WASHINGTON - A 14-member committee of the Institute of Medicine could neither prove nor disprove that service members’ exposure to burning trash piles in Iraq and Afghanistan could cause long-term health problems.

MILFORD, Mass. - About 392 Guard members are on duty in Massachusetts, parts of which had received nearly two feet of snow, National Guard Bureau officials said.

WASHINGTON - The United States will maintain a forward-deployed presence in the Persian Gulf region, an area where it has had troops stationed since World War II, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Several units work together to coordinate the movement of a vast amount of ammunition to ensure Marines and other troops in Afghanistan can accomplish their missions.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed 10 insurgents, detained one suspect and seized three weapons caches during operations.

WASHINGTON - A car bomb smashed into a coalition convoy in Kabul killing 13 coalition personnel, and a second attack in southern Afghanistan took the lives of three more coalition personnel when a man opened fire on the troops, NATO officials said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta ordered U.S. European Command to provide humanitarian relief supplies to Turkey following a devastating earthquake.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s latest report to Congress on Afghanistan details steady progress and shows the plan there is working, a senior defense official said.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - The military’s new state-of-the-art community hospital at Fort Belvoir, Va., is a testament to the love Americans feel for service members and their families, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness said.

WASHINGTON - Coalition and Afghan forces made tremendous progress over the past three months in Afghanistan, according to the Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan that was submitted to Congress.

WASHINGTON - Although no changes to the tuition assistance policy will be made in the near term, defense officials stated the tuition assistance program will be considered as part of the holistic review of the military compensation package.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - The number of convoys leaving Iraq is growing each day as Operation New Dawn nears the end of its mission.

WASHINGTON - After a three-day trip to Afghanistan, the top U.S. European Command and NATO military officer reported positive security trends and continued momentum in transitioning security responsibility to Afghan forces.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno and his son, retired Army Capt. Anthony K. Odierno, received the Basilone Award from the National Italian American Foundation in a ceremony at the National Archives.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces killed 11 insurgents, detained 15 suspected individuals and seized a weapons cache during operations across eastern Afghanistan, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - In their ongoing review of military benefits in connection with the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Defense Department officials have now identified a total of 14 benefits where members may designate beneficiaries of their choosing, regardless of sexual orientation.

SEOUL, South Korea - The United States and South Korea are taking additional steps to advance their military cooperation into a strategic alliance of bilateral, global scope, both nations’ defense leaders said at a news conference in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. government will bring two dozen Libyan fighters to the United States for medical treatment they cannot receive at home, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced.

SEOUL - While U.S. troops are concerned about how the country’s budget issues will affect them and their families, service members take their profession seriously, the nation’s top military officer said on a trip to Seoul.

WASHINGTON - The vice chiefs of the services told Congress members that they fear budget cuts could cause a hollow force, and ask that they be judicious in their decisions.

WASHINGTON - The global nature of terrorism and the growing potential of nations and individuals to acquire weapons of mass destruction drive the Defense Department’s effort to counter such threats.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has accepted the resignation request of Clifford L. Stanley, a retired Marine Corps major general and the Pentagon’s top personnel official.

WASHINGTON - A Navy program that’s been building resilience in service members and their families since 2008 is turning to technology to expand its worldwide reach.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is improving its resource planning systems to meet Congress’ mandate to be audit-ready by 2017, while also demonstrating good fiscal stewardship of taxpayer dollars, a senior defense official said.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Cyber Command called for increased collaboration among the government, industry and America’s allies in developing more defensible networks to confront escalating global cyber threats.

WASHINGTON - Haqqani network sanctuaries in Pakistan are a concern that can be overcome in meeting Afghanistan objectives in 2014, Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, commander of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command, told Pentagon reporters.

WASHINGTON - The United States has made tremendous progress in Afghanistan, but the work that remains to be done requires cooperation from both Afghanistan and Pakistan, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

WASHINGTON - Insurgents fighting against the Afghan government and people can end their violent ways and rejoin their communities or face unrelenting pressure, a senior International Security Assistance Force commander said.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. James J. Dacey is running 345 miles to honor and to raise public awareness for the nation’s fallen and wounded warriors.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed an armed insurgent and detained several suspects during a search for a Taliban leader in the Zurmat district of Paktia province.

