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Stressful station-to-station moves due to poor quality service and broken or delayed household goods could soon be a thing of the past. This summer, U.S. Transportation Command kicked off implementation of its new Global Household Goods contract, or GHC,
On D-Day, June 6, 1944, paratroopers of the U.S. Army's 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions landed between 1:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. near and in the town of Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy, France.
Marine Corps Capt. James Albert Graham could have fled to safety with the rest of his company during a firefight in Vietnam. Instead, he chose to stay behind with a comrade too injured to move. Knowing he wouldn't survive, Graham gave his life so a fellow Marine wouldn't have to die alone. His leadership and bravery earned him the Medal of Honor.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Marc H. Sasseville, vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, is probably most remembered for his 9/11 flight in an F-16 to intercept hijacked Flight 93, which was heading toward Washington, D.C
Marines assigned to the Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard grabbed their saddles, horses and ceremonial gear to journey from Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., to the District of Columbia and surrounding region for the first time in more than a decade.
The United States' air and space supremacy is critical to maintaining global peace and security as the nation faces evolving national security challenges, Vice President Kamala Harris said today.
Andrew Jackson Higgins, a boat builder in New Orleans, is rightfully credited with the design of the boat that bears his name. A statue of him, along with a Higgins boat, is on display on Utah Beach.
Army Staff Sgt. Andrea Okrasinski didn't start her military career on active duty — she spent years working in the civilian education field first. More than a decade into that career, however, a chance assignment led her to combine her passion for teaching with her appreciation for nature by becoming an instructor at the Army Mountain Warfare School.
From the harsh ridgelines in Italy during World War II and the frigid peaks of Korea during the 1950s, to the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan, mountaineering has long been a necessary skill for U.S. service members in battle. To deter conflicts and defeat aggression, service members need to be prepared to operate in mountainous terrain.
Mr. President; Madam Vice President and Mr. Emhoff; General Brown and Mrs. Brown: I am honored to be here with you.
Distinguished guests, Service members, my fellow veterans, ladies and gentlemen: Thanks for letting us share this Memorial Day with you.
Pentagon officials fielded questions from students at Defense Department schools from across the U.S. and Europe today as part of a webinar focused on the NATO alliance.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced today that the president has made the following nomination:
Air Force Col. Gordon R. Meyer for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Meyer is currently serving as chief of Joint Staff and director of Staff-Air, Joint Force Headquarters, Missouri Air National Guard, Missouri.
To Gold Star family members and everyone mourning a fallen American hero today, please know that we bow our heads in sorrow along with you, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said.
Thanks to World War I and the advent of the submarine, U.S. naval divers mastered how to make and survive deep ocean dives. But by the 1930s, they were still trying to figure out how to successfully rescue survivors from sunken vessels.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., offered words of support and gratitude today to opening ceremony attendees of the 30th Annual National Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp in Arlington, Virginia.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will undergo a scheduled, elective, and minimally invasive follow-up non-surgical procedure related to his previously reported bladder issue at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center later this evening.
Well, good morning, Class of 2024. [Graduates respond, "Good morning, sir."] Let's try that again. [Laughter] Good morning, Class of 2024!
Soldiers assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard," placed U.S. flags at headstones in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., in advance of Memorial Day weekend.
The Defense Department and NASCAR will commemorate Memorial Day during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina with a tribute to fallen service members. This event caps off a monthlong campaign highlighting NASCAR's military partnership through service member engagements, moments of remembrance and patriotic performances.
On June 6, 1944, D-Day, Allied forces landed on Utah, Omaha, Juneau, Gold and Sword beaches in Normandy, France, to roll back German occupation. Today, monuments, museums and memorabilia at those beaches honor those liberators.
Army Sgt. Michael Fuentes, a motor transport vehicle operator, said he volunteered to be on this recovery mission, which is his first.
A 25-member team from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, is in the Normandy region of France, searching for three missing airmen, whose C-47A aircraft was presumably shot down by German anti-aircraft fire on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
A 25-member team from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is in the Normandy region of France to search for three missing airmen whose C-47A aircraft was presumably shot down by German antiaircraft fire on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
The Pentagon's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office is focused on maturing and sustaining its progress in delivering key capabilities to the warfighter, CDAO's top official said today.
