Rising fuel costs and a pay raise that was larger than the Pentagon asked for have forced cuts in other programs since Congress limits total defense spending. The $2.4 billion in fuel costs and $8.7 billion in pay raises will force the military to give up 20 F-22 Raptors, one Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine, one Burke-class destroyer, 50 V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and Longbow radar upgrades for 48 AH-64 Apache helicopters over the next five years.--Stephen V Cole

US military personnel who took part in Operation Provide Comfort four years ago are now authorized to receive the Armed Forces Service Medal if they spent 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days in Iraq and/or Turkey.--Stephen V Cole

The US military has asked the government to withhold federal funds from high schools that refuse to allow military recruiters to meet with students on their campus.--Stephen V Cole

The Czech Army has warned officers that if they do not learn to speak English by the end of the year they will be subject to discharge. Since joining NATO, the Czech armed forces have agreed to achieve a high percentage of officers who speak English, the common language needed to coordinate operations in NATO.--Stephen V Cole