SEOUL, South Korea - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta assured senior South Korean leaders that the United States will continue to provide the military forces and capabilities needed to maintain security on the Korean peninsula.

SEOUL, South Korea - In addition to emphasizing the U.S. commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has taken every opportunity during a trip through the region to thank U.S. troops for their service and sacrifices.

WASHINGTON - Because U.S. forces are coming home from Iraq by the end of the year, the U.S. Postal Service will stop accepting mail addressed to military post offices in Iraq starting Nov. 17, Defense Department officials said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has no proposals or recommendations on revamping military retirement at this time, but any future proposal must not break faith with those in the military today, senior Pentagon officials told Congress.

WASHINGTON - Military members and civilian Defense Department employees aren’t expected to notice it, but changes that start next year at U.S. Transportation Command will help to make their household goods shipments more efficient and cost-effective.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Air Force Tech. Sgt. Darrell Mathieu, a medical technician serving with the 212th Rescue Squadron at Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson, Alaska, has helped his unit to save 56 lives so far this year.

SEOUL, South Korea - The United States remains steadfast in its resolve to provide security support for South Korea, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told service members in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani network leader in the Sabari district of Khost province.

SEOUL, South Korea - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta termed the security partnership between the United States and South Korea as a great force for peace, stability and prosperity on the Asia-Pacific region.

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told U.S. sailors aboard the USS Blue Ridge that while America’s military is the world’s best, “in the end, the best service we do is … reach out and help our fellow human beings in need.”

WASHINGTON - Military medicine is seeking additional ways to help patients manage their pain instead of just prescribing powerful drugs, the chief of staff of the Army’s pain management task force said.

WASHINGTON - In the past, bullying was deemed a rite of passage, but that’s not the case any more, a Defense Department official said. The Defense Department has partnered with the Education Department and a host of other federal agencies to develop new strategies to combat the issue.

WASHINGTON - About a hundred U.S. troops being deployed to Central Africa will be there for months -- not years -- and only until the national armies of the region are capable of dismantling the terrorist group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army, a senior Pentagon official told Congress.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is using executive action to create new jobs for veterans in support of the American Jobs Act. To jumpstart the initiative, Obama has asked the private sector to hire and train 100,000 military veterans and spouses.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta expressed serious concern and offered condolences for Thai residents experiencing the worst flooding the nation has seen in 50 years.

MUSCATATUCK URBAN TRAINING CENTER - Clifford L. Stanley, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, traveled to Indiana to observe how Defense Department civilians are trained before they deploy to Afghanistan.

MONTEREY, Calif. - Soldiers at Fort Campbell, Ky., were the first to participate in a new program that provides short-term, intensive language and cultural training to deploying military members.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - As a teenager working on farms and in construction in his hometown of Urbana, Ohio, Marine Corps Capt. Chase B. Wheeler never thought he’d one day be a Marine combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a facilitator for the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan terrorist organization, along with two other suspected insurgents, in the Bangi district of Takhar province.

TOKYO - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Japanese leaders discussed the relocation of U.S. forces on Okinawa and the need to strengthen their bilateral alliance during a series of meetings in Tokyo.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The sacrifices of 14 rabbis killed on active military service are now recognized by a new monument on Chaplains Hill at Arlington National Cemetery.

WASHINGTON - Promoting drug awareness and preventing illegal drug use among service members and their families is the aim of an annual campaign Pentagon officials are highlighting.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iraqi officials are working toward the kind of standard military-to-military relations that the United States has with many other countries around the world, a Pentagon spokesman said.

FORT JACKSON, S.C. - When Army Pvt. Jereld Vanhook arrived on Fort Jackson, S.C., to go through basic combat training, his good friend Pfc. Omari Paul was by his side.

WASHINGTON - Following a visit to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations annual meeting, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta praised Indonesia’s leadership in promoting regional security cooperation as part of the growing U.S.-Indonesia defense partnership.

