By Joe Lacdan

Travis Atkins didn't hesitate the June morning when he saw the insurgent reach for a suicide vest underneath his clothing. With his fellow Soldiers mere feet away, Atkins knew he had to act quickly before the enemy's bomb detonated.

The staff sergeant wrapped his arms and body around the insurgent to shield three Soldiers from the brunt of explosion.

By Capt. Scott Kuhn

Sgt. (R) Daniel Cowart was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest medal for valor, during a ceremony conducted March 20 on Fort Hood.

Cowart, a former member of 3rd Armored Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, was originally awarded the Silver Star for his actions in May, 2007 in Samara, Iraq, but following a comprehensive review of awards by the Army, it was upgraded.

By Staff Sgt. Mary Junell

KURE BEACH, N.C. - Children of National Guard services members have a unique experience. They are not fully Army or Air Force brats as children of active duty service members call themselves, but they do have to deal with their parents being away for training one weekend a month, annual training in the summer, and other missions or deployments they are called to support. 

A group of North Carolina National Guard children recently had an opportunity to spend time with kids just like them during the Sleeping With the Fishes event March 23, at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. 

From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy announced updates to uniform policy, grooming standards, uniform item availability and mandatory possession dates for new uniform items in NAVADMIN 075/19, released March 25.

Highlights include:

A command/unit logo shoulder patch is now an option for wear on the left shoulder pocket of the Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type II and III in place of the Don’t Tread On Me shoulder patch.

By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Provisions allowing Guard members to transfer some or all of their Post- 9/11 GI Bill benefits to their spouse or children are set to change, limiting the timeframe Soldiers and Airmen can transfer those benefits.

"You have to have a minimum of six years [in service] in order to be eligible to transfer benefits, and after 16 years you're no longer eligible," said Don Sutton, GI Bill program manager with the Army National Guard, describing the changes set to go into effect July 12.

By Stephanie James

We all know being in a military family doesn’t come without some complications. And the key to surviving is flexibility. Whether your spouse is deployed for months, you have to cancel family vacations/plans last minute, or you and your family are constantly uprooting your lives to live at the newest duty station, it’s all part of the lifestyle. Well you’re not alone, and we are all searching for tips to make our time under contract a little easier. Below are a few helpful tips to prepare you and your family for your next move!

By Erinn Burgess, IMCOM

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- Now through April 19, military spouses can apply for the opportunity to earn a free financial counselor accreditation to help them find employment at any military installation or in the civilian sector.

The FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship Program offers this career-enhancing credential to military spouses so they may in turn provide financial counseling and education to fellow members of the military community.

The program provides a clear pathway for participants to obtain an Accredited Financial Counselor designation, said Jennifer Chambers, a Baumholder military spouse who is currently enrolled in the program.

WASHINGTON -- All four military services of the U.S. Department of Defense are preparing a joint Tenant Bill of Rights in an effort to ensure service members and their families have safe, quality homes and communities, and clear rights while living in them. It is intended to increase the accountability of privatized housing companies by putting more oversight authority in the hands of local military leaders.

All three service secretaries have seen firsthand and reviewed problems in housing units, and the Tenant Bill of Rights is intended to help remedy them by both protecting and empowering service members and their families.

The Tenant Bill of Rights will be enforced through renegotiated leases with the privatized housing companies. The Bills of Rights will be implemented in the coming weeks.

Posted by Mary Beth Long

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, captured the essence and importance of reading with this simple quote. Whether it is learning the art of how to read or reading to learn important information, engaging children to read is key. The fundamental skill of reading can be difficult for some children. Finding ways to make the reading experience enjoyable can influence a child’s reading success.

By David Vergun

WASHINGTON -- Lt. Col. Saunya N. Bright has been in the Air Force 18 years. During that time, she said, the food in military dining facilities has improved dramatically in terms of nutritional value and healthy eating choices.

Bright, a dietitian with the Air Force Medical Support Agency in Falls Church, Virginia, spoke at a Pentagon health fair yesterday and offered some tips to good eating.

By Lance Cpl. Drake Nickels,

CAMP PENDLETON, CA -- With its vast training areas and prime location along California’s shorelines, Camp Pendleton is well known for producing the finest fighting forces on the West Coast. What Camp Pendleton might be less known for, however, is that it has been a backdrop to some of America’s most famous films. Throughout Camp Pendleton’s history, multiple movie producers have utilized its training grounds over Hollywood sets to recreate authentic war scenes of our Country’s most famous battles.

“[Working with the entertainment industry] gives us an opportunity to showcase assets and capabilities that are available to production companies,” said U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Katesha Washington, Entertainment Media Liaison Office (EMLO). “It allows us also to accomplish our mission of telling the story of Marines.”

WASHINGTON — Today the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it will celebrate the start of Women’s History Month in March with a kickoff event on March 6, from 2-4 p.m. at the Women in Military Service for America (WIMSA) Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.

Sponsored by VA’s Center for Women’s Veterans, the event will feature 15 women Veterans representing all branches of military service in a 2019 campaign titled “Trailblazers: Women Breaking Barriers,” celebrating the contributions of women Veterans in honor of Women’s History Month and continuing through the rest of the year.

By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2017  The Veterans Affairs and Defense departments are introducing to service members who have Servicemembers Group Life Insurance an online enrollment system called the SGLI On-line Enrollment System that enables active duty and eligible reserve and National Guard members to manage their group and family coverage online. 

SGLI provides $400,000 in automatic life insurance coverage to service members when they enlist. SGLI members get automatic coverage for dependent children and non-military spouses under the family SGLI program.

By Carla M. McCarthy, Center for Information Warfare Training Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Sailors continue to benefit from the Navy Credentialing Opportunities On-line (COOL) program with the latest Navy COOL app update uploaded to app stores, March 28.

With more than 24,000 downloads so far, the app matches the most recent information found on the Navy COOL website. 

By Rhonda Burke on March 28, 2017

While in high school, Josiah Hernandez came to a difficult crossroads in his young life. Twenty credits short of graduation and struggling with academic and self discipline, he dropped out. Just a few months later, in search of direction, he found the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program.

Job Corps was a second chance for Josiah. He used it to set his life on a path toward prosperity.

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Cory Asato, Navy Public Affairs Support Element Det. Northwest

SILVERDALE, Wash. (NNS) -- Marine Corps Security Force Battalion (MCSFBn) graduated its newest batch of junior noncommissioned officers (NCO) at the command Corporals Course, March 17.

The mission of the course is to provide the Marine corporal with the education and leadership skills necessary to lead Marines. The local battalion chooses to send Sailors integrated into their platoons through the course, as well, promoting unit cohesion and leadership abilities.

From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Navy junior officers interested in serving as a White House social aide can now apply through April 30. 

The White House social aides have supported presidents and first ladies since the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt, and are represented by all branches of the military. They help manage guests who attend social functions at the White House, and also facilitate interactions with the president and first lady. 

By Jessica Myers DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2017 — The selection of the 2017 Women’s History Month theme, “Honoring Trailblazing Women,” falls in perfect harmony with the centennial anniversary of the first enlisted woman to enter into military service. The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services and the Veteran Affairs Center for Women Veterans co-hosted an event at the Women in Military Service for American Memorial yesterday, celebrating the historic enlistment of Loretta P. Walsh, March 21, 1917, exactly 100 years ago to the day.

In the spring of 1917, the United States began preparing for the inevitability of war. However, men were not enlisting in sufficient numbers. On March 19, 1917, Navy Secretary Josephus Daniels determined that women could be enrolled in the U.S. Naval Reserve Force and issued an order authorizing their enlistment.

By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2017 — Karen Pence, the wife of Vice President Michael R. Pence, honored military women today as part of events for Women's History Month.

"We just wanted to say 'Thank you,'" she told three dozen service members at an afternoon reception at One Observatory Circle, the vice president's residence at the Naval Observatory here.

By Luke Murren March 22, 2017

The jobless rate for all veterans edged down to 4.3 percent in 2016 from 4.6 percent in 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ recently released annual Employment Situation for Veterans. This continues a downward trend from the peak of the recession in 2011, and brings the veteran unemployment rate near pre-recession levels.

Some highlights from the 2016 report include:

By Suzanna Brugler,
Naval Supply Systems Command Global Logistics Support, Deputy

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Supply Systems Command Global Logistics Support (NAVSUP GLS) Household Goods (HHG) added 15 more webinars to its series of live, interactive webinars that assist Sailors and their families in facilitating military moves, March 10.

The total number of webinars offered since Jan. 10 is 65, up from the original 50 scheduled early this year.

VA’s rule establishes presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure to contaminants in water supply at Camp Lejeune VA to provide disability benefits for related diseases

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) regulations to establish presumptions for the service connection of eight diseases associated with exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, are effective as of today.

By Jeremy Beale/Staff Writer, Marine Corps Base Quantico

Forty-seven year old, retired Marine Maj. Shalisa Davis, returned to Quantico Marine Corps Information Operations Center, where she works, after becoming the first African American woman to finish seven marathons in seven days across seven continents.

Pushing through sleep-depravation, physical exhaustion and illness, Davis ran over 183 miles, thus completing a seven part marathon series.

By C. Todd Lopez March 6, 2017

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- The standard issue combat boot most Soldiers wear today, the one most commonly worn in Iraq and Afghanistan, is great for sandy dunes, hot dry weather, and asphalt. But it's proven not so good in hot and wet environments. So the Army has developed a new jungle boot that some Soldiers will see this year.

In September, Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark A. Milley directed the Army to come up with a plan to outfit two full brigade combat teams in Hawaii, part of the 25th Infantry Division there, with a jungle boot. The Army had already been testing commercial jungle boots at the time -- with mixed results -- but didn't have a specialized jungle boot, so Program Executive Officer Soldier, headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, had to get a plan together to make it happen.

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Liah Kitchen 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., March 2, 2017 — Transitioning out of the military can be a difficult and stressful time for service members. Many go back to their hometowns to be with their families, while others find work in the area of their last duty station.

Planning for life after the military is one of the key elements in a smooth transition. For retired Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Junior Hamilton, this means exchanging his uniform for business attire.

WASHINGTON - Military Outreach USA, a partner of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), recently launched a program to encourage communities to connect with local VA facilities and help VA provide support to homeless or recently homeless Veterans and their families.

