The water looks calm and clear. A hand wraps around the metal railing of the step ladder. A foot dips down to test the temperature before committing to full emersion. A smiling face awaits the person preparing to enter the pool of water.

Iraqi villagers in Rabi'ah and its surrounding areas have come to welcome and enjoy the Soldiers that visit them regularly.

Soldiers stomp their boots on the marble floor, raise their voices and make some noise.

In what has turned out to be the bloodiest month of the war in Afghanistan, there is a growing chorus of critics who claim that the fight is no longer worth the cost. Though most of those saying so aren't paying the price, the toll was evident at Dover Air Force Base early Thursday morning as 21 flag-draped gunmetal transfer cases were conveyed solemnly from the ramp of an Air Force C-17.

Usually deployment means not seeing family anywhere from 12-15 months. In the case of one father and son, their deployments to Iraq would bring them back together.

Believing faithfully that failure is not an option is a guiding philosophy for a former Army staff sergeant who, despite his injuries in combat, applies it to his life daily.

A project that began last year came to fruition here, Oct. 12, when this small Iraqi village celebrated the official opening of a newly renovated school.

South African human rights activist and symbol of international peace, Nelson Mandela, once said, "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world."

Baghdad's Sadr City district, home to more than two million Iraqis, was built by Saddam Hussein as a massive urban community to house the thousands of rural Iraqis migrating to the capital in search of jobs. But after decades of neglect, Sadr City's residents lacked even the most basic needs, such as adequate potable water.

Service members and civilians gathered from around Victory Base Complex, Baghdad, Iraq in the early hours of, Oct. 25, to "pick a fight against cancer" in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation's Livestrong Challenge.

Seven members from the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq procurements section took time to visit the children of an Iraqi school and local family, Oct. 22, with care packages.

On Aug. 25, Captain John Hallett III, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, was killed in an IED attack in the Arghandab District of the Kandahar province.

It's already the front edge of winter in America's Great Plains. Here, where the air is clear and crisp, there is a passion for walking behind a good dog while hunting pheasants, and a good "alibi" for missing a fast-flying bird is an art form.

State flags from more than 30 U.S. states were officially presented to Multi-National Division – Baghdad paratroopers during a ceremony, here, Oct 20.

In between the long, daily tasks associated with patrolling the dangerous areas north of Baghdad, U.S. troops of have added another way to accomplish their mission of protecting the people of Iraq by saving lives along the Baghdad-Mosul highway.

Five television and film stars completed a Pro Sports MVP Ambassadors of Hollywood support tour in Southwest Asia at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 18. Vanessa Branch, Kelly Carlson, Greg Germann, D.W. Moffett and DeAnna Pappas traveled to military installations in the Middle East to show their appreciation for deployed sevice members.

After stepping on an improvised explosive device during an ambush Nov. 29, 2006, Spc. Craig Chavez nearly died. His face took most of the blast. He lost his left eye and took shrapnel to the right, rendering him blind. Being evacuated home, he thought he would never see again.

From the first century, when spectators filled the Roman Colosseum to cheer on their favorite fighters in the bloody gladiatorial contests, to the 1990s, when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen led the Chicago Bulls to six championship wins in eight years, sports contests have been unifying fans all over the globe.

As filming for Sesame Workshop's latest "Talk, Listen, Connect," video got under way here Oct. 14, it became clear that while it's not always sunny on Sesame Street, ultimately the clouds can be swept away.

In a country where fewer than 30 percent of people are considered literate, U.S. forces are working to help in rebuilding Afghanistan's education system, which has been devastated from 30 years of war, anti-education politics and an unstable government.

Deployment can be stressful for any service member, but Marines and sailors awaiting the birth of their children endure a different kind of stress.

A parent wants to nurture, cherish and provide everything for their child, but some families have to battle through the difficulties of caring for a child with special needs. This can place extreme strain on a family, especially when that family barely has the means to provide food on the table.

Children at a girl's school in the Rashid District of southern Baghdad, received school supplies from Iraqi federal police during a visit to the school, thanks to efforts from Soldiers of Company A, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team.

The role of the U. S. Army chaplain assistant can be traced back to the American Civil War. Officially, the military occupational specialty now identified as 56M began in 1909 when the Chief of Staff of the Army authorized that each chaplain have one enlisted Soldier assigned to him as an aid. One hundred years later, chaplain assistants still fill a crucial need by supporting their assigned chaplain in a broad range of areas, from secretarial work to physical protection.

What is Columbus Day? Many people in the United States recognize it as the celebration of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the eastern coast of North America. Many others protest the recognition of Columbus because of the politics of Spain and Italy, in regard to slavery and the 'invasion' of North America by European conquerors.

In a country where education was once outlawed for many children by the Taliban, U.S. forces work to help rebuild Afghanistan's education system that has been devastated from 25 years of war and an unstable government.

Remote Forward Operating Base Baylough lies nestled beneath the mountains. During an evening in late May, the Soldiers attending a small service held by a visiting chaplain heard an explosion and felt the small, recreational building shaking. Believing they were under attack, the troops ran out of the service, wielding their weapons and ready to fight.

"As a civilian pastor I can't go to your office to check up on you, but as an Army chaplain, everywhere you go, that's where I am," said Maj. Michael J. King, chaplain, 17th Fires Brigade, from Vine Grove, Ky.

Eight years ago this week, just 25 days after the vicious attacks of 9/11, the U.S. struck back at the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan. Thirty-three days later, U.S.-supported Northern Alliance troops were in Kabul, and the remnants of al-Qaida and its Taliban hosts were in retreat to Kandahar and mountain redoubts along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. All of this was preceded by intense diplomacy and a virtually nonstop publicly aired series of presidential announcements, news conferenc

It isn't unusual to find a tradition of military service in families; in fact, it is often seen as a rite of passage. However, it is somewhat atypical for two brothers to be in the same unit and stranger still for them to be identical twins.

An U.S. Army medic with 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division saved the life of a young Iraqi boy after the child received several gunshot wounds from an unknown assailant, Sept. 20.

The first ever Iraqi army basic combat training course for enlisted Iraqi women held a cultural awareness training conference, Oct. 5. As part of the six- week course, 36 Iraqi trainees were introduced to American women who serve in the military to get a sense of American military training and lifestyle.

A sudden accident may have cost Army Staff Sgt. Luis Elias his hand, but it hasn't stripped him of his positive attitude or impacted his plans for the future.

A small ceremony marked the return of Salah ad Din province's most important grain storage site to the Government of Iraq, Oct. 6.

The new Morale, Welfare, and Recreation facility located at the Red Bull Life Sustainment Area on Contingency Operating Base Basra opened for Soldiers after a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Oct. 4.

The following article was submitted by Chaplain (CPT) Will Alley, who is the Chaplain for the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.  This battalion has been deployed to Mosul, Iraq since December 12, 2008.

A famous quote, from English poet John Donne, says, "No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of a continent, a part of a main."

More than 980 service members and civilians gathered around the Victory Stage, Camp Victory, Iraq, to run the Army 10-miler hours before it was run in Washington.

Have you ever stopped to think about what happens when you pick up a phone and make a call or when you pull up Internet Explorer and do a Google search for something specific during a deployment?

At the conclusion of the 1939 movie "Gone With the Wind," Vivien Leigh, playing Scarlett O'Hara, defers decision on what to do about the major crisis in her life with this sentence: "After all, tomorrow is another day." Unfortunately, the Obama White House seems to have adopted Scarlett's decision-making process for the war in Afghanistan. Note to the O-Team: Kabul isn't Tara -- and Americans are dying while the commander in chief dithers.

For the first time at al-Muthana Military Hospital, the only Iraqi military hospital in Baghdad, U.S. and Iraqi army doctors gathered for a joint medical conference to share knowledge and experience, Sept. 30.

Some National Guard Soldiers say their units are like an extended family. For two Soldiers deployed to Iraq, and in Task Force 38, it is.

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 support rescue and humanitarian relief there following a massive earthquake and tsunami.

Forty Airmen took their own lives last year worldwide.  Suicide isn't the only way out; there is help for service members in the fight against depression.

"That was awesome!" was all Spc. Kyle Childers, Task Force Cyclone webmaster, could muster after performing a musical number for celebrities.

The United States may be able to draw down troop levels in Iraq quicker than anticipated if progress continues there, the commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq said here, Sept. 30.

Kids love anything free. So when Border Training Team Tribal delivered children's medicine and candy to the Iraqi people in Maysan province, Sept. 6, kids were elated – at least for the candy.

The Security Force and Convoy Security components of the 115th Fires Brigade from Cheyenne Wyo. reached a major milestone, Sept. 18 by traveling over one million miles throughout Kuwait and Iraq during the deployment without any serious injuries.

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.

I'm sure a lot of you have heard stories about "life on the FOB" in Iraq, just as I had before actually setting boots on the ground here in Baghdad – stories that included camel spiders and sandstorms.

Our Fox News' "War Stories" team is cleaning our gear and packing up to go home. The special operations teams that "hosted" us for a half-dozen carefully planned and executed raids against the Taliban have showered us with patches, "challenge coins" and mementos accumulated since we arrived last month. We even got to shower ourselves. While on operations, we've shot hours of videotape of their backs and legs and on their bases and taken hundreds of photos with th

Husband and wife, Army Sergeants Larry and Esperance Dawson, joined their fellow Tennessee Army National Guard service members in Bulgaria and Romania for their annual training. Meanwhile, their two sons prepared for an upcoming deployment to Iraq this Fall, back home in Pikeville, Tenn.

More than 500 widows, orphans and disabled people from the Asadabad district of northeastern Afghanistan's Konar province here received much-needed supplies from the United States.

More than 60 wounded veterans suffering disabilities ranging from post-traumatic stress to amputations are learning "to live again" this week through competition at the 2nd Annual National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic in San Diego.

New roads and bridges in Afghanistan's Kunar province are going a long way to help both residents and troops in the northeast border area, U.S. military and civilian engineers say.

Many Soldiers at small bases located throughout Afghanistan have one or two hot meals each day. They often eat packaged food, called "Meals, Ready-to-Eat," or other pre-made rations. However, Soldiers get a special treat every now and again.

President Herbert Hoover once said, "Children are our most valuable resource."

American forces are cleaning out a "very, very big garage" in its drawdown in Iraq, the deputy commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq said, Sept. 22.

As some Soldiers in the Victory Base Complex wake each morning to begin the day's missions, others are just completing their work and heading to the gym, or even just to sleep.

At Thugger al-Iraq primary and secondary school in the Qarguli neighborhood of Baghdad, the 300 to 400 students have something to look forward to this year thanks to the efforts of West Virginia National Guardsmen.

Three comedians with the Lone Wolf Comedy Tour performed Sept. 15 at Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center West at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, as part of a 10-day tour in country.

Soldiers of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, are the instructors of the Warrior Academy at Joint Security Station Ur – a three-day academy designed to train Iraqis in everything from rifle marksmanship to first aid.

