the next five years.

WASHINGTON - The nation’s second-ranking military officer, Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he’s comfortable with a new U.S. policy that halts future production of nuclear weapons.

WASHINGTON - The Nuclear Posture Review recognizes that nuclear terrorism by violent extremists and nuclear proliferation to more states – not a nuclear exchange between nations – poses the greatest threat to U.S. and global security, President Barack Obama said.

WASHINGTON - The Nuclear Posture Review is a roadmap for reducing America’s nuclear arsenal while maintaining an effective deterrent, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a news conference on the new policy.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces captured several insurgents, including a Taliban commander suspected in several attacks against coalition forces.

WASHINGTON - The Nuclear Posture Review is the first overarching look at U.S. nuclear strategy since the end of the Cold War.

WASHINGTON - After a tragic training accident in South Korea in 1991, Patrick McDonald's four-year military career came to an end, but through adaptive sports, he found a way to serve his country again.

MANAS, Kyrgyzstan - Airmen in Manas, Kyrgyzstan, were busy in March supporting the surge of forces, moving about 50,000 troops and issuing more than 12.5 million gallons of jet fuel.

WASHINGTON - Prioritizing the work ahead shortly after his first anniversary on the job, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said his focus for the year ahead is on reducing the disability claims backlog.

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Air Force Tech. Sgt. Corey Hellmann provides respiratory therapy at his civilian job and he administers critical care to wounded troops in his military job.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama threw the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ home opener, which also featured a special event in honor of Month of the Military Child. The Nationals gave the children and their parents tickets to the game.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested eight alleged members of al-Qaida in Iraq during combined operations with American military advisors.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces have killed 10 militants in the Nangarhar province.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Transportation Command credits U.S. Army Lt. Col. Ralph Riddle and his seaport operations crew for their "can-do" spirit and initiative that got the port of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, up and running within 48 hours of January's earthquake.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is employing elevated cameras in Afghanistan to catch insurgents in the act of planting explosives, said Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told Air Force cadets about some of the lessons he has learned in a government career that has taken him from the shadows of the Cold War to the leader of the Pentagon.

FORT BENNING, Ga. - With four military retirements behind him, 79-year-old Army Col. (Dr.) William Bernhard volunteered for duty and is in Germany caring for soldiers on flight status.

WASHINGTON - The massive amount of equipment and supplies being sent to support troops in Afghanistan is a historic logistical effort critical to mission success there.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Transportation Command will get the forces and equipment he needs, on time, and with the distribution network required to sustain them.

WASHINGTON - The Army command charged with management of the logistical aspect of the Iraq drawdown and Afghanistan buildup looks to be ahead of schedule, Army Lt. Gen. William G. Webster Jr. said.

WASHINGTON - Advanced brain scans that can detect injury earlier than before are among several improvements developed by military doctors and scientists to treat servicemembers with traumatic brain injuries.

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 401st Army Field Support Brigade, in Kuwait are spraying, scrubbing and wiping down vehicles and equipment 24-7 as part of the U.S. drawdown in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces arrested 10 suspected terrorists, bringing to at least 22 the number of suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members apprehended or killed in northern Iraq in the past two weeks.

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates traveled to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., to personally present U.S. Transportation Command with the Joint Meritorious Unit Award.

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo. - Sean Halsted, a former Air Force combat controller disabled during a training mission, plans to compete as a skier at the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military will continue to support the recovery work of Haiti’s government and international agencies after the task force is deactivated at the end of May.

WASHINGTON - Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki says the VA plans to reconnect with Gulf War veterans to ensure they get the best information and care possible.

WASHINGTON - U.S. special operations forces in Iraq will remain at current levels even as the number of American troops there is nearly halved over the next five months, the top special operations commander said.

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was joined by actors, James Gandolfini, Tony Sirico and Rose McGowan, and Brian Stinchcomb of the New Orleans Saints on a USO sponsored tour of Afghanistan and Kuwait

KABUL - Afghan and international forces killed a roadside bomber in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and destroyed a weapons cache.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces arrested four suspected terrorists during a combined operation in southwestern Baghdad designed to capture a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader.

WASHINGTON - Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are getting their work done more quickly and efficiently, thanks to the U.S. Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operations Center.

FORT HOOD, Texas - After four years of preparing thousands of Army National Guard and reserve soldiers for deployment, Army Capt. Brent Middleton soon will be preparing for his own deployment.

INDIAN OCEAN - While operating west of the Seychelles in international waters, the crew of the USS Nicholas captured suspected pirates after exchanging fire, sinking a skiff and confiscating a suspected mother ship.

SAN DIEGO - Two California National Guard daughters brought a year of planning to fruition when they hosted the inaugural Sisterhood of the Traveling BDUs conference to support girls whose parents are deployed.