WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told reporters at a Pentagon press briefing that unilateral U.S. military intervention in Syria would be “a serious mistake.”

WASHINGTON - Afghan and NATO troops are resuming partnered operations which were suspended earlier this month because of a series of deadly insider attacks, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta says.

NATICK, Mass. - Food scientists at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center are exploring ways to enhance service members’ warfighting capability through combat rations.

WASHINGTON - As the Army conducts a worldwide stand-down to draw attention to preventing suicide, among those taking notice is Dr. Tara Dixon, an Army Reserve surgeon who tried to take her own life.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs has developed an online toolkit aimed at supporting those who treat veterans for mental health issues.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is working with airlines to implement a new flight cancellation policy that may affect air travel for some temporary duty travelers.

WASHINGTON - Hoping to build on successes over the past year in combating piracy, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, the top U.S. commander in Europe, and other key stakeholders in the fight gathered in London to help chart the way forward.

TUSCON, Ariz. - Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter visited the 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport in Arizona to learn about international F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft pilot training.

AFGHANISTAN - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ethan Burk, who was wounded during the Sept. 14, 2012, insurgent night attack on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan's Helmand province, reported the insurgents' location to responding British forces.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined security force detained several suspected insurgents during an operation to arrest a Taliban facilitator in the Washer district of Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department measures announced yesterday focus on military commanders, senior enlisted and frontline leaders as key in the battle to prevent and respond to sexual assault, said Army Maj. Gen. Gary S. Patton, director of DOD’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department and National Security Agency officials met with members of academia and industry to discuss managing and protecting an ever-more-global, commercial and financially complex supply chain.

WASHINGTON - Researchers at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center are relentlessly pursuing a tastier, more acceptable version of the Meal, Ready to Eat.

WASHINGTON - The U.S.-Philippine alliance plays a prominent role in the security landscape of the Asia-Pacific region, and the Defense Department continues to build military-to-military relations with the nation, a senior Pentagon official said.

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Adoptions can be both challenging and rewarding, but for Army Maj. Peter Hathaway, and his wife, Kristen, taking on those challenges was a must in completing their family.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined coalition and Afghan security force arrested two Taliban leaders -- an attack commander and an improvised explosive device expert -- during an operation in the Ghazni district of Afghanistan’s Ghazni province.

WASHINGTON - In a message to the men and women of the Defense Department, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta shares his perspectives from his recent trip to the Asia-Pacific region.

WASHINGTON - Suicide prevention is a significant challenge and solving the challenge will require awareness, commitment and understanding from leaders, service members and veterans, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department remains vigilant and committed to cybersecurity, especially since its cyber operations present an attractive target for hackers, said David L. DeVries, DOD's deputy chief information officer for joint information enterprise.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences is conducting the nation’s first large-scale study of the impact of a service member’s death on surviving family members.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department underscored its support for the work of a group of retired generals and admirals who have again called on Congress to help in reversing the nationwide trend of obesity in young people.

WASHINGTON - Partnered operations between coalition and Afghan forces are continuing despite a decision by the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan to scale them back in response to a series of deadly insider attacks, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Active duty service members and other eligible travelers now have more opportunity to take advantage of streamlined security check-in, as Transportation Security Administration officials have added two more airports to the program.

WASHINGTON - Calling sexual assault “an affront to basic human values,” Pentagon Press Secretary George E. Little announced that the Defense Department is revising its sexual assault prevention and response training requirements.

WASHINGTON - Officials have added the names of those who have received Silver Star awards to a website listing recipients of the nation’s highest awards for valor.

WASHINGTON - The continuing resolution the Senate approved Sept. 22, which the president is expected to sign, will affect short- and long-term Defense Department spending in coming months, Pentagon Comptroller Robert F. Hale said at a Government Executive defense briefing series event.

WASHINGTON - The assault on the U.S. Consulate earlier this month in Benghazi, Libya, was an attack not only on America, but also on the ideals of the United Nations, President Barack Obama said in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Army Sgt. Sheldon Benjamin intervened to get professional help for his troubled friend, Army Spc. Andre Whyne, who was going through an emotional rough patch.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force killed a Taliban weapons dealer and destroyed his cache of illegal weapons during an operation in the Omnah district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province. The leader was responsible for distributing firearms, ammunition and explosives to insurgents under his command.

