Last space shuttle comes home, ends 30-year era

Atlantis and four astronauts returned from the International Space Station in triumph Thursday, The Associated Press reports, bringing an end to NASA’s 30-year shuttle journey with one last, rousing touchdown that drew cheers and tears.

Petraeus hands over command in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan — Gen. David Petraeus, whose signature counterinsurgency strategy has yet to deliver a safer Afghanistan and push the Taliban to reconcile with the country’s Western-allied government, handed over command of international forces here on Monday.

Public Support Waning for Defense Spending

WASHINGTON — Defense officials have been warning for months that they expect military spending to be reduced significantly in coming years as lawmakers struggle with the ballooning federal budget. Now, a new poll shows the American public might back even steeper cuts in the defense budget.

After 100 Years, Walter Reed Closing in August

Just over a century after taking in its first patients, Walter Reed Army Medical Center will close its doors at the end of August and move patients, staff and health care operations to new and expanded facilities at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and DeWitt Army Community Hospital at Fort Belvoir, Va.

Living Marine to be awarded Medal of Honor for Afghanistan heroics

A Marine who repeatedly braved enemy fire in eastern Afghanistan attempting to find and save fellow members of his embedded training team will receive the Medal of Honor, Marine Corps Times has confirmed.

Afghan villagers join forces with U.S. coalition to bring peace to Marjah

NORTHERN MARJAH, Afghanistan — Ali Mohammad pleaded with the Taliban to stop putting improvised bombs around his compound, explaining that they were more likely to kill children or goats than they were to injure U.S. Marines, who stomped into Marjah district in March 2010.

Military to calculate radiation doses for those living, working in Japan following earthquake

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — The U.S. military plans to calculate radiation doses received by each of the approximately 61,000 U.S. personnel living and working in Japan during this year’s nuclear disaster, according to the U.S. Pacific Command’s top surgeon.

Huge Truck Bomb Wounds 22 Troops in Afghanistan

MAIDAN SHAR, Afghanistan — A massive truck bomb exploded outside a small American base in southern Wardak province Wednesday morning, wounding 22 coalition troops and four Afghan civilians, military officials said.

Sailor a victim of ‘injustice,’ judge says, but Navy owes him nothing

WASHINGTON — A federal judge has said that “injustice” was done to a former Navy officer who was wrongly convicted with the help of a discredited military lab analyst, but he also concluded that the court can’t do anything about it.

Walgreens may leave Tricare’s drug network

A contract dispute between Tricare’s prescription drug management company and the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chain could force thousands of Tricare beneficiaries to find new pharmacists.