WASHINGTON - Personal finance expert Suze Orman said she doesn’t hold much hope that the economy will recover as quickly as the troops she met at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

WASHINGTON - Nations working together to solve maritime issues of mutual interest is the focal point of next week’s International Seapower Symposium at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., the Navy’s senior officer said.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. aim in Afghanistan continues to be defeating extremism, but high-level talks at the White House center on the best means to achieve this goal, the Pentagon's press secretary said.

WASHINGTON - The first parcel of an influx of vehicles designed to protect troops from deadly roadside bombs is expected to arrive overnight in Afghanistan, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials have announced the details for distributing $555 million available under the Homeowners Assistance Program.

WASHINGTON - Three national associations have joined forces to publish a Web site that offers help to military families going through those transitions.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Africa Command is a “listening command” that has added value to U.S. government programs on the continent, the command’s top military officer told the Atlantic Council.

WASHINGTON - The United States may be able to draw down troop levels in Iraq quicker than anticipated if progress continues there, said the commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq.

ARLINGTON, Va. - About 90 Hawaii National Guard members are on their way to American Samoa to help in the recovery efforts on the Pacific island, National Guard officials announced.

WASHINGTON - Two F-16 fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft near Muncie, Ind., at the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s direction and escorted it and its unconscious pilot until they crashed, NORAD officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III discussed the Army's newest component command and its upcoming Natural Fire '10, a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise.

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Government leaders and provincial reconstruction team members signed an agreement to build five new schools in the province, and protect them for the future.

WASHINGTON - While U.S. special operators conduct a massive rescue effort after devastating flooding in the Philippines, the Hawaii Air National Guard and USS Ingraham are headed to American Samoa to take relief there following a massive earthquake and tsunami.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Army Staff Sgt. Cynthia Dalton has discovered that no amount of training can totally prepare a medic for situations they face on the job.

NEW AL-MUTHANA AIR BASE, Iraq - The Iraqi air force officially began fully independent C-130 air operations, marking the end of the U.S. C-130 air advisory mission in Iraq.

EMERALD ISLE, N.C. - Vivianne Wersel fought for benefits after her husband, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Richard Wersel, died in 2005. Since then, she's been making the same fight for other widows, from Camp Lejeune to the halls of Congress, as part of the Gold Star Wives of America.

WASHINGTON - Tour normalization in South Korea will benefit U.S. servicemembers and their families and also assure Asian allies of American commitment to the region, the commander of combined and U.S. forces in Korea said.

WASHINGTON - Northeastern Asia is an area of vital national interest to the United States, and American troops stand ready to defend the region, the commander of combined and U.S. forces in Korea said.

WASHINGTON - The North Korean threat is changing and the response to the nation’s provocations must change too, the commander of Combined Forces Korea said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department employees paid under the National Security Personnel System will receive the same base salary increases this year as their General Schedule counterparts.

WASHINGTON - The Navy secretary is advocating for allowing women to serve on submarines, which would require ending a long-standing ban.

KABUL - A 500-strong Afghan and coalition force cleared insurgents in Afghanistan’s Farah province and detained a suspected militant in Takhar province in recent days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - Following a meeting with new NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the White House, President Barack Obama called Afghanistan the most important mission to NATO and underscored that the war there is a multinational effort.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - Minnesota Army National Guardsmen are on patrol daily to ensure the residents of Contingency Operating Base Basra are safe.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Before flight crews on Bagram Airfield can deliver equipment to forward operating bases, they touch base with airmen in the 4th Maintenance Operations Center to create an effective flight plan for their time-sensitive takeoffs and landings.

WASHINGTON - The first mine-resistant, ambush-protected all-terrain vehicles —known as M-ATVs -- are being deployed to Afghanistan, just three months after the contract for them was awarded.

WASHINGTON - Federal workers with ideas to boost workplace efficiency and reduce government costs can submit their proposals online.