The Defense Department remains focused on restoring service members' trust as military justice reforms aimed at strengthening the department's response to sexual assault take root across the services.
Arlington National Cemetery personnel adorned the Memorial Amphitheater with U.S. flags as part of the Virginia cemetery's yearly preparations for the National Memorial Day Observance. Monday's proceedings will be the 156th such observance honoring the nation's fallen service members.
In testimony before a Senate Armed Services subcommittee, John D. Hill, deputy assistant secretary of defense for space and missile defense, outlined key investments in DOD's budget request for fiscal year 2025 needed to keep pace with challengers to the U.S. in the space-warfare domain.
At the Pentagon today, the Defense Department recognized the top-level performance of more than two dozen department and service employees who work in the sexual assault prevention and response community.
A 25-member team from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, is in the vicinity of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France, searching for three missing airmen, whose C-47A aircraft was presumably shot down by German anti-aircraft fire on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
A 25-member team from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is in the Normandy region of France searching for three missing airmen, whose C-47A aircraft was presumably shot down by German antiaircraft fire on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
A 25-member team from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is in the vicinity of Normandy, France, searching for three missing airmen whose C-47A aircraft was presumably shot down by German antiaircraft fire on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Air Force Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Bauernfeind is currently serving as commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida.
Navy Rear Adm. Jeffrey T. Anderson for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as commander, Sixth Fleet; commander, Task Force Six; commander, Striking and Support Forces NATO; deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe; deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa;
In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee's Defense Subcommittee, William A. LaPlante, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, said the war in Ukraine has underscored the value of countries working together to produce key munitions.
MODERATOR: Okay. Perfect. If you're — if you're ready, we can go ahead and get started here. We have about 45 minutes for this interview. And it will be on the record, so it will be attributable by name. And then I will go ahead and pass it over to Ms. Foster, who will have some opening remarks, and we'll go from there.
According to his memoirs, Richard D. Winters enlisted in the Army on Aug. 25, 1941, aiming to serve for just one year and avoid being drafted for an extended period of time.
Little did he realize he'd become a World War II hero with a statue of himself erected near Utah Beach where he landed on D-Day.
On my first full day as Secretary of Defense, I made countering sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military a top priority. These scourges have no place in the U.S. military. We will continue to insist on cohesion, trust, dignity, and security for every member of the force.
This year's annual report shows that the estimated prevalence of sexual assault and harassment declined in the active force, compared to levels last measured in 2021. This is the first time in nearly 10 years that the Department has seen a decrease in sexual assault prevalence.
When the USO puts on a show to entertain service members in far-flung regions of the world, it's usually pretty spectacular. But these tours can't happen all the time. The USO can, however, entertain service members and their families with military virtual programming, which was implemented when the pandemic set in and has been thriving and expanding ever since.
Military spouses got an aerial view of Mount Fuji during a spouse orientation flight that gave them an up-close and personal look at the operations and capabilities of airmen at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
Leaders from the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior met at the Pentagon on Monday to celebrate the renewal of the Recovery and Sustainment Partnership (RASP) following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding earlier this year designed to advance the recovery of threatened and endangered species while also supporting national security.
Navy vessels have been plying the Red Sea since December as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a U.S.-led, multinational coalition established to counter attacks by Houthi terrorists on merchant and naval vessels.
A 25-member team from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is in the Normandy region of France searching for three missing airmen whose C-47A aircraft was presumably shot down by German anti-aircraft fire on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Sklenka for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics. Sklenka is currently serving as the deputy commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today called on South Carolina State University's Class of 2024 to give back to their communities and to the nation.
-Well, good morning, Bulldogs!
[Crowd responds, "Good morning!"]
I know it's raining, but I don't think there's anybody out there.
The Department of Defense (DoD) published today a Final Rule in the Federal Register updating its regulation on the medical malpractice claims process for Active-Duty Service members. The updated rule eliminates the offset requirement for payments for non-economic damages.
