(CNN) - An award for drone operators that drew an angry response from lawmakers was downgraded to a lesser distinction Monday by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.
The Distinguished Warfare Medal, which was approved last month by Hagel's predecessor, Leon Panetta, was to recognize "extraordinary direct impacts on combat operations." But the honor denotes that the action is not bound by a "geographic limitation," meaning operators on unmanned drones would have been eligible.
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(CNN) – United States Marines are being told to preserve ammunition and gasoline as a deal softening the impact of automatic spending cuts continues to elude leaders in Washington.
Marine Corps Commandant James Amos urged personnel in a video posted online Friday to "save every round, every gallon of gas," and to "take every single aspect or opportunity in training to get the most bang for the buck," a reminder of the cuts' immediate effect on the U.S. military.
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(CNN) – New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel addressed service members and civilian employees Wednesday, vowing to always be "honest" and "direct" with his staff–and asking the same in return.
"You are not joining my team. I am joining your team," he said. "And I want you to know how proud I am of the opportunity the president of the United States has given me and the Congress of the United States has given me."
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(CNN) - A U.S. senator insists he did not reveal any secrets when he publicly mentioned the number of people killed in drone strikes overseas.
Republican Lindsey Graham told an audience in Easley, South Carolina, on Tuesday that the little-discussed drone program had killed 4,700 people, according to a report by Easley Patch website editor Jason Evans.
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(CNN) – Nearly 800,000 civilian workers would be forced to take one day of leave per week without pay if automatic spending cuts go into effect as scheduled on March 1, the Defense Department told Congress on Wednesday morning.
The furloughs would start in the last week of April and last for 22 weeks, according to the Pentagon plan.
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Washington (CNNMoney) - With no lifelines in sight, the Defense Department has started preparing for the reality of 9.4% budget cuts kicking in next month by laying off up to 46,000 temporary workers.
And the Pentagon says that's just the beginning.
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Washington (CNN) - A plurality of Americans supports President Barack Obama's nomination of former Sen. Chuck Hagel to succeed Leon Panetta as defense secretary, according to recent polling.
The Nebraska Republican's nomination has been met with reservations from some senators from both parties, and even outright opposition, over past positions Hagel has taken on Israel, Iran and the war in Iraq.
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(CNN) - When the Senate Armed Services Committee is gaveled into session Thursday, Chuck Hagel is likely to face some sharp questions from many of his old colleagues.
If confirmed as secretary of defense, the onetime infantry sergeant and twice-wounded Vietnam veteran would be the first former enlisted man to lead the Pentagon. The former Republican senator from Nebraska gets his chance to answer questions Thursday morning during his confirmation hearing, and here are five subjects where he can expect them:
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(CNN) - President Barack Obama stopped in a Pentagon clinic for a checkup on Saturday, but it wasn't for a case of the flu.
The White House said the president underwent a "routine fitness evaluation" which was conducted at the Fit to Win Clinic at the Pentagon.
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(CNN) - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has ordered the military to begin implementing cost-cutting measures aimed at mitigating the risk of significant budget cuts should Congress fail to reach a deal in coming months to avert or soften them.
"We have no idea what the hell is going to happen," Panetta said Thursday.
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