WASHINGTON - The entire U.S. government has made a concerted effort to improve U.S.-China relations while implementing the tenets in the defense strategic guidance, a senior Pentagon official told the audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

NATICK, Mass. - When it comes to combat clothing and gear, the folks at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center realize that appropriate fit is more than simply a matter of a tailored military appearance.

WASHINGTON - In an interview with a North Carolina newspaper, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta expressed concern over suicide rates throughout the military and acknowledged the need for military and civilian leaders to continue addressing the complex issue.

QUANTICO, Va. - Charges against two Marines have been referred to trial for their alleged involvement in urinating on deceased Taliban fighters and for posing for unofficial photographs with human casualties in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The National Guard Bureau’s senior enlisted leader recently noted the challenges that suicide prevention poses for all military leaders and addressed ways in which National Guard troops can help mitigate suicide risk within their own ranks.

WASHINGTON - The goal of the U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan was not to defeat the Taliban, but to provide Afghan security forces the time needed to develop, said Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the commander of NATO forces in the country.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan and coalition security force killed two insurgents and seized several pounds of heroin during an operation in search of a Taliban leader in the Zharay district of Kandahar province. Officials said no civilians were harmed during the operation.

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Sgt. Matthew Maddox is serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan after having recovered from serious injuries he'd received during an accident back home in California.

WASHINGTON - The threat posed by improvised explosive devices is growing and spreading across the globe, and will be the terrorists’ weapon of choice for decades, the commander of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s Military Family Readiness Council recently stated that its priority for the upcoming budget year will be protecting troop and family support programs, followed by increasing support to service members transitioning out of the military.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, honored former prisoners of war and those still missing in action during a National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department civilians need to understand and recognize the warning signs for suicide just as their military counterparts are being trained to do, the acting director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office said.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has urged commanders in Afghanistan not to grant the Afghan government increased responsibility for fuel used by its security forces until questions about how it is managed and accounted for are answered.

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Somewhere amid the land and sea battlefields of World War II are more than 73,000 Americans still classified as missing in action, and every day work continues at the Hawaii-based POW/MIA Accounting Command to bring them home.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition security forces arrested a Taliban leader, as well as a Haqqani chief, during a security operation in the Sayyid Karam district of Afghanistan's Pakitya province. The leader is a suspected improvised explosive device expert.

WASHINGTON - “As long as members of our Armed Forces remain unaccounted for, America will bring our fullest resources to bear in finding them and bringing them home. It is a promise we make not only to the families of our captured and our missing, but to all who have worn the uniform,” President Barack Obama said in his proclamation declaring National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

WASHINGTON - Parts of a new transition assistance program were tested this summer and the revamped TAP will be ready to support departing service members in November, officials told lawmakers.

WASHINGTON - Fifteen companies and organizations received the coveted Secretary of Defense Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Freedom Award, honoring private and public companies, large and small, which go above and beyond what the law requires to support their deployed Guard and reserve employees.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta placed a wreath in memory of New Zealand’s fallen and pinned U.S. medals on five Kiwi Afghanistan veterans during a visit to the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced that he has eased the restrictions on New Zealand navy ship visits to Defense Department and Coast Guard facilities in the United States and around the world.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - The drawdown of U.S. surge forces in Afghanistan is complete as scheduled, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced during a news conference with New Zealand Defense Minister Dr. Jonathan Coleman in Aukland, New Zealand.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke about adapting changes to strategy in order to match changes in the world situation at the inaugural Gen. Bernard W. Rogers Strategic Issues Forum.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s director of Diversity Management discussed federal efforts to encourage young people of Hispanic descent to obtain the education and knowledge necessary to enter technical occupations.

QINGDAO, China - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta visited the headquarters of one of China’s three naval fleets and toured a Chinese frigate and a submarine during his final stop in China before flying to New Zealand.

