WASHINGTON -- Forces battling the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria continue to make progress. However, the environment in Iraq and Syria is complex and the defeat-ISIS forces require continued support, coalition officials said today. Army Col. Sean Ryan, the spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, spoke to Pentagon reporters about progress being made against the [...]
WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary James N. Mattis said the United States is seeking to deepen relations with hemispheric partners. The secretary told students at the Brazilian War College in Rio de Janeiro that the United States “will earn your trust daily. We want to be your partner; especially if trouble looms.” This is Mattis’s first [...]
WASHINGTON -- Calling up the soldiers and airmen of the National Guard has become an unfortunate ritual of summer. Wildfires through the Western United States -- especially in California -- started earlier than normal this year and expanded faster than in past years. Thousands of airmen and soldiers of the Guard responded. These service members [...]
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- Most soldiers do not think much about what happens to improvised explosive devices once they are found and disarmed by friendly forces. Some may believe that IEDs are taken somewhere in a controlled environment to be safely detonated or disposed of properly. Sometimes properly disposing of IEDs is the only thing [...]
VAZIANI TRAINING AREA, Georgia -- Anyone who’s ever played a game of chess knows what it takes to win a match: patience, concentration and a bit of foresight. Knowing the pieces’ capabilities and limitations for maximum effectiveness is crucial to checkmate the opponent’s king. Simply put, it takes skill. Skill is exactly what soldiers with [...]
CAMP MURRAY, Wash. -- After high school, Air Force Staff Sgt. Psalmbrea Noel Doss wanted to move away from Washington state in search of new experiences and a college education. After a year in North Carolina, Doss knew she wanted to join the military but wanted to be able to stay in the Pacific Northwest. [...]
WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary James N. Mattis met with Brazil’s defense leaders today in Brasilia to reaffirm the defense relationship between the United States and Brazil, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said. In a statement summarizing the meeting, White said the secretary met with Defense Minister Joaquim Silva e Luna, Adm. Ademir Sobrinho, chief [...]
WASHINGTON -- Eligibility for Military OneSource benefits has been extended from the current 180 days to 365 days after separation or retirement from military service to ensure all service members and families have access to comprehensive support as they transition to civilian life, Defense Department officials announced today. This change goes into effect immediately, in [...]
WASHINGTON -- President Donald J. Trump today signed the $717 billion Fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act at a ceremony at Fort Drum, New York. The act – named for Arizona Sen. John S. McCain – authorizes a 2.6 percent military pay raise and increases the active duty forces by 15,600 service members. “With this [...]
WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary James N. Mattis and Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes of Brazil met today at the Itamaraty Palace in Brazil to reaffirm the long-standing bilateral relationship between their nations, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said. In a statement summarizing the meeting, White said the leaders discussed a broad range of defense issues, [...]