The father of Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti, who posthumously received the Medal of Honor, remembered his son today as a person defined by selflessness.

The self-proclaimed "second lady" of the United States commended 15 employers yesterday who, despite tough economic times, went above and beyond what the law requires to support their military employees.

According to colleagues back home, our Fox News team here in Afghanistan has missed all the excitement. They note that since we left the USA last month, Washington has been the scene of the largest peaceful protest in history against a sitting government. We didn't get to see a bold congressman rise during a televised joint session of Congress to accuse the president of the United States of prevaricating. We were unable to witness the outing of White House "green jobs czar" Van Jone

People have the option of serving two to four years in the U.S. military, but some choose to serve many more.

What do K-9 training, pouring cement and changing high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle brakes have in common here?

The school children in the village of Chemin in Kirkuk province, Iraq, have always known the small mud house on the outskirts of their village as their school.

The new Afghan government is forming a more reliable and well established police force to serve the Afghan people, with the assistance of coalition forces.

U.S. Paratroopers worked alongside their Iraqi army counterparts to deliver needed school supplies to two elementary schools during a combined humanitarian assistance mission in the town of Salman Pak, Iraq, Sept 13.

The North Dakota National Guard's Office of the Chaplain will host a workshop to help single Soldiers and Airmen hone the skills they need for a successful, lifelong relationship.

The international community has introduced programs to combat malnourishment and bacteria and parasites in the water here in an effort to improve the quality of life for local residents, particularly children.

As video teleconferencing programs such as Skype grow in popularity, military marriage counselors are implementing them as a means of connecting and counseling separated couples.

The 49th Transportation Battalion hosted a ladies' prayer dinner Sept. 6, in the Audie Murphy room of the Oasis Dining Facility, to give Christian females at JBB a chance to gather and focus on their spiritual needs.

We're with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in southern Helmand province, just 75 kilometers from Pakistan, in "battle space" that was the heart of Taliban territory until a few weeks ago. When these Marines fought their way into this dusty district capital in July, the Taliban were stunned. No Afghan government or coalition authorities had been here since 2002. Taliban leaders across the border in Pakistan told their minions to fight back. They did, and it was a terri

U.S. service members, Department of Defense civilians and contractors observed a shared moment of silence during a Patriot Day ceremony at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Sept. 11. With the flag unfurled and flown half-staff in Arabia, each citizen privately recalled their own 9/11 story. While serving as an aide to a top military officer, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Julie Smith, from Plymouth, Mich., remembered the day a tremble rolled across Arlington County from the Pentagon.

One day, everyone will discover their power to make a difference.

Camp Eggers hosted a ceremony Sept. 11 commemorating the eighth anniversary of the lives lost during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Once known as a hub of insurgent activity and violence, the city of Hawijah, Iraq, and its residents received a ray of hope as another one of the city's police stations was validated, Sept. 3.

Shadows fell from service members headgear onto their faces as all heads bowed during the invocation for the Sept. 11 ceremony at the Al Faw Palace, Camp Victory, Iraq, in remembrance of the 2,973 men, woman and children who lost their lives eight years ago.

Three-hundred forty three New York City firefighters died on Sept. 11, 2001. Task Force 38 Citizen-Soldiers who are deployed in the fight against terrorism, and who are also firefighters back home, remember that day vividly.

Crowds cheered and X-Games sports stars bounced off of ramps and concrete T-walls as Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers hosted "Bikes Over Baghdad" at Camp Liberty, Sept. 9.

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 Sept. 11.

There are many volunteers and caring individuals aboard the air station who bring smiles to the faces of many people. Navy Lt. Adrienne Townsend, the Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron chaplain, is one of those people.

He was looking for something to break the ice with her. He first noticed her during mobilization training at Camp Ripley, Minn., and wanted to get to know her, but needed a way in.

Imagine walking through a magical forest full of fairies and gnomes or exploring outer space where mysterious green aliens hide behind every corner.

Flying through the desert can be a daunting idea for Soldiers and civilian con-tractors traveling in Iraq. But the Baghdad International Airport terminal works hard to alleviate all worries and issues in order to get people to their destinations.

A woman with a head dress and pink eye shadow pointed at the different diagrams shown in a booklet explaining her business' capabilities during a fair held by the Victory Regional Contracting Center.

For Soldiers in combat zones it can be difficult dealing with the loss of a teammate, but one chaplain here at Victory Base in Baghdad is helping his troops through a ministry of presence.

Service members were treated to a night of good laughs Sept. 4 when the "Comics Ready to Entertain" tour made a stop at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

As dawn began to break on the horizon, more than a dozen support and personnel Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment found themselves out from their desks and in full "battle rattle," on a dirt track at Forward Operating Base Ramrod, Sept. 4.

Many service members deployed in Afghanistan and many of the Afghan people are at extremely remote places throughout the country that do not have basic accommodations.

Last month, our Fox News' "War Stories" team was in Colombia, covering the tough fight against a narco-insurgency, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. This month, we're in Afghanistan, covering another narco-insurgency, the Taliban. In Colombia, cocaine fuels and funds the terror. Here in Afghanistan, it's opium. Despite extraordinary differences in culture, climate and terrain, there are dramatic parallels in the two campaigns. More importantly, lessons learned in<

Army Capt. Emily Stehr, a physical therapist with the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, is in the business of healing. But five months after returning from Iraq, she was struggling with her own internal wounds of war that had not healed. She decided to kill herself.

The last thing deployed service members expect is for a family member to drop by for a visit, which is exactly what happened to a 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Airman.

For many chaplains, providing spiritual and mental support for Soldiers is a calling.

With personal assurance from the nation's first lady that President Barack Obama is committed to military families, more than 1,500 people participated as the Defense Department's Joint Family Readiness Conference kicked off here today.

With coalition forces operating within the parameters of the security agreement, most Soldiers no longer have the opportunity to experience much of Iraq's culture. That should change, to a small degree, soon on Contingency Operating Base Basra.

Music fills the air of the small patrol base as Soldiers gather around a multi-talented musician.

It's a staggering statistic. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 43 percent of all first marriages end in divorce within 10 years.

The following article was submitted by Chaplain (CPT) Will Alley, who is the Chaplain for the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.  This battalion has been deployed to Mosul, Iraq since December 12, 2008.

U.S. Army Capts. Vanessa and Brandon Bowman of the 37th Engineer Battalion-Joint Task Force Eagle take command as outgoing commanders bid fare well and best of luck, Aug. 22.

A group of Soldiers from Command Post-North, Task Force Lighting, 25th Infantry Division; the 269th Military Police Company of the Tennessee National Guard and the Ninewa Provincial Police-Transition Team, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, delivered more than 225 pounds of dog food that was donated by the boys from Cub Scout Pack 5 of Goldthwaite, Texas, to an Iraqi police K-9 unit in Mosul, Iraq, Aug. 24.

Soldiers of the 1194th Engineer Company wake up early in the morning, get dressed in their clean but still mortar covered uniforms, and step out the door. From there they are greeted by a scenic view of the mountains, a lake, gardens and numerous local townspeople, who frequently express their gratitude in gifts of food and drinks. For the 1194th, it's just another day on the job.

Women's Equality month happened to fall this year in the month that a clinic was renamed in a nurse's honor.

The story of women in American is one of strong, courageous and persevering women whose challenges to inequities and other injustices helped shape our nation. As we continue to march strong in our society, let's remember our past so as to shape our future. From our countries earliest moments to the present, women have made significant contributions to America. The many women who worked so hard in obtaining the right to vote have paved the way for others and thus brought hope for America's fut

Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery near his brothers, Defense Department officials said today.

An Airman assigned here witnessed the birth of his third child, and he did so without leaving his post.

Some people will walk up to Marines in public and shake their hands to say 'thank you' for their service. Others take it a few steps further by saying their thanks on hundreds of feet of paper.

The Defense Department has launched a blog called "Family Matters" that is dedicated to providing resources and support to military families.

Deployments usually separate Soldiers from their families. However, for one "Red Bull" Soldier, it provided the chance to reunite with her brother.

Members of the wing chapel staff and the company-grade officers council here joined at Troy's Place to rededicate a memorial photograph-illustration of the late Maj. Troy Gilbert, for whom the facility was named.

"Although Norma's ability to put up with me and our modest life is reason enough for her to be recognized, it is her devotion to our marriage that makes her truly praiseworthy," wrote Sgt. Christopher Baz, one of four winners of the Spouses' Essay award. "Her work ethic, dedication to her studies and community involvement make her truly amazing."

President Barack Obama on Aug. 21 praised the courage of the Afghan people for participating in the Aug. 20 national election despite threats by the Taliban to disrupt the process.

Last week's brief "Three Amigos" summit in Guadalajara, Mexico, has been all but forgotten in the growing storm over "health care reform." That may be what the three North American heads of state, Presidents Felipe Calderon and Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, wanted. All three leaders did their best to ignore the skunk at their picnic -- the serious threat posed to all of us by narco-terrorism. If comments after the confab reflect their thinking, t

Faith Pervatt loves being a mommy. She's got that glow so many new mothers have. You can see it, just past the slightly tired eyes as she laughs with the toddlers crawling on her lap, competing for her attention. Her babies, Benjamin and Grace, are 14 months old, but they're not twins. Benjamin is five days older than his sister, Grace.

The 304th Sustainment Brigade and Joint Base Balad have their own Martha Stewart tucked in the H-6 housing area here.

A Soldier's dream of citizenship came true in a ceremony at Al-Faw Palace in Baghdad, July 4.

The provincial reconstruction team here is working to build a better future for Afghans.

The hot Iraqi sun blazed down on the Soldiers of Echo Troop, 5th Cavalry Regiment, Brigade Reconnaissance Troop, as they prepared their vehicles with the necessary equipment for the mission that lay ahead of them.

In today's Army, 'Family First' is a main focus for Soldiers and leaders, and many families are able to deploy together, with the help of their chain of commands.

The Yellow Ribbon Program is "off and running," said the program's deputy executive director, James "Scotty" Scott.

In 2003, Catherine Roberts, a midwife and a 25-year quilter from Seaford, Del., wanted to give a wounded soldier a quilt to bring him comfort during his recovery.

The sounds of clicking keyboards and cheerful reactions are often heard inside the Internet cafés supporting the U.S. Central Command rest and recuperation pass program at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar. The U.S. military installation removes war fighters from the stress of combat operations while providing various venues to reconnect online with family and friends. Servicemembers often log into e-mail accounts but are relying more and more on social networking software, such as Facebook and

By definition a predator is one that preys, destroys and if necessary devours. It is a beast of nature, and for anyone with the intentions of hurting those that live and work on Ali Base they might have an encounter with one ... one with precision speed, eyesight and cunning.

Active duty and Army Reserve Soldiers from the across the globe are testing the readiness of the Army's prepositioned set four [APS-4) during military exercise Pacific Reach 2009 at Yokohama North Dock, Tokyo, Japan.