NORFOLK, Va. - The longest-serving Navy SEAL was piped ashore for the last time during a retirement ceremony on Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Va.

WASHINGTON - Iranian actions have solidified international opinion against Iran and its nuclear program, said Colin Kahl, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East.

WASHINGTON - Officials in the Pentagon’s Office of Military Community and Family Policy have announced the upcoming expansion of a popular child care program and other news affecting military families.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. troops, arrested multiple terrorism suspects, including one accused in a 2006 Tae Kwon Do kidnapping and murder case, and seized weapons throughout Iraq in recent days, military officials reported.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. - The new 10th Mountain Division commander told his soldiers theirs will be "one of the most challenging and dynamic deployments" as they transfer full operational control to the Iraqis.

WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces captured several militant fighters in southern Afghanistan.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Each member of the Surviving Spouses Support Group at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, N.C., is devoted to helping others.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Military engineers are nearing the end of a project to build a new bridge near the border of two Iraqi provinces.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghan civilians, leaders, and soldiers are working alongside the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force to make the Konar province safer.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Army Maj. Brett Feddersen leads a hectic life: flying medical evacuation missions while in Iraq and state police search missions for his civilian job in Pennsylvania.

WASHINGTON - Checks for up to $3,000 will be available to students who applied for Veterans Affairs educational aid, but haven't received their government payment.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan ardently believes that conventional military thinking and actions won’t win the counterinsurgency war there.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates gave his unequivocal vote of confidence to the senior U.S. military officer in Afghanistan during appearances on Sunday talk shows.

WASHINGTON - Revelations that Iran has covertly been building an underground nuclear-fuel processing plant belie the Iranian-government’s denials that it is attempting to develop nuclear weapons, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on the Sunday TV talk show circuit.

WASHINGTON - American servicemembers who’ve perished in the nation’s wars “died for the ones they loved,” the U.S. military’s top officer said during a special ceremony held on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

WASHINGTON - The overriding U.S. goal in Afghanistan is to dismantle the al Qaeda network and to destroy their capacity to inflict harm, President Barack Obama said in Pittsburgh.

WASHINGTON - Iran’s leaders must come clean with the international community about evidence that Iran has been secretly constructing another nuclear-fuel processing plant, President Barack Obama said in his weekly address.

WIESBADEN, Germany - Gen. Carter Ham, U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army commander, joined some 800 soldiers, mostly noncommissioned officers, in an emotional seminar designed to prevent suicides among the troops.

WASHINGTON - An Air National Guard program designed to cut through bureaucracy has led to safety solutions for problems as vast and varied as avian flu, pilot fatigue and reducing the carbon footprint.

WASHINGTON - The British army’s 1st Battalion Scots Guards Pipes and Drums performed in the Pentagon courtyard in a show of solidarity with U.S. armed forces.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi troop, aided by U.S. forces, detained suspected insurgents and seized weapons in Iraq in recent days, military officials reported.

WASHINGTON - An indictment handed down in a North Carolina federal court charges three men with plotting to attack Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., with the intent to murder U.S. military personnel – a plot foiled by the FBI and U.S. Navy.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Army Sgt. Maj. Virginia Stickler enjoys serving snacks and advice to fellow soldiers at a coffee shop that speaks volumes about her deployment to Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Ruth Stonesifer was devastated by the loss of her son, Army Spc. Kristofor Stonesifer, but found a renewed sense of hope through the American Gold Star Mothers. Today, she is president of the organization.

KIRKUK, Iraq - The sweet smell of success is starting to permeate from the Kirkuk Solid Waste Management Program — at least in a metaphorical sense — thanks in part to the efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The needs of warfighters and value for taxpayers are at the heart of the new draft request for proposal for aerial refueling capability, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn said.

WASHINGTON - The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have forced military leadership to reassess and modify tactics to effectively counter an irregular foe.

WASHINGTON - More than 60 wounded veterans suffering disabilities ranging from post-traumatic stress to amputations are learning “to live again” at an annual sports clinic.

