December 20, 2015 Hagel calls for shrinking Army to pre-WWII size Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called Monday for shrinking the U.S. Army to its smallest size in decades, along with other cuts, drawing criticism that the drastic changes will hurt U.S. security.
December 20, 2015 Hagel orders reviews of nuclear forces amid cheating allegations Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters Wednesday the first review will be conducted by the Joint Staff and the second will be an independent review conducted by two retired military officers
December 20, 2015 Obama approves sending up to 1,500 more US troops to Iraq President Obama has approved sending up to 1,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq, more than doubling the number being deployed to help Iraqi forces fight the Islamic State.
December 20, 2015 Dempsey: US troops could fight alongside Iraqi forces in war against ISIS The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Congress on Thursday that he wouldn’t rule out sending a small number of American forces to fight alongside Iraqi troops during some of the more complex missions against the Islamic State.
December 20, 2015 Lack of communication blamed for missteps in effort to free POW Bowe Bergdahl The captors of an American soldier held for nearly five years in Afghanistan have signaled a willingness to release him but are unclear which U.S. government officials have the authority to make a deal, according to two individuals in the military working for his release. Critics of the release effort blame disorganization and poor communication among the numerous federal agencies involved.
December 20, 2015 Threat of conflict in Asia to increase over next decade, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dempsey says The dire assessment from Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman, is outlined in the Pentagon’s four-year strategy called the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) that was released Tuesday.
December 20, 2015 Senators blast order barring female guards from transporting Gitmo inmates Female soldiers serving at Guantanamo Bay are not being allowed to transport inmates following a court order issued in response to prisoners who complained on religious grounds, according to Republican senators who recently returned from a visit to the prison camp.
December 20, 2015 Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman arrives in Iraq for update on fight against ISIS The top U.S. military officer landed in Iraq Tuesday to get an update on the battle against ISIS militants, saying he sees no prospect right now for Russia to expand its airstrike campaign into the war-torn country.
December 20, 2015 New Joint Chiefs chairman facing war, service challenges Gen. Martin Dempsey stepped down as the military's top officer Friday, after four tumultuous years of war, budget cuts and the strains of combat on a battle-worn force.
December 20, 2015 Joint Chiefs nominee appears to side with Romney on Russian threat The general chosen by President Obama to replace the Pentagon’s top military officer has put the administration in an awkward position after remarks Thursday in which he called Russia "the greatest threat to our national security" -- a stance taken by 2012 GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and lambasted by the president during the 2012 campaign.