WASHINGTON - In a commentary published in Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta called the U.S.-Japan alliance a cornerstone of regional security and stability that’s critical to addressing challenges such as North Korea and China.

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta answered questions about the impact of budget cuts on the U.S. military presence in Japan, time at home for soldiers between deployments and other topics during a town hall on Yokota Air Base, Japan.

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta cited the importance of America’s alliance with Japan in maintaining peace and security across the Pacific region as he addressed U.S. and Japanese troops stationed on Yokota Air Base, Japan.

WASHINGTON - Coalition forces called in an airstrike to destroy an insurgent compound in the Sangin district of Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama congratulated the Libyan people on their Liberation Day, saying the nation is beginning a “new era of promise.”

WASHINGTON - U.S. leaders expressed their sympathy and condolences to the Saudi royal family and all Saudi Arabians on the death of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.

BALI, Indonesia - The United States strongly supports the continuing development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations security community, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said after he spoke at the annual meeting of defense ministers.

BALI, Indonesia - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and his Indonesian counterpart discussed their nations' close security partnership during the secretary's first full day of a weeklong trip that also will take him to Japan and South Korea.

BALI, Indonesia - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is scheduled to meet with his Indonesian counterpart, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, during the first day of a weeklong Asian visit that also will take him to Japan and South Korea.

WASHINGTON - Events in Libya and Iraq this past week emphasize the Obama administration has renewed American leadership in the world, President Barack Obama said in his weekly address to the nation.

WASHINGTON - The NATO operation in Libya will end Oct. 31, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said President Barack Obama’s announcement that all U.S. troops would leave Iraq by year’s end was “a real turning point from the last 10 years of war.”

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta commended all of the forces that have been involved in Libya as the NATO mission there nears completion, adding that the United States, NATO and Libya’s Arab partners will help the country move forward.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told reporters traveling with him on a three-nation trip to Asia that his visit brings a “clear message” to the region.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta issued a message concerning President Barack Obama’s announcement that all U.S. forces will be out of Iraq by the end of the year:

WASHINGTON - The comedian known as Larry the Cable Guy gave a shout-out to the troops while on location at the Pentagon to shoot an upcoming segment of his History Channel show, “Only in America.”

WASHINGTON - All U.S. service members will leave Iraq by the end of the year, President Barack Obama announced after speaking with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over,” Obama said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Language Office and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute have developed an internet portal to acquire, build and sustain cross-cultural competence across the total force, officials said.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif., - Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Bryan K. Cox came to realize his love for triathlons at the age of 30. Six years later, he is still running strong.

WASHINGTON - A precision airstrike killed numerous insurgents during a combined Afghan and coalition operation in the Tarnek wa Jaldak district of Zabul province.

WASHINGTON - All four active-duty services and five of the six reserve components met or exceeded their recruiting goals for fiscal 2011.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will depart for Indonesia, Japan and South Korea, his first visit to Asia as head of the department, senior defense officials said.

BALTIMORE - Ask the top U.S. cyber warrior how to ensure the next generation of Americans is able to confront future security challenges and he’ll tell you: beef up their math, science and technology education.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is looking to technologies that move electricity generation and distribution into the 21st century to increase the battlefield capability of warfighters, the assistant secretary of defense for operational energy plans and programs said.

BALTIMORE - New doctrine under review by the Joint Staff will lay out rules of engagement against an attack in cyberspace and will help to define conditions in which the military can go on the offensive against cyber threats, the commander of U.S. Cyber Command said.

WASHINGTON - The death of Moammar Gadhafi marks the end of a long and painful era for the Libyan people, President Barack Obama said in an address to the nation.

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Navy ship that’s rested on the bottom of the Patuxent River for nearly 200 years is slowly revealing its secrets to archaeologists, a senior Navy administrator said.

WASHINGTON - Contractors have become an integral part of operations in wartime, and the Defense Department will continue to build on the work of the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Afghanistan and Iraq, senior officials told a congressional subcommittee.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials are reviewing the Defense Department’s tuition assistance policy, and no DOD-wide decision has been made to change benefits, officials said.

