ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - As Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates makes his way back to Washington from an overseas trip, he has some extra passengers aboard this Air Force E-4B: soldiers deployed to Afghanistan who are heading home on rest and recuperation leave to spend time with their families during the holiday season.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is on his way back to Washington after visiting with deployed servicemembers, getting a ground-view perspective on operations in eastern and southern Afghanistan, and meeting with leaders in Oman, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Repeating his warning that the Defense Department would be unable to prepare properly if a court strikes down the law that bans gays from serving openly in the military, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he hopes the Senate repeals the law before its session ends next week.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The battle to save Combat Outpost Margah lasted nearly 12 hours. By the end of the battle, five U.S. Army soldiers were wounded, 92 enemy combatants were killed and two insurgents were wounded and captured.

WASHINGTON - In this Family Matters blog, AFPS' Elaine Wilson highlights a Senate resolution that designates Dec. 18 as “Gold Star Wives Day,” a day set aside to honor and recognize the contributions of members of the Gold Star Wives of America Inc.

WASHINGTON - In maintaining computer network security in an era of persistent cyber threats warfighters are balancing the need to know certain kinds of information with the need to share it.

WASHINGTON - Officials from NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan confirmed that two Afghan civilians were killed during an insurgent attack on a coalition base in Kunar province.

BETHESDA, Md. - An Indiana-based organization is working to build community support of servicemembers and their families throughout the state in the hope of serving as a model for the rest of the nation.

WASHINGTON - The relationship between the National Guard and its parent components has never been stronger, the Guard’s top officer said.

INDIANAPOLIS - An Indiana Guardsman who's played soccer all his life reached a career high when he helped the All-Army team win gold at the Armed Forces Soccer Championship.