February is African American/Black History Month, a time during which we honor the many contributions made to our country by African Americans. The commemoration continues the tradition of excellence started by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, by honoring the men and women who have played a vital role in the history of our nation.

Women in all branches of the military soon will have unprecedented opportunities to serve on the front lines of the nation's wars. Leon Panetta, in one of his last acts as President Obama's Defense Secretary, announced the policy change, which would open hundreds of thousands of front-line positions and potentially elite commando jobs after more than a decade at war, the Pentagon...

Turkey requested, via NATO, the deployment of Patriot missiles along its border with Syria. The United States, Germany and the Netherlands have agreed to contribute two batteries each to support this NATO operation. U.S. Army elements to support this mission include: Soldiers of the 3-2 Air Defense Bn. from Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. From U.S. Army Europe: 10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command,...

Marine Corps Fleet Antiterrorism Security Teams (FAST) are deployed around the globe with the mission to provide limited duration expeditionary antiterrorism and security forces in support of designated component and geographic combatant commanders in order to protect vital naval and national assets. The primary mission of a FAST company is the reinforcement or recapture of critical U.S....

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established a presidential directive allowing African Americans to be recruited in the Marine Corps. African American recruits were not trained at Parris Island or San Diego, but were segregated and received basic training at Montford Point, a facility at Camp Lejeune, N.C. From 1942-1949, approximately 20,000 African American recruits received training...

Exercise Cobra Gold is a recurring multinational and multiservice exercise hosted annually by the Kingdom of Thailand and developed by the Thai and U.S. militaries, scheduled to be held Feb. 11-21, 2013 throughout Thailand. Cobra Gold 2013 will consist of a staff exercise, various senior leader engagements, a field training exercise and humanitarian and civic assistance projects. CG 13, in...