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Articles from 12/2008
December 31, 2008 - As New Yorkers and visitors gear up today for New Year's Eve celebrations, the citizen soldiers and airmen of the New York National Guard are ready to support homeland security missions throughout the state, officials said.
December 31, 2008 - Like many high school seniors, Megan Schlotthauer wasn't sure what she wanted to do after graduation. Her grades weren't the best, and college is expensive.
December 31, 2008 - Optimally managing the unique head and neck injury patterns seen in Iraq and Afghanistan has led to a successful initiative at Wilford Hall Medical Center here.
December 31, 2008 - As Pakistani troops apply renewed pressure on militants who have threatened a major supply line, military transportation officials are seeking alternate routes for supplying U.S. and NATO troops deployed in Afghanistan.
December 30, 2008 - The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency destroyed the last landmine in its stockpiles containing VX nerve-agent munitions Dec. 24 at the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Anniston, Ala.
December 30, 2008 - Exactly three weeks before Inauguration Day, the buzz of activity at the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee here is a notable exception to the traditional holiday lull that settles over the nation’s capital between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
December 30, 2008 - About 100 U.S. European Command soldiers, airmen and Marines deployed to Israel to help set up an early warning radar system reported no close encounters with air strikes or retaliatory attacks along the Gaza Strip, a Eucom spokesman said.
December 29, 2008 - Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey Jr. told troops in Baghdad just before Christmas that their efforts have brought "heartening" progress in Iraq that will allow the Army to throw more of its "weight" toward Afghanistan.
December 29, 2008 - In January 1979, the first operational F-16 Fighting Falcon was delivered to Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Nearly 30 years later to the day, a pilot from here has amassed 4,000 hours flying this workhorse of the air.
December 29, 2008 - Christmas presents come in all shapes and sizes, but one junior enlisted Airman here received a gift he never expected -- a call from President George W. Bush.
December 29, 2008 - The general who leads what he calls “an engineer fight” in Baghdad credits attention to sanitation and reconstruction of essential services with creating a dramatic turnaround that’s having a ripple effect throughout Iraq.
December 29, 2008 - The blast of a roadside bomb in Iraq's Sunni Triangle resulted in the amputation of a portion of Richard Ingram's left arm, but it did not rob him of his dream of becoming an Army officer.
December 28, 2008 - Soldiers serving in the Army Reserve long had the stigma of being second-class soldiers.
December 27, 2008 - Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Dec. 26, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
December 26, 2008 - Members of the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Chaparhar Police Mentor Team visited a school in the Terelay Village to distribute clothes and school supplies.
December 26, 2008 - Soldiers from the 926th Combat Engineer Brigade took advantage of an opportunity to ask questions and get answers directly from the senior leader in their chain of command at Camp Liberty’s field house.
December 25, 2008 - 'Twas the night before Christmas, as America still slept, the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing stood combat ready, to protect freedom at a moment's notice.
December 25, 2008 - Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey made a stop in Baghdad, Dec. 22, 2008, to assess the current situation in country and speak with troops.
December 24, 2008 - Airmen of the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit here use innovative training that allows them to thwart terrorist attacks.
December 24, 2008 - Beyond the well-worn paths to self-care, evidence suggests volunteerism -- a selfless act -- also achieves similar results: a longer and happier life.
December 24, 2008 - The military command charged with training Iraq’s security forces and the Iraqi Interior Ministry continue to make progress in the development of the Iraqi security forces and the ministry, a senior military official said.
December 24, 2008 - A civilian orthopedic surgeon who has seen servicemembers’ sacrifices firsthand said he believes the nation owes them a debt of gratitude.
December 24, 2008 - President George W. Bush telephoned nine deployed servicemembers from each military branch this morning to pass along holiday greetings and thank them for their service.
December 23, 2008 - The Army's top officer stopped at Bagram Airfield Dec. 20 as part of a trip to visit Soldiers around the world during the holiday season and discuss the way forward.
December 23, 2008 - After meeting with top military and intelligence officials yesterday in Islamabad, Pakistan, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff emphasized the importance of U.S.-Pakistan relations in the fight against terrorism.
December 23, 2008 - President George W. Bush has signed an updated unified command plan.
December 23, 2008 - Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are relatively insulated from the financial disasters affecting many Americans.
