Tom Bowman

Everything the Obama administration touches seems to set off a political firestorm. The latest involves Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl and the prisoner exchange that led to his release by the Taliban.

A member of Bowe Bergdahl's squad tells of a soldier who soured to the Afghan mission and deserted. If true, the Army would have to consider the circumstances and whether charges are warranted.

The U.S. State Department has confirmed that an American was involved in carrying out a suicide attack. The man, who was fighting in Syria against President Bashar Assad's regime, had ties to Florida.

There was some anticipation this week that President Obama might endorse stronger measures to give training to Syria's rebels. The president told NPR the rebels might be better able to use U.S. aid.

Earlier this year, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling for more humanitarian access in Syria. Even that, though, has had not eased the suffering of civilians.

President Obama intends to keep a force of 9,800 American troops after the end of 2014. The troops will remain in the country to train Afghan forces and support counterterrorism operations.

Lance Cpl. James Boelk was a Marine killed in Afghanistan in the fall of 2010. Like many families of fallen soldiers, on this Memorial Day his parents say they will gather to honor and remember.

The U.S. has deployed surveillance aircraft to Nigeria in the search for the more than 250 schoolgirls still missing. Imagery gathered by the aircraft and satellites will be shared with the Nigerian government.

In a White House ceremony, President Obama awarded a Medal of Honor to former Sgt. Kyle White. He saved the life of a fellow soldier during a firefight on a mountain pass in Afghanistan in 2007.

Key Syrian opposition leader Ahmed al-Jarba is expected at the White House on Tuesday to meet with National Security Advisor Susan Rice. The Syrian civil war has been raging for more than three years.

The new Syrian rebel leader Ahmed Jarab is in D.C., trying to get more support. He is meeting with members of Congress and the State Department, as well as National Security Adviser S...

The Army general who heads the Defense Intelligence Agency is leaving a year early and retiring.

Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, but sources say he's stepping down because he's fed up with bureaucratic fights in Washington.

Flynn is expected to announce his retirement within ...

As diplomatic talks in Geneva have failed to resolve the three-year-old civil war in Syria, the U.S. is undertaking a new covert program to send weapons in support of rebel forces there.

The U.S. is increasing both arms and training assistance to the Syrian rebels. Advocates of the program say they hope to change the situation on the ground, others doubt it will help much.

The U.S. is providing more arms and training to the moderate rebels in Syria, under a growing secret program run by the CIA in Jordan. Sources tell NPR that secret program could be supplemented by a more public effort in the coming months involving American military trainers.

The change in ...

The Army plans to take all Apache attack helicopters from the National Guard. The Guard says that's an insult, but Army leaders say it's not personal — it's just about saving money.

In the coming years, U.S. Army rolls could drop to their lowest level since World War II. Some think a leaner force can meet the challenges ahead; others say the U.S. will face unacceptable risks.

The U.S. is trying to learn more about China's cyber capabilities. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is revealing more about what America's cyber forces can do, so that China might reveal something too.

A soldier who was undergoing assessment to determine whether he had post-traumatic stress disorder opened fire on Wednesday at the base. Four people are dead including the shooter, who killed himself.

The Air Force has implicated some 100 officers in a cheating scandal at U.S. nuclear missile bases. Its investigation has found an issue: Officers often feel pressure to achieve near-perfect scores.