WASHINGTON - Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz presented Brig. Gen. Mark C. Dillon and his wife, Sara, the General and Mrs. Jerome F. O'Malley Award during a Pentagon ceremony.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained multiple suspected insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader in the Wali Muhammad Shahid Khugyani district of Ghazni province.

MONTEREY, Calif. - With the Defense Department’s emphasis on developing language and cultural skills within the force, it’s working hard to ensure those capabilities don’t get lost after students leave the schoolhouse.

WASHINGTON - Space and cyberspace are growing in strategic importance as other nations increase their capabilities and the frequency of attacks on DOD networks continues to rise, the chief of U.S. Strategic Command said.

WASHINGTON - While 10 years of war have focused the military on conventional weapons, the nation’s nuclear force is in need of attention, the chief of U.S. Strategic Command told defense reporters.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama, on a visit with her husband to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., announced a private sector hiring commitment of 25,000 military spouses and veterans as part of the Joining Forces campaign.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - The number of units packing up equipment and personal belongings is increasing as the U.S. military prepares to depart Iraq at the end of the year. But, everything that’s shipped to the states from Iraq must first go through a thorough inspection.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed numerous insurgents and detained several suspects during a search for a Taliban facilitator in the Kajaki district of Helmand province.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department and the nationwide Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign are partnering to encourage women to get regular mammograms as directed by their doctors.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama was joined by NATO in denouncing the early morning terrorist attacks against various Turkish outposts and police stations along the Iraqi border.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department and its partners at home and worldwide are much better prepared to deal with cyber attacks than they were in 2008, the DOD cyber policy director said.

WASHINGTON - Recent laws and legislation dictating how the United States handles and prosecutes military detainees tie the executive branch and military’s hands and risk national security setbacks, not gains, Pentagon General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson said.

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. - Children's author Trevor Romain is taking a simple message to military kids around the world: People are with them "all the way."

WASHINGTON - Thanks to help from the federal Workforce Recruitment Program, the Defense Department hired more than 400 students and recent graduates with disabilities during fiscal year 2011.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will bring their message of military family and veteran support to a vast audience as they attend the first game of the World Series.

WASHINGTON - As Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visits Libya to reaffirm U.S. support for the country’s transitional government, NATO officials emphasized that the mission there, while nearing completion, isn’t over.

WASHINGTON - New technologies championed by Defense Department officials already are making a difference at the Pentagon and on the battlefield, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said.

WASHINGTON - Ways to help separating service members and veterans prepare for and launch civilian careers topped the agenda during Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta’s visit with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.

WASHINGTON - Significant improvements have taken place over the last five years in making military people more aware of the Federal Voting Assistance Program and the resources it makes available, the program’s director said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces worked together in various operations to kill and capture insurgents, uncover their weapons stockpiles and seize drugs that generate funds for enemy fighters.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Service members who re-enlist during deployments rarely are fortunate enough to have family join in on their special occasion. Army Spc. Justin Slater is among the lucky few.

WASHINGTON - In his latest blog post, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, states his view on proposed changes to the military retirement system.

WASHINGTON - Officials soon will unveil a fully revamped Transition Assistance Program that’s aimed at better reaching service members throughout the world, said John R. Campbell, deputy assistant secretary of defense for wounded warrior care and transition policy.

WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, pitched in alongside dozens of volunteers to complete renovations on a wounded warrior’s home.

WASHINGTON - At 28 years old, J.R. Martinez already has experienced life as a soldier wounded in combat, as a motivational speaker and as a soap opera actor. This fall, he added the role of dancer to his resume as a contestant on the hit ABC television series “Dancing with the Stars.”

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta met with Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa to further their relationship as NATO partners while discussing the situations in Libya and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Reserve Forces Policy Board is returning to its 60-year-old roots under statutory changes giving it broader membership and a direct line to the defense secretary, the board’s new chairman said.

WASHINGTON - Discussions with the Iraqi government about a U.S. troop presence there after Dec. 31 continue, with no decisions yet made, senior defense officials said.