The Adopt-a-VA program, which began in February, connects individuals and community organizations, such as schools, faith-based groups and businesses, with a local VA Homeless Program case manager at the VA Medical Center or community-based outpatient clinic in their area to help meet Veterans' non-medical needs.

By Donna Cipolloni, Naval Air Station Patuxent River

NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md., March 3, 2017 - Following the last of the female yeomen leaving active duty at the end of World War I, only a small number of Navy nurses represented their gender in naval service. But World War II would change all of that. In the early 1940s, the Navy prepared to accept not only a large number of enlisted women, but also the first female commissioned officers who would supervise them.

On July 30, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Navy Women’s Reserve Act into law, creating what was commonly known as the WAVES — Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service — a division of the U.S. Navy created during World War II to free up male personnel for sea duty. Little did anyone know that the resulting influx of women in the U.S. Navy would last far beyond the World War II “emergency” for which they had been recruited.

By Mika Cross on March 2, 2017

Imagine if you drove trucks for the military in some of the world's most dangerous and challenging terrain, in every kind of weather, day and night. After years of serving your country, you decide you want to go home, be closer to family and get back to work.

As you begin to transition from service, you make a surprising discovery: Suddenly, it doesn't matter that you were promoted three times, won service medals and logged hundreds of thousands of miles driving. Employers require you to re-certify and re-train for the very same work you performed in the military. Even though you've got the skills, it's hard to get a foot in the door. For too many veterans, this is a real problem.   

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Eric Lockwood, Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- "How can history inform our maritime strategy today?" Your answer to that question may be the basis for an entry in the Chief of Naval Operations 2017 Naval History Essay Contest, recently announced in NAVADMIN 024/17.

According to the message, CNO Adm. John Richardson directed the contest to further understanding of how lessons from history inform the Navy's way ahead.

By Kristine M. Sturkie, Navy Exchange Service Command Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Beginning Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, military exchange online shopping privileges will be extended to all honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. military.

The Department of Defense announced this policy change as a way to recognize the contributions of service members who served in the military and to thank them for that service.

Congratulations! You just found out your next duty station is in a land far, far away. Your excitement for new adventures may be tempered by questions about what life will be like in a new location and how you’ll get your family there. The good news is that there are resources available to assist families just like yours. Start with a Military OneSource spouse relocation and transition consultation. The consultant can:

from the MilitaryOneSource newsletter

Many service members and their families benefit from the multitude of state laws passed each year. Who is responsible for working at the state level to address the specific needs of military families?

The answer to that question is the Defense State Liaison Office. The DSLO, located in Washington, D.C., was established in 2004 by the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. At that time, the department did not have processes to resolve state issues for service members and their families. DSLO was established to “level the playing field” and remove barriers for service members and their families. As the department continues to transform service member and family support programs, DSLO also provides an opportunity to forge new ways of addressing requirements and aligning support with the programs implemented by states and communities.

from the MilitaryOneSource newsletter

Would you like to spend time whitewater rafting, hiking, rock climbing, winter camping, backpacking, exploring the environment, running ropes courses, or practicing wilderness skills? What if you could do these activities with other military youth just like you?

Military teens (14-18 years old of Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, and Retired personnel) will have an opportunity to participate in adventure camps scheduled May 2016 through February 2017 at little to no cost. These high energy, high adventure, and high experience camps are planned across the United States from Washington to New York and the states in between. This is the perfect chance for you to experience the outdoors as you never have before!

from the MilitaryOneSource newsletter

When school's out for summer, it's helpful to have some activities planned to keep your kids busy, engaged and having fun. Department of Defense summer camps may be a great addition to your child's summer lineup. Make it a summer to remember by checking out these potential camping experiences:

Teen adventure camps

By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2017  Even after 100 years, the world still feels the effects of what was known at the time as The Great War. 

The current situation in the Middle East owes much to the divisions imposed on the region as a result of World War I. The U.S. civil rights effort grew out of the segregation and discrimination African-Americans were subjected to as they strove to serve their country in combat.

WASHINGTON — Researchers know of aspirin’s benefits in preventing certain ailments — from cardiovascular disease to most recently colorectal cancer. But while the link to those two conditions was made, researchers also questioned how and if this “wonder drug” could work to ward off other types of cancers. 

Thanks to a team led by Dr. Vinod Vijayan at the DeBakey Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Houston and Dr. Lenard Lichtenberger of the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, new studies verify their theory of cancer-prevention benefits based on aspirin’s effects on platelets—blood cells that form clots to stop bleeding. The findings appear in the February 2017 issue of Cancer Prevention Research journal.

By Mark DeWolf  March 1, 2017

This Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look at women’s contributions to the U.S. labor force.  Here are some noteworthy statistics we’ve rounded up!

Women are Integral to Today’s Workforce

By Ed Barker, Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Career-minded officers interested in developing language skills and regional cultural knowledge are encouraged to apply for the fiscal year 2019 (FY-19) Olmsted Scholar Program, announced Feb. 17 in NAVADMIN 038/17.

Currently available to unrestricted line, Information Dominance Corps and Supply Corps officer designators, the Olmsted program is a unique scholarship opportunity offering two years of graduate study using a foreign language, while providing overseas cultural and travel opportunities and often leading to a graduate degree at a foreign university.

by Senior Airman R. Alex Durbin
633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

3/27/2015 - JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS. Va. -- Following recent changes to Department of Defense Basic Housing Allowance policies, U.S. Service members living in privatized base housing will no longer automatically receive renter's insurance through property management companies.

Since privatization, Service members who live in military housing communities were automatically provided renter's insurance through the terms of their lease agreement with property management companies who were compensated through monthly BAH allotments for rent, utilities and renters insurance.

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2015 - Defense Secretary Ash Carter recognized several U.S. service members today for their service in Afghanistan and their families for their sacrifices as he hosted the Afghan president and chief executive here.

During a Pentagon center courtyard ceremony, Carter, alongside Secretary of State John F. Kerry, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, paid tribute to U.S. troops, their families, civilians, and thousands of contractors who have served in Afghanistan.

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2015 - Operation Freedom's Sentinel is now a qualifying operation for award of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, according to a Defense Department news release.

In a memorandum signed yesterday, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Jessica Wright approved award of Global War on Terrorism Medals for Operation Freedom's Sentinel, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2015, the release said.

By Lisa Ferdinando
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2015 - They greeted troops in places including Afghanistan, Bahrain and Diego Garcia, performed on an aircraft carrier as jets took off for missions in Iraq and Syria, and saw the Korean demilitarized zone where American troops serve.

The Vice Squad USO World Tour took participants literally to the front lines where members of the U.S. military serve to protect America, said Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

DALLAS - The Army & Air Force Exchange Service knows that for Soldiers and Airmen, there truly is no place like home. With this in the mind, the Exchange is offering one lucky winner a home makeover valued at $18,000.

The $18,000 Home Makeover Giveaway is part of the Exchange's Because of You program, a yearlong effort to recognize and reward service members for their sacrifice and dedication to our country. One grand-prize winner will receive:

From a National Center for Telehealth and Technology News Release

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash., March 27, 2014 - Children in military families move six to nine times between kindergarten and high school, and a mobile app launched in December can help them cope with leaving a familiar place for the unknown.

The Big Moving Adventure app lets children create a Muppet friend to help them through the moving process.

Searching for: Families who are currently insured by USAA for a new television commercial. Especially seeking multi-generational families with USAA

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the following information:

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Mar. 24, 2014 - As the United States continues to support the search for the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, the Navy is sending a towed pinger locator, as well as a Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle, to Perth, Australia, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said today.

The pinger could be used to locate the missing airliner's black box, while the autonomous underwater vehicle has sophisticated sonars that could be used to locate wreckage. Malaysian officials said evidence points to the plane crashing in the Indian Ocean west of Australia.

From a TRICARE News Release

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Mar. 24, 2014 - Walk-in service at TRICARE service centers in the United States is ending April 1.

TRICARE officials said the change reflects "the always growing number of TRICARE beneficiaries who most often now turn to a laptop or cell phone when they have questions about their health care."

By J.D. Leipold
Army News Service

WASHINGTON, Mar. 19, 2014 - Twenty-four U.S. Army veterans from three wars -- World War II, Korea and Vietnam -- received upgrades to the highest military decoration for uncommon bravery and gallantry at a White House ceremony yesterday.

President Barack Obama presented posthumous Medals of Honor to family members and representatives of 21 of those soldiers, and draped the sky-blue ribbon and five-pointed star-bearing medals around the necks of the three living veterans from the Vietnam War.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. NR-133-14

March 18, 2014

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, were recently accounted for and will be buried in a group burial ceremony.

Army Staff Sgt. Lawrence Woods of Clarksville, Tenn., will be buried as part of group on March 21, at Arlington National Cemetery, in a ceremony honoring the servicemen who were lost in an aircraft crash on Oct. 24, 1964.

From a Social Security Administration News Release

WASHINGTON, Mar. 18, 2014 - Social Security claims from veterans with a Veterans Affairs Department disability compensation rating of 100 percent permanent and total have a new process that will treat their applications as high priority and issue expedited decisions.

Carolyn W. Colvin, acting Social Security commissioner, said the new process is similar to the way the agency currently handles disability claims from wounded warriors.

FOOD NETWORK and the producers behind GUY'S GROCERY GAMES are gearing up for the much anticipated 5th Season of THE GREAT FOOD TRUCK RACE! Have you been dreaming of owning and operating your very own food truck? Well, you are in luck! Acclaimed chef and host of The Great Food Truck Race, TYLER FLORENCE, is once again giving you the opportunity to START YOUR OWN FOOD TRUCK!

YOUR DREAM. YOUR CUISINE. And YOUR cooking skills transformed into your very own mobile restaurant!

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Mar. 13, 2014 - First Lady Michelle Obama hosted military children and their families at the White House yesterday for a special screening of the Disney motion picture "Muppets Most Wanted," with an opening address by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.

The event was part of the Joining Forces initiative, established in April 2011 by the first lady and Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Joe Biden's wife, to mobilize support for military families and veterans by all sectors of society.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Mar. 12, 2014 - It was called The Great War even as it was going on. It engulfed the world, and the world is still feeling its effects.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, and U.S. officials are gearing up to mark the centennial.