CHICAGO - Troops and their families can overcome today's financial challenges if they stay financially prepared, the Pentagon’s personal finance director said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama’s decision to restructure a previous European missile defense plan provides a more effective, flexible system that will take less time to put in place, Pentagon officials told senators.

HAVELOCK, N.C. - Melina Nolte and her 8-year-old daughter Alanna call Havelock, N.C., home. It’s the last place their family was together before her Marine husband was mortally wounded.

CAMP WRIGHT, Afghanistan - More than 500 widows, orphans and disabled people from the Asadabad district received much-needed supplies from the United States.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - Iraqis and Americans are hoping a new market in Basra City will become a centerpiece, creating jobs and enhancing the community.

BAGHDAD - Army Spc. Jessica Velasquez joined the Army to pay for college, but now describes serving in Iraq as one of her most rewarding experiences.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military needs more people trained in specialties critical to the fight against global extremism, the chief of U.S. Central Command said.

WASHINGTON - A deliberative approach is best for everyone as President Barack Obama and his national security team grapple with the way forward in Afghanistan, the Pentagon spokesman said.

CHICAGO - Trevor Romain, an international children’s author, advocate and entertainer, uses a mix of humor and empathy to help children cope with the special challenges of military life.

WASHINGTON - A new social media policy being prepared for presentation to the Defense Department's top leaders will balance the pros and cons of social networking sites, the department’s top public affairs official said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama asked for global cooperation to solve pressing world problems like nuclear proliferation, terrorism and extremism, climate change and poverty during his speech before the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

KIRKUK, Iraq - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working with city officials in Kirkuk, Iraq, to construct six new city parks.

CAMP WRIGHT, Afghanistan - New roads and bridges in Afghanistan’s Konar province are going a long way to help both residents and troops in the northeast border area.

ARLINGTON, Va. - For many chaplains, providing spiritual support for soldiers is a calling. But for one Minnesota Army National Guard chaplain, the real calling is being a soldier.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - The Navy’s Riverine Squadron 2, a Vietnam-era security patrol brought back after 9/11, is securing Iraq’s waterways and giving its sailors unique opportunities.

PITTSBURGH - More than 2,500 Pennsylvania National Guardsmen have been called up to support the international G-20 Summit, an economic summit being held in Pittsburgh.

CHICAGO - Military family members who gathered in Chicago to learn how to protect their identities were told to “think like a spy” in protecting their personal information.

WASHINGTON - The departments of Defense and Homeland Security will share some intelligence data with emergency operations centers nationwide, part of a post-9/11 effort to harden America against another terrorist attack.

WASHINGTON - Army Sgt. 1st Class Jarrett Jongema grew up watching war movies, but it wasn’t until he was injured in Iraq that he gained a more personal understanding of their perspectives.

WASHINGTON - American forces are in essence cleaning out a “very, very big garage” as it moves equipment out as part of the drawdown in Iraq, the deputy commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - In the three months since U.S. forces withdrew from Iraq's cities and towns, the country's own forces continue to make progress in securing the nation, the deputy commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said.

LATHAM, N.Y. - Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, met with New York National Guard personnel and their families following an appearance in the state with President Barack Obama.

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan - A Texas-based National Guard agribusiness development team is working in the Ghazni province to ensure Afghans are using the best practices in the farming and food industries.

WASHINGTON - While some high school students spent the summer working or with friends, three Defense Department students ratcheted up their education at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology program.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Even serious injuries couldn't make Army Sgt. Simon Baum lose his sense of humor -- or stop him from returning to the fight in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - John McHugh was sworn in as the 21st secretary of the Army following his nomination by President Barack Obama and confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

WASHINGTON - Afghan soldiers and police, working with international troops, have detained insurgents in southern and eastern Afghanistan and seized large amounts of weapons and explosives.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Senior leaders in the Arkansas National Guard, including the state governor, are asking for the public’s help to stop suicides among its troops.