Renee Acosta, Global Impact president and CEO, presented Col. Maxine C. Girard, U.S. Army Central Area Support Group Qatar commander, with proceeds raised during the 2008 Combined Federal Campaign Overseas fundraiser at Camp As Sayliyah, Aug. 13.

This deployment is for the dogs. German shepherds, to be exact.

If patriotism and heroics are in any way hereditary, 1st Lt. Michael Cirillo, executive officer with A Company, 46th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), seems predestined for absolute greatness.

Racing through the Phoenix airport, a Wall Street Journal headline immediately captured my eye: "Taliban Now Winning." I grabbed the newspaper and headed for my flight. By the time I arrived in Washington, I had a half-dozen e-mails from my Fox News colleagues asking for my assessment of the situation. There was also a "be prepared" message from my boss alerting me to pack my kit for another trip to the Hindu Kush. Seeing as I haven't been there for a year, it seemed like<

Hours into the new Operation Eastern Resolve II in Afghanistan's Helmand province, defense officials report that U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers are confronting "some resistance" as they work to secure the area for the Aug. 20 elections.

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Rob Lawrence's position as the Colorado National Guard's top enlisted soldier is underscored by nearly 25 years of steadfast support from his civilian employer.

"Thank you so much," said Duggar Baucom, Virginia Military Institute men's basketball head coach, while greeting a group of U.S. service members at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Aug. 11. "Thank you for what you do and thank you for being over here. I want you to know, people back home appreciate you."

A Catholic Mass was celebrated in the Chaldean Rite by the acting bishop of Basra Aug. 8 in honor of the Soldiers serving here.

July was a boom month for military recruiting, with more than 15,000 young men and women entering the active-duty force, defense officials reported today.

A company of Ohio National Guardsmen bound for Iraq received a double-dose of Hoosier Hospitality and respite from training Sunday evening at a local theater where they were treated to a movie and concessions courtesy of the Franklin community.

Walking through the doors of the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade's Small Arms Support Center, the smell is unmistakable – the salty, acrid scent of weapons cleaner and lubricant fills the air.

A team of Fort Lee, Va. mortuary affair specialists care for the remains of Soldiers while ensuring a dignified and rapid return to their families as quickly as possible.

Deployed Soldiers have all kissed their families good-bye, and headed off to war with the expectation of learning to handle the constant heartache of missing their loved ones.

The U.S. Army tradition of recognizing newly promoted non-commissioned officers to the NCO corps is through an NCO induction ceremony, a time-honored tradition for the U.S. Army which has been shared with the new Iraqi army.

When you think of Soldiers serving in a combat zone the last thing you might envision is a group of service members gathered around a set of bleachers lacing up cleats and talking about what the batting order will be for the up and coming game.

Former President William Jefferson Blythe Clinton has returned from Pyongyang, North Korea, with Al Gore's employees Laura Ling and Euna Lee. The two women, reporters for Gore's Current TV operation, were seized by North Korean border guards March 17 along the frozen Tumen River -- the border between North Korea and China. On June 8, following a five-day "trial," Pyongyang's Central Court convicted the women of "committing hostilities against the Korean nation and illegal entry

More than fifty Iraqi women met with Soldiers and contractors recently at the Basra Airport to discuss opportunities in business development and business contracting.

People join the military for many reasons, some for college assistance, some to stay out of trouble and some to fulfill a patriotic need to serve their country.

As Lt. Cmdr. Scott Callaham reflects on the opportunities God has given him as a North American Mission Board-endorsed chaplain, one that stands out is when he baptized men by immersion for the first time in the 101-year history of the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel.

Whether it's on the flightline, in a hangar or in a backshop, members of the Iraqi air force are learning to fix their own helicopters, thanks to American Airmen who have shown them how.

In the United States, patients typically see a nurse or technician first at a doctor's appointment, but the same does not hold true in Iraq.

The next generation of common remotely operated weapons station offers an updated version with more options to potentially protect service members and defeat insurgents across Afghanistan.

The Iraqi national police has changed its name to the federal police. The name change, which took effect Aug. 1, "goes side by side with the objectives of the national unity government," a police spokesman said.

The heavy beating of rotor blades pierces the quiet of the night in farmland east of Baghdad and a dust cloud kicks up, almost concealing the two huge helicopters dimly outlined under the moonlight. Almost as soon as the helicopters touch the ground, ramps drop and dozens of American Soldiers, Iraqi soldiers and federal police storm out into the night and immediately snap into defensive positions.

Over the past month, Soldiers of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment have been learning new skills and taking on new challenges as they adapt to a different mission in Iraq.

Tricare is enhancing its programs and services as part of an ongoing commitment to provide quality health care for military families, the new deputy director of Tricare Management Activity said.

In light of Iraq's recent decrease in violence and influx of stability, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) Soldiers were able to assist their Iraqi Special Operations Forces brothers in making great strides in their counter-terrorism operations.

In an environment where Soldiers deploy at a moment's notice, taking care of families is vital to the success of the mission. Third Army/USARCENT held its annual family retreat at Callaway Gardens, Ga., July 17-19, giving families the tools that will help them sustain the hardships of deployment.

Before their deployment to Afghanistan, troops with the Agribusiness Development Team from Frankfort, Ky., are undergoing some very non-traditional training to fulfill their mission of helping the Afghan people learn better agricultural techniques that will benefit their economy. Growing grapes at a local vineyard and learning food preservation techniques were among the few skills that the team picked up.

In spirit of the cooperation that has continued well past the June 30 Security Agreement deadline, which detailed the changeover in responsibility for the security of Iraq, U.S. Soldiers are working with their Iraqi partners.

Instead of gearing up to do yard work, shop, take the kids to sports practice, or head to jobs of their own, nearly 80 military family members donned blue jeans and T-shirts or pieces of their loved ones' uniforms to see how the Marine and sailors of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion spend their days.

Thanks to security forces Airmen, emergency medics and hospital staff here, an Iraqi girl is still alive after an improvised explosive device detonated at her feet earlier this month.

They don't look like al-Qaida terrorists. Their photos in the local newspaper look menacing enough -- but more like a crew that might knock over a convenience store or an ATM at a gas station. Their apprehension this week by FBI agents in Raleigh, N.C., has their neighbors here talking about "homegrown jihadis" and has prompted the O-Team Department of Homeland Security to warn about "American extremists" once again.

"Our goal is to live like no one else now, so we can live like no one else later," said Dave Ramsey, founder of Financial Peace University, a program offered by Special Troops Battalion, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division chaplain's office at Contingency Operating Base Basra.

Recently President Obama hosted a gathering of homosexual leaders in the East Room where previous presidents celebrated the National Day of Prayer. "Welcome to our White House," was his greeting to enthusiastic applause.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said conditions in Iraq have improved to the extent that the U.S. combat brigade drawdown from the country may accelerate.

Supporting military families and the volunteers who help them are key elements of maintaining the nation's resolve during prolonged conflict, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said here Monday.

There are times when someone may find himself down on his luck. One day he's cruising down the street in his new car, and the next day it won't start. Now he has a car that's out of order and he can't afford to fix it. So what does he do?

Deployment can alter a Soldier's plans, but there is a resource available so Soldiers can continue their education during this time.

The rattle of small arms fire from a nearby range didn't detract from the parishioner's joy in singing hymns. That the congregation was comprised of only four Soldiers didn't diminish the value of the chaplain's weekly message at the small fire base on the outskirts of the post.

Soldiers from the Detachment B "Blackhawks," 208th Financial Management Company, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division are currently embedded with the 1st "Ironhorse" Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Joint Security Station War Eagle, north of Baghdad, to provide Soldiers financial services.

Remember basic training? Remember leaving home and going to a place that seemed foreign; where you went with other young men and women to learn new rules and a different way of life? From hair styles to clothing, eating habits to sleep routines, organization to discipline, the world as you knew it changed and at times you wondered what you had gotten into...if only you had known!

The Department of Defense is committed to supporting Guard and Reserve members and their families through policies that maintain strong family programs and innovative efforts, such as the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, a senior DoD official told lawmakers, July 22.

An innovative restoration program in Afghanistan is giving troops the tools they need to "stay in the fight" by helping them overcome the stresses and challenges of being deployed, the director of the Freedom Restoration Center at Bagram Airfield there said.

What is needed to get through a combat deployment? Some might say the answer is perseverance, determination and motivation.

Airmen and Soldiers here aided in fostering strong relationships with Iraqi citizens by preparing and delivering donations from a stateside fraternity to be given to Iraqi children who live near the base, July 14 - 15.

He was standing at the counter when I entered the store. As he paid the clerk, he turned, and I noticed, in this order, his beard, his T-shirt, which had "Marines" emblazoned on the front, and his cane. His prosthetic foot still was masked by the counter when I said, "Semper fi, leatherneck."

The following article was submitted by Chaplain (CPT) Will Alley, who is the Chaplain for the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.  This battalion has been deployed to Mosul, Iraq since December 12, 2008.

Navy Rear Adm. Carol M. Pottenger and Navy Rear Adm. Michelle Howard have plenty on their respective plates – Pottenger as commander of Naval Expeditionary Combat Command and Howard as commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 2. But that doesn't stop the two flag officers from taking on the additional role of mentoring female sailors.

Members of the 386th Air Expeditionary wing were treated to a night of entertainment by the Air Force Central Command band Sonora, July 21.

Katie Glenn, daughter of U.S. Army Col. Harry C. Glenn, chief of staff of the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, has created a cool way for kids of deployed military personnel to express their feelings about their parent being away or the loss of a parent in Iraq or Afghanistan.

U.S. Forces Afghanistan's Facebook page logged its 20,000th fan on July 23, passing the milestone a little more than two months after going public, making it the fastest-growing official military Facebook page, military officials here said.

A wounded Airman and his wife plan to use the lessons they've learned about marriage and friendship through military service and adversity to help service members who might be struggling after deployment or injury.

They're not the standard professional athlete many would expect to come to Iraq. But Soldiers with an interest in extreme sports know them well and appreciated the visit. Five ESPN X Games athletes from various extreme sports visited the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team "Greywolf", 1st Cavalry Division at Forward Operating Base Marez, July 19.

American and Iraqi soldiers at Joint Security Station Zubaida are looking back on the friendships they have formed as the Iraqi army prepares to take over the small post a few miles south of Baghdad.

"That is good," said the fish. "He's gone away, yes. But your mother will come. She will find this big mess." So goes the timeless story of "The Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Seuss. Children for generations have been captivated by the words of Dr. Seuss and other authors, taking them to places of fantasy and wonder. There is a program in Iraq that gives Soldiers the opportunity to reach across the ocean and be a part of their children's wonder and imagination.

Construction is nearly complete on the chaplain's program tent to provide service members a comfortable environment for small-group worship services and other chaplain sponsored events on Contingency Operating Base Basra.

Sitting in the desert, a thousand miles away from home, Lance Cpl. Stephen D. Davis, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, thinks about his lifetime and all the songs he wrote.