The Spirit of Service Award recognizes outstanding civilian employees within the National Capital Region who display the core qualities of honor, integrity and excellence in their everyday service during the previous year.
U.S. and allied country senior leaders discussed the roles that technology, relationships and additional topics play in developing special warfare teams for the future during a panel discussion Wednesday at the Special Operations Forces 2024 convention in Tampa, Florida.
When educator Kerrie Gill made her lesson plans for the 2023-2024 school year, she didn't know her efforts were going to earn her the Department of Defense Education Activity's 2024 Teacher of the Year title. It's an honor she accepted with grace and humility recently when she traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with America's top educators, including the first lady.
Navy Vice Adm. John F. Wade for reappointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as commander, Third Fleet, San Diego, California. Wade most recently served as commander, Task Force Red Hill, Camp H.S. Smith, Hawaii.
Gas, gear and groceries! Sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt got in position to receive supplies from the USNS John Ericsson during a replenishment in the South China Sea.
Brandon Brown was skeptical at first when he received a phone call from an unknown number during his junior year at South Carolina State University.
Brown had set his sights on a summer internship with the Defense Department and had worked with advisors to get his resume to the right place.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III departs on domestic travel Thursday, May 9 to South Carolina State University, South Carolina, and the U.S. Army's Fort Jackson to highlight the Department's focus on taking care of people and the value of public service to our nation.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks hosted the Defense Business Board's third quarterly meeting for fiscal year 2024 at the Pentagon today in a closed, classified session. Defense Innovation Unit Director Doug Beck joined Deputy Secretary Hicks for the discussion.
The Defense Department's workforce and its partnerships with private industry remain at the core of the military's ability to harness innovation and defend against emerging threats, the Pentagon's top cyber official said today.
The Defense Department's top official told Congress today that DOD's fiscal year 2025 budget request, about $849.8 billion in all, includes tradeoffs between capability in the future and readiness.
The Defense Department's success in an evolving security landscape is defined by the joint force's ability to address current threats while at the same time preparing for the future, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., said yesterday.
In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, a C-47A aircraft from what was then U.S. Army Air Corps' 304th Troop Carrier Squadron, 442nd Troop Carrier Group, participated in the D-Day airborne operation in France.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Collins, distinguished members of the committee, thanks for the opportunity to testify in support of President Biden's proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Budget for the Department of Defense. I'm pleased to be joined by our outstanding chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General CQ Brown, and by Undersecretary Mike McCord, the department's comptroller.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Jason T. Hinds for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe; and deputy commander, U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Hinds is currently serving as director of Operations, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany.
Charles Q. Brown Jr., chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, will provide testimony at 10 a.m. EDT at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on the Department of Defense fiscal 2025 budget request, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
Senior leadership from U.S. Special Operations Command today emphasized the significant role that partnership plays in accomplishing the mission of special operations forces during keynote remarks at the start of Special Operations Forces Week 2024 in Tampa, Florida.
The Department of Defense today announced the selection of seven DoD–university faculty teams to pursue fundamental social science research through the FY 2023 Defense Education and Civilian University Research (DECUR) Partnership, a program under the department's Minerva Research Initiative.
When it comes to their careers, Marine Corps Cpls. Alex and Andres Lopez are quick to say they're blessed: They are a dual-military couple who are assigned to the same place and the same unit.
Today, the Department of Defense announced the recipients of the 2023 DOD Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Awards for outstanding accomplishments of its fire departments, fire officers, and firefighters.
The Marine Corps' most senior officer stated his key priorities and praised his fighting force during a state of the Marine Corps speech closing out a three-day defense industry exposition today in Washington.
Good cyber hygiene, which includes things like regularly changing passwords or applying software security patches, plays an outsized role in preventing America's adversaries from hacking into and crippling U.S. infrastructure systems, such as power, water or gas.
Across the globe, the Defense Department employs over three million people — including civilians and uniformed military personnel. A challenge for the department has been both competing with the private sector for talent..
The Joint Reserve Directorate (JRD) hosted its inaugural executive session April 9 – 11 at the Pentagon. The session focused on defining specific objectives for the directorate to more effectively support the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E) and other department organizations.