WASHINGTON - The fight in Afghanistan must be narrowed to its original intent of stamping out al-Qaida and hunting down Osama bin Laden, President Barack Obama said.

WASHINGTON - Members of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post and Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets held a “Missing Man” ceremony to honor troops who were prisoners of war or are still missing.

WASHINGTON - Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti, whose family received his posthumous Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama, was inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.

WASHINGTON - The new U.S. missile defense plan will offer better protection than a previous proposal even if intelligence forecasts on Iran prove wrong, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - A group of senior U.S. officials paid homage to servicemembers who have been prisoners of war or are listed as missing in action during an observance ceremony on a Pentagon parade field.

WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn led the honors for 15 "best of the best" employers of National Guard and Reserve members, calling employers a critical element of three-part success, along with servicmemebers and their families, to military success.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq - Soldiers with the 277th Aviation Support Battalion, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, have stepped up for an unusual role in Iraq, benefitting both Iraqis and themselves.

KONAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The Konar Provincial Reconstruction Team conducted a power assessment in Dam Kalay village in Asadabad district, an event that offered security force members the opportunity to patrol with their Afghan counterparts.

WASHINGTON - Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, commended 15 employers who went beyond what the law requires to support their military employees.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - As Air Force Lt. Col. Bill Iuliano packed up to end his deployment in Iraq last week, he knew he was leaving one of his best friends, an Iraqi counterpart, behind. But first he had some unfinished business to share with him about their past.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Mike Mullen watched on TV from his parents’ surburban Los Angeles home as the black neighborhood of Watts erupted in violence in 1965. What happened there remains with him today.

WASHINGTON - Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti demonstrated "a life of character and commitment," President Barack Obama said before presenting the military's highest honor, posthumously, to Monti's family at a White House ceremony.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates defended the president’s plan to keep the recent Afghanistan assessment classified and said the decision to send more troops there should be weighed carefully.

WASHINGTON - Grammy Award-winning country music stars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are teaming up with civilian and military medical experts to further medical innovations and quality-of-life research for America's battle-wounded, ill and injured warriors.

WASHINGTON - Changing threats and emerging technologies drove the decision to restructure the European missile defense plan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - The United States will continue to act aggressively to stop the global spread of the pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, President Barack Obama announced.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama announced he is restructuring plans for a missile defense system in Europe that provides greater flexibility and promises faster deployment of current technologies.

SHARPSBURG, Md. - The remains of a Civil War soldier found at the Antietam National Battlefield were buried in his home state of New York on the 147th anniversary of the Antietam battle, the Civil War’s bloodiest day.

WASHINGTON - As the situation in Iraq stabilizes, a variety of factors –- some of long-ago origin -- make the mission in Afghanistan a complex endeavor, the U.S. military’s top officer said.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - U.S. airmen training Iraqi airmen to be the “eye in the sky” for Iraqi ground forces accomplished their mission during an exercise on Camp Wessam.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - As the last detainee boarded a plane destined for another theater detention center, the detainee operations mission at Camp Bucca, Iraq, has officially ended.

KONAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan praised the efforts of a construction training center in Konar province that’s providing much-needed skills to local residents.

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - Col. Catherine Chase followed in the footsteps of her grandfather, father and granduncle when she joined the Marines 30 years ago. Since then, she's paved the way for other women.

WASHINGTON - Iraq is well on its way to stability and self-reliance, Vice President Joe Biden said during a surprise visit in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON - An Army widow who experienced a sense of abandonment after her husband was killed in Iraq now helps other survivors get the help they need.

WASHINGTON - Airmen around the world are making a life-and-death difference for U.S. military ground forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - As Pentagon officials and U.S. military leaders assess the military strategy in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama underscored the need to assert a similar evaluation of the civilian approach there.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department can lend a hand to Americans affected by the past year’s economic crisis through donations to the Combined Federal Campaign, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn said.