Today is an important day for the nation of Iraq. In accordance with Article Five of the Security Agreement between the United States and the government of Iraq, signed in Baghdad in November of last year, Iraqi security forces now have full ownership of security in their cities, villages and localities.

Soldiers of the 172nd Infantry Brigade are enabling documentarians, historians and preservationists as they work to ensure ancient Iraqi history is preserved and documented in Babil province. The 172nd Inf. Bde. provides these experts transportation and security as part of their ongoing mission in support of the Babil Provincial Reconstruction Team.

Gen. Douglas Carver, chief of chaplains for the U.S. Army, thanked Southern Baptists for the 1,300 SBC military chaplains who minister to some 3 million American troops in service around the world.

The withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from all Iraqi cities and towns was completed over the weekend and ahead of tomorrow's deadline, a Pentagon spokesman said on a cable TV news show today.

When a Soldier makes the decision to serve our country, so does the family. The family is right there next to the Soldier enduring the many moves, separations and sometimes more critical situations.

The U.S. military vows to protect and uphold the constitution's freedoms and rights, including religion, of individuals at home and abroad.

My old American Heritage Dictionary defines "sovereignty" as "complete independence and self-government." Our Declaration of Independence affirms, "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." In January 2000, Jesse Helms, the legendary U.S. senator from North Carolina, succinctly summed up the mean

Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Fischer, squad leader, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 81st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, Washington Army National Guard, is on his third deployment to Iraq.

With towering vocals that defy her small stature, Sgt. Brenda Bushera, a member of the 34th Red Bull Infantry Band, has made a connection with the people of Iraq.

The familiar refrain of, "There's nothing to do around here after work!" is an endangered species here at Contingency Operating Base Basra.

Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez arrived in Afghanistan yesterday to assume his role as deputy commander, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan. This marks his second time to serve in this country. He was the commanding general, 82d Airborne Division/commanding general, Combined Joint Task Force 76, out of Bagram Air Field, from February 2007 to April 2008.

As Staff Sgt. Phillip Livingston neared the end of his senior year in high school in 1998, he heard his nation's call to service, and upon graduation enlisted in the Marine Corps.

Active and reserve Army chaplains are playing a critical and strategic role in Iraq, a chaplain serving with Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq said this week.

U.S. forces offered their support to Afghan forces June 18 in two separate missions: one aimed at boosting military skills and the other at providing aid to school children.

A common sense of triumph and accomplishment drifted in the air during the transfer ceremony in Sadr City in northeast Baghdad June 20.

Father's Day can be a rough time for deployed dads, especially those whose wives have given birth since the start of the deployment. The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is using modern technology to ease the separation.

Soldiers from the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division recently received more than 50 care packages from their adopter – Alliant Techsystems based in Minneapolis.

Staff Sgt. Dale O'Neill recently received 120 pounds of goods in care packages from friends and family, but the Memphis, Tenn., native didn't end up with any of the items.

Defense Department officials are working aggressively to reduce the impact of multiple deployments on the children of military families.

This year, the Fleet and Family Support Centers of Hampton Roads turns 30. The first FFSC opened in Norfolk in 1979 in response to the Navy Family Awareness Conference's realization of the need to support Sailors' families.

While most fathers in the U.S. sit down to share a home cooked meal with their families, Lt. Col. Thomas Killgore and his son, Sgt. Andrew Killgore, are planning to sit down in a dining facility at Camp Victory, Baghdad.

It is hard enough to get families together to celebrate birthdays or holidays, but imagine the challenges a family faces when more than family member serves in the military.

"What are you Americans thinking?" asked the young woman in perfect, if slightly accented, English. She was wearing a name tag with "Marie" in both Cyrillic and Latin print and had greeted us pleasantly when we ducked out of the rain and into her store to buy postcards and mementos for our grandchildren.

Soldiers of the 17th Division Iraqi Army, Motorized Transportation Regiment, recently finished its first staff development course at Forward Operating Base Falcon, south of Baghdad.

The doctors and medical staff of the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd "Warhorse" Brigade Combat Team conducted neonatal resuscitation training for local doctors here June 10 and 11.

As it gears up for its 7th Annual Children's Freedom Art Contest, a North Carolina-based troop-support group is looking for patriotic drawings or paintings that signify the unyielding spirit of America after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

As the Army's role in Iraq is changing, the importance of peaceful communication and liaison with the Iraqi people is paramount. But as long as there is conflict in Iraq, Soldiers must still train for combat. A special exercise at Fort Polk's Joint Readiness Training Center is teaching Soldiers to strike that careful balance.

Protecting the population, maintaining security and rebuilding the economy and infrastructure to satisfy basic human needs are all key aspects of counter insurgency.

Everything is on track for the withdrawal of American troops from the cities of Iraq, Iraqi and coalition officials said this week.

Staff Sgt. Philip Crosby was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device for heroic achievement and sustained meritorious service during combat operations at a ceremony, here, June 10.

Maj. James Boulware, brigade chaplain, 16th Sustainment Brigade, is helping couples work on their marriages, despite being thousands of miles away from each other.

The doctors and medical staff of the Warhorse Brigade conducted neonatal resuscitation training at Contingency Operating Base Basra for local doctors June 10-11.

As the number of Soldiers committing suicide continues to rise, the Army's suicide prevention campaign shifts its focus to junior leaders in an effort to arm them with the tools they need to help their Soldiers before a problem reaches a tragic end.

The blue camouflage of the Iraqi national police and American gray/green camouflage flashes in and out of dark rooms in dilapidated, abandoned buildings in Doura, here, June 10. The derelict buildings are littered with trash, overgrown with vegetation and sometimes occupied by packs of stray dogs.

Iraq native Spc. Ammar Al Khalidi, an interpreter with the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, will receive his U.S. citizenship July 4 during a ceremony at Victory Base Complex here.

Attendees at the second annual Golden Coyote Prayer Breakfast filled their breakfast cups with hope and strength at the Camp Rapid Chapel on June 8.

 It is official — Stephen Colbert came, saw and conquered Iraq, claiming victory on day three of his six-day adventure to the Middle East.

Leaders from the 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and the Oasis International Waters Inc., opened a water bottling and purification plant during a ribbon cutting ceremony here June 1.

Dozens of Iraqi children rallied at their village schoolhouse, which was one of three neighborhoods visited, inside an Iraqi compound, May 27, to receive items donated by Americans that had been shipped to a group of Soldiers serving a one-year tour in Iraq.

In the days before the landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944, the small town of Gourbesville was the site of a German aid station. In the days following the allied invasion the town and others like it in the surrounding countryside became the scene of intense fighting as the U.S. Army moved eastward deeper into France.

Leaving behind a spouse for a year or more is one of the most challenging and grueling aspects of being deployed for married members in the military.

For Soldiers with the 225th Engineer Brigade, from Pineville, La., each day is full of twists and turns as missions change.

Most Soldiers say working with their fellow troops is like working with family.

According to the mighty Wurlitzer in the White House press office, this week's penitent presidential venture to the Middle East has been "historic" and a "new beginning" for our relationship with Islam. Unfortunately for Mr. Obama -- and his campaign promise to make a major speech in a Muslim capital -- Osama bin Laden didn't play along. That's the trouble with homicidal megalomaniacs; they very often don't abide by the rules of "acceptable behavior."

Several college football coaches visited, May 31, as part of the 2009 College Coaches Tour sponsored by Armed Forces Entertainment.

The distinctive yellow and red colors of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, were raised aloft the headquarters flagpole, June 2, as the brigade officially replaced the Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, in a transfer of authority ceremony.

Having been part of their tightly knit community all her life, Teresa Vance always has had an interest in military families. Her father made a career out of the Army, serving in World War II and Korea. Her husband was a career surface warfare officer in the Navy, and her son spent four years in the Marine Corps.

When Soldiers set out to accomplish a mission, it's important they have a clear head and are ready to focus on the job at hand. The last thing Soldiers should have to worry about is the care being provided to their children.

During the presidential campaign, then-Sen. Barack Obama famously said he was willing to meet "without preconditions" with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea. It was a pledge that he repeated -- with minor modifications -- throughout his campaign, and it never failed to bring forth enthusiastic applause. Last November, the voters endorsed the approach and handed him a sweeping victory. But that commitment -- like his oft-repeated promise to close Gitmo -- ma

Rock band Seether met an audience unlike any they have ever performed for before - the U.S. Marines stationed on Okinawa, Japan, Saturday.

Multi-National Division—Baghdad food service Soldiers had the opportunity to experience a meal that isn't served in the dining facility where they work.

Combat Center spouses and children gathered at the Officers' Club for the Officers' Spouses Club annual Scholarship and Grant Committee luncheon May 22.

Now that coalition forces have begun to take the necessary steps toward a responsible drawdown, it's very important that they work to pass on their knowledge to Iraqi forces. Although the Iraqi security forces have most of the tools needed to keep their country safe, coalition forces must still contribute toward ensuring the ISF are ready to stand alone.

Fighting a war can be stressful no matter what job you do in the military. The Combat Stress Control Center is one ally established throughout Iraq that works to fight stress -- or at least teach individuals how to manage it.

Operation Gratitude will receive $232,948 from Target as part of the company's first online giving campaign.

Coalition forces extended a warm welcome to the Charlie Daniels Band April 16. The performance was one not soon forgotten. The weather had been bright and clear throughout the day. But shortly after the country music icon, dressed in Marine digital camouflage and a big black cowboy hat, stepped on stage, the wind kicked up, causing the band and fans to experience a sand storm that turned the sky orange. The weather did not deter the Charlie Daniels Band from continuing the concert. Only after

Round Two of Basra Idol, a music competition held in Basra May 23, was filled with surprises, including the return of the previously eliminated Cleon Shack.

Southern Iraq is "a much better place to live and raise a family than it was a year ago," thanks to tremendous strides in security, governance, job opportunity and essential services, the commander of the 1st Cavalry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team said on May 27.

Female Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower can now keep their hair looking stylish and in Navy regulations on Sundays and Tuesdays from 1 P.M. to 2 A.M. at the IKE beauty salon located in the chief petty officer's barber shop.

Soldiers with the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team took time to honor their fallen at a Memorial Day service, May 25, on Camp Taji, Iraq.

There has been one Medal of Honor, 23 Navy Crosses, and 92 Silver Stars awarded to Marines and Sailors serving with Marine units since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

More than 250 members of U.S. Forces - Afghanistan donned the physical training gear of their respective services and gathered to start Memorial Day 2009 with a brisk two-mile formation run around New Kabul Compound. The run was followed by a host of activities including a home-style barbecue cookout for lunch.

Service members celebrated their first Memorial Day as U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony on May 25 at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan.

From parades to somber ceremonies and a moment of silence, Americans will recall the sacrifices of military members who paid the ultimate price for freedom on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25.

Pam Crane sat peacefully in a patch of freshly mowed grass along Highway 27 here in the nation's capital, remembering her husband, his patriotism and his cause.

