All Security
Women in combat units: Could it reduce sexual assault in the military?Ending the ban on women in combat removes a barrier to gender equality and could create more respect for women within the ranks, some say. Sexual assault is a major problem for the military.
Women could serve in combat in AfghanistanThe plan to let women serve in combat does not have any firm timeline. But it's possible implementation could begin before the Afghanistan war ends, one official says.
Women allowed in combat: Will that mean it's less safe for men?Critics say that opening combat to women will create pressure to lower standards so that women can meet them. Backers say that equal treatment will attract more serious women athletes.
Women in combat: Will they have to register for the draft?That may be a difficult question from a societal standpoint, but the answer is straightforward, according to a legal analysis. On Thursday, the Pentagon will lift its ban on women in combat.
How the Air Force is fighting sexual assault, post-Lackland scandalThe sexual assault scandal at Lackland Air Force Base, the subject of a House hearing Wednesday, is prompting the service to grapple with the need for change. Here's an inside look at how the Air Force is going about it.
Pentagon lifting ban on women in combat, opening new opportunitiesChiefs of the individual service branches are being told to submit a plan to implement the new policy to the secretary of Defense by May.
Algeria hostage crisis: frustration for US military, and maybe regretsA disastrous hostage rescue effort by Algeria's military this week underscores the Pentagon's difficulties in working with its counterparts in parts of Africa. But the US can't criticize too loudly: It needs Algeria as an ally to fight terrorism in the region.
Pentagon a quiet force in gun-control debate. What does it want?The Pentagon has already successfully taken on the NRA over a pro-gun congressional measure that it didn't like. Now some retired officials are speaking out in the gun-control debate.
Senate 'old boy' network is misfiring on Hagel nominationWhile senators typically support their own in confirmation hearings, that is not the case for former Senator Hagel, whose nomination to be secretary of defense is under heavy fire.
US 'fully committed' in Afghanistan, Panetta says. But no troops after 2014?Afghan President Hamid Karzai meets with President Obama Friday in the wake of a 'zero option' being floated for US troops. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Mr. Karzai met at the Pentagon Thursday.
Chuck Hagel, Vietnam vet: Would time as a 'grunt' be a plus at Pentagon?If confirmed by the Senate, Chuck Hagel would become the first Vietnam veteran – and the first enlisted soldier – to hold the post of Defense secretary. To many military veterans, that matters.
WikiLeaks: Bradley Manning was treated improperly in lockup, judge rulesBut the military court declined to throw out the case against former Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, who faces trial for allegedly facilitating the largest leak of classified documents in US history.
Obama's 'in your face' cabinet picks: why he chose Chuck Hagel, John BrennanPresident Obama officially nominated Chuck Hagel for Defense secretary and John Brennan for CIA chief Monday. Each brings a unique view of the organization he would lead.
- Do war-weary troops have drinking problem? Marines launch get-tough policy.
Recent Pentagon surveys indicate that after a decade of war, a 'shocking' number of troops say they're heavy drinkers. On-duty Marines found with even low levels of alcohol will be sent for counseling.
- How Air Force database is preventing its old bombs from claiming new victims
The US military estimates that an Air Force lieutenant colonel is saving hundreds of lives a year through a new database he is creating of past bombing campaigns. He's also challenging the history books.
Gay marriage at Supreme Court: Will military couples get more benefits?Same-sex military couples are not eligible for many benefits that heterosexual married couples in the military receive, including housing and medical care. But the Supreme Court could redefine the federal status of gay marriage next year.
Home for the holidays: Fewer US troops are absent this yearChristmas 2012 marks the smallest deployment of combat troops abroad in at least five years, as the war in Iraq ends and US forces deployed to Afghanistan have been drawing down.
- Sexual assault reports jump at military academies, Pentagon finds
Despite the Pentagon's sexual assault awareness programs, reports at military academies rose by nearly a quarter in 2010-2011. Officials say women could be feeling more secure reporting the crimes.
Violence in Iraq spikes. Are US security interests in jeopardy?A recent rise in civilian deaths and injuries in Iraq is cause for concern, but Pentagon personnel say Iraqi security forces are proving to be 'very capable' in the year since US troops departed.
'Zero Dark Thirty': Top 3 controversies from the Osama bin Laden film "Zero Dark Thirty," which tells the story of the hunt and capture of Osama bin Laden, is already garnering critical accolades – and plenty of criticism, too. Here are the top three controversies currently surrounding the film.
