US Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, new commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and US forces in Afghanistan, issues a “Tactical Directive” that calls for greater restraint in employing air strikes against and engaging in firefights with Taliban insurgents as a means to limit civilian casualties.
New Air Force, Pentagon, and White House initiatives aim to chip away at an issue that has long frustrated leaders and families across the military: spouse employment. For years now, the percentage of unemployed military spouses has held steady at around 20 percent, experts say.