AUCKLAND - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, the last leg of an Asian-Pacific tour that has also taken him to Japan and China. While there, Panetta will meet with senior leaders to discuss strategic defense partnership opportunities between the two countries.

WASHINGTON - Sequestration will devastate every aspect of Defense Department spending, from fighting the war in Afghanistan and supporting troop health and morale to carrying out the defense strategic guidance, Pentagon Comptroller Robert F. Hale told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Resilience is the key to solving the military’s suicide problem, and the Total Force Fitness program is the key to developing resilience, said Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

WASHINGTON - Because it would lead to inefficiencies, the sequestration mechanism built into the Budget Control Act would amount to a hidden tax, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force killed two armed insurgents, detained another and seized firearms and grenades during an operation to arrest a senior Taliban leader in the Balkh district of Balkh province.

WASHINGTON - For many, the decision to concentrate on a profession takes years. However for Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Aaron Belford, it came in a flash.

WASHINGTON - The Veterans Affairs Department has approved applications for all 45,000 slots available in fiscal 2012 under the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program and is in the process of approving applications for the slots available in fiscal 2013.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has nominated Frederick E. Vollrath to be assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management. Vollrath has been performing the position’s duties as principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management.

BEIJING - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said his meetings in Beijing with key Chinese leaders here have been both substantive and productive.

BEIJING - Following a speech at the People’s Liberation Army’s Armored Forces Engineering Academy in Beijing, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta opened the floor to questions from cadets and officers in the audience.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense announced they are investing more than $100 million in research to improve diagnosis and treatment of mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

WASHINGTON - Even as the Defense Department increases investments in cyber capabilities, officials are working to reduce vulnerabilities in their own networks and in those of contractors who build sensitive defense systems, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said.

WASHINGTON - Grappling with the converging forces of strategic history and fiscal necessity, the Defense Department is making choices now that will determine how the nation transitions to the coming era, said Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter.

WASHINGTON - Despite insider attacks, the International Security Assistance Force’s campaign in Afghanistan is on track to achieve the objectives and timeline set by NATO, and American surge forces are on schedule to return home by Oct. 1, said a senior ISAF official.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasized that NATO’s decision to curtail closely partnered operations with Afghan forces because of on-going attacks on the coalition is only a tactical change that will not undermine the goal of producing a trained Afghan security force by the end of 2014.

WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it has approved $28.4 million in grants to fund 38 projects in 25 states and the District of Columbia that will provide transitional housing to homeless veterans.

COMBAT OUTPOST SHIR GHAZAY, Afghanistan - Afghanistan-deployed U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Ricky Lattimore is proud to serve as a Navy corpsman tending to the medical needs of his Marine comrades.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested the senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader for Kunduz province in the province’s Qalah-ye Zal district. The leader is believed to have directed the terrorist organization’s insurgent activity throughout the province.

FORT MEADE, Md. - The Defense Department is embracing cyber technologies that enhance its combat effectiveness while working closely with partners in the interagency, academic, industrial and international communities to address cyber domain challenges, said Navy Rear Adm. Margaret Klein, U.S. Cyber Command’s chief of staff.

BEIJING - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping both said at the outset of a meeting in Beijing that the secretary’s visit to China will advance cooperation between the two nations’ militaries.

BEIJING - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told a group of Chinese officers and cadets that the level of cooperation they and their U.S. counterparts achieve will determine much of the Asia-Pacific region’s future stability and prosperity.

BEIJING - The V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft has been approved to fly in Japan, Defense Department officials announced while Secretary Leon E. Panetta traveled in Asia.

WASHINGTON - The scenario for the Jackal Stone 2012 special operations exercise in Croatia reads like a Hollywood thriller, and goes a long way in building relationships critical to future operations, its commander says.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Top leaders in Army, Navy and Air Force medicine are now housed under one roof for the first time to direct the future of military medicine, the Defense Department’s top health affairs official said as the new Defense Health Headquarters officially opened.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III recalled the service's rich history and saluted the men and women of the modern day force for their heroic spirit during his address to the Air Force Association’s annual meeting.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested one of the Taliban leaders behind the Sept. 14 Camp Bastion attack. The leader was taken into custody in Helmand province.

