military

The Department of Defense announced the move that is widely seen as a way to deter China's influence in the region amid a visit to the Philippines by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

A Florida Department of Veterans Affairs-sponsored committee looked into the needs of women veterans. It recommended more homeless shelters for women vets with children, changes to make veteran nursing homes women-friendly and a state advisory committee that held its first meeting this month.

The new guidance is for birthing and non-birthing parents, including parents who recently adopted a child and parents who used a surrogate.

The Defense Department is still grappling with shortages of mental health personnel and a difficult push to reduce the stigma of seeking help. But the numbers provide a glimmer of hope.

Wednesday's vote for the candidacy of two Western European nations took a crucial step toward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

President Biden said there will be a permanent headquarters in Poland for the U.S. 5th Army Corps. It's one of several ways NATO forces will be beefed up after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Morale across Afghanistan's military was "destroyed" when then-President Trump made a deal with the Taliban in 2020 and President Biden affirmed the U.S. exit in 2021, a new watchdog report says.

That's up from 143 incidents in a report issued in 2021. Officials partly credited reducing stigma around the issue for the new reports, many of which are older and went unmentioned at the time.

The U.S. Army is expanding benefits for both birth and non-birth parents in its force.

Studies show that veterans have a much higher risk of eating disorders than civilians. Risk factors include chaotic eating situations, weight requirements and a culture of being in control.

Retired Marine Col. Andrew Milburn of Lithia says he wants to help Ukrainian soldiers defend themselves against Russian forces.

"We're dealing with one of the largest armies in the world," Biden said. "This is a very different situation, and things could go crazy quickly."