Launched in August 2023, the Department of Defense (DoD) 2040 Task Force (D2T) innovation challenge solicited ideas that elevate talent management with special consideration to recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse workforce.
In early 2022, the Defense Department released a report detailing the state of the defense industrial base, or DIB, which is the collection of private sector companies that produce the materials, hardware and weapons used by the U.S. military.
The Air Force dominated, taking the gold in both men's and women's team divisions, at the 2024 Armed Forces Sports Bowling Championship at Fort Meade, Md. The Navy took silver and Army walked away with the bronze.
The Chief of Staff of the Army announces the following officer assignments:
Maj. Gen. Jason E. Kelly, commanding general, U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to deputy commanding general for Civil Works and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C.
Senior leaders from five of the uniformed services' reserve component branches spoke out in favor of aligning pay and benefits within their organizations during a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense budget hearing today.
June 6, 1944, was a monumental day for Army Technician 5th Grade John Joseph Pinder Jr. Aside from it being his 32nd birthday, it was also when he joined thousands of other Allied troops to storm the beaches of Normandy, France, on D-Day. Omaha Beach was hell on earth for soldiers that day, but Pinder carried out his mission with honor before succumbing to his many wounds. His valor earned him a posthumous Medal of Honor.
The day began in the Pentagon Courtyard with speeches from senior Defense Department officials and a little bit of singing, break dancing, magic tricks and military performances.
Public service is a good option for today's youth after graduation, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks told thousands of kids and their parents who had gathered in the courtyard, where multiple entertainment booths and displays were set up.
The Department of Defense, in partnership with other federal agencies, has options available to help budding entrepreneurs within the military community start and maintain their businesses.
Today, the Department of Defense released the Calendar Year 2022 Annual Report on Civilian Casualties in Connection with United States Military Operations.
The Space Force aims to build upon its foundation of strong partnerships with the commercial sector to maintain the United States' competitive advantage in the frontier warfare domain, a senior service official said yesterday.
Recruiters across the military are challenged every day to bring young people into service. But the chief of naval operations said she thinks the Navy has what young people are looking for — if only they knew more about it.
Marine Corps recruits tightened their laces and conducted warmup exercises to prepare for a motivational run, the last physical training event before graduation, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Army Sgt. Joe Hayashi was days away from seeing the Germans surrender in Italy when he was killed. His actions in taking out enemy positions before that were integral to his unit's success in driving the enemy back. Hayashi initially earned a posthumous Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery, but that was eventually upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
Giving the gift of life to others through organ donation is one of the most selfless things a person can do. Many people think that's something you do only after you die, but doctors encourage donors to do so while they're still alive — and donations are badly needed.
Army Col. Grant S. Fawcett for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. Fawcett is currently serving as deputy commander (Support), 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia; and Operation Atlantic Resolve, Poland.
Navy Vice Adm. Michael E. Boyle for reappointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as deputy chief of naval operations for Operations, Plans, and Strategy, N3/N5, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Boyle is currently serving as commander, Third Fleet, San Diego, California.
The Department of Defense (DoD) recognizes April as a call to action for Service members to use their individual and collective strength to advance meaningful change in preventing and responding to sexual violence through this year's enduring theme – "STEP FORWARD. Prevent. Report. Advocate."
A new memorandum of agreement signed yesterday by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma will streamline the approval process for military spouses seeking overseas teleworking arrangements while federally employed.
Let me begin by thanking Dr. Biden for her steadfast and long-standing commitment to our nation's military families —from being a proud military kid and parent to launching the Joining Forces initiative, to advocating for today's memorandum signing. Thank you for all that you do for our military community and in support of our nation's defense.
Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of State (DOS) officials on April 17 signed a new agreement that impacts military spouses working in the executive branch of the federal government and approved to work remotely from locations overseas.
The Defense Department strives to support readiness, resilience, people and the environment in everything it does, said the assistant secretary of defense for energy, installations and environment, who today spoke about environmental issues in advance of the upcoming Earth Day observance on Monday.