PAKTIA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Nebraska Army National Guard Sgt. Alex Peyton said he enjoys employing his expertise in agriculture to assist farmers in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Recent media coverage regarding a change in the International Security Assistance Force model for assisting Afghanistan’s security forces “is not accurate,” ISAF officials said in a statement released from the command’s headquarters in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

GULF OF ADEN - The guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill and other U.S. Navy assets participated in a counterpiracy exercise with Chinese naval elements near the Horn of Africa.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The 33,000-man surge of U.S. forces into Afghanistan has achieved the goal set for it, and it will end on schedule at the end of the month, said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - U.S. and Turkish leaders have a similar view of events in Syria and agreed to work together on that and other regional issues, said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The insider threat will not lessen the coalition’s resolve to accomplish its objectives and mission in Afghanistan, said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

BEIJING - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and his Chinese counterpart, Defense Minister Gen. Liang Guanglie, told reporters in Beijing that they see progress and room for growth in the two nations’ military relationship.

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta spoke to U.S. service members on Yokota Air Base in Japan, thanking them for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the nation.

WASHINGTON - The airmen of today's United States Air Force display the same guts, determination and skill as their forebears in the wars of earlier eras, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said at the Air Force Association's annual meeting.

NATICK, Mass. - Female soldiers at Fort Campbell, Ky., are getting a chance to weigh in on the latest innovation in personal protective equipment: body armor designed specifically to fit them.

WASHINGTON - The nation’s youngest force enjoys an unbreakable connection to state-of-the-art technology, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said at the Air Force Association’s annual meeting.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is joining the nation in observing National Hispanic Heritage Month with a series of events to recognize the service of Hispanic Americans throughout the department.

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Panamanian-American Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Yessica Lugo considers herself fortunate to be where she is today, given that a lot of her life could have turned out much differently.

ANKARA, Turkey - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has discussed a range of regional issues with Turkish defense officials in Ankara, including the civil war in neighboring Syria.

WASHINGTON - Despite fiscal challenges, NATO members should work together to develop the right capabilities to adapt to future challenges by pooling and sharing capabilities, setting priorities and better coordinating efforts, NATO’s top transformation officer said.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - The U.S. Forest Service has deactivated the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped military C-130s as fire conditions in the West have improved.

TOKYO - On a day that began in Japan and is ending in China, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta responded to questions on the U.S. deployment of V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to Okinawa and the ongoing dispute between China and Japan over the Senkaku Islands.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama declared Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, encouraging Americans to reaffirm their commitment to the rights and obligations of citizenship during a week-long observance commemorating the 225th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution.

FORT RILEY, Kan. - Army Capt. Lisa Halvorson has earned the moniker "Mama Halvorson" amongst her soldiers because of her keen interest in getting to know her troops and her habit of mentoring them to better their lives.

WASHINGTON - The International Security Assistance Force has sent a joint incident assessment team to gather facts about a coalition forces airstrike in Afghanistan’s Laghman province that resulted in several Afghan civilian casualties.

BEIJING - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit to China where he will meet with senior level officials and will visit several military sites in an effort to further develop the military-to-military relationship between the two countries.

TOKYO - The United States and Japan have begun coordination on a second U.S. anti-ballistic missile radar installation in Japan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced in Tokyo following separate meetings with Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Koichiro Gemba and Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wants service members and veterans to consider what using the uniform for partisan politics does to the trust Americans have in their military.

ANKARA, Turkey - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Ankara, Turkey, for talks with Turkish military leaders on the situation with neighboring Syria and the humanitarian crisis caused by the Syrian civil war.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The recent anti-American demonstrations that have occurred in many Muslim countries “demands for us to be more engaged, not less engaged,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during an aircraft flight from Sibiu, Romania, to Ankara, Turkey.

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT - The NATO chiefs of defense reviewed events in Afghanistan and alliance plans in the region during discussions in Sibiu, Romania, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said aboard an aircraft en route to Ankara, Turkey.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Leon E Panetta told traveling reporters that his current trip to Japan, China and New Zealand offers “an opportunity to further advance our strategy of rebalancing towards the Asia-Pacific.”