December 23, 2008 - Sather Air Base Airmen destroyed one of the larger enemy weapons caches to be collected at one time in the Iraq theater of operations.
December 23, 2008 - Airmen of the 33rd Fighter Wing here tested their ability to respond anytime and anywhere in support of the nation's defense during an Operation Noble Eagle exercise in mid-December.
December 23, 2008 - Yokota Air Base Airmen participated in bilateral training events with Japan Air Self Defense Force members Dec. 17 at Iruma Air Base, Japan.
December 22, 2008 - Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead and newly appointed Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick D. West met with Sailors at International Security Assistance Force Headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan.
December 22, 2008 - Joint Airborne Battle Staff members here are similar to 911 operators in the air as they ensure convoys operating throughout Iraq are never without communications.
December 22, 2008 - The absence of new terrorist attacks on the United States since 9/11 reflects the success of the nation’s anti-terror programs and policies, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said yesterday on the “Fox News Sunday” television show.
December 22, 2008 - The Army’s top officer stopped here Dec. 20 during a trip to visit soldiers around the world during the holiday season to spend some time with the troops and to discuss with them the way forward for the Army.
December 22, 2008 - Power-projection platforms across the Army will soon receive a new training device designed to keep deploying Soldiers from drowning when their vehicles overturn into water.
December 20, 2008 - While security is important in Afghanistan, “no amount of troops in any amount of time is going to make this successful in the long run,” said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen during a news conference here today.
December 20, 2008 - The overarching strategy for success in Afghanistan must be regional in focus and include not just Afghanistan, but also Pakistan and India, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.
December 19, 2008 - Officials at the Minot-based 219th Security Forces Squadron of the North Dakota Air National Guard's 119th Wing have dispatched security Airmen into the missile fields at Minot Air Force Base for the first time.
December 19, 2008 - More than 4,000 citizen Soldiers and Airmen from at least eight states will provide security, medical and other support during the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration, a National Guard official said Dec. 18.
December 19, 2008 - American and Ukrainian defense leaders are working together to assist Ukraine in its quest to develop modern, democratically managed armed forces, a senior U.S. military officer said here yesterday.
December 19, 2008 - Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Azemar King saw how the nation swept in to help him and his fellow New Orleanians when Hurricane Katrina devastated their city in 2005.
December 18, 2008 - The secretary of the Air Force here selected a commander for the provisional Air Force Global Strike Command Dec. 18.
December 18, 2008 - Airmen across the Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility soon will see a change in their fitness testing procedures as command officials move to centralize the testing under base health and wellness centers by March of 2009.
December 18, 2008 - Airmen at Forward Operating Location Curacao volunteered their free time to paint, landscape and provide comfort for 13 children at the Siloam Children's Hospice.
December 18, 2008 - The United States would welcome China’s participation in counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast, the top U.S. commander in the Pacific said today at the Foreign Press Center here.
December 18, 2008 - After more than two years of promoting the idea that “What gets checked gets done,” the Defense Department’s “Check It” campaign came to an end today with an awards ceremony at the National Defense University on Fort McNair here.
December 18, 2008 - More than 4,000 citizen-soldiers and airmen from at least eight states will provide security, medical and other support during the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration, a National Guard official said today.
December 18, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates hopes commanders with a “vested interest” in the future role of U.S. forces in Iraq can share their views directly with the incoming president, a Pentagon official said today.
December 17, 2008 - The Army should be on target with its language and cultural capabilities within five to 10 years.
December 17, 2008 - Military operations launched in Afghanistan and Iraq after 9/11 brought the fight to terrorists and, with other initiatives, are helping to safeguard America against another attack.
December 17, 2008 - Starting early next year, the Army will allow full military funeral honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia for all soldiers killed in action.
December 17, 2008 - It more important than ever that future U.S. missile defense tests be operationally focused, the commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command said today.
December 17, 2008 - Fighting in Afghanistan probably will increase in the coming year, but it will be on U.S. and NATO terms, not on the enemy’s, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.
December 16, 2008 - They might not wear red suits or fly a sleigh with nine reindeer, but Airmen of the 709th Airlift Squadron here kept true to the holiday spirit of goodwill by delivering supplies to Guatemalan children Dec. 5 and 6.
