Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–February 12, 2015 – President Barack Obama today signed into law the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, or SAV Act. The act is aimed at reducing military and veteran suicides and improving their access to quality mental health care. Hunt was a decorated Marine veteran who[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—February 12, 2015. Ash Carter served as a key leader of our national security team in the first years of my presidency, and with his overwhelming bipartisan confirmation by the Senate today, I’m proud to welcome him back as our next Secretary of Defense.  With his decades of experience,[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–February 11, 2015. Today, the Department of Defense released its Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies for Academic Program Year (APY) 2013 – 2014, and announced five directives to further strengthen the academies’ and department’s prevention and response programs. This year’s report includes[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—February 11, 2015. I welcome the president’s proposed resolution for the “Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)” and urge Congress to pass it. While existing AUMFs provide legal authority for our ongoing military operations in Iraq and Syria,[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—February 10, 2015. REAR ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY: Look, before I get started, I know we’re all monitoring the news today of the death of Kayla Mueller, and I know you probably saw the secretary’s statement about that. Let me just reiterate that on behalf of every man and woman[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–February 9, 2015.  The Department of Defense announced that Dr. Keita M. Franklin is the new director of the DoD Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO) effective today. This marks elevation of DSPO leadership to a career Senior Executive Service (SES) position, reinforcing the department’s commitment to decreasing the incidence of[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—February 9, 2015. The Justice Department announced today that under its settlements with five of the nation’s largest mortgage servicers, 952 service members and their co-borrowers are eligible to receive over $123 million for non-judicial foreclosures that violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).  The five mortgage servicers are[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–February 9, 2015.  The Department of Defense announced today that effective immediately, service members are authorized to wear Service Stars on their Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medals (GWOT-EM) to represent deployments in support of approved GWOT operations. Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Jessica Wright signed a[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–February 6, 2015.  Secretary of the Army John McHugh announced today that he has approved awarding the Purple Heart and its civilian counterpart, the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom, to victims of a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, following a change in the medals’[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—February 6, 2015. President Obama’s 2015 National Security Strategy (NSS) provides a comprehensive blueprint for defending and advancing America’s interests at home and around the world. It is clear-eyed about our nation’s challenges as well as our strategic opportunities. The strategy wisely calls for drawing on all the sources[Read More…]