KABUL, Afghanistan - International Security Assistance Force officials are providing additional details about the attack on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan’s Helmand province in which two coalition service members were killed when insurgents attacked the base’s airfield.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta departed for his second visit to Japan and his first to China as defense secretary, as well as the first visit to New Zealand any defense secretary has made since Caspar Weinberger went there in 1982.

SIBIU, Romania - NATO chiefs of defense are fleshing out the post-2014 role for alliance forces in Afghanistan while planning how the alliance will reshape itself to face future threats during a meeting of the Military Committee in Sibiu, Romania.

KABUL, Afghanistan - International Security Assistance Force troops defeated nearly 20 insurgents who had infiltrated the perimeter of Camp Bastion in Afghanistan's Helmand province. The attackers targeted ISAF personnel and facilities using small arms, rocket-propelled grenades and suicide improvised explosive device vests.

WASHINGTON - As the loss of four Americans serving at a diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, resonates globally, President Barack Obama in his weekly address thanked the fallen for their service and pledged that their killers will not escape justice.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said the employers of Guard members and reservists are taking care of those who serve in the nation’s military by “hiring and retaining members of the Guard and Reserve, and by creating a culture of military support in the workplace,” in his proclamation declaring Sept. 16 through Sept. 22 as National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said the nation’s Hispanic citizens “have led movements that pushed our country closer to realizing the democratic ideals of America's founding documents, and they have served courageously as members of our Armed Forces to defend those ideals at home and abroad,” in his proclamation issued today declaring September as National Hispanic Heritage Month.

WASHINGTON - Navy Lt. Brad Snyder, a U.S. Paralympic team swimmer and triple medalist in the recently concluded games, was joined by fellow U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes as they received a warm welcome at the White House from President Barack Obama.

WASHINGTON - As they touched down for the last time on U.S. soil, four Americans killed during attacks this week at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, were honored with eulogies by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

WASHINGTON - DOD Comptroller Robert F. Hale, testifying before the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, said that while modernization of the department’s business system environment is progressing, budget uncertainty has led to “time-consuming and unproductive planning efforts.”

WASHINGTON - The State Department has identified the two security officers who died Sept. 11 in Benghazi, Libya, while helping to protect their colleagues.

WASHINGTON - A Marine security team has arrived in Yemen to bolster security at the U.S. Embassy there, following the earlier dispatch of Marines to Libya in the wake of anti-U.S. demonstrations across the Middle East.

WASHINGTON - Artist Peter Hemmer knew he wanted a one-of-a-kind design when he set out to produce a poster highlighting the Defense Department’s participation in this year's National Hispanic Heritage Month.

WASHINGTON - National Hispanic Heritage Month, observed Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, gives the Defense Department an opportunity to recognize the significant contributions made by the nation’s Hispanic-Americans, said Stephanie Miller, DOD’s Diversity Management director.

WASHINGTON - Maryland Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Mark Pheabus is looking forward to dressing up as a Civil War-era Confederate soldier during reenactments marking the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam in Sharpsburg, Md.

SIBIU, Romania - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Sibiu, Romania, to participate in NATO Military Committee talks. Dempsey will meet with his fellow chiefs of defense to discuss Afghanistan and other NATO issues.

WASHINGTON - With investigation continuing into oxygen-deprivation issues involving the F-22 Raptor fighter, a senior Air Force official told Congress he remains optimistic about the program’s future and the jet’s ability to perform.

WASHINGTON - Caregivers, National Guard and reserve support as well as sports for the wounded are at the top of the Defense Department’s priorities for wounded warriors and their families, according to the deputy assistant secretary of defense for warrior care policy.

WASHINGTON - With less than eight weeks remaining before election day, American service members and other citizens overseas have more tools than ever available to help them register and vote, the acting director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has authorized deployment of a Marine Corps fleet antiterrorism security team to Libya to protect U.S. citizens there and to secure the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will leave this weekend for his third visit to Asia in 11 months where he will meet with defense counterparts from Japan, China and New Zealand to discuss bilateral defense issues.