WASHINGTON - A senior Defense Department executive was honored for her superb leadership and professionalism during a ceremony at the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes.

WASHINGTON - The United States is just beginning to deal with the long-term implications of caring for servicemembers and their families whose lives have been changed by the wounds of war.

WASHINGTON - The foundation of America’s air power rests on a broad and versatile mix of capabilities, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has returned selection authority for the Air Force’s next aerial-refueling tanker to Air Force officials.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is scheduled to award the Medal of Honor to fallen Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti's family at a White House ceremony.

WASHINGTON - Fifteen employers from across the nation will receive the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award for their support of Guard and Reserve employees.

ARLINGTON, Va. - More than 30,000 additional National Guard members may become eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill if proposed legislation becomes law.

WASHINGTON - Microsoft Corp. is one of 15 employers chosen for the Defense Department's 2009 Freedom Award for its support of employees who serve in the military's reserve components.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - With soldier suicides reaching what Army leadership is calling “alarming numbers,” a renewed emphasis is being placed on soldiers’ mental well-being, the Army’s second in command said.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE HUNTER, Iraq - Forward support companies in Iraq routinely hit the pavement to deliver critical supplies to units stationed remotely.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GARDEZ, Afghanistan - The Defense Department has worked with the National Guard to deploy agribusiness teams to help Afghans rebuild their agriculture infrastructure.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GARDEZ, Afghanistan - A Tennessee National Guard soldier known as "Mr. Agriculture" has brought his passion for his work to Afghanistan, hoping to help grow the country's industry.

WASHINGTON - The Asia-Pacific region will become even more important to U.S. defense and economic interests in the future, the top commander in the region said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has yet to reach a final decision on the prospect of sending more troops to Afghanistan if additional forces are requested.

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials will begin sharing access to classified, terrorism-related information stored on the secure Defense Department network with state and local agencies.

WASHINGTON - Larger and more capable Afghan national security forces remain vital to Afghanistan’s viability, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The commander of the Air Force’s newest air expeditionary wing in Afghanistan is taking a hands-on approach to his duties. He's flying at least two missions a week.

WASHINGTON - U.S. forces assisted their Iraqi counterparts in two recent operations in Iraq, military officials reported.

KARMAH, Iraq - Iraqi and U.S. officials celebrated the opening of a meeting place and the first of what will be two dozen new and refurbished schools in an area northwest of Baghdad many thought to be lost to poverty and violence.

ARLINGTON, Va. - After Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Ken Holcomb finished last year's Thanksgiving leftovers, he had an epiphany about his portly self. Now 70 pounds lighter, he's preparing to run a marathon.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghan farmers are raising bees to supplement their income with honey sales while aiding in pollenation of their crops.

WASHINGTON - A campaign to gather images of the more than 58,000 men and women whose names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is ready to begin.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The Army Reserve chief wants his citizen-soldiers to have the predictability their dual lives demand. They have obligations to the military and their civilian employers.

WASHINGTON - Believing that law enforcement and military service go hand in hand, the Jackson Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana wins praise for supporting its military reserve-component employees.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The National Guard represents the versatility vital to future military successes, the secretary of the Air Force said.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The National Guard proved its relevance, value and accessibility after Sept. 11, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina that hit almost four years later.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has conducted his first virtual town hall meeting, answering questions posed online.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces, assisted by U.S. advisors, arrested suspected terrorists in the Baghdad and Tikrit areas of Iraq.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military-managed detention facility in Bagram, Afghanistan, is slated to implement detention review boards similar to those that have been employed in Iraq.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING STATION MAREZ, Iraq - The Army has deployed the first of its new highly specialized explosive hazards teams to train Iraqis to counter explosives.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Air Force chief of staff is calling for the Air National Guard and active-duty forces to work closer together to meet numerous challenges, from evoling missions to shrinking budgets.

