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Monday, October 14, 2013

10/14/2013

Hagel, UAE Crown Prince Discuss Regional Security Issues

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and United Arab Emirates' Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke by phone and discussed regional security issues, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a statement.

10/14/2013

Hagel, Al-Sisi Discuss Regional Security Cooperation

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Egyptian Minister of Defense Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi spoke by phone and discussed regional security cooperation and other issues, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a statement.

10/13/2013

Kerry, Karzai Make Progress on Security Agreement Negotiations

WASHINGTON - After weekend meetings in Kabul, Afghanistan, with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he and Karzai had resolved all but one of the major issues critical to a bilateral security agreement between the two countries.

10/11/2013

Hagel Thanks Fisher House for Death Gratuity Payments

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel greatly appreciates the generosity of the Fisher House Foundation in making $100,000 death gratuity payments and providing other funds to the families of fallen service members, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a statement.

10/11/2013

DOD Leaders Worry About Shutdown’s Effect on Civilian Morale

WASHINGTON - The partial government shutdown is hurting DOD civilian morale, in addition to no annual raises, hiring freezes and cuts in training, the department’s comptroller told Congress.

10/11/2013

Combined Federal Campaign Placed on Hold

WASHINGTON - CFC activities in the continental United States, apart from on-going employee contributions, have been indefinitely suspended during the government shutdown, a government official said in a memorandum.

10/11/2013

South Dakota National Guard Continues Storm Aid

RAPID CITY, S.D. - South Dakota National Guard members continue to support the state following a crippling Oct. 4 winter storm.

10/11/2013

Local, Utah Guard Members Aid Colorado Flood Response

AUSTIN, Texas - The 36th Infantry Division's Domestic All-Hazards Response Team-West continues to coordinate assistance requests and support for the Colorado flood relief effort.

10/11/2013

National Guard Faces the Shutdown

WASHINGTON - National Guard personnel are feeling the effects of the government shutdown and leaders are worried about readiness, Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, the vice chief of the National Guard Bureau said.

10/11/2013

Reservists, National Guard Members Wait for Training Funds

WASHINGTON - The Army Reserve and the National Guard are on standby to see what happens in Congress as they wait for the resumption of funding for inactive and active-duty training.

10/11/2013

Retrograde Process Saves Lives, Money

WASHINGTON - As the December 2014 Afghanistan drawdown deadline draws near, thousands of service members and civilians at bases around Afghanistan are preparing tens of thousands of vehicles and containers filled with equipment and supplies for an intricate journey.

10/11/2013

Face of Defense: Alaska Soldiers Learn to Prevent Suicide

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Soldiers assigned to the 25th Infantry Division at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, are taking the Army's Ask, Care and Escort suicide intervention training, which teaches ways to identify risk factors and warning signs, as well as to help deal with stigmas associated with suicide.

10/10/2013

Carter to Step Down as Deputy Defense Secretary in December

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has announced that Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter is stepping down after serving in senior Defense Department positions since the start of the Obama administration including as undersecretary of defense for acquisition technology and logistics.

10/10/2013

Unemployment Benefits May Help Some Furloughed DOD Civilians

WASHINGTON - Furloughed Defense Department employees may be eligible to apply for state unemployment benefits but would likely have to repay compensation if Congress grants furloughed employees back pay.

10/10/2013

Hale Calls Shutdown ‘a Tragedy,’ Urges Congress to End It

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department's comptroller has called the partial government shutdown a “colossal waste of time,” and again urged the lawmakers to end it.

10/10/2013

Key DOD Nominees Testify at Confirmation Hearing

WASHINGTON - The Senate Armed Services Committee has met to consider the nominations of several officials selected for senior positions within the Defense Department and the Navy.

10/10/2013

NATO Fosters Partnerships Key to Future Success

WASHINGTON - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has praised efforts to expand and strengthen partnerships considered fundamental to the alliance’s ability to deal with modern security challenges.

10/10/2013

Most TRICARE Beneficiaries Meet ACA Coverage Requirements

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Most TRICARE beneficiaries have the minimum essential coverage required by the Affordable Care Act, the Defense Health Agency said in a release.

10/10/2013

Rasmussen: Progress in Afghanistan Remarkable, Undeniable

WASHINGTON - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says he is confident Afghan security forces will be able to take full responsibility for the country's security by the end of next year.

10/10/2013

Face of Defense: Marine Gunner Shares Convoy Experience

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kevin Dunseith, a turret gunner in Afghanistan, loves his mission despite the long and bumpy road.