WASHINGTON - A three-star general who commanded the NATO and U.S. training missions in Afghanistan told a House subcommittee his command conducted a transparent investigation into alleged corruption at the Afghan-run Dawood National Military Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A precision airstrike in the Mota Khan district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province killed an armed insurgent attempting to transport weapons toward a populated area. A post-strike assessment determined no civilian property was damaged and no civilians were harmed.

PATROL BASE DETROIT, Afghanistan - When Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ethan Payne considered joining the military, he realized the Marine Corps could offer him more opportunities than simply earning a paycheck. It also could give him the ability cultivate his own path in life.

NATICK, Mass. - Speaking to standing-room-only audiences at the Natick Soldier Systems Center, Kim Ruocco described the chain of events that led to her husband Marine Corps Maj. John Ruocco’s death in February 2005.

WASHINGTON - The crew of USNS Mercy is returning to their home port of San Diego after a five-month Pacific Partnership mission, the largest annual humanitarian civic assistance mission in the Asia-Pacific region.

WASHINGTON - A senior government official revealed details of the deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four State Department officials and wounded three others.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta condemned the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in the “strongest possible terms,” said a senior government official, noting Panetta "also extends his deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.”

RENO, Nev. - Service members facing behavioral health challenges should feel comfortable asking for help, military leaders said at the 134th National Guard Association of the United States General Conference in Reno, Nev.

WASHINGTON - Efforts to improve management of civilian contractors performing critical mission support functions are creating a cultural shift in the way the military prepares for battle, senior Defense Department officials told the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - The United States condemns in the strongest terms the outrageous and shocking attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other American personnel, President Barack Obama said.

WASHINGTON - The attack in Benghazi, Libya, that resulted in the deaths of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans should “shock the conscience of people of all faiths around the world,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition security forces confirmed the death or arrest of three key Taliban operatives. Forces also detained several suspected insurgents and destroyed a cache of assault rifles, grenades, explosives and illegal narcotics.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Twin brothers, Marine Corps Sgt. David Haines and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Haines, saw each other for the first time in five years on Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, where both are deployed.

WASHINGTON - Eleven years later, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reminded 9/11 remembrance ceremony attendees gathered in the Pentagon’s center courtyard why the war against terrorism is “personal.”

WASHINGTON - With flags flying at half-staff and under a cloudless blue sky hauntingly similar to the day America was attacked 11 years ago, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta paid tribute to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon and praised America’s service members.

WASHINGTON - Military personnel who take part in sensitive operations like the one that took out Osama bin Laden must stand by the promises they made to the United States, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said during an interview broadcast on “CBS This Morning.”

WASHINGTON - Thousands of heroes died during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, many while helping others in the chaos around them, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a service at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial.

WASHINGTON - The 9/11 victims at the Pentagon, the Twin Towers in Manhattan or in a Pennsylvania field will remain “heroes forever,” Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told a somber audience during a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the Pentagon Memorial.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan and coalition forces confirmed the death of two senior Taliban leaders, including the suspected mastermind of an August 2008 ambush that left numerous French soldiers dead and 21 wounded.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama, joined by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said America is stronger than ever during a 9/11 remembrance service at the Pentagon Memorial.

LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - Air Force Lt. Col. Chris Lachance is one of a handful of American airmen working to ensure that Iraqi Air force units at Al Sahra Airfield in Tikrit are getting the level of training they need to protect their skies.

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. - On the eve of the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta toured the Flight 93 National Memorial here and called the passengers and crew of the ill-fated plane American heroes.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama signed a proclamation designating the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States as Patriot Day and National Day of Remembrance.

COMBAT OUTPOST SHIR GHAZAY, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Cpl. Charlemagne Jennings was one of four children who grew up while his father was in prison, and credits enlisting in the Marines with changing his life.

WASHINGTON - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen discussed progress in Afghanistan, the brutal civil war in Syria and 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks during his monthly news conference.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed several armed insurgents during an operation to arrest a Taliban attack commander in the Alisheng district of Afghanistan’s Laghman province.

WASHINGTON - September, National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, is a reminder to everyone in the military community to watch out for each other, a senior defense official said.