Stevens was accounted for on Sept. 15, 2023, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, following several recovery missions in Belgium by a team of volunteers with the University of Wisconsin Missing in Action Recovery and Identification Project and the DPAA.
Today is Purple Up! Day, a special day in April — the Month of the Military Child — when we recognize the contributions and achievements of our nation's 1.6 million military children. And it is my privilege to join in the celebration.
Today, President Joe Biden released the 2024 United States Government Global Health Security Strategy, outlining the nation's whole of government approach to strengthening global health security to protect American lives and livelihoods by improving U.S. and other countries' capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks at their source.
Why is the Pentagon, you know, a pentagon? The land the Pentagon was first planned to go on was bordered on five sides by roads, so the architects designed a five-sided building.
Navy Cmdr. George Levick Street III was a daring leader during crucial moments toward the end of World War II in the Pacific. His expertise and leadership allowed his submarine crew to sneak into an enemy harbor and destroy three ships without suffering any damage to their own vessel. That feat earned him the Medal of Honor.
After learning Russian and robotics and training in jets and spacesuits over the past two years, NASA's newest astronauts are ready to take a giant leap forward for space exploration.
The "Saving on a Valuable Education," or SAVE plan, announced in August 2023, is not just for civilians. Service members, family members and civil servants alike can also benefit from the program to help reduce or even eliminate student loan debt.
Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Quantico, Virginia. Borgschulte is currently serving as commanding general, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, San Diego, California.
These paratroopers, assigned to 3-82 General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, perform maintenance on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter an an undisclosed location.
We've all heard the term "military brat" before. It pertains to those children who grew up in military families. "Brats" wear the name like a badge of honor, often because of the moves, stressors and cultural experiences that make them more resilient than their civilian counterparts.
The start of the 27th annual Bataan Memorial Death March was a raucous affair. Cannon fire sent 6,613 hard-charging and motivated athletes surging across the starting line and into the New Mexican desert under a vibrant orange and violet sunrise. They were whooping and cheering as they embarked on one of the most legendarily grueling sporting events in America.
The man responsible for the oversight and advocacy of the Defense Department's science and technology enterprise retired after 50 years of government service, including 20 years in the Air Force.
Marine Corps Cpl. Christopher Sanders' face showed no sign of the torment each step brought as he carried his heavy pack bearing a photograph of his late father up the steep dirt trail scarring the New Mexico high desert.
Department of Defense organizations will take home nine awards for technology transfer at the national meeting of the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) on April 9-11, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. This year's meeting marks the 50th anniversary of the FLC, the formally chartered, nationwide network of over 300 federal laboratories, agencies, and research centers. Since the consortium's inception,
Not many fighter pilots can say they became an ace on their first combat mission. Marine Corps Col. James Elms Swett is one of the few who can. During World War II, he destroyed seven Japanese bombers in his first 15 minutes of combat, contributing to Allied success in the Solomon Islands and earning himself a Medal of Honor in the process.
The Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Services (DCPAS) launched its first ever recruitment marketing campaign on social media to attract younger job seekers to a wide range of Department of Defense (DoD) civilian careers as recruiting civilian staff is a high priority for the Department.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti yesterday said she credits both a recent transformation in the Navy's surface warfare training regimen and the quality of logistics operations for the service's ability to successfully counter recent attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea.
Peter I. Belk, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for readiness, said continuing to inculcate a culture of safety across the Defense Department is not only critical for mission success, but also has widespread impact on service members, civilian personnel and their families.
Under a policy implemented last year, service members and eligible dependents may be authorized travel and transportation allowances to access noncovered reproductive health care services when timely access to those services is not available near a member's permanent duty station.
In Arlington National Cemetery's Section 1, you'll find a diverse mix of grave markers, from basic white headstones to massive, ornate monuments commissioned by generals and other U.S. leaders. Among them, you'll also find the graves of 23 pioneering female Civil War nurses.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Case A. Cunningham for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commander, Alaskan Command, U.S. Northern Command; commander, Eleventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces; and commander, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Region. Cunningham is currently serving as commander, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.