WASHINGTON - The military is using an old camping adage as U.S. Forces Iraq continues to move service members out of Iraq and transfer control to the Iraqi government: “Leave the site in better shape than you found it.”

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed two insurgents and detained several others during an operation in search of a Taliban facilitator in Afghanistan's Helmand province.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joshua Lopez earned $10,000 for an idea he submitted to fix a problem in F-22 Raptor maintenance procedures.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s top enlisted service member said today he is ready to help DOD’s leaders address challenges and shape the military for 2020.

WASHINGTON - Presiding at the change of command at U.S. Transportation Command, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey hailed a logistics enterprise Panetta called the backbone of the U.S. military.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno spoke at a conference in Maryland for child support professionals, citing the many challenges and stresses military children endure.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has authorized the deployment to central Africa of 100 combat-equipped U.S. forces whose mission is to help regional forces fight the notorious Lord's Resistance Army and its leader, Joseph Kony.

WASHINGTON - Two years of intense education and training by NATO forces have turned members of the Afghan army and police into a national security force that is learning to protect and serve and producing a new breed of leaders.

WASHINGTON - Thanks to an Army Reserve officer and his family, Afghan children are learning the joys of reading in an innovative literacy initiative that has been embraced by the U.S. State Department and the Afghan government.

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Sgt.1st Class Christopher B. Sutton works with intricate computer systems that detect incoming mortars and identify their firing location.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department leaders honored the service of former deputy secretary of defense, William J. Lynn III, in a Pentagon ceremony, and bid him farewell as he retires to private life.

WASHINGTON - Troop locations, benefits, future equipment and the role of reserve component forces are under scrutiny as military services prepare to trim spending and reshape for future missions, the Defense Department’s senior leaders told Congress members.

WASHINGTON - An insurgent-fired rocket-propelled grenade was the primary cause of an Aug. 6 CH-47 Chinook helicopter crash in Afghanistan that killed 38 U.S. and Afghan forces, a U.S. Central Command investigation confirmed.

WASHINGTON - Military operations since 9/11 teach that capabilities are spreading, international relationships matter, and innovation is essential to the joint force, the nation’s senior military officer told Congress.

WASHINGTON - The military’s work with partners in South and Central America and the Caribbean have brought many gains in the area, from close military cooperation to supporting the fight against organized crime, the commander of U.S. Southern Command said.

WASHINGTON - The nation’s forces are near the goal of defeating al-Qaida, and must now prepare to counter new and emerging threats with steeply reduced funds, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told Congress.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan - Army Master Sgt. Marvin B. Morgan, the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade's equal opportunity advisor, is a full-time soldier -- and a football coach when he is not soldiering.

WASHINGTON - A new campaign is working to put the “veteran” back into Veterans Day and to rally public awareness of the sacrifices made by injured veterans and their caregivers.

WASHINGTON - The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to extend authorization of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for another year while continuing to transfer key responsibilities to the Afghan government by the end of 2014.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and International Security Assistance Force team detained multiple suspected insurgents during an operation in search of a Taliban leader in southern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department joined its co-sponsor, the Agriculture Department, and other government agencies to celebrate the successful completion of 2011’s “Feds Feed Families” campaign.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said his job as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will center on leading transitions: from war to readiness, from bigger to smaller budgets, and from uniformed service members to veterans.

WASHINGTON - U.S. forces are “completely on track” to make a total military withdrawal from Iraq by the end of the year, even while U.S. and Iraqi officials discuss the possibility of some staying longer, U.S. Forces Iraq’s spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and coalition forces captured insurgent leaders, detained suspected insurgents and seized weapons in numerous operations throughout Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - With 100,000 U.S. forces already gone from from Iraq since January 2009 and more to follow, the Defense Department is working to ensure a successful transition to a State Department-led U.S. presence there, senior DOD officials told Congress.

WASHINGTON - The services must work together to face mounting budget pressures and determine the nation’s future military needs, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

WASHINGTON - The Veterans Affairs Department has launched an outreach initiative in 28 communities across the nation as part of an effort to end homelessness among veterans.