LONDON - Despite sustaining a spinal cord injury during a high-altitude jump in 2003, retired Army paratrooper Centra “Cece” Mazyck continues to answer the nation's call as a javelin thrower at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

LONDON - Many U.S. Paralympic athletes have persevered through tough circumstances and refused to give up after acquiring a disability. Former Navy Lt. Cmdr. Steven Peace is no exception. He continues to beat the odds after a stroke left him without the use of the right side of his body.

LONDON - During his 10-year journey to reach his first Paralympic Games, one U.S. athlete found opportunity where some would not, and now he says he wouldn't change the path that led him to London.

LONDON - The Paralympic movement continues to grow as competition improves and opportunities to compete increase, providing fundamental growth to this burgeoning movement, the U.S. Paralympics chief said.

WASHINGTON - In his weekly address, President Barack Obama paid tribute to the nearly 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks and honored the first responders and U.S. service members who have fought and sacrificed ever since to keep the United States safe.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has welcomed the decision by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to designate the Haqqani network a terrorist organization, Pentagon Spokesman George Little said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A precision airstrike killed a Taliban cell leader during a security operation in the Nad-e Ali district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The leader is believed to have commanded an attack cell and directed insurgent activity throughout western region of the province.

WASHINGTON - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano honored the outgoing chief of the National Guard Bureau, Air Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley, presenting him with the Homeland Security Department’s Distinguished Service Medal.

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command’s special requirements branch is a one-stop shop for finding rate and transportation modes for Defense Department shippers.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Standing over 6 feet tall, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Justin Nobles can look pretty intimidating. But anyone who spends a few minutes talking to him quickly finds a soft-spoken guy with a country accent who loves to fix radios.

WASHINGTON - Cabinet secretaries, service chiefs and other government and military leaders gathered at the Pentagon to mark a change in leadership at the National Guard Bureau.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta hosted a change of responsibility ceremony to swear in Army Gen. Frank Grass as the new National Guard Bureau chief and to pay tribute to outgoing chief Air Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley’s nearly 40 years of service.

LONDON - Leadership and teamwork are two of the primary attributes key to success for current and former service members competing in the 2012 Paralympic Games, said Will Groulx, U.S. wheelchair rugby team captain.

WASHINGTON - Officials at Joint Interagency Task Force South are welcoming the contributions that a 200-member Marine Corps detachment is making toward tracking drug traffickers and other transnational criminals.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, praised the Marine Corps and thanked military families for their sacrifices in supporting service members during remarks at the Marine Corps Association and Foundation’s professional dinner.

FORT MEADE, Md. - The Defense Information Systems Agency is taking a new tack by embracing smartphones, tablets and other commercial mobile-device technologies considered vital to improving communications access and data sharing.

WASHINGTON - In a presentation for the Defense Department’s historical speakers series, retired history professor Tom Clemens said Union Army Gen. George McClellan, considered by many historians to be an ineffectual commander, was in fact hamstrung by political and military jealousies that ultimately led to his removal from command.

WASHINGTON - The threat of attacks on coalition service members by Afghan security forces is a complex problem that requires a comprehensive, integrated and combined response from coalition and Afghan officials, said Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force.

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban network leader in the Kandahar district of Kandahar province. The leader is believed to have directed distribution of weapons and explosives in the region.

ARLINGTON, Va. - For the past four Christmases, Army Sgt. John Baker left his wife and son to spend the holiday with three strangers whose names he did not even know at Arlington National Cemetery, Va.

LONDON - Navy Lt. Bradley Snyder, one of three active duty service members competing in the 2012 Paralympic Games, recalled the day he lost his sight while serving in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - With Election Day about two months away, absentee military and overseas citizen voters can enjoy a streamlined process to register, obtain a ballot and exercise their right to vote, Pam Mitchell, Federal Voting Assistance Program acting director, told reporters.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is dealing with long-term budget reductions by working more closely with international partners and continuously improving performance, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics told an international audience of government and industry representatives.

WASHINGTON - Less than a week before the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a senior U.S. officer assigned to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan said each such observance “serves to remind me of why we are here.”