Above the blare of passing taxi horns and the shouting street food vendors rang out a steady cadence call of a New York Marine sounding off as a sweating civilian attempted one more push up as part of Marine Day Times Square, May 23.

As we wind down the month of May and near the half way point of the deployment, it is a good time to stop and reflect on the past five months.  We have been through a lot, as the Warhorse Battalion, and our hard work, trials, and sacrifice has brought us together as a family.

On May 14, Israelis celebrated their 61st Independence Day. Less than 96 hours later, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, arrived at the White House in an effort to ensure that the Jewish state will survive to commemorate another anniversary.

It wasn't by chance that Chaplain (Capt.) Kent Coffey arrived at the Combat Stress Center on Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq, just moments after a U.S. soldier opened fire, killing five soldiers and wounding three others May 11.

Billy Blanks, creator of Tae Bo, and his assistant Melanie Neat, punched and kicked out a one-hour Tae Bo class for approximately 30 participants at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center here April 26.

As a supply clerk, it's Spc. Francisco Rivera Gonzales' job to get essential equipment to the frontline troops when they need it most.

The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing hosted 75 high school students from the local America-Mideast Educational and Training Services language training center during a visit to the base May 16.

Insurgents thought they'd found a haven in Old Town, a neighborhood on the west side of Mosul, and the city's oldest area, but on April 15 the Mosul Iraqi national police brigade and 3rd "Warhorse" Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division joined forces and kicked off an operation to sweep, clear and census in this area.

Reinforcements are something every unit loves to have - more soldiers help to win the fight and save lives at the same time.

The torrential downpour didn't stop Temple resident, Steven Castro and his 14-year-old son Jacob from attending Temple's Railroad and Heritage Museum's Military Appreciation and Family Fun Day May 16, in Temple, Texas.

The Nangarhar provincial reconstruction team joined provincial government officials and the people of a rural village in Dara-Noor District to celebrate the completion of a boys and girls school, May 12.

President Barack Obama signed and issued a proclamation on May 14 designating May 16 as Armed Forces Day.

The wife of the vice president spoke with military family members and support group representatives at the Island Club on Naval Air Station North Island here on May 14.

It is said that there are two kinds of lawyers: those who know the law and those who know the judge. And then there is Harold Koh, the man who is likely to be the next legal adviser to the State Department. Koh most recently served as dean of the Yale Law School and before that as assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor in the Clinton administration. He is a prolific author and a legal activist of the left. Earlier this week, his nomination to be Foggy Bottom's barr

A group of fifth graders from Dayton, Ohio, had a special treat this week. They spoke to a former student who is now serving in Iraq, via the Internet.

Staff Sgt. Rocky L. Sampson, a Lumberton, N.C. native, supply sergeant, 50th Signal Battalion, is scheduled to earn his associate's degree in Applied Science in Criminal Justice from Central Texas College, May 17, at the Al Faw Palace, Baghdad.

Col. Marc Ferraro, commander of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, told Iraqi journalists that his Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldiers have improved security in the Taji and Tarmiyah regions, north of Baghdad.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "tradition" as "a mode of thought or behavior followed by a people continuously from generation to generation; a custom or usage."

The newly formed Sustainer Choir made their first performance at the 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) prayer luncheon at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation east center here on April 4.

Sometimes it's the simple pleasures in life that can make a difference when deployed.

Hidden away somewhere underneath all the gear, most Soldiers carry an item or two that their supply sergeants did not issue them.

How is progress measured? How can you tell if your hard work has actually made a difference?

On Wednesday, April 29, in an East Room news conference, President Barack Obama claimed, "We have rejected the false choice between our security and our ideals by closing the detention center at Guantanamo Bay." That simply isn't true. What he did do was issue an executive order directing the facility be closed by January 2010 -- more than seven months from now. Unfortunately, Mr. Obama -- in his naive exuberance to fulfill a pledge that had earned standing ovations and rave reviews

Five military spouses received recognition for their valued service to the nation at an award ceremony here yesterday.

During his last stop on a whirlwind two-day visit through Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today brought encouragement and assurance of support to 10th Mountain Division soldiers who have been deployed here since January.

Baghdad Soldiers continue to train with their Iraqi security force partners in essential war-fighting skills, but not all training requires the firing of weapons.

'The surge' of five additional brigades into Iraq was announced in January 2007, with an additional requirement of increasing the length of deployments from 12 to 15 months. Since then, coalition forces, Iraqi security forces, and local citizens have seen the beneficial after-effects of the surge, with many areas of Iraq now rebuilding and communities becoming safe to live and work in once again.

Pregnancy and birthing, frog-filled pockets and pretty yellow dresses, are some of the most satisfying things for a parent to experience. For years American mothers have been sacrificing moments like these to help establish democracy in a country half a world away, true examples of selfless service.

Surfs up! Military children of wounded or fallen service members will be able to catch their first wave this summer, thanks to Freedom Is Not Free, a California-based troop-support group.

From a high school and college track star to a Soldier, and now a competitive bodybuilder, Sgt. Erica Rinard has ventured into new experiences not many have attempted nor accomplished in their lives.

Soldiers from Headquarters Company, 81st Brigade Combat Team, Washington Army National Guard got a chance to work out with Tae Bo inventor Billy Blanks during his visit to Camp Ramadi, Iraq, April 30 and May 1.

Motherhood is full of joys as well as trials. Mother's Day is a time to celebrate those joys.

Former North Carolina governors Jim Martin and Jim Hunt have been named as honorary co-chairs of the North Carolina Heroes Fund Statewide Advisory Board, joining other state residents and leaders in showing support for military service members and their families.

After 15-months of dedication to the mission in Iraq, around 430 Soldiers and civilians from the XVIII Airborne Corps received awards for their service Tuesday evening at the Officers' Club at Fort Bragg, N.C., in front of their friends and families.

The Soldiers who man Combat Outpost Lowell near the Pakistan border see combat action almost daily.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has issued a message to service members and their families around the world, commemorating May 8 as Military Spouse Appreciation Day.

As the Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team "Panthers," 82nd Airborne Division, walk the streets of New Baghdad, a neighborhood in eastern Baghdad, children run from their houses to shake hands with the Soldiers and ask questions about the United States.

Wounded warriors will get a chance to compete in sports while working toward their rehabilitation this week when the Warrior Transition Battalion on Fort Lewis, Wash., hosts a Paralympics Military Regional Sports Camp.

The following article was submitted by Chaplain (CPT) Will Alley, who is the Chaplain for the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.  This battalion has been deployed to Mosul, Iraq since December 12, 2008.

To help pass the time in theater the Morale, Welfare and Recreation hosts events and tournaments for the service members. One such event includes base-wide softball competitions. In April the local MWR held a softball tournament which consisted of five teams Sudden Impact (Army), Aussies (Australians), Navy Customs, Defenders (Air Force), and Blasters (Australians).

Fathers from across the Tri-Command area shined their shoes, polished their medals, put on their best shirt and tie to spend an evening with their princesses. The 2nd annual Father Daughter Dance was held Saturday at the Officers' Club aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.

Service members and veterans who enroll in the new Post-9/11 GI Bill will be able to attend some of the country's most prestigious – and high-cost –universities, thanks to a new program that's gaining momentum in academic circles.

Deployments can be strenuous in countless ways for both Soldiers deployed and their families left behind.

The 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) command chaplain hosted a conference with the group's subordinate Religious Ministry Teams aboard Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq, April 17-18.

On Wednesday evening, all but one of America's television networks blew off their prime-time programs and dutifully trotted off to the White House to cover an hourlong self-congratulatory news conference celebrating the first 100 days of the Obama administration. Only Fox kept regularly scheduled programming -- the network's new hit "Lie to Me." ABC, CBS and NBC should have used the same title for the O-Team's news conference.

Country music megastar Toby Keith has performed for rowdy, appreciative troops more than 130 times over seven straight years. But during this year's "America's Toughest Tour," he said, "The boys and girls were rockin' and laughin' like never before."

The 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) command chaplain hosted a conference with the group's subordinate Religious Ministry Teams aboard Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq, April 17-18.

More than 300 military spouses attended one of two "Field Exercises" recently at Fort Sill, Okla., designed to assist them in dealing with life while their deployed spouses are away.

Country singer and troop supporter Toby Keith finished up a 15-show tour in Afghanistan, April 27, as he drew near the end of his seventh tour with the United Service Organization.

April 22 marked a milestone in U.S.-Iraqi relations with the transfer of the 5,000th M1114 HMMWV to the Iraqi security forces, helping them to be more equipped to provide the safety and security the people of Iraq need.

Not long ago, Army Pfc. Paul Henry was a car salesman in Marion, Ill., a divorced father of two children who was looking for something different in his life. So he decided to enlist in the Army.

"Serving your country is an honorable profession," said Maj. Robert Blackmon, the Staff Judge Advocate of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. "But to serve a country without being a citizen of that country is really admirable."

A group of insurgents waits in the dark to ambush a convoy. They sit patiently, eager, having planned the attack and thinking they know what to expect. A few minutes pass and then, suddenly, they are inexplicably blinded by spotlights as Soldiers seemingly from nowhere take advantage of their disorientation and safely disarm them.

At times during our history, international events have provided starring roles for American presidents. Teddy Roosevelt received the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating an end to the Russo-Japanese War. John Kennedy's pledge of solidarity, "Ich bin ein Berliner," offered hope to captive people behind the iron curtain. Richard Nixon's "secret" trip to Beijing precipitated still ongoing changes in the People's Republic of China. Ronald Reagan's tough diplomacy -- and his decis

Members of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan conducted an unusual mission handover on Monday. Rather than discussing troop disposition and battle status, the soldiers were passing along information about bottle feedings and sleeping schedules.

Sunlight is fading in Sadr City as Soldiers of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, along with Iraqi Soldiers with 2nd Co., 3rd Bn., 42nd Iraqi Army Division, move down streets lined with houses in an effort to keep the city safer.

The Bible states "Iron sharpens Iron" and in a war zone it rings true. However, that iron can cut and the Chaplain Corps and their assistants are often the ones who heal those wounds.

Max Martini, who plays Army Master Sgt. Mack Gerhardt in the CBS show "The Unit," raced up a steep hill at a combat outpost in 28 seconds.

Today's Soldier in Focus is Sgt. 1st Class Trevino L. Copeland, a supply sergeant, assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. Copeland, a native of Lincoln, Neb., joined the Army in July 1990 and enlisted as an infantryman.

An Army family member has earned $5,000, a laptop computer and a trip to the nation's capital as the first Military Child Award winner for a national troop-support organization.

Country singer Charlie Daniels and his band performed for service members at Sustainer Theater here April 17 as part of a "Stars for Stripes" tour.

The rock band Hollowell jammed for Soldiers at the Favors Outdoor Theater here April 10, in the first outdoor show of the year at this remote Army logistics base in northern Iraq.

