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Provides information on the pay and benefits received by the members of the U.S. armed forces in 2006. Factors considered in determining the basic pay of a soldier; Minimum amount of Basic Allowance for Housing received by a military personnel; Rate of Basic Allowance for Subsistence given to commissioned and warrant officers.

Provides information on the housing benefits received by the members of the U.S. armed forces. Eligibility for Bachelor Enlisted Quarters or barracks, dormitories or unaccompanied housing program; Factors that may lead to the eviction of tenants from government-owned housing; Maximum home loan offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Presents a list of people whose actions in 2001 affected the United States Armed Forces. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld; Terrorist Osama bin Laden; Senator Max Cleland; Doctor J. Jarrett Clinton.

The article reports on the basic allowance for housing (BAH) of U.S. soldiers. The U.S. Department of Defense has been improving the BAH since 2000 but soldiers still complain about it. Decreases in allowance added to the inadequacy of services that soldiers can avail of are also cited. Sergeant 1st Class Andy Baird and his family can not find a house that can be paid using the housing allowance.

The article reports that the medical command for the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Army will be consolidated. It will be the most extensive reform in the military's medical system. The concept was studied by Dreifus Associates Ltd. Inc. Under the plan, Tricare will be realigned with the new command, all military clinics will be under the unified command and emergency and operational field care will remain under individual services.

Reports on the fiscal 2007 proposed budget by the U.S. Department of Defense. Increases proposed by military officials; Effect of the budget on the procurement spending of the department; Highlights of the proposed 2007 budget.

Presents information on the Team Lioness, a group of women who participates in raids with the U.S. Marines in Iraq. Duties and responsibilities of the team; Background on the Team Lioness; Reasons behind the underrepresentation of women in combat-related jobs; Comparison between the number of women working in the Marines and in the Army.

Reports on the plans of United States soldiers for their bonuses received for serving in the 2003 Iraqi war. Bonuses received by Staff Sergeant Rachel Taitingfong and Gunnery Sergeant Joseph Taitingfong of the Marines; Investment plans of the soldiers; Retirement fund of soldiers.

Presents information on the special benefits received by United States soldiers deployed in combat. Suggestions on how to use the benefits wisely; Increase in the danger pay and family-separation allowance; Tax-free basic allowance for housing; Temporary-duty per diem.

Describes the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon in the United States on September 11, 2001. Chaos brought by the terrorist attacks; Presence of rescue workers and volunteers on the site of the tragedy; Damages caused by the terrorist attacks.

Reports on the participation of the U.S. Army Special Forces (SF) in the Exercise Flintlock which aims to train local militaries in Bassikounou, Mauritania in June 2005. Budget allocated for the initiative; Challenges faced by the SF team in its operation; Factors that contributed to the failure of the exercise.

The article reports on a debate against the 3% increase proposal in military wages in the U.S. Democrat Representative Ike Skelton from Missouri argued that this increase would not be enough to close the 4% gap between military and private sector wages. Steve Strobridge, government relations director for the Military Officers Associations of America, called for the 3.5% increase.

The article reports on the belief of U.S. Army Lieutenant General David Petraeus that the plan of U.S. President George W. Bush in increasing U.S. troops in Iraq will work. Petraeus says that the only way to oppose insurgency is to assure that the local people sees their security coming from within. He promises that he will provide his best professional military advice.

The article reports on the plan of U.S. President George W. Bush for Iraq. According to Bush, more than 20,000 troops will be added to the U.S. military. A number of troops will be sent to Anbar province who will operate under fewer restrictions. Reinforcements to ease the deployment stresses were called for by U.S. Defense secretary Robert Gates.

The article reports on the intervention of the U.S. over the invasion of Somalia by Ethiopian forces. The U.S. sees the invasion as an opportunity to return Somalia to normal condition and to capture fleeing al-Qaida militants. Navy Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Lieutenant Denise Garcia stated that coalition ships assigned to Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 include the Norfolk, Virginia-based destroyer Ramage. CTF-150 pertains to a multinational force that includes ships from Canada, France and Great Britain.

This article reports on the planned reshuffling of commanders at U.S. Central Command and in Iraq. The plan was announced by the U.S. Defense Department on January 5, 2007. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had nominated General George Casey as Chief of Staff for the 36th Army. General Peter Schoomaker is set to retire after being the chief of staff since 2003.

The article focuses on the possible changes in the U.S. Defense Department with the nomination of Robert Gates to replace Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Among the tasks awaiting Gates are to get more than $400 million budget under control and to put the strategy in Iraq back on track. Gates is a former Air Force officer known for his diplomacy and intellect.