WASHINGTON - The Combined Maritime Forces has launched Combined Task Force 151 to suppress piracy and maintain free channels for ships navigating the Horn of Africa.

ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The international community introduces programs to combat malnourishment and provide clean water in Afghanistan's Zabul province.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Texas Gov. Rick Perry has asked his state’s National Guard to support a special group of Texas Rangers at high-traffic and high-crime areas along the Mexican border.

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - A Marine successfully led a convoy of more than 40 vehicles to resupply fellow Marines and Afghan soldiers in Afghanistan's Helmand River valley.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Army Strong Community Centers dedicated to serving families who live far from military bases may help the Army stay in touch with and provide better support for families who have lost loved ones in combat.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The Army Reserve’s top officer welcomed soldiers and their families to cut the ribbon on the first Army Strong Community Center in upstate New York.

WASHINGTON - A Sept. 8 article based on old television interviews that were re-aired on a Sept. 7 broadcast of "The Charlie Rose Show" on PBS has been removed from from American Forces Press Service's archive.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed a group of 50 civilian leaders and scholars to the Pentagon before a tour of U.S. armed forces in Central and South America.

WASHINGTON - New initiatives underway within the Air Force to consolidate commands, modernize systems and strengthen personnel are putting greater emphasis on nuclear security.

WASHINGTON - Americans are safer and the country is in a better position to respond to threats and attacks than eight years ago, the top military commander over homeland defense said.

WASHINGTON - Two Army organizations recently joined together to host the first "Robotics Rodeo" on Fort Hood, Texas, showcasing new robotic technology that can help soldiers in theater.

WASHINGTON - The National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va., unveiled the latest revisions to its Global War on Terror exhibit in time for the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

WASHINGTON - When Army National Guardsman Sgt. Michael Scaglione announced he was being deployed to Iraq, he knew he could count not only on his family, but on his colleagues at AeroDyn Wind Tunnel.

WASHINGTON - Family members of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon remember lost loved ones on anniversary.

WASHINGTON - Alyce Dixon, the oldest of the three living members of the 6888th Postal Battalion, says a good sense of humor has helped her reach the age of 102.

WASHINGTON - The White House Commission on Remembrance and Families United will host the annual "Weekend of Remembrance" on Sept. 25 and 26 in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON - Army, Navy and Air Force nurses participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery’s Nurses Memorial to honor their comrades who gave their lives in the line of duty.

FORT JACKSON, S.C. - Army Chaplain (Col.) Henry Haynes recalls the tragedy of serving at the Pentagon during 9/11, but also the goodness of Americans in its aftermath.

WASHINGTON - Three Joint Hometown News Service broadcast teams have begun to tape video greetings from troops and families based overseas for distribution to commercial TV and radio stations during the holiday season.

WASHINGTON - The new advisory and assistance brigades to flow into Iraq in the coming months will bring new capability as they focus on building the Iraqi security forces, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq said.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and defense leaders reflected on those who perished on Sept. 11, 2001.

LOS ANGELES - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden appear in a new public service announcement praising the contributions of military servicemembers while asking Americans to assist veterans and military families who need help.

NEW YORK CITY - Army Staff Sgt. Michael Wilson stands watch outside Penn Station, part of a New York National Guard task force that has continuously served since the terrorist attacks eight years ago.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed 31 U.S. military members from 20 nations as they took the citizenship oath during a Pentagon ceremony.

WASHINGTON - Security in Iraq has improved since Iraqi security forces took control June 30, despite a recent spate of high-profile attacks.

WASHINGTON - This year's Defense Department remembrance will be a gathering mostly of family members of the 184 killed on 9/11.

WASHINGTON - August was another successful month for armed forces recruiting with all active duty components meeting or exceeding their monthly goals.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff lauded 11 volunteer-based organizations for their ingenuity and innovative efforts to improve the lives of military members and their communities.

WASHINGTON - Families who lost loved ones at the Pentagon on 9/11 plan to mark the first anniversary of the Pentagon Memorial by introducing a new docent program.