LONDON - The opportunity to compete in the 2012 Paralympic Games and to represent the United States has been a humbling experience, Navy Lt. Bradley Snyder told reporters in London.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces and Afghan government leaders are attacking the issue of insider threats in Afghanistan on several levels, a top commander in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said.

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - Professionals from 61 countries have gathered at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, to share ideas about countering violent extremism across the globe.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A Taliban leader behind an Aug. 7, 2012, attack on a coalition base in Afghanistan's Logar province was killed by Afghan and coalition security forces in the Pul-e Alam district, military officials reported.

PATROL BASE DETROIT, Afghanistan - For deployed Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Nathan Pontious, the ability to speak Pashtu helps make life easier for himself and his fellow Marines as he continues to build relationships with Afghan soldiers and area residents who aren't able to speak English.

CAMP SMITH, Hawaii - As they reach out to long-time allies and new partners alike to increase regional engagement through U.S. Pacific Command’s exercise program, officials are finding that one of the biggest enticements is a common threat: Mother Nature.

WASHINGTON - Six current or former military officers have been appointed to the 2012-2013 class of White House Fellows, the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships has announced.

WASHINGTON - Though no Defense Department personnel or their families were exposed to radiation causing adverse health conditions following the nuclear accident in Japan last year, the department has established a registry to provide information to those who served in the stricken country.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Israeli forces will team up this fall for Austere Challenge 12, a major exercise that provides important training for the defense of both nations, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials continue to weigh their legal options against a former Navy SEAL who may have revealed classified information in a book he wrote about the Osama bin Laden raid, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a news conference.

WASHINGTON - U.S. special operations forces have paused training for 1,000 new Afghan local police recruits, but partnered operations between coalition forces and established members of the local police remain ongoing, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - National Interagency Fire Center officials sent home two military C-130s equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System over the Labor Day weekend, due to a decrease in fire activity.

LONDON - Mario Rodriguez, a former Air Force staff sergeant and member of the U.S. Paralympic fencing team who competed at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, said athletic competition gives him a means to belong to something larger than himself.

WASHINGTON - An Afghan special operations unit, supported by coalition troops, arrested a suspected Taliban explosives dealer during an operation in the Zharay district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province.

WASHINGTON - The military’s top enlisted leader wants service members to use September’s National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month as an opportunity to learn what to do when a fellow service member, family member or veteran reaches out for help.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Puerto Rico-born Army Col. Francisco Rentas is among the developers of the Golden Hour Human Blood Transport Container, which has saved the lives of many service members over the years.

LONDON - Many Paralympic athletes participating in the 2012 Paralympic Games have overcome diseases, injuries or other afflictions. But not many have suffered through a combination of all of those factors and still rose above them to experience success in their chosen sports the way Jennifer Schuble has been able to.

LONDON - Marine Corps Cpl. Rene Renteria is one of three active-duty service members competing in the Paralympic Games and he credits his family with keeping him focused, especially during tough times.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Suspension of training for about 1,000 recruits in the Afghan Local Police program while officials re-vet 16,300 Afghans providing security in remote areas of Afghanistan has no operational impact for Afghan police and other security forces, the International Security Assistance Force’s deputy commander said.

WASHINGTON - A quarterfinals archery matchthrilled the 2012 Paralympic Games crowd in London, as two U.S. teammates squared off in a tight contest that came down to the last arrow.

WASHINGTON - Navy Lt. Bradley Snyder carried over his strong performance in June’s U.S. swimming trials by setting a Paralympic record in his qualifying event for the 100-meter freestyle and earning a gold medal in the final round during the Paralympic Games in London.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Forces Afghanistan officials have suspended the training of about 1,000 Afghan Local Police recruits, pending re-vetting of current participants in the program.

LONDON - A sharpshooting Army sergeant who helped to usher in an innovative prosthesis that has helped countless wounded warriors has brought his sharp eye to compete in the 2012 Paralympic Games.

WASHINGTON - A day after carrying his message of gratitude to soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas, President Barack Obama commended service members and their families in his weekly address to the nation.