After a long stressful day of patrolling the streets of Sab al-Bour looking for weapons and explosive devices, weary Soldiers of B Troop, 2nd Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team return to base anxious to fall into bed. But, as they enter their quarters, they pause for a look at the collage of greeting cards that hang around the door. The cards, a collection of well wishes from children at the Ann G. McGuinness School back in the States, seem to erase the events

According to the U.S. government, I am an extremist. I am a Christian and meet regularly with other Christians to study God's word. My faith convinces me the prophecies in the Holy Bible are true. I believe in the sanctity of human life, oppose abortion, and want to preserve marriage as the union of a man and a woman. I am a veteran with skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat. I own several firearms, and I frequently shoot them, buy ammunition, and consider efforts to<

Four Soldiers from the 1st Inland Cargo Transfer Co., 391st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, reenlisted in the first week of April, bringing total reenlists for the small company to 16 for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, surpassing the goal by 145 percent.

Making sure "we get it right" for the nation's Soldiers and their families is his top priority, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told about 400 4th Infantry Division soldiers here yesterday.

Texas guardsmen escort fuel convoys around Anbar province every week and build relationships with their Iraqi partners to support coalition operations.

The M1A1 Abrams tank is one of the newest additions to the Iraqi army's arsenal. U.S. Army armor Soldiers and contracted civilians are assisting the 9th IA Division with getting their armored crewmen trained on the new equipment at Forward Operating Base Hammer.

As you walk into the 3rd Bde. Special Troops Bn. Troop Medical Clinic, you are greeted by smiling faces ready and waiting to assist you with all of your medical needs. They have desks, a waiting area complete with a couch and refreshments, and two patient rooms with beds and shelves stocked full of medical supplies.

National Guard members from five states and their families participated in yesterday's 2009 Easter Egg Roll held on the South Lawn of the White House.

A former Marine sergeant turned country-music artist is using his newfound fame to urge Americans to do more to support the men and women returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It was June 6, 1998, and the 54th anniversary of D-Day was probably a day just like any other that summer. There was a good chance it was sunny in New York State, in a small town outside of Fort Drum where two Army officers had their own rendezvous with destiny. It's probably safe to assume, aside from the irony of two young captains meeting on the 54th anniversary of D-Day, it was a meeting much like any other.

As cloud-covered skies unleashed a torrent of rain, thousands of people demonstrated in and around Baghdad's Sadr City on the sixth anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein, April 9. Similar rallies against coalition forces in Iraq ended in violence and bloodshed in previous years. This year, the "Black Knights" of the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division were determined to not let history repeat itself.

In a war zone, many Soldiers may begin to question their career decisions. As the dangers of war enter their lives and long work hours far outweigh their free time, it may be hard for a Soldier to embrace the concept of continuing this lifestyle for years to come.

The Air Force's top spouse discussed the challenges Air Force members and their spouses face during deployments while she visited the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing April 6 and 7.

Coalition forces, school officials and students took part in a ceremony April 5, at Michal al-Hurria, a small school in Abu Ghraib, to honor the hard work of coalition forces who were instrumental in renovating the school.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus invited more than 300 military families to their show at the Patriot Center here last night for "thrills and chills" under the big top in recognition of the Month of the Military Child.

All the support programs in the world won't do any good if no one knows about them, so the Defense Department's principal director for military community and family policy started the office's new "eMagazine."

The traveling, never-ending campaign roadshow came home this week. The president of the United States is back in Washington from his "I like you, you like me" excellent adventure in Europe and "surprise" trip to Baghdad. It was nice of POTUS to thank the troops. He should have bowed to them instead of to King Abdullah.

The day started like any other day in eastern Afghanistan, moderate temperature, sunny; hardly a cloud in the sky.

Growing up together in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Staff Sgt. Jeremy Moersch and Spc. Brandon Kosky played cops and robbers as boys, fighting the "bad guys" and putting them behind bars in an imaginary world.

Anyone from the Saturday morning cartoon generation knows that "reading is fundamental." Now, young military children will get their own version of that message through Reach Out and Read's new military pilot program.

A 2-year-old girl from Gardez province and her family flew to Cincinnati, Ohio earlier this month to have reconstructive surgery on the child's trachea after swallowing a battery a year ago.

A California based troop-support group has collected and mailed more than 600 Easter baskets as part of April's observance of the Month of the Military Child.

Propeller wash from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter christened the official renaming of a landing zone on Forward Operating Base Marez, March 20.

Catchpenny, a Minnesota-based rock band, performed in Iraq for approximately 15 days to entertain deployed troops, as part of a one-year contract with the Department of Defense Program directors.

At daybreak on a warm desert morning in Baghdad, nearly 1,000 Soldiers joined together to remember one of their own in a moving tribute run.

While many humanitarian missions in Iraq only provide supplies to communities, one recent mission also had a message to deliver.

School children made up of 7th and 11th graders in the small town of New Roads La. might not be old enough to join the military, or old enough to vote, but that does not mean they can’t make a difference half a world away in countries such as Iraq.

Pastors and priests in uniform, National Guard chaplains are the ones helping Soldiers and Airmen maintain their spiritual health, whether it’s during State Active Duty for flooding, on drill weekends or when deployed overseas.

Julius Caesar was murdered by Brutus and his friends in the Roman legislature on the ides of March 44 B.C. Free enterprise died at the hands of Barack and his friends in the American legislature on the 30th of March 2009. The following day, those same ministers of American government completed the death warrant for civic duty in our republic. They called it the "Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act." The bill passed -- as did the killing of Caesar -- with overwhelming support from th

Some people just can't get the military out of their system – nor do they want to.

As the April showers arrived and the first signs of spring appeared, the students, faculty, and guests of Butner Elementary School began their celebration, the Month of the Military Child.

During their previous deployments most Soldiers saw a blistering operational tempo as U.S. forces tried to be everywhere in order to stay ahead of the insurgent forces.

For Soldiers returning from deployment, reintegrating back into society can be an unnerving experience. First, there is the highway – horns, loose fan belts, aggressive and distracted drivers. Then there is the chaos and clamor of ringing telephones, the buzz of appliances, the circus of television’s flash and noise.

Going to school is not usually on a Soldier’s mind during a deployment. The Army Education Center here is looking to change that.

Four weeks ago, I boarded a plane for a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the land of desert sheikhs, Aladdin's lamp and Ali Baba. A land where the desert sands hold the history of its ancient peoples. A land so ancient it is considered the cradle of civilization. The birthplace of Abraham. The land where Nebuchadnezzar held Israel captive. I was headed to Iraq. My mission: to embed with Southern Baptist chaplains serving in the U.S. military.

There's strong and then there's Army strong. Nowhere is that more evident than on the front lines of war. My experience embedding with the chaplains of the XVIII Airborne Corps solidified my belief that we have the best of the best serving overseas.

Since World War I, the blue service star has served as a symbol to honor those Soldiers who are deployed away from their loved ones.

Four U.S. Soldiers became American citizens during a ceremony at al-Faw Palace on Camp Victory in Baghdad recently.

Baseel Ali, deputy director of Agriculture for the Dhi Qar province cut a red ribbon at the Nasiriyah Tree-Nursery to officially open the facility, March 26.

Those in uniform must always remember their fallen comrades and their families, and those families deserve help in enduring their heartache, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here last night.

Wednesday, April 8 has been proclaimed as a day of prayer and fasting for the U.S. Army's 200,000 deployed soldiers and their families by the Army's chief of chaplains.

A usually, quiet and timid chaplain assistant answered the call to duty for the 332nd Medical Brigade and delivered powerful words of inspiration as he filled in for the Brigade chaplain on March 22 at the William F. Lyell Army Reserve Center.

Since 2001, multiple deployments have put a strain on Army families, and two-Soldier marriages are no different.

Soldiers from the 16th Sustainment Brigade found a way to unwind by taking advantage of the U.S. Central Command’s rest and recuperation pass program March 2.

The Army National Guard's top chaplain, Brig. Gen Bryan Hult, visited New York National Guard headquarters on March 28 to meet with Lt. Col. Eric Olsen, New York National Guard state chaplain.

A divine appointment in an airport gave Bobby Welch an opportunity to encourage 400 members of an elite U.S. Army unit and personally share the Gospel with soldiers who fight in some of the harshest conditions imaginable.

On Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008, Rahm Emanuel, now the White House chief of staff, famously described the future Obama administration's philosophy for governing: "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before." "O-Team" sycophants in the so-called mainstream media chuckled. Conservatives were alarmed. We now know we had reason to be.

What sets Maj. Alan Brown apart from other Airmen in the gym at Bagram Air Field's Camp Cunningham isn't his workout routine, it's his right leg.

A Pennsylvania Army National Guard medic is making a big difference for children by providing just a little bit of medical care.

Soldiers of Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 146th Field Artillery, Washington Army National Guard, under the 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion have a new company gym.

One hundred and fifty Iraqi kindergarteners go to school undeterred, day after day, to a building with peeling paint, shattered windows, crumbling stucco and inoperable restrooms in the Shamasiya neighborhood.

The National Military Family Association will host more than 9,000 military children at "Operation Purple" youth camps across America this year.

She takes a few steps forward and then glances over her shoulder. A few meters up the road she stops and lies down on the ground.

Eighty-two Iraqi kids found a new reason to smile, thanks to efforts from Iraqi national police officers and U.S. Paratroopers in the Rusafa district of Baghdad, March 23.

As one spouse tried to navigate the other across a room and through a minefield of foam toys, the games had begun at the Army's "Strong Bonds" marriage retreat near Baltimore.

The 10-piece Air Forces Central band, Oasis, entertained the Airmen of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in an outdoor concert March 22.

“Training gives us practice and practice makes us better at what we do.” These are the words of Team Military Police’s battle non-commissioned officer, Sgt. William Ludwick, as he talked about the professional advancement of his team.

President Barack Obama’s recent announcement to end combat operations in Iraq by August 2010 may raise a few concerns in the minds of troops serving, including when they can expect to return home and the length of time between future deployments.

Keeping in touch with family is important during a deployment. Family members want to know their Soldier is staying safe and accomplishing the mission. One Soldier here is keeping family members informed with a newsletter for loved-ones back home.

More than 140 years ago, Lucy Hobbs became the first woman to graduate dental school. The achievement is only half the story. For several years, Lucy Hobbs was denied admission to several dental schools on the basis of being a woman. She persisted though, and eventually earned the reputation, ‘the lady who pulls teeth,’ putting to rest any doubts about women’s abilities as dentists.

The United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., sent one of its own, a Catholic priest, to the front lines to minister to the border-watching Long Knife Brigade.

Soldiers from across Iraq gathered March 18-19 to compete in the 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)’s Sustainer Challenge competition, a team-based event designed to test the limits of physical endurance, combat skills and team spirit.