December 16, 2008 - Air Force officials selected 10 Air Force officers to begin the first-ever unmanned aircraft systems beta test program to produce operators of the MQ-1 Predator.
December 16, 2008 - Massachusetts National Guard members are getting a helping hand today as they continue to assist with recovery operations from a severe winter storm that dropped ice, freezing rain and sleet throughout the region Dec. 11.
December 16, 2008 - As the military institutionalizes new and unconventional warfighting skills, it also must work to maintain its conventional dominance.
December 16, 2008 - Although military recruiting is less difficult in a waning economy and low job market, attracting recruits remains an ongoing challenge.
December 15, 2008 - Engineers here are designing a product to protect B-52 Stratofortress aircrews from a nuclear attack's blinding light.
December 15, 2008 - A Christmas tree farm in Whitehouse, Ohio, is celebrating the holiday season by giving away 100 Christmas trees to military families.
December 15, 2008 - A deployed Marine lived through a war as a child, but he did not hesitate years later when it came time to defend the freedom he and his family almost lost.
December 15, 2008 - Housing allowances for military members will go up an average of 6.9 percent in 2009, Defense Department officials announced today.
December 15, 2008 - In his final trip to Iraq and Afghanistan as commander in chief, President George W. Bush brought season’s greetings from “a proud and grateful nation” to deployed U.S. troops yesterday and early this morning and thanked them for their service.
December 14, 2008 - President Bush paid a surprise visit to Iraq yesterday, where he praised lawmakers in Baghdad for passing the status of forces agreement with the United States and offered a farewell message of thanks to U.S. troops serving there.
December 13, 2008 - U.S. combat forces are on track to be out of Iraqi cities by June 30 in accordance with the recently signed status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq, the top U.S. general in Iraq said today.
December 13, 2008 - The mission in Iraq is still relevant despite the recent political attention on the fight in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told troops here today.
December 12, 2008 - More than 2,000 Soldiers donated over 3,000 toys for a chance to earn foreign jump wings during the Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop Dec. 5-6 at Sicily Drop Zone.
December 12, 2008 - An 18-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department is achieving another veteran status here, this time as a soldier.
December 12, 2008 - Children from rural Alaskan communities were treated to an early Christmas this year, thanks to the Alaska National Guard’s “Operation Santa Claus.”
December 12, 2008 - Anyone that has been involved in an accident at their job aboard the Air Station or Laurel Bay, pulled over by the military police, etc. can request the police report by using a Freedom of Information Act request.
December 11, 2008 - The Department of Defense has approved command sponsorship of families at two new locations in Korea and an increase in tour lengths for accompanied service members permanently assigned there.
December 11, 2008 - Airmen with the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron witnessed the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a community center Dec. 5 in Hawr Rajab.
December 11, 2008 - The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) has emphasized the importance of good leadership and education during his tenure and the Navy's senior enlisted Sailor.
December 11, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told several hundred troops here today that a sense of duty caused him to agree to stay on in his current job through the administration change.
December 11, 2008 - Financial scams and predatory lending against servicemembers and veterans is so common that the Arizona attorney general has created an advisory board to stop it.
December 11, 2008 - For only the second time since 9/11, a U.S. Army National Guard division headquarters will deploy to command active-duty forces in combat.
December 10, 2008 - The Defense Department recognized some of its outstanding disabled employees in a ceremony here yesterday that doubled as a forum to advance the cause of disabled workers.
December 10, 2008 - Tour lengths for some family-accompanied assignments in South Korea will be extended to three years, Pentagon officials announced today.
December 10, 2008 - All active-duty and reserve-component U.S. military services met or exceeded their November recruiting goals, according to a Defense Department news release issued today.
December 10, 2008 - Four individuals who have supported America's military, including two retired officers and a television star, were among 23 people who received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony today.
December 09, 2008 - The Navy announced the latest upgrade to Career Management System Interactive Detailing (CMS/ID) in a message released Dec. 9.
December 09, 2008 - In his last scheduled visit to a service academy while in office, President George W. Bush told Army cadets today that the U.S. military has transformed to face threats it faces now and in the future.
December 09, 2008 - The Air Force’s only traumatic brain injury center, at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, is diagnosing and treating predominantly Army patients with a focus on improving their chances of a full recovery.