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Mar. 12, 2014 - In a small office on the second floor of the Pentagon's "D" ring, the world's largest provider of assistive technologies helps thousands of wounded service members and disabled federal employees stay and advance in the workplace.

The Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program, or CAP, was established in 1990 to provide assistive technology and accommodations at no cost to make sure people with disabilities have equal access and opportunities at the Defense Department. The program has since expanded to include 68 federal partner organizations.

By J.D. Leipold
Army News Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2013 - Twenty-one Medal of Honor recipients who put their lives on the line in extraordinary ways and circumstances paid tribute yesterday to four citizen-heroes who also went above and beyond for their fellow man. The first Medal of Honor was presented March 25, 1863, to Union Army Pvt. Jacob Parrott. On the 150th anniversary of that event, more recent Medal of Honor recipients gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor fallen war heroes with a somber wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Following the wreath-laying, the Medal of Honor recipients and civilian honorees they had selected from among 23 finalists moved to the nearby Women in Military Service for America Memorial for another ceremony.

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2013 - As service members start to receive their orders for summer moves, it's time for working spouses to update resumes, start networking for job opportunities and contact career counselors at their new locations, a Pentagon official recommends.

In an interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel, Meg O'Grady, program manager for the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Program, said Defense Department officials are "absolutely dedicated" to helping military spouses overcome challenges they face in looking for education and career opportunities.

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2013 - Defense Department officials recognize that an unemployed spouse can affect a service member's retention, so efforts continue to allow spouses' professional licenses to transfer from state to state as military families move from one duty station to another, a Pentagon official told American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel.

Marcus Beauregard, chief of DOD's states liaison office, noted that certain occupations such as nursing and other medical positions require licensing.

from an email

We operate an online business called The DocSafe, which is a virtual safe deposit box. We started this business as an offshoot of my estate planning law practice in Tampa, Florida near MacDill AFB.

Since we represent many military families in Florida, we have learned that they are oftentimes quickly displaced and need to keep themselves organized. As such, The DocSafe allows them to become organized online with the storage of certain documents, such as their Will, Power of Attorney, deeds, mortgages and insurance policies, which can be accessed anywhere they have an internet connection.

from an AFEES press Release

DALLAS - In an effort to support and assist severely wounded, ill and injured Soldiers, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service is offering free alterations and modifications for this select group at all 79 Army Military Clothing stores around the world.

This Army-led initiative ensures all wounded Soldiers receive free alterations and modifications on all issued uniforms in accordance with the Wounded Warrior Clothing Support Program to include the Army Service, Combat and Improved Physical Fitness uniforms as well as undergarments. Eligible Soldiers must present an approved Army Form 3078 along with the prescribed modifications by the physical or occupational therapist to receive free services.

By Nick Simeone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2013 - The Defense Department possesses more real estate than it needs and is looking to close additional bases and installations in the United States and abroad, a senior DOD official told a House panel yesterday.

Another round of base realignments and closings should be an essential part of any overall strategy for reshaping the military, John Conger, the acting deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, told the House Armed Services Committee in prepared testimony.

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2013 - Veterans and military spouses make good employees because they know how to develop and execute complex plans, and they're at their best when faced with high-pressure situations, First Lady Michelle Obama told attendees at the Business Roundtable Conference Center here today.

In her remarks, Obama continued her call on the private sector to hire veterans and military spouses as part of the Joining Forces initiative she co-sponsors with Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2013 - A free iPhone app for the Thrift Savings Plan available at the Apple App Store could pose a security risk, program officials warned.

A notice on the Thrift Savings Plan website says the "TSP Funds" app, which asks participants for their account login information, is not sanctioned.

 by Debbie Gildea
Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs
*"JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas"* – More than 700 captains, majors and lieutenant colonels have been selected for promotion, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today.
Promotion-selects were considered during the November CY12B Colonel Line of the Air Force and Nurse Corps, CY12C Lieutenant Colonel Nurse Corps, and CY12B Major NC/LAF-Judge Advocate central selection boards held in November 2012. 

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2013 - Budget problems have forced the Army and Marine Corps to cancel the tuition assistance program, service officials said today.

Navy and Air Force officials said they are studying the way forward with the program and expect decisions next week.

FOOD NETWORK and the producers behind THE GREAT FOOD TRUCK RACE are gearing up for the much anticipated 4th Season! Have you been dreaming of owning and operating your very own food truck? Bummed you missed out on the chance last season? Well, you are in luck! Acclaimed chef and host of The Great Food Truck Race, TYLER FLORENCE, is once again giving you the opportunity to START YOUR OWN FOOD TRUCK!

YOUR DREAM. YOUR CUISINE. And your cooking skills transformed into your very own mobile restaurant!

By Navy Lt. Theresa Donnelly
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (10/29/12) - Moving in the military is tough. With loose ends to tie up, such as obtaining spouse employment, moving household goods, transferring schools, shipping vehicles and setting up child care, it can seem overwhelming.

Many families have questions on and are sometimes unprepared for what resources exist to help them move their pets.

By David Vergun
Army News Service

ARLINGTON, Va. (1/8/13) - Army Emergency Relief scholarships for the academic year 2013-2014 became available Jan. 2, 2013, for spouses and children of soldiers, retired soldiers and reserve-component soldiers on Title 10 orders. The application deadline is May 1, 2013.

The Maj. Gen. James Ursano Scholarships are for unmarried children under the age of 23 and the Spouse Education Assistance Program Scholarships are available to the spouses of active duty, retired or deceased soldiers.

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2013 - A living legacy to women who served in all branches of the U.S. military honors their service and sacrifice inside the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

The museum in the memorial depicts the "duty, honor and pride" of the 2 million women who served to defend the United States, from the beginning of the Revolutionary War through today's war in Afghanistan.

By Elaine SanchezAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2012 - Children of U.S. service members around the world will be honored throughout April for their contributions to their families' well-being and sacrifices on behalf of the nation, a Defense Department official said.

Each April, Americans pause to recognize the nation's 1.8 million military children during the Month of the Military Child.

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2012 - The military needs to "eviscerate" societal problems plaguing the force with an unmatched and unyielding effort, the Marine Corps' top enlisted leader said today.

Problems such as drugs, alcohol, domestic violence, criminal mischief and suicide are the "insurgents inside our wire," Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Micheal P. Barrett said. "We need to attack those damn things the same way you'd attack it if it was happening to one of your own children. That's the level of commitment we have."

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2012 - Defense Department officials today launched a challenge to industry to develop innovative mobile applications that provide science, technology, engineering and math learning tools.

The contest, which will run from April 2 to June 4, is headed by the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative, a DOD research and development office.

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2012 - With the temperature rising and the school year drawing to a close, parents across the nation are starting to think about summertime plans. With three young children and a stretch of lazy summer days ahead, it's definitely a hot topic in my household.

Military families can get a head start on their planning today by applying for the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Summer Camp program. The nonprofit organization launched this free program nine years ago to support military children, ages 7 to 17, dealing with the stress of war.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2012 - On the ninth anniversary of U.S. forces moving into Iraq, President Barack Obama has proclaimed today to be "A National Day of Honor."

Here's is the text of the president's proclamation:

Nine years ago, members of the United States Armed Forces crossed the sands of the Iraq-Kuwait border and began one of the most challenging missions our military has ever known. They left the comforts of home and family, volunteering in service to a cause greater than themselves. They braved insurgency and sectarian strife, knowing too well the danger of combat and the cost of conflict. Yet, through the dust and din and the fog of war, they never lost their resolve. Demonstrating unshakable fortitude and unwavering commitment to duty, our men and women in uniform served tour after tour, fighting block by block to help the Iraqi people seize the chance for a better future. And on December 18, 2011, their mission came to an end.

from a SaveOurBenefit.org press release

Washington, D.C. (March 7, 2012) - Military personnel and families have a new advocate in their corner to preserve and strengthen a 150-year-old cherished benefit that provides thousands of dollars in annual savings on household necessities, billions of dollars in added employment income for military families and underwrites other billions of dollars in vital on-base community programs and facilities.

A coalition of military families, advocacy groups and American industry called Save Our Benefit has formed to preserve the heavily valued shopping privileges on military bases along with the network of outlets at veterans' hospitals.

from CBS news release

You would never go on TV to find love. But maybe this time you should consider it.

We are looking for single men and women for a different kind of TV show. it's about finding love; it's about meeting amazing people who could be a good fit for you; it's about having a blast; it's about making a connection. it's not about fancy dates and ro ses. It is not about "TV." it's about a journey and sometimes the journey to find love can be as fun as whether or not you find it. If any of the following is true for you, you should contact us:

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2012 - Military families across the nation soon will be invited to take a stroll down Sesame Street.

Elmo and Katie, a new character from a military family, bend down to greet children from military families. During a traveling show called "Sesame Street and USO Experience for Military Families," Elmo and friends help Katie open up about her fears and excitement about moving to a new location. USO photo by Fred Greaves"  The Sesame Street and USO Experience for Military Families, a free traveling tour exclusively for military families, will kick off April 7 at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and will visit more than 70 installations over the next eight months.

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2012 - At just 9 years old, James Nathaniel Richards already considers himself a seasoned military "brat."

The fifth of six children in his family, Richards took on a host of deployment-related challenges when his Navy father and three of his brothers deployed at the same time. But rather than focus on the separation, he started a blog to help other military kids deal with deployments and separations.

Release No: 050 March 8, 2012
by Eric M. Grill
Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs

"JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH" - Military members wishing to root on their favorite college basketball team as they compete in the upcoming NCAA basketball championship tournament now have free online access to do so.

Using their .mil e-mail address, military members can register with the NCAA.com website to receive free online access to watch all 67 live games using their personal computer, tablet, Smartphone or other select electronic devices with internet access.

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2012 - The National Hockey League's Washington Capitals highlighted the club's ninth annual military appreciation night yesterday with a six-figure donation to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors program.

The TAPS program, founded in 1994, provides support for anyone who has suffered the loss of a military loved one, regardless of their relationship to the deceased or the circumstance of the death.

