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After spending more than a year coordinating airpower and helping to ensure U.S. forces there drew down, the top airman in Iraq is headed home.

The Navy recognizes the seriousness of suicide and has developed a training method for sailors to acknowledge they are on the front line of suicide prevention.

The war in Iraq is over and the United States is entering the final phase of the U.S. engagement in Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said.

On his way to Baghdad, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, paused to take stock of the progress he's seen in Iraq since he took office in 2007.

President Barack Obama announced the official end to combat operations in Iraq during a prime-time Oval Office address, declaring "a new beginning" for the Iraqi people.

"Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country," President Barack Obama announced in a televised address to the American people.

The American Legion presented Spirit of Service awards to five U.S. military members from all service branches at the organization's annual convention held in Milwaukee.

The change from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn does not affect combat and other hazardous-duty entitlements troops serving in Iraq receive, a Pentagon spokeswoman said.

In today's blog, AFPS' Elaine Wilson highlights President Barack Obama's video message of appreciation for U.S. troops and their families, and shares how all Americans can salute them for their service in Iraq.

The Veterans Affairs Department is making great strides in its efforts to reduce the backlog of veterans' claims, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki told veterans.

"A very tough fight" remains in Afghanistan that will demand more hard work and sacrifice, President Barack Obama acknowledged while thanking troops for advancing the mission in Iraq.

President Barack Obama traveled to Fort Bliss, Texas, to pay tribute to the post's servicemembers, whose contributions and those of their comrades made possible the official end of combat operations in Iraq.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates solicited support for his initiative to reform the Pentagon at the American Legion, telling the crowd that the United States cannot afford a peace dividend.

An insurgent leader believed to be responsible for the movement of fighters across three provinces was captured by Afghan-led security forces.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with leaders of U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, both of which have their headquarters in Germany.

The U.S. military has fought two separate wars in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the American Legion, and only now do commanders in Afghanistan have the troops and resources necessary to win this second conflict.

It is thanks to the blood, sweat and tears of American servicemembers that Iraq has the chance for political freedom, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the annual convention of the American Legion.

Army Spc. John Hanson has cerebral palsy, a condition that initially kept him out of the military. But he was determined to "wear the uniform," and now serves in Afghanistan.

Vice President Joe Biden is in Iraq to meet with U.S. and Iraqi leaders about the new U.S. mission there, and to underscore the United States' commitment to an ongoing relationship with the nation.

The Defense Department uses Facebook and other social media tools to help market its initiatives as the entire informational environment continues to evolve.