10/09/2013

Alexander Calls on Industry to Help Set Record Straight

WASHINGTON - The nation’s top cyber commander called on industry today to “put the facts on the table” about the National Security Agency, blaming inaccurate or sensational reporting for congressional failure to approve measures needed to protect the nation.

10/09/2013

Pentagon Official Blogs About Resources During Shutdown

WASHINGTON - Amid the government shutdown, service members and their families still must face the unique challenges associated with multiple moves and more than a decade of war, so a Pentagon official has listed available resources on the “DOD Live” blog.

10/09/2013

Fisher House Steps Forward to Aid DOD in Paying Death Benefits

WASHINGTON - The Fisher House Foundation has stepped in to aid the Defense Department so families of fallen service members can receive the full set of benefits they have been promised, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

10/09/2013

VA Secretary Warns of Shutdown Impact on Veterans, Families

WASHINGTON - Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki painted a dire picture of the impact of the government shutdown on benefits and services to veterans -- from a slowdown in claims reviews to the threat of cancelled compensation checks to more than 5 million beneficiaries if funding isn’t restored soon.

10/09/2013

New Virtual Curriculum Assists Separating Troops

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to assist service members and their families in preparing for the transition to civilian life with a new virtual curriculum, a Defense Department official said.

10/09/2013

Face of Defense: Brothers Reunite for Promotion Ceremony

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WRIGHT, Afghanistan - Army 2nd Lt. Karl F. Knowlton and his brother and fellow soldier Sgt. George C. Knowlton are serving together in Afghanistan.

10/09/2013

Hagel, Israeli Defense Minister Meet at Pentagon

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon met at the Pentagon to share views on the range of regional security challenges the United States and Israel are facing together, Defense Department officials said.

10/08/2013

Top Navy Officer Talks Shutdown, Heritage at All-hands Call

FORT MEADE, Md. - With the Navy’s Oct. 13 birthday on the near horizon, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert discussed the government shutdown and the service's heritage before answering questions by phone and social media during a worldwide, all-hands call.

10/08/2013

Obama: U.S. Will Continue to Pursue Terrorists Overseas

WASHINGTON - Just days after U.S. forces carried out raids in Libya and Somalia to bring wanted terrorists to justice, President Barack Obama made clear the United States will continue to carry out similar strikes overseas as long as threats to the nation exist.

10/08/2013

Furlough Raises Questions on Civilian Leave, Pay

WASHINGTON - Only those Defense Department civilians recalled from furlough under the Pay Our Military Act may take annual and sick leave, a Pentagon spokesman said. “Employees who remain on furlough are in a nonpay, nonduty status, so there is no leave to take,” Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen explained.

10/08/2013

Shutdown Hurts Morale, Top Cyber Commander Says

WASHINGTON - The morale of the cybersecurity workforce is being damaged by the government shutdown, the nation’s top cyber commander said.

10/08/2013

Pentagon Official: U.S. Must Continue to Work with Somalia

WASHINGTON - Progress in Somalia has been “significant,” a senior Defense Department official told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the United States will continue to work with the Somali government to defeat terrorism there.

10/08/2013

Centcom Advisor Promotes Interagency Synergy in Middle East

WASHINGTON - Michael E. Ranneberger, who serves as senior foreign policy advisor to U.S. Central Command chief Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, said his job is to enable elements of military, diplomatic and economic power to work in synch to support U.S. strategic objectives.

10/08/2013

Hagel Appoints Special Envoy for Guantanamo Closure

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the appointment of Paul M. Lewis as special envoy for the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

10/08/2013

Face of Defense: Congo Native Expands Horizons in U.S. Military

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy - Born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Alain Mukendi now employs his language proficiency to teach others.

10/08/2013

Hagel Receives Update on Shutdown From Service Leaders

WASHINGTON - Service secretaries and service chiefs provided Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel with an update on the impact of the ongoing government shutdown, Pentagon officials reported.

10/07/2013

Press Secretary: U.S. Will Continue Confronting Terrorist Threat

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military can put pressure on the al-Shabaab terrorist organization’s leadership whenever it so chooses, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

10/07/2013

Centcom Chief Says U.S. Must Keep Faith With Troops, Families

WASHINGTON - As more than a decade of conflict winds down in the U.S. Central Command area of operations, Centcom commander Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III paid tribute to the men and women who have sacrificed there and underscored the nation’s commitment to them.

10/07/2013

Face of Defense: Former Mortarman Now Shoots Pictures

MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. - Carlos Guerra served as a Marine Corps mortarman for five years, and now he works as a photographer at Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow in California.