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2012 - Thousands of service members and veterans whose mortgages were wrongfully foreclosed on, or who were improperly denied lower mortgage interest rates in the national housing crisis, can receive "significant relief," President Barack Obama announced today.

"It is unconscionable that members of our armed forces and their families are among those who were most susceptible to losing their homes due to the unscrupulous acts of banks and mortgage lenders," Obama said during a White House news briefing.

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2012 - President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a "solemn tribute" to Iraq war veterans -- including those who made the ultimate sacrifice -- with a dinner last week at the White House. Among the star-studded generals and troops in formal uniforms was Kim Felts, the only Gold Star wife at the event.

Seated at a table next to the first lady and surrounded by Iraq war veterans and their wives, Kim said she felt humbled and grateful. "I felt like [our nation's leaders] were saying, 'We want to honor your husband in this way,'" she said in an interview Friday.

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON, Va., March 5, 2012 - Military spouses have amazing stories that all Americans need to hear, the wife of the nation's top military officer said here March 3.

"I want all of America to see what I see -- this is a group that can be an incredible source of good," Deanie Dempsey, wife of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, told a group of military spouses attending Military.com's 2012 Military Spouse Summit.

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2012 - A new NBC show that rewards selfless people for their good deeds is seeking redeploying service members to spotlight in some upcoming episodes.

Casting producers are looking for service members returning home in early to mid-April who would like to surprise their families with a homecoming or reunion. They're also hoping to connect service members with a loved one they haven't seen in years because of deployments, finances or other issues. If selected, they'll experience a "one-of-a-kind reunion on national TV," producers said.

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2012 - A proposed new governance structure will make the military health system more effective and produce savings, and the system's 9.8 million beneficiaries worldwide will never miss an appointment, the Pentagon's top health affairs official said.

In a Feb. 24 interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press service, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs and director of the TRICARE Management Activity, discussed three governance reforms under way for the military health system.

Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs Press Release

DALLAS - As Spring blooms, Easter is just around the corner and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service is ushering in the new season with its latest Patriot Family contest.

The "Patriot Family Peeps Diorama" contest gives military shoppers the opportunity to show their creative side and craft a patriotic scene using Peeps candy. Entrants must use a shoebox or comparable item of reasonable size to create a patriotic play, scene or event that inspires emotion. The winner will receive a $1,000 Exchange gift card.

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29, 2012 - A Gold Star wife will be among the guests attending a dinner to honor Iraq war veterans and their families at the White House tonight.

The event, hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, is intended to honor the more than 1 million U.S. service members who served in Iraq from 2003 to the end of operations in December.

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2012 - President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a White House tribute to Iraq War veterans and their families last night to honor them for their service, sacrifice and commitment to nation.

Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with senior officials from all branches of service joined the president and the first lady at an event dubbed "A Nation's Gratitude: Honoring Those Who Served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn."

 By Donna Miles 
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2011 - They served their country in uniform -? many on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now that they've returned home and rejoined civilian life, an alarming number of veterans have found themselves on the streets and living under bridges.

The Veterans Affairs Department is making progress on its commitment to end homelessness among veterans, Deputy VA Secretary W. Scott Gould told American Forces Press Service, striving to achieve that goal ahead of its original 2015 timetable.

 By Elaine Sanchez American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2011 - From robotics engineering to gaming technology, Defense Department school officials are hoping their new, cutting-edge courses will spark a lifelong passion for science and technology in their students.

Under a new science, technology, engineering and math initiative, Department of Defense Education Activity officials will roll out four innovative classes in a limited number of DOD high schools in the fall, with plans for a wider-scale launch to follow if the program proves successful.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 249-11 
March 29, 2011

DOD Launches Online Career Transition Training for Service Members

The Department of Defense today announced the launch of an online Career Decision Toolkit that will allow service members to self assess transition needs and thoroughly explore an array of transition related subjects such as: career exploration, financial planning for transition, job search success, effective resumes and cover letters, interviewing excellence, and negotiating your ideal compensation.

"The toolkit is customized to a service member's own transition needs and assists them in cataloguing their military skills and experience in a way that helps them effectively communicate their skills to prospective employers," said John R. Campbell, deputy assistant secretary of defense for wounded warrior care and transition policy.

By Erin Tindell
Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs

SAN ANTONIO - Air Force Services Agency officials recently announced the call for three Air Force teen camps for 2011.

The annual camps are designed to help Air Force youth build leadership skills and/or aspire to careers in space or aviation.

By Elaine Sanchez 
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2011 - Military children need the support not just of the Defense Department, but the "whole of nation" to ensure they're ready for the future, a DOD official said here today.

"Military children are resilient, but they need a lot of help," said Robert L. Gordon III, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy. "We're doing much more in the within the Department of Defense and federal government, but it will not be enough, because this is an American problem -- it's not just a problem of the Department of Defense."

by Maj. Tabitha Stump
Air and Space Expeditionary Force Casualty Matters

RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - Having insurance is always good and not spending a lot on the coverage is even better. So, getting $100,000 in traumatic injury life insurance coverage for $1 is great.

The Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection program rider provides for payment to service members who are severely injured, on or off duty, as the result of a traumatic event and suffer a loss.

From a U.S. Northern Command News Release

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., March 23, 2011 - U.S. Northern Command is leading "Pacific Passage," an operation for the voluntary return of military family members from Japan in the aftermath of the deadly March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Northcom is the joint combatant command formed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to provide homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities.

By Elaine Wilson 
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2011 - Defense Department officials have launched an online preregistration application that's intended to help parents get an early start on enrolling their children in DOD schools.

Through the site, parents can preregister their children in a DOD school from anywhere in the world, and even while on the move from one installation to another, explained Mike Lynch, chief of policy and legislation for the Department of Defense Education Activity.

By Elaine Wilson 
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2011 - The Department of Defense Education Activity  [ http://www.dodea.edu/home ]has established crisis centers to assist parents of its students and employees who are affected by the voluntary relocations from Japan and Bahrain. The centers are accessible by phone or email 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

By Elaine Wilson 
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2011 - Service members and their families have a few tax advantages at their disposal, as well as a few extra days in which to complete their taxes this year, a Defense Department tax expert said.

Due to Emancipation Day, a holiday recognized by the District of Columbia, government officials have pushed the nation's tax filing deadline from April 15 to April 18, Army Lt. Col. Evan Stone, director of the Armed Forces Tax Council, told American Forces Press Service.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2011 - The deadline for eligible service members, veterans and their beneficiaries to apply for special retroactive pay as compensation for involuntary extensions of their military service contracts has been extended to April 8, Defense Department officials announced today.

The deadline extension is included in the continuing resolution President Barack Obama signed March 18 that provided funding for government operations through April 8.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2011 - The State Department has authorized family members and dependents of U.S. government officials -- including those of service members -- to relocate from northeastern Japan, officials announced last night.

The U.S. government also is working to facilitate the departure of private American citizens from areas within a 50-mile radius of the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, Pentagon spokesman Marine Corps Col. Dave Lapan said.

Release No: 055
March 16, 2011

by Debbie Gildea
Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs

RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - Permanent change of station moves to Yokota and Misawa air bases are currently delayed in the aftermath of an 9.0 Richter scale earthquake and ensuing tsunami that caused catastrophic damage to multiple locations throughout the country.

Wing commanders at both bases have issued stop movement directives that affect military PCS moves, although the orders do not prevent currently assigned Airmen from returning to their home stations following leave, temporary duties or deployments.

By Jim Garamone 
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2011 - Officials told personnel in and around Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Japan today to limit outdoor activities and to turn off air conditioning due to the detection of low levels of radioactivity.

U.S. 7th Fleet officials said sensitive instruments aboard the USS George Washington, docked at Yokosuka, detected low levels of radioactivity released from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant.

Release No. 054
March 15, 2011

By Erin Tindell 
Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs

SAN ANTONIO - Airman and Family Services officials are launching a healthy recipe contest during March in recognition of National Nutrition Month.

The "Cook it Up" healthy recipe contest is open to total force Airmen, civilians, families and retiree dependents, and is designed to encourage healthier food choices into their daily lives. The contest runs March 15 through the end of June.Participants may submit revamped or original "from scratch" healthy recipes in a variety of categories and meal times through the Air Force's "FitFamily" website at www.usafFitFamily.com.  Photos and videos may also be submitted. There's no limit for entries, and officials encourage participants to enter often to increase their chance of winning prizes.

By Elaine Wilson 
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2011 - In the wake of Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami, Red Cross officials are encouraging U.S. service members and families posted there to register with an online resource intended to keep family and friends back home informed of their welfare.

Military members and their families overseas can relay their status and pass on messages to loved ones through the American Red Cross-sponsored "Safe and Well" website at http://redcross.org.

Release No. 053
March 14, 2011

By Erin Tindell Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs

SAN ANTONIO - The roles and responsibilities that Airman and Family Readiness professionals perform on a daily basis are critical to the Air Force's ability to help defend the country, the Air Force chief of staff said here March 10.

Gen. Norton Schwartz and his wife Suzie addressed more than 200 Air Force Exceptional Family Member Program coordinators and school liaison officers gathered for a joint training course held March 7-10 to integrate existing services and standardize programming across the service.

By Cheryl Pellerin 
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2011 - Though the Japanese government has not yet requested help in dealing with the magnitude 8.9 earthquake that hit early this morning near the coast of Honshu, U.S. forces are being readied in case such a request comes, a Defense Department spokeswoman said here today.

"We are assessing the situation and positioning forces so that they are ready to respond and provide disaster relief if directed," Navy Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde said.

Release No: 043
March 8, 2011

Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs

RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - The Air Force selected 276 first lieutenants for promotion during the 2010D Line of the Air Force, Chaplain Corps, Judge Advocate General Corps, Nurse Corps, Medical Services Corps and Biomedical Sciences Corps quarterly captain selection process.

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Walter D. Marino II 
2nd Marine Division

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., March 4, 2011 - A Navy corpsman didn't expect hundreds of Marines clad in camouflage utilities to fill an entire field house just for him ?- but they did.

Navy Seaman Matthew A. Dishmon, a corpsman with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, received the Bronze Star medal with combat distinguishing device during a Feb. 25 ceremony here. Dishmon was honored for saving the life of a Marine last year during combat in Marjah, Afghanistan.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 171-11 
March 03, 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the alert of two units to deploy as part of upcoming rotations of forces operating in Afghanistan and Kuwait.  The scheduled rotation for these replacement forces will begin in early 2012.