CAMP VIRGINIA, Kuwait - Army Sgt. 1st Class Jennifer McCann, a former recruiter, is deployed to Kuwait while her daughter goes through basic training for service in the Air National Guard.

WASHINGTON - Family programs remain important and their budgets will not be used to fund other initiatives, top Army leaders pledged at a family forum.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta issued a memo to department personnel detailing his first overseas trip as secretary, calling it "an extraordinary few days that reinforced the importance of our alliances and partnerships."

WASHINGTON - The Military Spouse Employment Partnership is successfully connecting highly qualified, job-seeking military spouses with employers who are ready and eager to hire them, the official who oversees the program said.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department must preserve its essential military capabilities as it tightens its belt over the next decade, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars' Lee H. Hamilton lecture.

WASHINGTON - With a fresh focus on patient care, the new deputy director of the TRICARE Management Activity said he’s committed to ensuring TRICARE’s 9.6 million beneficiaries get the care and services they deserve.

WASHINGTON - The annual Angel Thunder exercise, sponsored by the Air Force’s Air Combat Command, is using an earthquake scenario to prepare participants for rescue and recovery missions.

WASHINGTON - The Taliban have failed to deliver on their promises to recapture population centers secured by NATO forces in Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command’s chief planner told Pentagon reporters.

WASHINGTON - Additional budget cuts beyond the $450 billion the Defense Department already has planned for the next 10 years would be “catastrophic,” Army Secretary John M. McHugh said.

WASHINGTON - A small and little-known Defense Department office has the big task of protecting service members’ and civilian employees’ personal information in the digital world, while also getting accustomed to its new charge of protecting their civil liberties.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Army Staff Sgt. Shannon Politte draws on her experiences as a tough, New Orleans-raised tomboy in her job as noncommissioned officer in charge of the landing zone at Forward Operating Base Sharana, Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - The TRICARE Management Activity is reviewing its data protection policies and procedures in the wake of a data breach involving personal health information of an estimated 4.9 million military clinic and hospital patients.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - Three of the four guidelines laid out this week by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta for ending Operation Unified Protector in Libya have been met, a senior defense official said.

WASHINGTON - At a gala marking the USO's 70 years of service and recognizing service members for their courage and sacrifice, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, fondly recalled his first encounter with the organization.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has marked the 10th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan by honoring those who have served there and noting their efforts toward bringing the war to a responsible end.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has issued an executive order that strengthens the government’s information and computer security policies and practices to prevent breaches such as the 2010 WikiLeaks episode.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition patrol killed a Taliban leader who opened fire on them in the Tagab district of Kapisa province.

NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA, Italy - On his way home from a week-long trip to countries in the Middle East and NATO headquarters in Belgium, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta made stops at two military bases in Italy to thank U.S. and NATO troops for their service.

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - An Army captain serving in Kuwait has turned her passion for fitness into professional committment as a semipro bodybuilder and a member of the National Physique Committee.

WASHINGTON - With the fall semester busily under way at colleges and universities across the United States, some of the most prestigious among them are charting a new course with the return of ROTC programs to their campuses.

BRUSSELS - Consensus exists among NATO members about how to decide when to end Operation Unified Protector in Libya, based on guidelines that can be used to evaluate conditions on the ground there, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

BRUSSELS - Countries of the NATO alliance must work together to defend common security interests now and in the future, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said, noting that security in the 21st century "will not be achieved by each nation marching to its own drummer."

WASHINGTON - After 10 years of war, the Army needs to “reframe” itself beyond tactical capabilities, and focus on areas that have had to take a backseat to counterinsurgency training, the commander of U.S. Army Europe said.

WASHINGTON - The success of Afghan government-led efforts to reintegrate former insurgents into society and internal conflict within the Taliban are signs of progress in Afghanistan, a U.S. commander told Pentagon reporters.

WASHINGTON - Recognizing the importance of people in its financial management improvements, the Defense Department is exploring new ways to recruit, retain and train its financial management workforce, a senior defense official told Congress.

