A unique artillery unit in Afghanistan is charged with protecting Forward Operating Base Blessing with the M-777 Howitzer.

The first of thousands of new M-ATVs are being deployed to Afghanistan.

The President and NATO’s Secretary General met to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and missile defense.

The Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard are again participating in Operation Deep Freeze.

Select personnel working with the Department of Homeland Security now have access to Defense Department information.

A blast in the southern Philippines Tuesday killed two U.S. service members and a member of the Philippine Marines.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus completed his tour of the nation’s shipyards with a stop in Newport News, Virginia.

It may take three weeks to clean up a fuel spill in the Houston ship channel, according to officials there.

Military families across Illinois came together to welcome home soldiers from Afghanistan.

The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Gary Roughhead, said his fleet is the smallest it’s been since 1916 and that’s keeping Sailors extremely busy.

The Commander of Multi-National Force-Iraq said Tuesday the security situation in Iraq remains stable.

The U.S. Coast Guard is taking on a bigger role in creating laws to police actvities on the world’s oceans.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told lawmakers a properly resourced counter-insurgency effort in Afghanistan probably means more forces, time and commitment.

More than 50 Medal of Honor recipients gathered in Chicago for their annual convention.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced Wednesday the Defense Department will allow the Air Force to pick a contractor for the KC-X refueling tanker.

CinC Obama, SecDef Gates and CJCS ADM Mullen remember 9/11 with a solemn ceremony. Plus, Coast Guard officials review a training exercise on the Potomac River.

The Coast Guard took two people into custody Wednesday after finding 700 pounds of marijuana on their boat.

The Army says it’s working with the Colorado Health Department to resolve a dispute over some chemical weapons.

French General Stephane Abrial took over the position of Supreme Allied Commander Transformation from General James Mattis in a change of command ceremony Wednesday in Norfolk, Virginia.

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell says it will take weeks before an investigation is complete into an airstrike in Kunduz Province that killed Afghan civilians.

A group of military and civilian personnel gathered in Khost Province recently to come up with ideas to bring more stability to the people of Afghanistan.

General Stanley McChrystal’s assessment of the situation in Afghanistan is expected to be on the desk of the Commander in Chief by the end of this week.

This week the Navy and Coast Guard announced an increase in activated reservists, while the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps announced a decrease.  The net collective result is 271 fewer reservists activated than last week.

At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease.  The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 111,710; Navy Reserve, 6,528; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 15,740; Marine Corps Reserve, 8,676; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 646.  This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 143,300, including both units and individual augmentees.

A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2009/d20090908ngr.pdf

Source: Department of Defense

This week the Air Force announced an increase in activated reservists, while the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard announced a decrease.  The net collective result is 564 fewer reservists activated than last week.

At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease.  The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 111,960; Navy Reserve, 6,505; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 15,752; Marine Corps Reserve, 8,730; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 624.  This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 143,571, including both units and individual augmentees.

A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found at:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2009/d20090901ngr.pdf.

Source: Department of Defense

The crew of USS Boxer returned to its homeport of San Diego over the weekend – with stories to tell about a dramatic rescue.

The Coast Guard celebrates its 219th birthday Tuesday.

It’s the first homecoming of troops celebrated at Chicago’s Soldier Field, since the war on terror began.

U.S. forces are playing a critical security role in the run-up to the Afghan presidential elections August 20th.

Loading tons of military equipment aboard a deploying ship is a task sometimes taken for granted – but those who actually perform the operation take it very seriously.

As the Marine Corps works to grow its end-strength to more than 200,000, it also works to develop leaders at its Officer Candidate School.