The announcement involves two Army National Guard brigade combat teams totaling approximately 7,520 personnel.

Army News Service

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2011 - Service members, veterans and legally designated beneficiaries held on active duty under the Stop-Loss program between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009, must apply by March 4 to receive $500 in special retroactive pay for each month their service was extended.

Although more than 100,000 unique claims have been initiated, many people eligible for the pay have yet to apply, officials said.

Online education leader honors contributions of military spouses

NORCROSS, Georgia  - March 1, 2011 - Ashworth College (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu), announced that it will be a sponsor of Military Spouse magazine's 2011 Military Spouse of the Year Award. Ashworth also sponsored the award in 2010.

The Military Spouse of the Year program annually honors the millions of past and present military spouses who dedicate their lives to serving their country and by giving back to their local community. Candidates are current branch winners and voting is conducted online. The winner will be announced at a Military Spouse Appreciation Day celebratory banquet in May.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2010 - The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families, a free traveling USO show based on Sesame Workshop's award winning "Talk, Listen, Connect" initiative and produced in partnership with Vee, is back in the United States after an around-the-world tour.

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2010 - Defense and USO officials joined military families at the U.S. Navy Memorial here yesterday to celebrate the launch of a new DVD created to help military children cope with a parent's deployment.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beverly A. Moglich's memoirs start with her ducking the machine gun fire from a Japanese Zero at Pearl Harbor when she was twelve years old, but they follow through her life and give her readers insight into the effects of being without a military father for long periods of time.

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2010 - Some military installations are consolidating and getting new names as joint basing becomes a reality.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 222-10
March 22, 2010

The Defense Department announced today that Iraq and Afghanistan have been designated as non-chargeable rest and recuperation (NCR&R) locations, authorizing service members deployed there (for 270 days or more) 15 days of administrative absence, to be used in conjunction with benefits provided under the R&R leave program.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2010 - The Tricare military health plan meets the standards set by the health care reform bill the House of Representatives passed last night, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in a statement issued yesterday.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 208-10
March 16, 2010

The Department of Defense announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. 

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2010 - The Defense Department's family care plan policy will be expanded in the coming months to encompass a wider population of military parents, a defense legal expert said.

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2010 - The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program, commonly known as MyCAA, will resume March 13 for the more than 136,000 spouses who already have established an account, the defense official who heads up the program announced today.

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2010 - Children with a strong nondeployed parent or caregiver and a solid support system have a better ability to cope with deployments, two recent studies have shown.

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2010 - Defense Department officials expect to launch a new policy in the coming months that will make head-injury evaluations mandatory for all troops who suffer possible concussions, a senior official with the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury said.

American Forces Press Service

FALLS CHURCH, Va., March 8, 2010 - The Military Health System has launched a new Health.mil Web site that provides a single point of entry to military health news, information and resources.

By Air Force Master Sgt. Russell P. Petcoff
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2010 - Recommendations from a congressionally directed Defense Department disability review board have resulted in 61 percent of applicants having their status changed from a medical separation to retirement on the permanent disability list, the board president said.

By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2009 - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus recently presented a $12,636 check to American Recreational Military Services to help the troop-support group ship care packages overseas to deployed servicemembers.

By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2009 - The National Military Family Association will host more than 9,000 military children at "Operation Purple" youth camps across America this year.

By Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Imagine attending a luau on Waikiki Beach; golfing in the shadows of the Magic Kingdom; sightseeing a seventh-century city in The Land of the Morning Calm; sunbathing beneath a famous lighthouse on the Atlantic; or skiing or hiking in the Bavarian Alps.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2009 - A recent increase in mail addressed to "Any Servicemember" has prompted the Military Postal Service Agency to remind the general public not to send mail or care packages addressed in such a manner.

By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2009 - During Women's History Month, many Americans take time to salute the contributions of women.

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2009 - In April 2004, at the height of the insurgency in Iraq, five female soldiers unwittingly found themselves fighting alongside Marines in the battle for Ramadi and Fallujah.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ashworth College partners with GoArmyEd.com to offer online education to enlisted service members.

NORCROSS, Georgia - March 29, 2009 - Ashworth College, today announced that it has partnered with the United States Army to provide online college degree programs to military service members via GoArmyEd.com.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2009 - About 614,000 servicemembers are saving for retirement in the federal Thrift Savings Program, which was opened to military members in 2002, a senior Pentagon official said here today.

By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2009 - Military veterans and spouses in the New Jersey area are getting help finding jobs from a troop support group.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2009 - The wishes of the families will be the overriding principle guiding any media coverage of fallen warriors' remains arriving at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2009 - Sesame Workshop continues to find unique and creative ways to reach out to the very youngest in military families, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here today during a sneak preview of a new primetime Sesame program.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 179-09
March 18, 2009

The Department of Defense announced today a comprehensive plan to eliminate the current use of Stop Loss, while retaining the authority for future use under extraordinary circumstances. This is an important step along the path in adapting the Army into an expeditionary force.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 170-09
March 16, 2009

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. 

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2009 - The Defense Department's stateside military child care system took first place in the categories of quality oversight and standards for a second time as part of a national child care advocacy group's report, a senior official said here today.

By Eve Meinhardt
Special to American Forces Press Service

FORT BRAGG, N.C., March 16, 2009 - 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.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2009 - First lady Michelle Obama, having just returned from a meeting yesterday with military families at Fort Bragg, N.C., reiterated today on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" her commitment to ensuring they get the support they deserve.

By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2009 - Deployed servicemembers in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo and Kuwait will not miss out on Girl Scout cookies this year, thanks to the troop-support group "Hugs for Our Soldiers."

By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
Special to American Forces Press Service

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md., March 13, 2009 - Air National Guard civil engineer squadrons comprising hundreds of construction and repair experts will involuntary deploy overseas in historic numbers and scope over the next two years, senior Air Guard officials said.

By Reginald Rogers
Special to American Forces Press Service

FORT BRAGG, N.C., March 13, 2009 - First lady Michelle Obama said she was committed to improving support for military families yesterday during her first visit here as first lady.

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON, Va., March 11, 2009 - Beneath the rows of simple white headstones evenly spaced beneath a dull and cloudy mid-March sky, the stories of those who rest at Arlington National Cemetery here today are anything but ordinary.

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Monty Burton
Special to American Forces Press Service

FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan, March 10, 2009 - Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment -- the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Afghanistan -- now have a special group of people to help them complete their mission in Afghanistan.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 156-09
March 10, 2009

Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter determined today that the status of Capt. Michael Scott Speicher is changed from "Missing/Captured" to "Missing-In-Action" (MIA).            

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2009 - Through its investor education foundation, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, is helping military spouses become accredited as financial counselors.

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON, Va., March 3, 2009 - First lady Michelle Obama received a tip from a retired female Army general today: Keep modeling herself after her World War II-era predecessor, Eleanor Roosevelt.

By Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicole Harmon
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2009 - Camaraderie and caring are among the reasons why Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 24 was honored by the Defense Department for superb support of its servicemembers' families, the reserve unit's senior noncommissioned officer said recently.

By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2009 - 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.

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2009 - Defense Department officials today announced replacement units scheduled for 12-month deployments later this year to Iraq and Afghanistan.

By Spc. William E. Henry, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

INDIANAPOLIS, March 31, 2008 - The Greater Indianapolis YMCA is offering family members of state National Guardsmen an affordable way to stay active and healthy while their loved ones are deployed.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo., March 31, 2008 - Sixty-seven veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan are among 400 disabled veterans who converged here yesterday to kick off the world's largest disabled ski clinic.

By Jamie Findlater
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2008 - A rock star is putting a successful music career on hold as he prepares to deploy overseas as a member of the Army Reserve.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2008 - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is proud of its bond with the military, its chairman and chief executive officer said before last night's opening show here.

By Phil Reidinger
Special to American Forces Press Service

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 27, 2008 - Gavin Cox could have traveled to any exotic locale or tried any profession in the world, but this 5-year-old with leukemia had just one wish: to be a soldier.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2008 - A group of volunteer mental health professionals that offers its services to troops and their extended families will host a conference May 16-18 in Los Angeles for military members who have served in the global war on terror and those who interact with them.

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON, Va., March 26, 2008 - The stars were out here last night -- in insignia form on officers' shoulder boards, and also embodied by celebrity guests such as comedian Jon Stewart -- to salute outstanding servicemembers and other special honorees.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 240-08
March 26, 2008

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

By Sgt. Sara Moore, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2008 - The Army is doubling its investment in family support programs in the 2009 budget and will use that money to hire support personnel for family readiness groups, improve child care, and expand educational opportunities for spouses and children of troops, the Army secretary said today.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2008 - A grant of just $163 dollars from a group that supports military families turned out to be a really big deal -- not only for the recipients, but for the granting organization, as well.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2008 - U.S. 5th Fleet officials today expressed regret for the death of an Egyptian citizen who died the night of March 24, an apparent result of warning shots fired at a small boat approaching a ship chartered by the U.S. Navy.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2008 - In 1967, Robert Hutchinson was a young soldier serving in the jungles of Vietnam. He was concerned that the men in his unit weren't getting enough mail from home.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2008 - The U.S. military has regained control of four non-nuclear nose cone assemblies for a Minuteman missile mistakenly sent to Taiwan in 2006, Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said during a news conference here today.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2008 - What began in 1919 as simple lodging for servicemembers returning from World War I has since become a "jewel in the heart of Manhattan," with an expanding mission that includes supporting deployed troops.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2008 - In 2006, a Five for Fighting hit single asked fans what kind of world they wanted, and now they have a forum to answer the question and help five charities at the same time.

By Jamie Findlater
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2008 - Military personnel serving in combat zones are eligible for an economic stimulus payment, an Internal Revenue Service spokesman said today during an "America Supports You Live" interview on BlogTalkRadio.com.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2008 - Wounded warriors in need in San Antonio now have a place to call home as they transition from military to civilian life.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2008 - To recognize his continuous support and recognition of sailors, Marines and their families throughout his 17 years on television, the Navy presented its Superior Public Service Award to Montel Williams yesterday in New York during the taping of his long-running program's final show.