WASHINGTON - While the future number of U.S. forces in Europe remains undecided, the NATO operation in Libya and past contingency events in Africa prove the advantage of basing troops there, Army Lt. Gen Mark P. Hertling, U.S. Army Europe commander, said.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed three insurgents in a firefight in eastern Afghanistan’s Paktika province.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER - Most soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, would never know the noncommissioned officer helping them with their paperwork was seriously injured during his last tour in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Ashton B. Carter has been sworn in as the 31st deputy secretary of defense in a private Pentagon ceremony, succeeding William J. Lynnn III. Carter previously served as undersecretary of defense for aquisition, technology and logistics.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III sat down to discuss cybersecurity, energy, space and the defense industrial base during an interview on his last day in office.

BRUSSELS - Spain’s agreement to port U.S. ships at Naval Station Rota on the Atlantic coast will forge a deeper bilateral security relationship between the two nations and support NATO’s missile defense system, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said in Brussels.

WASHINGTON - On his final day in office, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said "serving as our nation’s 30th Deputy Secretary of Defense has been the greatest privilege of my life," as he bid farewell to the men and women of the Defense Department.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is in the best position to be the lead tester of innovations emerging in the energy conservation movement, just as it has been for other new technologies, Dorothy Robyn, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, said.

WASHINGTON - Security begins with a strong economy and the nation’s current deficit crisis demands action, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said during a keynote address at the Center for American Progress.

WASHINGTON - The Task Force for Business and Stability Operations’ ability to find ways of creating growth, prosperity and optimism about the future in Iraq and Afghanistan is praiseworthy, Michele Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy, said.

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti - During a recent mission through Djibouti, Army Reserve Cpl. Kwami Koto was able to articulate his connection to the African continent and its people. "You see those kids playing soccer barefoot?" he asked his team chief. "That used to be me."

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed a senior Haqqani terrorist network leader and two of his associates with a precision airstrike in the Musa Khel district of Afghanistan’s Khost province.

BRUSSELS - As it nears the end of a successful campaign in Libya and deliberately accomplishes shared goals in Afghanistan, NATO faces several difficult challenges, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

BRUSSELS - Lessons learned during NATO operations in Libya and Afghanistan and future defense needs of the alliance will be the focus of Leon E. Panetta’s first participation in meetings with NATO defense ministers as secretary of defense.

CAIRO - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said during a news briefing in Cairo that he has full confidence in Egypt’s ability to transform itself to a civilian-led democracy after 26 years of rule under a dissent-suppressing emergency law.

WASHINGTON - Military families with special needs would benefit from better consistency in services, more effective communication and improved health care education, some family members told Defense Department officials.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A combined force of Afghan and International Security Assistance Force members killed a Taliban leader in a firefight and captured another in a separate operation.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Sgt. Eric Rader and his sister, Air Force Staff Sgt. Rebecca McHenry, never imagined they ever would serve together. But their deployment in southern Afghanistan has made them closer than ever.

WASHINGTON - The United States remains committed to Taiwan and to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, a Pentagon official told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

TEL AVIV, Israel - The people of Israel can be confident in America’s enduring commitment to their freedom and security, especially during this time of dramatic change in the Middle East, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.

WASHINGTON - Modest increases to certain aspects of military health care will help to responsibly manage costs and ensure benefits for future service members, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs said.

WASHINGTON - For NATO Training Mission Afghanistan, success in fielding Afghanistan’s national police force stands on four pillars, the general in charge of the effort said.

WASHINGTON - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took some time to speak with Pentagon reporters during his first Monday on the job.

WASHINGTON - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured the Haqqani network’s senior leader during a security operation in the Jani Khel district of Paktia province.

WASHINGTON - NATO defense ministers will discuss operations in Libya, Afghanistan and Kosovo, as well as the need for the alliance to increase its capabilities, when they meet in Brussels, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Master Sgt. Mark A. Kennedy uses his singing talent to reach out to other deployed service members by singing at weekly services at the Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, chapel.

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT - In his first visit as defense secretary, Leon E. Panetta will meet with Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian leaders and will travel to NATO headquarters to reaffirm the Defense Department’s security relationships.

WASHINGTON - Service members are America’s “decisive advantage,” said Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as he addressed his key themes and priorities set for his tenure as chairman.