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Drone pilots: Why war is also hard for remote soldiers

Drone pilots are far from the battlefield, but they show some of the same signs of stress as do soldiers fighting on the ground. Now a movement in the military is afoot to assist these techno-warriors.
Fatal helicopter crash underscores hazards of Marines' mission training (+video)

Thirteen Marines have died since October in serious aviation accidents during training, including seven killed late Wednesday when two helicopters collided in midair.
Quran burning: Were prisoners hiding extremist messages in books?

The Pentagon has launched an investigation into the Quran burning at a US detention facility in Afghanistan. Prisoners might have used the books to pass secret messages, a spokesman says.
US military officials urge caution on attacking Iran

The problem is that many of the Iranian targets – buried deeply underground – would be beyond the reach of the Israeli military, in what Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey calls a “zone of immunity.”
Threats to US: Pentagon officials drop three surprises

Pentagon’s key intelligence officials warned of 'current and future worldwide threats' to US national security in a congressional hearing Thursday. Here are three top surprises.
Special Forces in Afghanistan: not just taking out terrorists anymore

As conventional forces withdraw from Afghanistan, US Special Forces will take the lead in training Afghan soldiers and police – a task that takes Special Forces back to their roots.
Why Pentagon, facing 'doomsday' spending cuts, refuses to plan for them

Pentagon brass say they won't even brook the possibility that $487 billion in mandated spending cuts – their 'doomsday' scenario – will actually come to pass. But if Congress doesn't blink, say analysts, the Pentagon will be in dire straits.
Pentagon budget: Does it pit active-duty forces against retirees? (+video)

Personnel costs in the Pentagon’s base budget have grown enormously over the past decade. Now, officials are trying to making tough choices about where to make cuts.
Nazi flag incident puts culture of Marine snipers in spotlight

The photo of Marine snipers in Afghanistan posing in front of a Nazi flag has prompted the top Marine officer to start a review of sniper protocol and training.
Women in combat: Pentagon opens door to front lines

The Pentagon has opened the door for women to serve in combat – but just barely. Women will still not officially fight in battle, but new rules acknowledge their role on the front line.
Reports on Afghanistan war too rosy? Army officer, others say yes.

An Army officer sets the Pentagon, Capitol Hill buzzing with a published complaint that US military leaders are not being honest about slow progress in the Afghanistan war. He's not the only doubter.
US troops in Afghanistan: How big is shift from 'combat' to 'assistance'?

The US plan to end its combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2013, shifting to an 'advise and assist' role, may not mean a huge change for troops on the ground.
Taliban infiltrators in Afghanistan? Pentagon warns of 'insider threat.'

Attacks by Afghan police and soldiers against US troops have caused friction and raised the threat that Taliban sympathizers could be joining the Afghan Army to attack or undermine NATO.
Top 4 threats against America: the good and bad news

America’s top spy chiefs and intelligence experts come together every year to share their best guesses about the biggest threats that will face the country in the year ahead. Here are the top four pieces of good and bad news to come out of the annual threat-assessment hearing in Congress Tuesday.
New airport security plans: less frisking, more 'pre-screening'

One of the Homeland Security's key priorities in the months to come will include expediting 'low-risk' travelers through security lines. One way to do this is 'pre-screening.'
How Pentagon budget cuts will reshape the Army

The Army has been seen as one of the big losers in the Pentagon budget cuts released Thursday. But Army officials say now is the perfect time for the force to recast itself.
Pentagon budget: top 3 winners and losers

In Pentagon parlance, the word “cut” is a relative term. The Defense Department’s base budget decreases from $553 billion this year to $525 billion in 2013, but it rebounds steadily to $567 billion in 2017. With this in mind, here are the top three winners and losers:
Daring special forces raid shows Somali pirates are on the run

The SEAL Team Six rescue of an American hostage shows US special forces are tightening the noose on increasingly desperate Somali pirate groups, military analysts say.
Famous US Special Forces operations

Here are six of the most famous successful American special operations missions in recent memory.
SEAL Team 6 rescue in Somalia frees two from pirates' lair (+video)

SEAL Team 6 members raided a compound in Somalia early Wednesday to free two hostages held by pirates since October. The raid signals that US 'will not tolerate' abductions of Americans, Obama said.