Carter Praises Progress on Afghan Transition

Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter meets with senior U.S. and Afghan officials to praise them for their efforts on the transition to Afghan-led security.

By Claudette Roulo American Forces Press Service KABUL, Afghanistan -- Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with senior U.S. and Afghan officials Sunday to praise them for their efforts on the transition to Afghan-led security, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said. Carter spoke with Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, the Afghan minister of defense, and Ghulam Mujtaba Patang, the Afghan minister of the interior, at their respective ministries. Carter congratulated the ministers on the progress made by Afghan forces as they move toward taking the lead for security throughout Afghanistan, Little said. The deputy secretary and the ministers “pledged to continue to work together on a number of important issues, including the sustained …

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The Ugly Truth About Sexual Assault in the Military

Sexual assault and rape are rampant across the military, but what is being done to stop them -- and is it enough?

Contributed by protectourdefenders.com By Sarah Childress   The military's campaign to prevent sexual assault largely centers on telling servicemen not to have sex with women when they're drunk. Last year, posters were distributed with the headline, "Ask Her When She's Sober." The posters have since been scrubbed from the MyDuty.Mil website, which now has a video showing service members watching a colleague who's getting too forward with a woman at a bar. "Man, that's all we need, is to get put on lockdown again," one of the guys in the video complains, before getting up to intervene. The military also uses a video game that includes another bar scene: "Loud music, cold beer, hot girls, game on," the narrator intones. Players then must …

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Prince Harry Places Wreath at Tomb of the Unknowns

The prince also visited wounded warriors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

By Terri Moon Cronk American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON -- Britain’s Prince Harry received a 21-gun salute Friday morning when his motorcade arrived at Arlington National Cemetery, where he placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The young British royal, 28, also paid his respects to gravesites at Section 60 at the cemetery, where U.S. service members who died during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried. The prince was treated as a head of state at the cemetery. During the wreath-laying ceremony, he received a four-platoon cordon with full honors, said Army Maj. John Miller, a spokesman for the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). The prince was dressed in the ceremonial uniform of the British Army in which he …

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President Issues Military Spouse Day Proclamation

President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation declaring today as Military Spouse Appreciation Day.

American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation declaring today as Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Here is the text of the president’s proclamation: As long as there have been courageous men and women willing to protect our Union and our ideals, there have been extraordinary spouses at their side -- patriots in their own right who serve and sacrifice in ways many cannot fathom. They are moms and dads who take up the work of two during deployments, shuffling their careers and packing up their lives whenever our nation calls. They are dedicated employees at our businesses, committed volunteers in our communities, and essential caretakers for our wounded warriors. America's military spouses are …

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Defense Secretary's Mother's Day Message

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel greets military moms.

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Obama: North Korea Must Replace Threats with ‘Meaningful Steps'

President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye agree that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un must stop provocations and pursue a peaceful path.

By Karen Parrish American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, May 7, 2013 – President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye agreed during a joint press conference Tuesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his government in Pyongyang must stop provocations and pursue a peaceful path if North Korea is ever to emerge from its stark position of isolation among the world’s nations. Obama welcomed Park, who took office in February as South Korea’s first woman president, and praised her firm leadership stand against the threats emanating from her northern neighbor. “If Pyongyang thought its recent threats would drive a wedge between South Korea and the United States or somehow garner the North international respect, today is …

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May is Military Appreciation Month

Observance honors military men and women, veterans.

Army News Service SAN ANTONIO -- The President of the United States has proclaimed May as National Military Appreciation Month to remind Americans of the importance of the U.S. Armed Forces in history. It is a symbol of unity, honoring today's military men and women, veterans and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of freedom. The U.S. Army Installation Management Command salutes those who serve -- their strength, commitment and unwavering service to this nation. This year's theme is "The United States Armed Forces: The Strength of the Red, White and Blue." Throughout this month-long observance, which is focused on the theme of strength, IMCOM is highlighting events promoting fitness and team building -- some of the …

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