The article reports on the call of retired generals and other sectors for the U.S. Army to increase the number of soldiers. Senator John McCain of Arizona states the need for additional 100,000 soldiers in the Army and Marine Corps. Army Chief of Staff General Peter Schoomaker cites that the main goal is to achieve 30,000 additional soldiers by 2011. Army spokesman Paul Boyce believes that the recruiting goals could take up to a decade to achieve.

The article reports on the need for U.S. forces in the counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has decided to expand its authority in the country. The U.S. military has no plans to reduce its current troop presence. about 23,000 of the 41,000 allied troops in Afghanistan are accounted for by U.S. forces.

Deals with changes proposed under the 10th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation by the U.S. Department of Defense. Plan to eliminate leprosy pay and other special pays; Revisions proposed for the military retirement system; Changes proposed for the pay chart; Revisions being considered for the special- and incentive-pay system.

Deals with the support of the U.S. Department of Defense and lawmakers on the plan of U.S. President George W. Bush to deploy soldiers at the U.S.-Mexican border to support the U.S. Border Patrol. Expectation that manpower will be generated from various states including Texas, California and New Mexico; Duties of soldiers to support their colleagues in service; Exemption of guardsmen in hurricane-prone states to participate in the deployment such as those in Louisiana and Florida.

Outlines the changes to the U.S. military pay system proposed by the U.S. Defense Advisory Committee on Military Compensation as of March 13, 2006. Pay differences for married and single members; Retirement; Incentives.

Focuses on the issue concerning the efforts of the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush to implement reforms in civil service. Delay in the implementation of the changes in civil service; Court rulings on the legality of new labor relations rules implemented by both the U.S. Department of Defense and Homeland Security; Comments from Bill Bransford, general counsel for the Senior Executives Association, on the role of collective bargaining in determining how the new pay systems will affect employees and be implemented.

Reports on the mixed reactions to the U.S. Department of Defense's plan to increase the fees which retirees pay for their health care as of February 20, 2006. Some details of the health care plan; Effect of the plan on older retirees under Tricare for Life; Comment from Pentagon Comptroller Tina Jonas about the plan.

The article reports on the Pacific Beacon enlisted barracks project to be built on 32nd Street Naval Station in San Diego, California for sailors. Some U.S. Navy officials believe that privatized barracks for single sailors will succeed the same way as for families. Guaranteed occupancy was the chief concern under privatized housing for single sailors because of deployments.

Reports on the efforts of the U.S. Army to contact prior-service troops to see if they might be interested in returning to active duty in Army green as part of its Unity of Effort program. Military bonuses and benefits to be offered by the Army to those who are willing to come back; Major personnel policy changes required by the program; Other recruitment efforts of the service.

Focuses on the factors that influenced former U.S. Marine Corps recruit William J. Lawson to assume the role of a major general in Louisiana. Background on Lawson; Cost of impersonating a major general according to Lawson; Penalties to be faced by the former recruit for assuming the role of a major general.

Describes the military training received by Mauritanian soldiers from a U.S. Special Forces unit in June 2005. Criticisms on the attitude of the Mauritanian soldiers toward the military training; Assessment of the shooting skills of the Mauritanian soldiers; Contribution of the psychological impact of the U.S. training exercise to the morale of the Mauritanian army.

Reports on the failure of the U.S. Army to achieve its recruiting goals from October 2004 to April 2005. Actions taken by the Army to attract enlistees; Decline in the number of enlistees for the Army National Guard; Statement issued by Army Secretary Francis Harvey regarding the recruiting goals.

Covers issues related to the U.S. military based on the findings of the 2004 Military Times Poll. Percentage of respondents who approve of the way President George W. Bush is handling the war in Iraq; Percentage of respondents who oppose drafting men into the military; Complaints of respondents on the aspects of military life.

Presents statistics on Operation Iraqi Freedom. Number of deployed service members as of April 30, 2004; Amount spent by the U.S. Department of Defense as of the end of February 2004; Number of medals awarded as of March 11, 2004.

Reports on the rescue operations of United States Navy officials to help the victims of a helicopter crash in Georgia. Background on the crash accident; Information on the casualties of the accident; Details on the death of U.S. Navy corpsman Kevin J. Frank.

Examines how the military facilities of the United States (U.S.) Armed Forces cope with the mailborne anthrax incidents. Safety precautions taken at U.S. military commands to prevent anthrax exposure; Controversy regarding the anthrax vaccination program of the Defense Department for the Armed Forces; Reaction of the troops on the mailborne anthrax incidents.

Highlights the effect of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States (U.S.) on the recruitment of soldiers. Patriotism of people in the U.S.; Number of phone calls received by recruiters from civilians; Comparison of the terrorist attacks on the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Presents information on the battle dress uniform for the United States Marines which had its approval on June 6, 2001 by Marine Commandant General James Jones. Materials used for the uniform and the boots; Features and improvements incorporated into the uniform; Advantages of the uniform.

