Sept. 29, 2011

Paktika road improves government reach, unites provinces

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan (September 28, 2011) — Imagine a state with few paved roads, little air transportation to reach smaller cities and no waterways for travel. What ideas would connect people or energize an economy to create jobs? In southeastern Afghanistan, one answer involves roads.

Sept. 28, 2011

Caldwell: Afghan troops, police make ‘significant’ progress

WASHINGTON (September 26, 2011) — Afghan security forces are moving forward and will be able to assume the lead for security in December 2014, said U.S. Army Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, commander of NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan.

Sept. 26, 2011

Big Red One Soldiers, Afghan forces take on enemy during Operation Tofan II

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan (September 22, 2011) — It's probably the most dangerous mission all year, said Capt. Michael Hefti, speaking to his Soldiers before they headed off to the remote Suri Kheyl area of Waze Zadran district, Paktya province, Sept. 15.

Sept. 23, 2011

Panetta cites progress, challenges in Iraq, Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (September 22, 2011) — The United States and Iraq are in talks to chart military assistance Iraq needs after the pull-out of U.S. troops at the end of the year, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

Sept. 20, 2011

Reintegration builds confidence in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Septembe 16, 2011 - The program coalition forces helped to create in Afghanistan last year to turn young men away from the insurgency and reintegrate them back to their communities is going a long way in building trust and confidence there, a military official said today.

Sept. 16, 2011

National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2011

In every conflict in which our Nation has been involved, selfless American service members have sacrificed their lives for the sake of our country and its principles. Too many have never come home, or have endured unthinkable hardship as prisoners of war. On this day, we echo the creed inscribed on the black and white banners that fly in honor of America's Prisoners of War and Missing in Action, and we renew our promise to our heroes, that You Are Not Forgotten.

Sept. 16, 2011

President presents Medal of Honor to Marine

WASHINGTON (September 15, 2011) — President Barack Obama today draped the pale blue ribbon suspending the Medal of Honor around the neck of Marine Corps Sgt. Dakota L. Meyer, the first living Marine to receive the award for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Sept. 16, 2011

Accounting for POWs, MIAs a Year-round DOD Mission

WASHINGTON (September 15, 2011) — As Americans pause tomorrow to observe POW/MIA Recognition Day, teams of military and civilian experts will be excavating sites in Europe and the South Pacific looking for remains to help identify service members still missing from past wars.

Sept. 15, 2011

Rough Riders train Afghan Uniformed Police

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Soldiers from 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, offer a sustainment excellence courses to Afghan Uniformed Police to teach basic-level skills at Forward Operating Base Walton.

Sept. 15, 2011

Possible F-16 buy highlights Iraq’s progress

WASHINGTON (September 14, 2011) — Iraq’s potential purchase of 18 U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft is an encouraging development that benefits both nations, the senior U.S. Air Force component commander in Iraq told Pentagon reporters today.