10/06/2013

Hagel Praises U.S. Troops for Capture of Terrorist in Africa

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel commended U.S. troops for the capture of what he described as one of the world’s most sought-after terrorists.

10/06/2013

Pentagon Comptroller Details Recalls, ‘Painful’ Decision to Exclude Some Workers

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department’s top financial official provided details on which DOD civilians would and wouldn’t be able to return from furlough following Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s determination some could return under the Pay Our Military Act.

10/05/2013

Hagel Announces Recall of Most Defense Department Civilians

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced he is recalling most of the Defense Department civilians who were placed on furlough as a result of the government shutdown which began Oct. 1.

10/04/2013

Hagel Wraps up Asia-Pacific Trip, Visits Troops

FLEET ACTIVITIES YOKOSUKA, Japan - The men and women of U.S. Forces Japan are "the anchor and the cornerstone of America's presence in the Asia Pacific," U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the crew of the USS Stethem in Japan.

10/03/2013

Defense Department Bolsters Victim Advocacy With New Initiatives

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department continues to take steps to improve victims’ confidence in sexual assault advocacy through a multi-pronged approach, said the deputy director for DOD’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office.

10/03/2013

U.S., Japan Agree to Expand Security, Defense Cooperation

TOKYO - In a joint statement , U.S. and Japanese diplomatic and military leaders agreed to revise the 1997 Guidelines for U.S.-Japan Defense Cooperation, increase security and defense collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, and advance the realignment of American troops in Japan.

10/03/2013

U.S.-Korean Airpower Team Defends ‘Freedom’s Frontier’

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea - South Korea historically has been called the “Land of the Morning Calm,” but a hill at combat-ready Osan Air Base, South Korea, reminds airmen and soldiers here that the calm can shatter at a moment’s notice, and they have to be ready to respond.

10/02/2013

Thurman Passes Command to Scaparrotti in Multiflag Ceremony

SEOUL, South Korea - Korean and American service members proudly carried the three flags signifying the U.S. change of command in South Korea from Army Gen. James D. Thurman to Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti in Seoul, South Korea.

10/02/2013

Hagel Arrives in Tokyo for Security Meetings

TOKYO - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Tokyo where he will conclude a weeklong trip aimed at fostering key alliances and take part, along with Secretary of State John F. Kerry, in “two-plus-two” consultations between U.S. and Japanese foreign and defense ministers.

10/02/2013

Hagel Hosts U.S. Forces Korea Change of Command

SEOUL, South Korea - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel presided over the change-of-command ceremony as Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti assumed command of the U.N. Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea from retiring Army Gen. James D. Thurman.

10/02/2013

U.S., South Korea Announce ‘Tailored Deterrence’ Strategy

SEOUL, South Korea - The United States and South Korea agreed to establish a bilateral strategy for tailored deterrence against North Korean nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said during a press conference in Seoul, South Korea.

10/01/2013

Dempsey: Military Must Slow Growth for Military Pay, Health Care

SEOUL, South Korea - The military has to look at the entire package of compensation, health care and retirement, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told service members at a U.S. Forces Korea Town Hall meeting in Seoul, South Korea.

10/01/2013

Dempsey Gives Hints on Priorities for Future

SEOUL, South Korea - In his first two-year term as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey didn't blink when facing challenges that might have made some men quit - from the Afghan surge to sequestration. His second term began Oct. 1.

10/01/2013

U.S., South Korean Leaders Guard Against Complacency

SEOUL, South Korea - The state of the U.S.-South Korea alliance is strong, but the allies cannot become complacent in face of changes in North Korea, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a visit to Seoul, South Korea.

10/01/2013

Syrian Conflict Will Take Years to Sort Out, Dempsey Says

SEOUL, South Korea - The conflict in Syria will take years to sort out, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during an interview in Seoul, South Korea, where he is meeting with that country's defense leaders.

10/01/2013

Hagel Says National Security Assured During Shutdown

SEOUL, South Korea - The Defense Department and other government agencies responsible for national security will carry out their missions despite the government shutdown, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters traveling with him in the Asia-Pacific.

10/01/2013

Obama Lauds DOD Workforce, Encourages Budget Resolution

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama thanked the Defense Department workforce in a video message and expressed his disappointment in Congress’ failure to approve a budget, resulting in a government shutdown.

10/01/2013

U.S. Military Leaders Pay Respects at South Korean Cemetery

SEOUL, South Korea - Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, led an American delegation to honor the Korean allies who died in defense of freedom during the Korean War.