WASHINGTON - Iranian-made explosives and rockets were among a cache of weapons uncovered in Afghanistan last month, a Pentagon spokesman said.

WASHINGTON - Four servicemembers died in off-duty accidents Labor Day weekend, bringing to 95 the number killed during the summer season that kicked off Memorial Day weekend, safety officials reported.

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Soldiers with Combined Joint Task Force 82 are bringing their own version of the hit ABC-TV reality show “Extreme Makeover” to Afghanistan's Logar province.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - The Al Basrah Oil Terminal is a vital part of Iraq’s economy, and it is the job of U.S. sailors and Coast Guardsmen to keep it safe.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Army Staff Sgt. Pamela Bleuel, a high school teacher and mother of three, joined the Army Reserve at 34 and is still excelling more than eight years later.

WASHINGTON - Progress must continue in Afghanistan to sustain the commitment and resources necessary for success, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

NORFOLK, Va. - Despite the challenges it faces there, NATO will stay the course during its tough fight against Taliban and other extremists in Afghanistan, the alliance’s top leader said.

WASHINGTON - Jeremy LeGrand, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran who suffered a brain injury in an off-duty car accident, is learning that some of the best therapy is delivered on the golf course and at the bowling alley.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, with U.S. advisors, arrested seven terrorist suspects in northern Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki visited Meade High School on Fort George G. Meade, Md., to challenge more than 700 students to work hard, set educational goals and take responsibility for their learning.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - U.S. soldiers strive to make sure the Apache, Black Hawk and Chinook aircraft are prepared to take anything a war zone may have in store for them.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LIGHTNING, Afghanistan - Airmen assigned to a joint expeditionary task force have an Army and an Air Force commander -- and both leaders sing the praises of their airmen.

CAMP AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - Marine Corps Sgt. Justin D. Toren, a former farmhand and bull rider, joined the Marines after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and is on his fourth deployment.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates heard firsthand about challenges military children face in the education system during a visit to Fort Belvoir, Va.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces are making tremendous progress throughout southern Iraq, the commander of coalition forces in the region said.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was upbeat about Iraq's future and the United States' roles in Afghanistan and Pakistan when he spoke with the Arabic television network Al-Jazeera.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - NATO International Security Assistance Force servicemembers have helped Afghan forces in their efforts to aid flood victims in eastern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - Iran is a problem not just for the United States, but for the greater Middle East and the world, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the Arabic television network Al-Jazeera.

WASHINGTON - Iraq security forces, working with U.S. advisors, arrested eight suspected terrorists in Iraq, including a suspected terrorist leader who was a general in Saddam Hussein’s Republican Guard.

WASHINGTON - Americans understand that the way out of Afghanistan is not a precipitous military withdrawal, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the Arabic television network Al-Jazeera.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Marine Corps Capt. Alexis Sanchez long planned for a career as an architect. Now he plans to be a career officer.

BAGHDAD - U.S. soldiers put their time and energy into providing a better quality of life for the residents of Iraq's Madain region by learning how to set up and operate a solar-powered water filtration system.

WASHINGTON - The Cambridge, Mass., fire department's traditional bond of brotherhood extends beyond work to support its reserve-component employees who are deployed.

WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials have launched a weekly audio podcast of American Forces Press Service stories.

KABUL - The commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force has appointed a two-star general to lead the formal investigation into a Sept. 3 air strike in Kunduz, Afghanistan, that reportedly killed numerous civilians.

WASHINGTON - The commander of the International Security Assistance Force promised Afghans a full accounting of the air strike in Kunduz province Sept. 3.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - A Minnesota Army National Guard member and teacher stays in tune in the Army while deployed to Iraq.

WASHINGTON - NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan has launched an investigation into a coalition air strike that reportedly killed civilians.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, working with U.S. advisors, wounded and captured a suspected terrorist and arrested an alleged weapons smuggler in recent operations, military officials reported.