By Kristen Noel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2008 - More than 6,300 families need to be located to collect DNA samples for the purpose of identifying missing soldiers from World War II and the wars in Korea and Vietnam, a U.S. Army official said yesterday.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2008 - Help for servicemembers coping with the effects of wartime service is just a phone call or a mouse click away, thanks to a nationwide network of mental health professionals.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 212-08
March 17, 2008

Undersecretary of Defense David S. C. Chu today announced the formation of the Deployment Support and Reintegration Office within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2008 - A shade more than 40 years ago, the city of San Mateo, Calif., took an unprecedented step : it "adopted" Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2008 - A new award administered by troop support groups and sponsored by a major corporation aims to recognize the sacrifices made by military moms

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2008 - A new "virtual installation" concept that helps families who live far from a military base get information and tap into services available for them during their loved ones' deployment is expected to begin rolling out next month.

By Staff Sgt. W. Michael Houk, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

AIRAI, Palau, March 12, 2008 - A drama unfolded in the skies above the western Pacific island nation of Palau on Sept. 1, 1944, as intense fighting between American and Japanese forces was getting under way. During a raid, comrades of the U.S. Army Air Forces looked on helplessly as the crew of a B-24 Liberator bomber, the Babes in Arms, was brought down by anti-aircraft fire. Three of the crew reportedly bailed out, one without a parachute, before the bomber dove headlong into the ocean never to be found -- or so it was thought back then.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2008 - The top U.S. general in Korea told Congress today he supports three-year, family-accompanied tours in Korea in light of planned operational and quality-of-life changes under way there.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait, March 11, 2008 - For more than four hours last night, Camp Buehring, in the middle of the Kuwaiti desert, became a hard-rocking outdoor amphitheater.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 0188-08
March 10, 2008

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. Army Air Forces airman, missing since 1942, have been identified and will soon be returned to his family for burial.            

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2008 - A Defense Department program is providing some of the department's military and civilian personnel with cultural and linguistic training before they deploy abroad.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2008 - A new Defense Department policy prohibits all commercial photography or other image collection on U.S. military bases and installations.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2008 - An integrated command center scheduled to become operational in May will improve the global situational awareness critical to U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Command in protecting the homeland, the commands' top officer said yesterday.

By Jamie Findlater
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2008 - Troops with sound personal finances are better able to focus on mission accomplishment, a Defense Department official said yesterday.

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2008 - Defense Department officials honored one of the world's last living World War I veterans in a ceremony at the Pentagon today.

Cindy and I are pleased to announce that we have formed a partnership with ClipSyndicate, an online video news agency,  to bring you what we are calling "Video News and Views".  We Hope you enjoy the offerings.

BJ 'n Cindy

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2008 - Troops in Kuwait preparing to deploy into Iraq will get a crash course in rock-and-roll MySpace style when the online social network hosts its "Operation MySpace" concert March 10.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2008 - The company that made inspiration standard has done the same with its support of the nation's troops since before World War II.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2008 - A revised Defense Department directive provides sharper definition of what servicemembers may and may not do within the political realm, particularly running for political office, a senior U.S. military officer said here yesterday.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2008 - Troops serving overseas are about to get a tasty blast of appreciation through a unique partnership.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2008 - President Bush today presented the Medal of Honor to the family of the late Army Master Sgt. Woodrow Keeble, the first full-blooded Sioux Indian to receive the nation's highest military award, for heroism during the Korean War.

By Sgt. Jim Wilt, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, March 3, 2008 - Despite advances in body armor and medicine, many soldiers would hesitate to expose themselves to a hail of bullets and rocket-propelled grenades. And not every soldier would risk his life to help a soldier from a different army.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2008 - A memorial in Oklahoma City will honor servicemembers who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom while serving Afghanistan and Iraq.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29, 2008 - Afghan National Police officers are getting help rebuilding from U.S and other countries' troops, but they're also getting a boost from friends they may never meet.

NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
March 30, 2007
Imminent Danger, Hardship Pay Changes Announced

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2007 - Running a nonprofit organization can be strain on an individual's time, space and resources. One home-front group's leader says she relies on a specific form of aid through the tough times: divine intervention.

NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 356-07 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2007
DoD Announces Installation Realignment In The United Kingdom

 The Department of Defense announced today that the United States will cease operations at two military facilities in the United Kingdom.

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2007 - Before a U.S. aircraft broke the sound barrier, the Tuskegee Airmen overcame a daunting social hurdle: breaking the Air Force's color barrier.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2007 - Understanding the critical role spouses play in the recovery of wounded warriors, Operation Homefront has created the Wounded Warrior Wives Project to help them navigate the challenges they may face.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2007 - A northern-Virginia-based nonprofit organization has provided worldwide assistance to families of deployed U.S. servicemembers for the past six years.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2007 - First lady Laura Bush joined military leaders and other luminaries here last night in praising the United Service Organizations for its support for the military as she accepted the 2007 USO of Metropolitan Washington Service Award.

By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas , March 28, 2007 - The topic of women came up in my office the other day. We were trying to figure out the best way to highlight Women's History Month in the post newspaper, and we decided to ask a few outstanding women, "If you could be any other woman, who would you be and why?"

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2007 - A letter from a soldier added bittersweet importance to Packages From Home's participation in Tucson Navy Week's weekend activities at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and an Arizona Diamondbacks preseason baseball game.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2007 - A home-front group that alters clothing for wounded servicemembers received accolades for its efforts on an evening news show last week.

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2007 - Over the next week, 1,800 Individual Ready Reserve Marines will receive notice from the Marine Corps that they are needed in Iraq, an official announced today.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2007 - The soldier's eyelids fluttered as he heard his mother's voice over the phone.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2007 - Since it began in 1969 as the Military Wives Association, the National Military Family Association, with headquarters here, has been a voice for military families.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2007 - About than 60 wounded warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., spent last night clowning around at Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus's Military Appreciation Night.

By Gunnery Sgt. Donald E. Preston, USMC
Special to American Forces Press Service

LONDON, March 23, 2007 - A U.S. Marine appeared before Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace March 21 to receive the United Kingdom's Distinguished Flying Cross for saving lives and in recognition for his bravery during combat operations in Iraq.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2007 - The British government is demanding the immediate and safe release of 15 sailors whose boats were surrounded by Iranian navy vessels and escorted into Iranian territorial waters in the Persian Gulf this morning.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2007 - Defense Department officials have launched an investigation into recent computer hackings of servicemembers' home computers that compromised personal information and led to the redirection of funds from their military pay accounts.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2007 - About 1,200 Marines who deployed to Okinawa in January to serve as part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit will remain on the Japanese island about five months longer than originally planned, Marine Corps officials said today.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2007 - A mile's worth of yellow ribbon bearing the signatures of 10,000 young Americans is finally bound for Baghdad.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2007 - The Defense Department observed Women's History Month and honored the women filling its ranks in a ceremony today at Arlington National Cemetery.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2007 - When soldiers are wounded in combat, they are evacuated from the battlefield to medical centers with literally only the clothes on their backs -- and often those are cut during emergency treatment.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2007 - Parents of even young children often wonder how they'll pay for college tuition, but military service organizations are taking some uncertainty out of the equation.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2007 - After receiving $250,000 in donations last week through a partnership with the Duquesne Home and Garden Show in Pittsburgh, "Homes for Our Troops" founder John Gonsalves didn't think things could get much better.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2007 - May 1 will be "Silver Star Day" in Alabama, as Gov. Bob Riley signed a proclamation officially declaring the observance in a brief ceremony yesterday.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2007 - Since 1914, members of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars have supported U.S. servicemembers and their families and worked to ensure that America's military veterans are never forgotten, auxiliary officials said.

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2007 - During the new Baghdad security plan's first month, civilian casualties were reduced by about 50 percent from the previous 30 days, a senior military official told reporters in the Iraqi capital today.

By David Mays
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2007 - They were once known as "weekend warriors," ordinary citizens who gave up just a little bit of their time for minimal military training and a paycheck.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2007 - Covering the rent just got a little bit easier for military personnel in Ohio thanks to Empirian Property Management's "Service Appreciation Program."

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2007 - Army officials this morning launched a new hotline to help wounded warriors and their family members to get information or assistance with medical or other issues.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2007 - Utah will observe "Thank a Soldier Day" tomorrow and March 19 to express gratitude to the servicemembers who protect America's freedoms.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2007 - The total number of U.S. servicemembers who will be part of the surge in Iraq will be about 28,000 overall, a Defense Department official said today.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2007 - A four-year-old servicemember support group has proved to be "Always Faithful" as it continues to assist Marines, sailors and other military members who have been injured during their service in the global war against terrorism.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2007 - Coalition and Afghan forces arrested four people this morning during an operation targeting a known terrorist safe house, military officials reported.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2007 - The United States is keeping a watchful eye on developments in North Africa to ensure terrorists don't gain a foothold there, a senior U.S. military officer said in remarks provided to the U.S. House Armed Services Committee at a hearing here today.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2007 - The Defense Department recognized a troop-support group and a corporation here today for their teamwork in supporting the nation's servicemembers.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2007 - An Army mom in Malone, N.Y., is asking Americans to show their compassion and make life a little more pleasant for troops serving overseas through her Have a Heart/Adopt a Soldier program.

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2007 - Suspected al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Muhammad has admitted masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks as well as the World Trade Center bombing in 1993.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2007 - Coalition military officials in Iraq are hoping to reach out to younger, broader audiences by posting clips of servicemembers in action on a popular video-sharing Web site.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2007 - The Iraqi people have a "renewed sense of hope," a senior U.S. diplomat said in Baghdad today.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., March 14, 2007 - As the Defense Department hurries to get the latest weapons systems and protective equipment to deployed troops, the Aberdeen Test Center here is operating at what its commander calls a "fast and furious rate" to ensure effectiveness and safety remain top priorities.

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2007 - Army Spc. Timothy Lott gripped his walking cane as he prepared to meet some of his lifelong heroes.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2007 - The Military Officers Association of America announced it will present its highest award to an actor and a corporation for their strong support of military servicemembers.

NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense
No. 277-07 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2007

"Yesterday, during a wide ranging interview with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, I was asked if I think the current policy as codified in U.S. Code, generally referred to as "Don't Ask Don't Tell," should still hold.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2007 - Better job and educational opportunities or family reasons may have led them from the lands of their birth to the United States, but serving in the armed forces made it possible for four servicemembers to become citizens yesterday.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2007 - Although recent operations to secure Baghdad are off to a good start, Americans must be patient in expecting progress, a senior coalition spokesman said in Baghdad today.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

VAIL, Colo., March 11, 2007 - Vail firefighters opened their house here yesterday evening for the fourth year in a row to thank the 25 participants of the Vail Veterans Program for their service to the nation. The firefighters treated the veterans and their guests to a homemade lasagna dinner.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

VAIL, Colo., March 10, 2007 - After two days of skiing and snowboarding, last night was all about fun for the 25 injured veterans participating in the Vail Veterans Program here and their guests.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2007 - Two home-front groups are helping American citizens support servicemembers and their families worldwide through the donation of gift certificates.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2007 - The Independent Review Group recently established by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wants to hear from patients and family members about their experiences with military medical care, the review group announced today.

Hi -

I work for an organization that assists injured OEF/OIF veterans to repair and modify thier homes when returning home after a life altering injury.  I would like to submit information to be shared with others as a resource for potential assistance to someone facing these challenges.  I have included more information below and please contact me with questions. 

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2007 - One of the Defense Department's top officials said today he is not surprised that servicemembers get different disability ratings from each of the services, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration.

By Steven Donald Smith
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2007 - The Armed Services YMCA paid tribute to military medics and corpsmen here last night during its first Angels of the Battlefield awards dinner.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

VAIL, Colo., March 8, 2007 - For the fourth consecutive year, 25 veterans wounded in the global war on terrorism will test their mettle on the slopes thanks to the Vail Veterans Program's winter sports clinic that kicked off here yesterday.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2007 - Military veterans of the American Legion today recognized a television show and the founder of an organization that supports wounded troops for their special efforts to honor the men and women of the armed forces.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2007 - The group called "Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission" works publicly to ensure the troops know that the American people support them.

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2007 - The top U.S. commander in Korea today said he wants to end one-year tours there and replace them with standard three-year tours, enabling more family members to move to the region.

By Lt. Nathan Christensen, USN
Special to American Forces Press Service

ABOARD USS JOHN C. STENNIS, March 6, 2007 - Navy, Marine Corps and Army personnel are working side by side aboard the USS John C. Stennis Strike Group supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2007 - With income tax deadlines quickly approaching, the Internal Revenue Service is reminding troops and their families that free assistance is available to them at military tax centers worldwide.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2007 - Improvised explosive devices are to the war in Iraq what artillery and mortars were to World War II, Korea and Vietnam -- the main troop killers, a retired general working to defeat the deadly devices said here yesterday.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2007 - Hundreds of volunteer buglers and trumpeters are being sought to participate in Armed Forces Day observances held at veterans' cemeteries nationwide and overseas, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs official said here yesterday.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2007 - Servicemembers can take advantage of the generosity of professional wrestlers by getting free admittance into World Wrestling Entertainment events worldwide.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2007 - Military family members in Michigan don't have to squeak by anymore when it comes to routine auto maintenance thanks to eight auto garages throughout the state.

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2007 - Army leaders are committed to improving the service's health care systems for wounded servicemembers and their families, top officers told the national security subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today.

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2007 - The Internet is the most important venue for the radicalization of Islamic youth, the head of intelligence at U.S. Central Command, said in an interview aired yesterday.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2007 - Traumatic brain injury, the signature wound of a conflict punctuated by daily bomb attacks on coalition forces and Iraqi civilians, is receiving increased emphasis from Defense Department leaders and the military medical community.

By Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, March 5, 2007 - In 2006, Army Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig, a medic with the 159th Medical Company, 10th Mountain Division, was holding a patient desperately as they were both being hoisted from a ridgeline by a Black Hawk helicopter. Halfway to the chopper, the line snapped, and Craig and his patient fell to their deaths.

By Margie Gibson
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2007 - The traditional concept of defense has given way to a new model of security, bringing concepts such as partnership and cooperation to the fore, the commander of U.S. Naval Forces in Europe said here.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2007 - The "Eagle's Watch Foundation" maintains a low-flying profile as it employs a bird's-eye view in finding ways to support U.S. servicemembers and their families.

By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced this afternoon that he has accepted the resignation of Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey in light of allegations of shortfalls in care of outpatients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.

By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 2, 2007 - A handful of wounded warriors recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center here are getting a taste of home -- minus the neck-wrenching skyscrapers and taxi-filled city streets.

By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 2, 2007 - As a senior in high school, Tania Foster could easily focus all her energy in preparing for her collegiate pursuits in biochemistry this autumn.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2007 - Leaders of 10 America Supports You homefront support groups from around the country, and a National Guard family program, accepted President Bush's invitation to meet with him at the White House yesterday.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2007 - Army Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman was relieved of command today as a result of failures in care for outpatient soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Army officials announced.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2007 - Child care is a critical issue for many families around the country, and the Defense Department stands alone as a model for quality child care in the nation, an independent study released today finds.

By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 1, 2007 - A San Antonio-based joint trauma institute is taking on a national role, a change that is expected to have a positive impact on trauma research.

No. 232-07 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 01, 2007

The Department of Defense announced today that charges were referred to a military commission in the case of David Matthew Hicks by the Convening Authority, Office of Military Commissions, Susan J. Crawford.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2007 - Servicemembers with ties to central Oregon can rely on "Caring for Troops" for a touch of home when they're deployed, the organization's president said.

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 28, 2007 - The United States should approach the global war on terrorism as it would an insurgency, a senior military official said today at the 18th annual Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Symposium here.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2007 - President Bush today thanked a group of people who have dedicated their time and energy to supporting U.S. troops.

By Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

FORT PICKETT, Va., Feb. 28, 2007 - The gray clouds seemed to turn darker with each passing minute. The sun was blotted out from the darkened sky as a dark shadow loomed overhead, a whirlwind of air blowing leaves, grass and nearly everything not tied down across the field.

By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2006  - There was a time when women veterans didn't feel welcome at Veteran Affairs Department medical facilities, but the causes of such feelings have changed dramatically over the last few years, VA's top advocate for women's health said.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2006  - U.S. soldiers deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq are prohibited from wearing non-standard-issue body armor, a senior Army officer told reporters here today.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2006  - A new Defense Department Web site that debuts April 3 will feature government-funded scientific studies of medical issues experienced by military members during deployments, a contractor involved with the project said here today.

By Jamie Cameron
Special to American Forces Press Service

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., March 30, 2006  - Army wrestlers overcame the Marine Corps' home field advantage to win both the Greco-Roman and freestyle disciplines in the 2006 Armed Forces Wrestling Championship here March 23 and 24.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2006  - U.S. 5th Fleet assets and personnel responded immediately at approximately 10:15 p.m.  today after learning that a vessel capsized in a Bahraini harbor, approximately one mile east of the command's headquarters in Bahrain.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2006  - The Defense Department's Military Health System must transform to continue its commitment to protecting the health of its servicemembers and other beneficiaries, a top DoD official told Congressmen yesterday.

By Paul X. Rutz
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2006  - Corporate support for the nation's troops means a lot, especially to their families, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here last night as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus began its annual series of performances in the nation's capital.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 29, 2006  - The global war against terrorism is as much a struggle of ideas as it is a military conflict, the Pentagon's No. 2 military officer said here today.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2006  - The United States will leave Iraq, "but we will not retreat from Iraq," President Bush said today during a speech at Freedom House here.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2006  - A once-unidentified sailor killed in the Pearl Harbor attack almost 65 years ago was laid to rest today with full honors and a grave marker bearing his name, thanks to sleuth work by a Pearl Harbor survivor and U.S. Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command's expertise.

By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2006  - The teenage co-founder of an "America Supports You" organization in Massachusetts that distributes prepaid phone cards to deployed troops has earned a $5,000 grant and is competing for another.

By Paul X. Rutz
American Forces Press Service

CHICAGO, March 28, 2006  - Grassroots supporters of America's troops agree their efforts are acts of gratitude, not charity.

By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2006  - The Supreme Court today heard oral arguments in a case that could make or break the government's military commissions process for terror war detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2006  - The Department of Veterans Affairs remains "vibrant, dynamic, flexible, and ... forward-looking" as it pursues "the best care for America's defenders," the department's secretary said.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2006  - Asked how the United States is faring in the war of ideology against violent extremism, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld puts it squarely in the "needs to improve" box.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2006  - Caspar W. Weinberger, the nation's 15th secretary of defense, died today. He was 88.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2006  - The Ad Council has teamed with the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program to help drum up support for American servicemembers.

By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2006  - Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes in the military and in society as a whole, a top defense personnel and readiness official said.

By Staff Sgt. Jonathan Moor, USMC
Special to American Forces Press Service

KRTSANISI, Georgia, March 27, 2006  - A U.S. Marine-led task force marked the completion of training for two Georgian logistics battalions in a ceremony here March 24.

By Paul X. Rutz
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2006  - A national company's program offering free amusement park tickets to the nation's troops and their families has become so popular it will be extended another year.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2006  - The international community agrees that Iran cannot have nuclear capabilities that could lead to the development of a nuclear weapon, and the U.S. is working with other countries to make sure that doesn't happen, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday morning talk shows today.

American Forces Press Service

NORTH ARABIAN GULF, March 26, 2006  - A foreign merchant vessel and a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer collided at 11:09 p.m. yesterday about 30 miles southeast of the Iraqi coastline in the North Arabian Gulf.

By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2006  - Defense Department officials are hoping to attract applicants to the department's new SMART scholarship program for students in science and math disciplines.

By Paul X. Rutz
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2006  - Raymond Harris hopes to do something no other performer is doing. The country music singer plans to spend five years on a tour to every possible military installation to support America's troops.

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 24, 2006  - When Kasha Zilka went through Army basic training, she never touched a weapon, trained in the field, or dropped facedown to pound out push-ups.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2006  - Operation Swarmer, a combined operation involving Iraqi soldiers and police commandos and coalition forces wrapped up yesterday without any casualties and all of the tactical objectives met, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced today.