The article reports on the demand of several U.S. senators for specific way to assessing the progress of U.S. George W. Bush's plan in Iraq. The plan calls for sending more troops in Iraq and increasing the number of U.S. trainers combined with Iraqi units. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that defense officials have been developing a matrix of benchmarks, which will look at the military commitments of the Iraqi forces.

The article reports on the delay of a plan announced by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to pay active and reserve troops when their deployments cut into promised time back at their home stations in the U.S. There has been an ongoing behind-the-scenes debate over the program because some officials question whether the concept runs counter to long-held notions of duty and service.

The article reports on the establishment of a combatant command for Africa called AfriCom by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Officials from the department says that AfriCom is different from other commands because it will become a model of interagency coordination wherein military, humanitarian and diplomatic efforts will be merged. It is believed that Africa represents a haven for terrorists and would-be terrorists.

The article deals with the plan by the U.S. Defense Department to pay active and reserve troops when their deployments cut into promised time back at their home stations. The plan, officially revealed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates in January 2007, was delayed as civilian and military leaders debate the merits of the program. Some senior officials question whether the concept runs counter to long-held notions of duty and service.

The article reports on the plan of U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates to end the use of stop-loss policy for both active and reserve component forces. Under the stop-loss policy, military services are allowed to extend active service members at will by delaying planned separations, retirements and demobilizations. The U.S. Army will particularly be affected by directive on the stop-loss policy.

The article presents news briefs on the U.S. Armed Forces. Admiral William Fallon has been selected to head the U.S. Central Command. Meanwhile, the assumed nomination of Admiral Timothy Keating to head the U.S. Pacific Command would give the U.S. Navy the control of 3 out of 5 geographic combatant commands, as Admiral James Stavridis heads the Southern Command.

The article reports on the dispute that erupted between the U.S. Army and "The New York Times" over the newspaper's publication of photographs of a dying soldier in Iraq, in 2007. The dispute revolves around the issue of boundaries of acceptable war coverage. The Army claims that the publication of the images and an online posting of a video of the soldier in the operation violated the ground rules that journalists sign when they obtain credentials to cover operations in the war zone.

The article reports that the U.S. Department of Defense fiscal 2008 budget request could trigger the revival of interservice rivalries. The said budget request, to be released on February 5, 2007, is expected to be higher than the 2006 budget. The budget will primarily be allocated to the Army and Marine Corps, which plans to replaces all their war-battered equipment, and the Navy and Air Force, for the modernization effort.

The article focuses on a report released in 2007 by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office which claims that the troops being deployed to Iraq could reach by 50,000. The said report is being disputed by the Department of Defense and the Army, and maintain that only a fraction of that number would be needed. The projection was based on the fact that the plan of the administration of President George W. Bush is unclear about whether the 21, 5000 troops are all combat troops or of that number includes support forces.

The article reports on the call of U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates for the termination of the stop-loss policy as a way to prevent service members from leaving the military service on schedule. It is believed that the stop-loss policy have affected 34,138 soldiers from the active-duty force. U.S. National Guard Bureau spokesman Emanuel Pacheco felt uncertain how a new policy will affect National Guard members.

The article reports that the Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care may convince the U.S. Congress to increase some fees for Tricare users and keep the military health care system in good condition. Pentagon personnel chief David S.C. Chu pointed out that the percentage of health care costs shouldered by beneficiaries decreased from 27% in 1995, when Tricare was launched, to 12% in 2007. Chu told the task force that unless the Pentagon can raise some fees, the prognosis for the system is grim.

The article reports that a Pentagon panel advisory group mandated to focus on women's and family issues, is investigating why women do not go as far as men in the legal, medical and clergy fields, which play supporting roles in the military. According to Mary Nelson, who chairs the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, while such fields tend to attract more female officers, most leave by the time they reach the O-4 paygrade.

The article reports that a panel which consisted of four retired army generals, namely Jack Keane, Joseph Hoar, William Odom and Barry McCaffrey, oppose the surge plan of U.S. President George W. Bush during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. The hearing was designed to showcase alternative approaches to the plan. According to Keane, President Bush's plan to stabilize Iraq is a big mistake. He said that putting the Iraqis in the lead for the Baghdad surge makes no sense.

The article reports on the mandate of the U.S. Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care. The task force has been mandated to look at a range of Tricare financial issues such as increase in health care costs while funding for the system decreases. The military medical system is facing a growing financial crisis. The task force can play a role in building consensus to support the plan to raise fees for beneficiaries.

The article reports on the sectarian violence in Iraq. An increase in scope, complexity and lethality of violence in the country has been pointed out by U.S. Army Lieutenant General Michael Maples. Baghdad will be the focus of the surge of troops that U.S. President George W. Bush has recently announced.