As we wrap up our third month in country, we have officially passed the first quarter mark of the deployment.  One of my job as the battalion chaplain is to assess morale throughout the unit and report trends and/or concerns to the commander.  Fortunately, there are no concerns to report amongst the Warhorse family.  We are still focused on our mission, dedicated to each other, and thankful for all the love and support we receive from home.&

On the monitor is a smiling woman, happy to see her husband in such clarity and to hear his voice without the fear of losing the phone signal. The doctor’s office she is in is full of people with the occasional glimpse of family members and a local news agency’s cameraman in the background. Watching the excitement live, thousands of miles away, is a Marine, her husband, currently deployed to Iraq and waiting to hear the word … boy or girl.

The Department of Veterans Affairs claims this is its "mission." The slogan -- extracted from the last paragraph of Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address -- is inscribed proudly on metal plaques at the entrance of the VA's headquarters in Washington. The Obama administration made a mockery of this pledge by proposing to charge veterans' private insurance companies for treatment of service-connected injuries, wounds or sickness. Had the White House not rescinded this immoral and

Vikings, giants, cardinals and rams are not common on the dusty streets of Al Asad Air Base in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. However, March 8, 2009, these seemingly unrealistic sights weren’t just mirages in the sand.

The Family Member Employment Assistance Program at the Air Station is collaborating with Military Spouse Corporate Career Network in order to bring new work-at-home opportunities for military spouses in the Beaufort area.

The leader of the nation's largest veterans organization says he is "deeply disappointed and concerned" after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the

Troops from the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan delivered gifts to a primary school March 15 near Bagram Airfield. The troops dropped in to present the children with clothing, toys and school supplies.

Military veterans and spouses in the New Jersey area are getting help finding jobs from a troop support group.

While there are fewer barriers that need to be overcome by women, each woman serving in the military has broken barriers of her own, said Army Maj. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran and former helicopter pilot with the Illinois Army National Guard.

For the past nine months, a group of musicians have gathered on Sunday mornings to fill the air with bluegrass music at the Green Beans coffee shop for anyone one to come and enjoy.

Our Military Kids is an organization whose purpose is to supply the families of deployed Reservists and Guardsmen with funding so that they can either start or continue extracurricular activities while parents are deployed.

The residents of a small village in rural Jawadia of the Babil province received an unexpected surprise recently.

It is 9 p.m. at al Muthana Army Base, home to the 6th Iraqi Army Division. The work day ended hours ago, but one small classroom is still lit up and a multitude of voices breaks the relative silence that has overtaken the rest of the post.

A month after a Colorado boy collected his toys and sent them to Iraq, a group of U.S. Paratroopers distributed the items to children in eastern Baghdad’s 9 Nissan District,

Soldiers with the 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, deployed to Iraq, were able to enjoy a break from the day-to-day stresses of being in a deployed environment while attending a chaplain’s retreat at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and Kuwait City.

Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers conducted a joint humanitarian mission to provide medical attention and essential supplies to the citizens of Musharah near the military base, March 8.

Wives of paratroopers from the 4th Squadron, 73rd Calvary Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, meet once a month in a combined effort with a national foundation, Quilts of Valor, to make quilts for the wounded Soldiers from their unit.

Spouses of Soldiers in the 18th Airborne Corps have a better idea of how to reconnect with their other halves upon redeployment, thanks to the Army's Battlemind reunion training.

Taking an oath and becoming an American Soldier is an important and demanding decision made by only one percent of the American population.

More than 70 volunteers and chapel team members from across Joint Base Balad joined forces to sort through and prepare children’s items for distribution as part of a “Kids of Iraq” initiative, March 11.

In a combat zone, Soldier’s uniforms are subject to more than the normal wear and tear. Due to the nature of Soldier’s missions, uniforms may become torn, the soles of boots worn down and protective eyewear can break. To help Soldiers replace unserviceable uniforms, the Army has implemented a web-based program within the last four years specifically for Soldiers deployed to combat zones.

Thanks to a project back home in the states, Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldiers recently accepted a huge show of support and appreciation in the form of thousands of care packages.

"Can we all get along? … Let's try to work it out." That was Rodney King's plaintive plea in May 1992, after his highly controversial confrontation with the Los Angeles Police Department led to arson and anarchy. Now, 17 years later, the Obama administration apparently has made "get along" its response to every national security test. So far, it has been the wrong answer.

The 110th Quartermaster Company holds the unique mission of command and control over the Iraqi Truck Company Yard in Baghdad, Iraq.

The National Guard's non-commissioned officers should be proud of the leadership they provide both inside and outside the wire in the nation's combat zones, said the National Guard Bureau's senior enlisted leader here during a recent town hall meeting.

Recently five Airmen begin their day with a briefing. They meet inside a small building on the edge of the flightline. Wearing their tan flight suits, weapons are issued and checklists brought out.

Soldiers of Task Force Mountain are on the home stretch of their deployment to Iraq and will soon be back with their families.

Two Soldiers -- Spc. Hugo Murguia and Cpl. Juan Villegas from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, 3rd Battalion, 133rd Field Artillery Regiment, 287th Sustainment Brigade -- became naturalized United States citizens during a ceremony at Al Faw Palace, Camp Victory, Iraq, on March 3.

It’s been said that old Soldiers never die, they just fade away. But Sgt. 1st Class Gordon Ross, a 44 year-old native of North Bend, Wash., has no intention of fading away any time soon. In fact, he says he is just getting started.

Within the base’s fitness center at any hour of the day, one will likely see a handful of the vibrant, red physical training T-shirts the Black Dragon troops are known for.

Defense Department officials today announced across the board recruiting and retention successes in February, with every service meeting or exceeding its active-duty, reserve and National Guard goals.

Some of Diwaniya’s brightest young female students between 13 and 15 years old happily participated in their new school’s opening Feb. 26.

Dressed head to toe in Marine Corps fatigues, the 6-foot-3 Arizona Cardinal nonchalantly munching on beef jerky outside the Marine Corps Exchange on Camp Ramadi, Iraq, almost fit in, save for the dreadlocks and the poster taped to a wall behind him with his photograph on it. Larry Fitzgerald smiled casually at shocked Marines and Soldiers as they stumbled past him on their way into the small store. Many stopped to shake his hand or just stare. Some ran back to their living quarters to grab ca

Two U.S. Army chaplains are building much more than the faith of their Soldiers on the remote base here.

The Obama administration's remarkable inability to say or do the right things to aid our sinking economy, stay the collapse of our equities markets, or even build a competent Cabinet is now the stuff of cartoons, talk show fodder and late-night comedy. Who hasn't heard the one about how "this year's IRS 1040 allows every taxpayer to claim one Geithner or a Daschle, depending on how much tax you don't want to pay"? Humor may help us deal with our current financial travail, but nation

The Transportation Soldiers here that often escort convoys of supplies throughout northern Iraq have learned to work closely with Iraqi security forces, and it’s paid off.

A roadside bomb in Afghanistan cost Army Sgt. 1st Class John "Mike" Fairfax his right leg, but it didn't take away his spirit.

With some foresight, the 1538th Transportation Company of the Indiana National Guard, one of the units in the 419th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, collected and brought with them, school supplies, toys and clothes in hopes to participate in a humanitarian mission while on tour in Iraq supporting the War on Terror.

Soldiers trust their battle buddies to have their backs in any situation. Regardless of the danger, it is a bond of war; a closeness that is rarely verbal, just understood through a simple nod or pat on the back.

Single Soldiers face many issues in today’s military that are often overlooked, such as dating, single parenting and recovering from pain associated with past relationships.

Through its investor education foundation, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, is helping military spouses become accredited as financial counselors.

Soldiers from F Company, 949th Brigade Support Battalion, while here fighting for our country, are also keeping up with their schooling.

The chaplain and his assistant for the 732nd Air Expeditionary Group has a one of a kind job. The Airmen they serve perform their duties in combat zones outside the wire, so they do too.

In the 13th naturalization ceremony conducted in Iraq, 251 Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from 65 different countries and bases across Iraq became American citizens in the rotunda of Al Faw Palace, March 3

Troops serving overseas will get a little bit of "Christmas in May," thanks to a troop-support group that is collecting gifts and snacks to be mailed to them on Armed Forces Day, May 16.

Several thousand miles away from home, a 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Airman was able to witness the birth of his first child live thanks to modern technology.

Deployment is never easy, especially a fifteen-month deployment where Soldiers face the possibility of missing the same holiday twice away from their loved ones.

U.S. Soldiers are making a difference in the lives of Iraqis, as evidenced recently by the opening of a senior center and orphanage, a new school and school renovations, and a refurbished joint security station.

The supply sergeant from the 259th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion ensures Soldiers are protected from the hot Iraqi sun by having a supply of sun block for every Soldier in the unit since arriving at here in August 2008.

Three Soldiers may complain about the traffic back home, but while pulling convoy security and driving down the dusty roads of Iraq during their year-long deployment traffic doesn’t seem to phase them.

Less than two miles outside the front gate lies an area of historical and biblical significance - a place where the man considered the father of all nations, Abraham, used to call home. This place houses a temple nearby called the Ziggurat of Ur.

More than a name change, Part 1 discussed implementing the new Family Readiness Program. In Part 2, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Commander Col. Mark Desens described a paradigm shift from former programs and Family Readiness Officer Kelly Cotton described the new program's capabilities. Part 3 described the importance of hiring and training the right FRO, the importance of volunteers and a transformed role for commanders' spouses.

Camp Liberty’s East Life Support Area Morale Welfare and Recreation center hosted a barbecue cookout Feb. 22 at the East Mayor’s Cell for Soldiers to blend past experiences and spices, conversation and family recipes, and to mix secret barbecue sauce with everyday operations. But most of all, it was an opportunity for them to relax.

Truth be told, Barack Obama may be the most charismatic and articulate public speaker in America today. Give him carefully crafted prose, well-wrapped applause lines, a teleprompter and an audience, and he will bring 'em to their feet, fired up, ready to charge the barricades. It is a gift, and he uses it well.

1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, under the direction of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, has arrived in northeastern Afghanistan and hit the ground running with a road project in Nawabad Village.

Nearly 200 runners gathered outside the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Base Complex at Contingency Operating Base Q-West for a five-kilometer fun run, Feb. 16.

The U.S. Agency for International Development through the assistance of the local governance and community development project recently distributed more than 1,000 winterization kits in Konar province.

Troops nearing retirement eligibility may be able to tap into the transferability benefits provided in the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, even if they're unable to serve four more years of duty due to service policies, a senior defense official said.

Soldiers from the 101st Financial Management Co., 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, have been in desperate need of new basketball uniform since the beginning of their deployment.

When many people think of the word combat, they may have visions of fire fights, violent conflicts and warfare; but for a select few Airmen and Soldiers the word combat means being armed with a camera.

Soldiers with the 63rd Armor Regiment got the chance to buy homemade products and souvenirs and further the cause of Iraqi women and their families recently when they hosted a bazaar to sell the women's handiwork.

In ongoing humanitarian operations, Iraqi and coalition forces recently celebrated the opening of a medical clinic and three schools and delivered wheelchairs to Iraqi children.