ARLINGTON, Va. - An Air National Guard pilot's idea has 5,000 golf courses raising money to fund scholarships for disabled veterans and for families whose loved ones were killed in service to the nation.

WASHINGTON - An Air Force doctor is at the forefront of research on diagnosing and treating cyanide poisoning.

WASHINGTON - A Defense Department-sponsored task force will examine the military’s suicide-prevention programs to ascertain what works and what doesn’t.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates used the strongest terms in trying to persuade the Associated Press to refrain from running a graphic picture of a Marine taken shortly after the servicemember was wounded in southern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON - A New Jersey-based company will receive the Defense Department's top award for the support it provides National Guard and Reserve members.

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. Pacific Command says increased regional cooperation and information-sharing is helping the counter-terrorism effort in the region.

WASHINGTON - Enemies of America remain in Afghanistan, and the United States must stay there to defeat the terrorists, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Remove Afghan villagers are the latest recipients of an Air Force high-altitude mission to airdrop supplies.

WASHINGTON - An Air Force firefighting squadron is making a big difference in Iraq by training firefighters and helping local children.

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - Air Force medical evacuation airmen had the benefit of flying with a leading U.S. trauma surgeon during a mission to Iraq as part of a program to link military and civilian medical professionals.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. commander in the Pacific is “cautiously optimistic” that talks in Beijing have opened the door to closer military-to-military engagement between the United States and China.

WASHINGTON - The increasingly accessible and active Arctic region has significant security, environmental, scientific, and economic challenges with broad implications, the Coast Guard commandant said.

VICENZA, Italy - Army Pfc. Daniel Bateson, a Connecticut native, never dreamed he would visit Africa, let alone be part of a team to teach Africans about first aid.

CHICAGO - Participants in the Defense Department’s Joint Family Readiness Conference are now better equipped to help military families.

CHICAGO - The top enlisted servicemembers in the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force advocated for more family support during a joint family readiness conference.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - For what may be the first time ever, an Army band played on a Navy destroyer in the Persian Gulf. One member called it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

QADISIYAH, Iraq - Children in Iraq's Qadisiyah province are getting an opportunity most of their parents never had - to attend school thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

WASHINGTON - Farmers in Afghanistan grew fewer opium poppy plants last year and opium drug production also declined.

WASHINGTON - A proposed alternative engine for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter would cost far more than the existing engine and push back the production timetable, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - An Army physical therapist who had suicidal thoughts after a tour in Iraq now wants other soldiers to know that seeking help is a sign of strength.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Traci Inniss may have followed her family members into the military, but she has charted her own path as a leader.

WASHINGTON - The Ohio Public Safety Department is being recognized for supporting its 155 citizen-soliders when they're deployed and after they return home.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the mother of a fallen soldier were among dozens who gathered at the White House for the annual Iftar dinner that marks a break in fasting during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.

CHICAGO - The military's family-support programs have improved since he was a young soldier, Army Gen. Carter Ham told more than 1,500 attendees at a joint family readiness conference.

WASHINGTON - All military personnel will be vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus, and the vaccine will be available to all military family members who want it.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces seized a cache of supplies used to make rocket launchers, detained a terrorism suspect and secured a crashed U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle in recent days, military officials in Iraq reported.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces have undertaken a broad self-assessment in the wake of series of deadly attacks in the Iraqi capital.

WASHINGTON - Taxpayers get their money's worth from troops in terms of performance, but acquisition reform is essential to keeping them properly equipped, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

WASHINGTON - The White House launched an interactive, virtual town hall meeting that enables troops within U.S. Central Command to pose questions and get direct feedback from the commander in chief.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq - An Iraqi bazaar set to open on a Basra base will give U.S. troops a taste of Iraqi culture.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A Greco-Roman heavyweight wrestler in the Army’s World Class Athlete Program will compete in the world championships in Herning, Denmark.