Topic - United States Department Of Defense

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  PENA: Overspending due to mission creep

  The latest fad for cutting federal government spending is slashing the number of private-sector contractors. You remember, the government contractors who were hired because they'd be more efficient than using the government's own workers to do the same jobs.

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  Military gay group growing, aiming for more rights

  An association of gays in the military has more than doubled its membership since last year, is setting up more on-base chapters, and plans to hold its next national conference at a Defense Department resort at Walt Disney World.

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  Inside the Beltway

  High noon, Presidents Day, the Washington Monument: a highly charged venue for Veterans for Ron Paul, who will march in military formation from monument to White House on Monday to show their devotion to the Republican presidential hopeful.

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  CARAFANO: Putting national security at risk

  Washington is about to hand America's enemies - at least the ones who want to do us harm - a gift. It comes in the form of deep, reckless cuts to the defense budget.

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  Reston firm vows to buck denial of wireless network

  Reston-based LightSquared Inc. vowed Wednesday to continue its fight to establish a national wireless broadband network, a day after federal regulators ruled its plan posed too great a danger to existing defense, aviation and GPS networks.

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  Panetta, Forbes trade barbs over budget cuts

  Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta engaged in a testy back-and-forth with Rep. J. Randy Forbes over cutting $487 billion from the Pentagon's budget over the next decade during a House Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday.

• SGT. SHAFT: VA's automated 800 number lacks personal touch for veterans

  Dear Sgt Shaft: I recently called the VA's 800 number and was really frustrated at the time it took to navigate to a real live person.

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  Pentagon proposes pay raise in austerity budget

  Military personnel will get a 1.7 percent pay raise next year in what is "otherwise a time of austerity," the Defense Department said Monday.

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  Hold the mystery meat: Military food gets upgrade

  Military bases will soon be serving more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dishes under the first program in 20 years to improve nutrition standards across the armed services.

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  Pentagon opens 'Tweet' offensive in cyberspace

  The Pentagon on Monday launched a new campaign — in bursts of 140 characters per message.

• House Republicans hope to ease automatic defense spending cuts

  Republicans on the House Armed Service Committee are stepping up their effort to shield the Defense Department from additional spending cuts ahead of the Feb. 13 release of President Obama's fiscal 2013 federal budget.

• Sundance documentary examines rape in US military

  The Department of Defense estimates that more than 19,000 military men and women were sexually assaulted by fellow troops in 2010 while serving in the United States armed forces. At least 20 percent of servicewomen and 1 percent of men _ an estimated 500,000 troops _ have experienced sexual trauma while serving.

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  U.S. to keep 11 aircraft carriers to show sea power

  Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta on Saturday told sailors aboard the country's oldest aircraft carrier that the U.S. is committed to maintaining a fleet of 11 of the formidable warships despite budget pressures, in part to project sea power against Iran.

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  Times poll shows GOP schism on interventionism

  Nearly half of all Republican primary voters say it's time the U.S. stops intervening in world affairs and focuses on domestic priorities instead, signaling a persistent rift that is playing out in the party's presidential nomination battle.

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  EDITORIAL: Obama's shrinking Navy

  President Obama declared earlier this month that national-security strategy should drive the defense budget and not vice versa. Talk is cheap. An emerging debate over the Navy's future reveals the price America will pay for slashing defense.

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