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ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT -- At a forward operating base in eastern Afghanistan, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff dropped by Feb. 10 to meet with the leadership of Task Force Bulldog, have lunch with the troops, and present awards to eight soldiers, including a Bronze Star Medal to a soldier from the Czech Republic. ... Novotny, a reconnaissance squad leader and combat medic, rescued an American soldier who was gravely wounded Nov. 19, public affairs officer Terry Kelley said. On a route clearance patrol, Kelley added, some roadside bombs went off and one wounded a soldier who...

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey on Friday stressed "mutual commitment" ahead of a round of meetings with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and his counterpart, IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz. "My presence here, I hope, reflects the commitment we have for each other," Dempsey said. "I'm here to assure you that's the case." Gantz, who greeted Dempsey, said "Both our countries share the same interests, the same values, and I'm sure that we can somehow work it out, together." U.S. and Israeli officials have described Dempsey’s visit as a routine consultation between allies, dismissing speculation...

Iran has the ability to temporarily block the Strait of Hormuz but the U.S. “would take action and reopen” it, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman General Martin Dempsey said Sunday, making clear to Iran that in threatening to close the straits, it is literally playing with fire. . “They’ve invested in capabilities that could, in fact, for a period of time block the Strait of Hormuz,” Dempsey said in an interview for CBS's “Face the Nation." “We’ve invested in capabilities to ensure that if that happens, we can defeat that.” Blocking the strategic shipping lane linking the Gulf of Oman...

Honouring the fallen: President Obama lays wreath at Arlington Cemetery as troops in Afghanistan remember comrades in candlelit Memorial Day services President Obama paid tribute to America's war dead as laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns during a Memorial Day service at the National Cemetery in Arlington this morning. He urged crowds at the ceremony to remember the 'enduring legacy' of generations of Americans who have lost their lives in service, including those who are still fighting in Afghanistan. In a speech at the White House earlier today he named Army General Martin Dempsey as his new...

WASHINGTON — One of the Army's most Iraq-savvy generals is taking charge, at least temporarily, of arguably the most important command in the U.S. military, with responsibility for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a ceremony Friday at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey is to assume command of U.S. Central Command from Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, who announced unexpectedly on March 11 that he was quitting. Fallon cited press reports that he was at odds with President Bush over Iran policy. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has denied that Fallon was out of step...

AUBURN - What has been a strained relationship between Mayor Timothy Lattimore and Councilman David Dempsey apparently came to blows Thursday night. City police are investigating an incident during an executive session portion of the city council meeting in which Dempsey reportedly struck Lattimore. "It was a physical altercation," said Cayuga County District Attorney James Vargason, who conferred with city Police Chief Gary Gianotta on the matter twice Friday. "I have not seen the medical records, but it's my understanding (Lattimore) received some injuries." Reached by phone Friday, Lattimore declined to comment on what happened, except to say that police...

A campaign worker for Republican Sen. Wayne Allard has been arrested in Boulder for allegedly trying to disrupt a rally in support of Democratic challenger Tom Strickland. Matt Dempsey was arrested Saturday moments before the beginning of a Strickland rally featuring actor Robert Redford, Boulder police said. He was released Saturday night after posting a $500 bond. Dempsey denied the charges in a statement released Sunday by the Allard campaign. Boulder police Sgt. Robert Thomas, quoting a police report, said Dempsey and a group of Allard supporters told police they planned to walk through the rally area. Officers told them...