By Steven Donald Smith
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2006  - The United Service Organizations of Metropolitan Washington honored several individuals and the Miss America Organization here last night during its 23rd annual awards dinner.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2006  - Americans need to recognize the sacrifices made by men and women in the military, whose service has liberated millions of people in the Middle East and made this country more secure, President Bush said yesterday in Wheeling, W.Va.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2006  - As more time passes since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans must not forget the lessons of that fateful day - lessons that are being applied today in the global war on terror, President Bush said today in Wheeling, W.Va.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2006  - A motorcycle group that travels the country attending military funerals is experiencing near-explosive growth, the group's national spokesman reported today.

By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2006  - Women have come a long way in the military services and federal government, and many of them have left legacies for future generations to follow, a top Defense Department official said here yesterday.

By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON, Va., March 21, 2006  - Annual observances provide a chance to reflect on history that defines "how women were treated and how they struggled, organized and contributed significantly to the positive change in this country," a history-making woman general said here today.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2006  - The best way for the American people to promote freedom and liberty around the world is to stand behind the U.S. armed forces, President Bush told a group yesterday at the City Club of Cleveland.

By Paul X. Rutz
American Forces Press Service

ARLINGTON HALL STATION, Va., March 20, 2006  - Soldiers, families and the people who support them gathered at the Army National Guard Readiness Center here March 17 for the installation's first Open House focusing on the military family.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2006  - Participants, as well as some non-participants, in the Thrift Savings Plan are targets of a "phishing" scam, an official with the board administering the program said today.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2006  - The best way for Americans to commemorate the third anniversary of U.S. operations in Iraq is to thank the servicemembers carrying them out and the families that support them, President Bush said today.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2006  - Extremists cannot hope to match the United States and its coalition allies in battle, but that might not matter at all. Al Qaeda and like terrorist groups understand that they only have to win the battle for American resolve to be successful, a top military strategy official said.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2006  - The U.S. government has announced plans to remove its forces from Naval Air Station Keflavik, in Iceland, this fall, but reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to the island nation's security.

By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2006  - Wounded troops can eat a lot of steaks on $75,000, which is the amount the Italian company, Finmeccanica, Inc., gave Washington's Fran O'Brien's Stadium Steakhouse today during a Pentagon ceremony hosted by the deputy secretary of defense.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2006  - New, modular brigade combat team units accompanied the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division on its third tour to Afghanistan, the division's commander told Pentagon reporters today.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2006  - The White House today released President Bush's second-term National Security Strategy, a 49-page document that details how the administration intends to protect the United States, its interests and its people.

By Capt. Steve Alvarez, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2006  - Three years after a multinational force liberated Iraq from Saddam Hussein's regime, steady progress continues to be made in the nation, U.S. military and embassy officials said.

1. How long have you been in practice?
2. What is your strength and which areas interest you most?
3. Why did you become a thoracic surgeon? (allergist... therapist, etc.)
4. Where did you study? (residencies, fellowships, etc.)
5. What hours are you in, and what's the after-hours procedure in your practice?
6. What is your greatest satisfaction/frustration in medicine today?
7. Which healing arts are you familiar with?
8. With which hospitals are you affiliated?
9. Do you accept my insurance? What is your billing procedure?
10. MENTAL NOTE: Did (s)he:
    1. Firmly shake your hand?
    2. Look into your eyes?
    3. Seem friendly and interested?
    4. Put you at ease?
    5. Feel like someone you could talk to if faced with a crisis?

1. What is the specific, intended action of this treatment? (e.g. Increase white cell production to fight infection? Gargle with salt to make a hostile environment for bacteria? Moist heat to release spasm? Ice to reduce inflammation? See? Big difference! Then USE it in your mind/body imagery to support the protocol.)
2. How long have you been prescribing and monitoring this treatment?
3. These are all the medications I am presently taking. Are there are contraindications?
4. What are the most common side-effects and what causes them to occur?
5. How can I minimize or prevent those side-effects? (e.g. Taken with/without food, not with dairy, only at bedtime, etc.)
6. May I please have some literature about this treatment?
7. How and when will I know if this treatment is working?
8. How can I speak with 2-3 people who have used this treatment?
9. What other options do I have for this problem?
10. Can I get financial assistance with this treatment?
11. What outcome can I realistically hope for as a result?
12. Are there any serious risks and if so, what are the danger-indicators?
13. What would you recommend if I were your sister/brother/spouse/child?
14. How can I reach you with questions if they arise?

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2006  - Iraqi and coalition forces today launched the largest air assault operation since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in southern Salah Ad Din province to clear a suspected insurgent operating area northeast of Samarra, military officials reported.

By Paul X. Rutz
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2006  - For three years, Anne Galvan has not stopped supporting the troops. Though doctor's orders are now taking her away from her work, she's making sure other groups will pick up where she leaves off.

By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2006  - The organization that helps veterans become entrepreneurs by hooking them up with national franchises and contracts with industry and the federal government celebrated its fifth anniversary yesterday with an open house at the Department of Veterans Affairs here.

American Forces Press Service

BAGHDAD, March 15, 2006  - A battalion task force from the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division -- part of U.S. Central Command's "call forward force" in Kuwait -- has deployed to the Baghdad area, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced today.

American Forces Press Service

ABOARD USS CARR, March 15, 2006  - For the second time in as many months, sailors aboard guided-missile frigate USS Carr and embarked crew of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 44 visited the island nation of Cape Verde, off the coast of West Africa, March 8-10.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

BALTIMORE, March 14, 2006  - Questioning policies or maintaining vigilance is good for America, but not allowing a full discussion of issues is unfair to all concerned, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here yesterday.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2006  - U.S. military might is only one piece of the solution to winning the war on terrorism, a defense official said here yesterday.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2006  - The Defense Department and U.S. Northern Command learned valuable lessons from the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, and those lessons are being applied to prepare for future civil support operations, the commander of Northern Command said here today.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2006  - With high operational tempos and multiple deployments increasingly becoming the norm, more servicemembers and their families are seeking counseling services, the Pentagon's family policy chief said.

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2006  - Funding and public opinion are two major challenges the United States faces in fighting the global war on terrorism, a top defense official said here yesterday.

By Steven Donald Smith
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2006  - Terrorists in Iraq resort to using improvised explosive devices because they lack the ability to engage in conventional military operations, President Bush said here today.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2006  - The U.S. military has sculpted its strategy to account for the different threats, cultures and circumstances posed by the global war on terror, the Joint Staff's chief of strategic plans and policy said in an interview here.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

SUFFOLK, Va., March 13, 2006  - Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are reaffirming every day the military must improve the way it conducts and trains to work in joint and coalition operations, U.S. Joint Forces Command's training chief told the American Forces Press Service.

 By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
 American Forces Press Service

 TACOMA, Wash., March 12, 2006  - The U.S. Army is the greatest it's ever been, but to remain effective for the future, it must make changes, a top Army commander said here yesterday.

By Tech. Sgt. Elaine Wilson, USAF
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2006  - Crude, homemade bombs hidden in cars or by the side of the road pose the biggest threat to U.S. servicemembers and the future of a free Iraq, President Bush said today in his weekly radio address.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

TACOMA, Wash., March 11, 2006  - The U.S. faces a new enemy and must adopt a new operational approach that focuses on joint operations and irregular warfare, military leaders said here yesterday.

By Steven Donald Smith
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2006  - The leaders of several grassroots organizations associated with the Pentagon's America Supports You program met today at the White House to discuss their efforts to support the men and women of the U.S. armed forces with President Bush and first lady Laura Bush.

By Petty Officer 1st Class Stefanie Holzeisen-Mullen, USN
American Forces Press Service

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., March 10, 2006  - Two strike fighter squadrons arrived at Naval Air Station Oceana here today, ending a six-month deployment and closing the book on the Tomcat as an asset in the Navy's war fighting arsenal.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2006  - The military's recruiting mission in and around New Orleans is slowly recovering in the aftermath hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, local recruiting officials reported.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2006  - President Bush put his signature on documents reauthorizing the USA Patriot Act at a White House ceremony here today.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2006  - The military's persistence in determining the identity of an airman missing in action since World War II sends an important message to families of all missing servicemembers and all men and women serving in uniform today, the commander of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command told American Forces Press Service.

By Paul X. Rutz
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2006  - The Defense Department presented an award to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, an America Supports You member, at the U.S. Navy Memorial here yesterday evening.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2006  - The military continues to be the most admired institution in America, according to the latest Harris Poll.

 By Jim Garamone
 American Forces Press Service

 WASHINGTON, March 7, 2006  - The will of the American people is the center of gravity for the war on terror, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said during a Pentagon news conference today.

 By Staff Sgt. Marti Ribeiro, USA
 Special to American Forces Press Service

 BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, March 7, 2006  - To an American soldier, stepping into Mollai is like stepping back in time -- mud huts with no indoor plumbing or electricity built into the side of a mountain across from their main water source, a mountain stream.

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2006  - A congressionally appointed commission will commence the most comprehensive review of the National Guard and reserves in history.

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2006  - The Defense Department has asked the U.S. Army to launch a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Cpl. Pat Tillman, who was killed in the spring of 2004 during a combat operation in Afghanistan.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

VAIL, Colo., March 3, 2006  - Twenty-four servicemembers who lost limbs in Iraq and Afghanistan are here reaping the hospitality of a community first established by returning World War II veterans and to schuss down the slopes of this world-class ski resort.

By Capt. Steve Alvarez, USA
American Forces Press Service

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., March 2, 2006  - The widespread use of Web logs, or "blogs," by online writers has proliferated information on topics as varied as the authors.

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2006  - U.S. military reserve forces are better trained and at a higher state of readiness than they've ever been as they continue to take on their new operational role in the war on terror, senior reserve-component leaders said here today.

By Elaine Wilson
Special to American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2006  - Defense Department officials are working to create a pandemic influenza plan in time for the Department of Homeland Defense's end-of-March deadline, a DoD medical official said Feb. 27.

By Steven Donald Smith
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2006  - The democratic process taking hold in Afghanistan is an inspiration to the cause of freedom, President Bush said in the country's capital, Kabul, today.