Soldiers from the 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, visited the village of Tilkabar, located along the Turkey-Iraq border, in order to provide 600 Iraqi school children with gifts, school supplies and toys, Jan. 29.

The construction of a new Soldier and Family Assistance Center here underscores the nation's commitment to those who sacrifice so much, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday.

In 1994, an eight year old girl from San Marcos, Texas stood up in class and said “I want to be a fighter pilot.”

The following article was submitted by Chaplain (CPT) Will Alley, who is the Chaplain for the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.  This battalion has been deployed to Mosul, Iraq since December 12, 2008.

Canis Familiaris, Fido, dog. Whatever you may call them, man’s best friend is undeniably as much a part of Americana as football, cheeseburgers and the Fourth of July. They are an irreplaceable part of many American families. They go with us on vacation, hunting trips, long days at the beach and short walks around the neighborhood. We take them almost everywhere we go, even to war.

Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Task Force Spartan, recently took over command in Logar, Feb. 5, and Wardak, Feb. 7, within Regional Command-East.

The economy is stuck on "meltdown." The Cabinet still has vacancies. The ruling political party on Capitol Hill is obsessed with pork, and the mainstream media are fixated on Ottawa's Obama-mania. When nothing else seems to work, dial 911 at the Pentagon and call for those who get things done: soldiers, sailors, airmen, guardsmen and Marines. And just to be different, send them on a stealth surge.

An all-volunteer construction crew enhanced the living conditions at Forward Operating Base Lightning by constructing an Morale, Welfare and Recreation center made entirely of unwanted, recycled or unused material.

The hard-rock music group Filter entertained service members Feb. 14 at the Sustainer Theater as part of the “Pledging Our Allegiance” Tour.

Fightertown Marines and Sailors must be ready to deploy at a moments’ notice. While they are away performing their duties, they must have complete confidence their families are well cared for and life is running smoothly in the rear. Family Readiness Officers are available to help make deployments run a little smoother for the loved ones at home.

A Colorado-based group is connecting deployed troops with volunteers eager to "adopt" them.

Soldiers eating at Coalition Dining Facility stop to deposit plastic bottles into one bin, aluminum cans into another and trash into a third before exiting the building. This three-step process, while seemingly inconsequential, has enabled ser

When the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade deploys to Iraq later this year, the job does not end for those remaining behind who must continue the day to day operations of the “Warriors” on home soil.

The Army's Life Support Area is an ant hive of activity, serving as the transition point for thousands of U.S. service members moving into and out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Billy Blanks really cares for the troops,” said U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Antonio Whitfield, from Statesboro, Ga., after meeting the fitness legend at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Feb. 16. Blanks continues to devote a great deal of time supporting U.S. troops overseas, teaching Tae Bo and self-motivation techniques during his tours.

Women play a vital role in the United States. The same is true in Iraq, but there is little emphasis placed on their well-being.

From the day that Barack Obama wrested the presidential nomination from Hillary Rodham Clinton, his presidency became, according to those who were running his campaign, "inevitable." Even before winning the election, he began assembling a much-vaunted "team of rivals" to guide U.S. foreign and domestic policy. Though his running mate, then-Sen. Joe Biden, predicted, "It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama," and warned that it would be "

Multi-National Division—Baghdad Soldiers distributed a variety of new school supplies to students and faculty at the Al Aqbas Elementary school in the Sadr City district of eastern Baghdad, Feb. 9.

It takes a dedicated Soldier to serve through several wars and continue to wear the uniform, Soldiers like Staff Sgt. Louis J. Swift and Chief Warrant Officer Steven M. Derry. Swift and Derry are Vietnam veterans who currently serve with the 3-142 Assault Helicopter Battalion, a National Guard unit out of Ronkonkama, N.Y.

Soldiers of the 1538th Transportation Company, 419th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, had the opportunity to relax and enjoy a USO show with musician David Cook on Jan. 21.

Members of Mount Airy Baptist Church, Easley, S.C., visited Guantanamo Bay as part of a mission to reach out to military members and civilians in an effort to help strengthen personal relationships, whether with a spouse, significant other or family member.

As the Marine Corps transitions from Key Volunteers to the new Family Readiness Program, the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit entered its 10-month milestone with the new program, Feb. 5.

Deployment usually means packing up and leaving family behind for a year so that Soldiers can do important missions abroad.

Mina Wali, an Afghan-American woman who has lived in the United States for 28 years, returned to Afghanistan four years ago to help bring a brighter future to the people.

“American Idol” is the hit TV show in which contestants showcase their singing abilities in a competition for fame. Although Forward Operating Base Kalsu isn’t Hollywood, 14 Soldiers had their chance to shine by singing their hearts out to win “Kalsu Idol” here Feb. 5.

Another chapter has come to a close in the brief, but storied, history as the 4-year-old Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, completes its second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

This past Wednesday, President Barack Obama chastised the U.S. Senate to get on with delivering an "economic stimulus package," saying that "failure to act, and act now, will turn a crisis into a catastrophe." Last week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her Democratic colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives did their best -- and passed the largest spending bill in history without a single Republican vote.

Forward Operating Base Blessing in north-eastern Afghanistan are updating their Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities to help Soldiers stay connected with their family and friends back home.

Many Soldiers struggle to earn points for promotion in the non-commissioned officer ranks; some lack the required general technical score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery for certain military occupational specialties. Others want to improve their job prospects as they prepare for civilian life after the military, but don’t know how.

To say the Air Force runs in the family would be an understatement for the Horstmans.

A joint effort between Soldiers with the Afghan national police mentor team out of Forward Operating Base Wilderness and the FOB Salerno Combat Support Hospital saved the life of a 9-month-old Afghan girl from Paktya province.

Sgt. Thomas A. Elfar was named Multi-National Division - Baghdad’s Combat Aviation Brigade Soldier of the Year. The Bruceville-Eddy, Texas, native, competed against more than 20 hand-selected Soldiers across the brigade of approximately 3,000 personnel in a series of boards.

Some entered Baghdad’s Sadr City District Advisory Council compound Feb. 4, in small groups, others came alone. They were a diverse group, former military men injured while fighting insurgents, others victims of Saddam Hussein’s regime; the very old and the very young.

A troop-support group that provides clothing specially adapted for wounded troops recovering in military hospitals, will roll out a new line of garments later this year.

U.S. service members in Iraq are building communities and goodwill as their role there increasingly shifts to helping the Iraqis toward sovereignty.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 185th Armor, California Army National Guard, pet and hug their stress away with a little help from “Sgt. 1st Class Boe.”

After 24 hours of non-stop travel, 30 Soldiers from Hawaii step off their bus into the early morning light and, for the first time, see the place they will call home for the next three weeks. A two-story schoolhouse sits at the end of a large, dusty quad that is spotted with a few meager trees. Classrooms have been emptied of furniture and the Soldiers wearily carry their luggage to the cots with their names marked on the wall.

For an intelligence officer with a passion for Middle Eastern culture, being deployed as part of a provincial reconstruction team is the experience of a lifetime.

Brig. Staff Gen. Ali Haider Abdulhameed, Habbaniyah’s location commander for the Iraqi army, presented 13 U.S. service members from the Camp Al Taqaddum Surgical Team and Coalition Army Acquisition Team with certificates of appreciation, Jan. 29.

Early morning, just past 2 a.m., Feb. 2, more than 6,000 miles away from Tampa Bay, Fla., service members deployed here gathered in a time-honored American tradition: watching the Super Bowl live.

Iraq's government and its security forces deserve praise for overseeing the successful and mostly violence-free provincial elections that were held countrywide Jan. 31, a senior U.S. military officer posted in Iraq said today.

About 200 Soldiers and Airmen from the Idaho National Guard are on duty today to prepare for the 2009 Special Olympics Winter World Games being held, Feb. 7 to 13.

Every day before that sun rises, Airmen from the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron prepare for their visit and control their access to detainees.

Families and Soldiers of Fort Knox’s 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) will lose one of their most important assests this month as their Family Readiness Support Assistant departs for another assignment.

What began last summer as a short-notice tasking to Afghanistan has turned into the opportunity of a lifetime for an Air Force physician assistant.

While not as glamorous as festivities at camps and forward operating bases, Soldiers operating from joint security stations and patrol bases across Baghdad and Iraq made the time in between busy patrol schedules, guard duty and daily operations to enjoy an American tradition amongst good friends and good food.

A military working dog saved his owners life while on a routine mission near Najaf, Iraq recently.

Financial prosperity is not just about money and where it goes. It is a lifestyle choice that requires knowledge of key financial principles and the ability to delay the need for gratification.

Sunni Muslims turned out in record numbers to cast ballots in Iraq's second round of democratic elections since an American-led coalition overthrew Saddam Hussein in 2003. The peacefulness of the elections highlighted the success of an American military surge and the Iraqi people's rejection of sectarian violence.

A maintenance technician for 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, currently deployed to Convoy Support Center Scania, found his freedom in the U.S. and now fights so that Iraqis may enjoy what he has come to cherish.

There are many ways to support the military. Some choose to show their support by putting a magnet on the back of their car or flying a flag in the front yard. Others choose to support the Indiana National Guard through service support organizations.

The soccer balls, clothes, books and candy were very different from the usual loads of heavy equipment, but the transportation Soldiers hauling the load were proud of the mission.

“I am amazed at how down to earth they are!” said U.S. Army Capt. Shawn Reynolds, from Lavergne, Tenn., after meeting six STS-126 space mission crew members at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Feb. 2. The astronauts were visiting U.S. service members in the Middle East and Germany, to show support while sharing experiences during the crew’s November 2008 space mission. The two-week trip is a first for Armed Forces Entertainment.

Fifteen months ago, 2nd Platoon, 24th Ordnance Detachment, 39th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, of Hunter Army Airfield Georgia and Fort Benning, Ga., arrived in Kuwait with a formation that was only 29 personnel strong.

A tribute for Indiana National Guard troops was held at Lucas Oil Stadium, Jan. 31.

For the third straight year, the National Football League and the United Service Organization of Metropolitan Washington teamed up to sponsor a Super Bowl party for Washington-based service members and their families.

“Service to others is the payment you make for your space here on earth,” said Mohammed Ali.

Astronauts with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration visited deployed service members, Jan. 31, on Kandahar Air Field, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

In support of the Security Agreement implementation, Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers and their Iraqi security force partners conducted a combined rehearsal of their security plan for the upcoming provincial elections at Combat Outpost Meade in the Mahmudiyah Qada Jan. 25.

A major health care provider in the suburbs here is teaming up with the Defense Department to help military members and spouses pursue medical careers.

Deployed troops watching the Super Bowl on Feb. 1 will be greeted with messages from their new commander in chief and top Defense Department officials.

Sesame Workshop will air a PBS special on April 1 aimed at helping military families cope with changes.

A 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, maintenance technician deployed here found his freedom in the United States and now fights so that Iraqis may enjoy what he has come to cherish.