December 09, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met yesterday with Vice President-elect Joe Biden as Gates continues to work to ensure the department’s transition between the two administrations is as seamless as possible.
December 08, 2008 - Gen. Martin E. Dempsey assumed command Monday from Gen. William S. Wallace at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command headquarters on Fort Monroe.
December 08, 2008 - The Army's senior enlisted member said he believes the National Army Museum, scheduled to open in 2013, will play a key role in inspiring future Soldiers.
December 08, 2008 - Army Gen. William S. Wallace today relinquished the colors of the U.S. Army command responsible for developing soldiers’ skills and doctrine.
December 08, 2008 - Nearly a thousand servicemembers got a big “thank you” gift here Dec. 6 with free tickets to the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship football game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Boston College Eagles.
December 08, 2008 - President-elect Barack Obama has selected retired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. Shinseki as his nominee to be secretary of veterans affairs.
December 07, 2008 - Coalition forces in Iraq apprehended an alleged key member of the Kataib Hezbollah network and two other suspects during an operation early today in Baghdad's Adhamiyah district.
December 06, 2008 - The war in Iraq isn’t over, but a successful end is in sight, thanks to hard work between the United States and Iraq, President George W. Bush said in his weekly radio address today.
December 05, 2008 - The military today shot down a mock enemy missile, employing a synchronized network of sensors in what officials called the largest and most complex test of the missile defense system to date.
December 05, 2008 - A symposium detailing the resources available to individual augmentee (IA) Sailors was held at the Navy Mobilization Processing Site on Naval Station Norfolk Dec. 4.
December 05, 2008 - The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Adm. Gary Roughead announced his selection of Fleet Master Chief (FLTCM) (SS/SW) Rick D. West, as the 12th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) in NAVADMIN 349, dated Dec. 5.
December 05, 2008 - The new U.S.-Iraq security pact that was approved by Iraqi lawmakers Nov. 27 was ratified by Iraq's Presidency Council Thursday, senior U.S. officials said.
December 05, 2008 - 66 West Point cadets of the Army Spirit Pep Team made their way through the Pentagon corridors rallying support for Saturday's 109th annual Army-Navy gridiron clash in Philadelphia.
December 04, 2008 - Test results show Combat Gauze field bandages and WoundStat granules both demonstrated marked improvements over what's currently used to control bleeding in the field.
December 04, 2008 - The Army's vice chief of staff warned researchers Dec. 2 not to let "institutional antibodies" quash ideas and innovations that have the potential to provide Soldiers advantage in the future.
December 03, 2008 - More troops may now qualify for benefits under Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance because of newly expanded coverage following a review by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
December 03, 2008 - The 26th Army Science Conference is currently underway in Orlando, bringing together the scientists, researchers and engineers that are leading the way in developing the next generation of technology for the U.S. Army.
December 03, 2008 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff met with senior Pakistani officials in Islamabad today to thank them for their willingness to work with Indian authorities in a joint investigation into the recent terror attacks in Mumbai, India.
December 03, 2008 - A new National Guard database could improve long-term medical treatment for servicemembers in all branches, and boost research into traumatic brain injury and other health issues.
December 02, 2008 - About 4,000 soldiers representing the National Guard’s only Stryker brigade will deploy to Iraq in early 2009.
December 02, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will devote himself to resolving challenges facing the Defense Department while serving as part of the administration of President-elect Barack Obama.
December 01, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will remain in the Pentagon’s top post when President-elect Barack Obama’s administration takes office.
December 01, 2008 - President-elect Barack Obama cited the need for continuity as the United States fights two wars.
December 01, 2008 - Air Force officials are working to increase manager understanding of how to hire qualified people with disabilities.
December 01, 2008 - The chief of Supply Corps and the commander of Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers visited Sailors and Marines aboard multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Nov. 27.
December 01, 2008 - Retired Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Thomas S. Crow died Nov. 30, at his home in San Diego following a courageous battle with cancer. He was 74.
December 01, 2008 - The American military is planning to build robot soldiers that will not be able to commit war crimes like their human comrades in arms.
December 01, 2008 - The Soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment expected to spend a second consecutive Christmas in Iraq.
December 01, 2008 - The public is invited to join in the festivities as the Black Knights prepare to challenge the Navy Midshipmen during the 109th Army-Navy game on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa.