Marine Corps

The president told military families in Hawaii that his “greatest honor” was being commander in chief.  

The Senate passed an amendment to the defense bill by voice vote Wednesday that would place more Marines at U.S. consulates and embassies around the world.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced the amendment, saying it was important to prevent more deaths overseas, referring to the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11.

Two-term Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) came out swinging Friday against one of the most senior defense hawks in his party over the Obama administration’s nominee to be the next U.S. commander in Afghanistan.

Hunter issued a statement challenging Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) over questions about Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, who has been nominated to succeed Gen. John Allen as chief of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

At Dunford’s confirmation hearing Thursday, McCain expressed bewilderment that Dunford was not included in conversations about the U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan over the next two years. Allen is set to make a recommendation to the president soon about withdrawals beyond the 68,000 U.S. troops currently in Afghanistan.

The show must go on without Gen. John Allen.

The Senate Armed Services Committee said that Thursday’s confirmation hearing will be held as scheduled — but only Gen. Joseph Dunford’s nomination will be considered.

Allen and Dunford were both expected to testify at the confirmation hearing for Allen’s nomination to become NATO Supreme Allied Commander-Europe and head of U.S. European Command and Dunford’s promotion to replace Allen as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan.

Allen is under investigation for “potentially inappropriate” communications with the woman who sparked the inquiry leading to Petraeus's resignation.

The Senate Armed Services Committee will take up the confirmation hearings for Gens. John Allen and Joseph Dunford the first week Congress returns after the election, the committee announced Friday.

The Nov. 15 date for the confirmation hearing is a sign that the committee is interested in quickly clearing the nominations of the four-star generals amidst a jam-packed lame-duck session.

Allen has been nominated to become NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe and head of U.S. European Command, and Dunford, currently assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, has been picked to replace Allen as U.S. commander in Afghanistan.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told New Hampshire voters Monday to ask President Obama why Marines weren’t protecting the U.S. consulate in Libya, when Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed last month.

“Where the hell were the Marines? In Libya, where were the Marines? There were no uniformed Marines guarding our ambassador? Where do you think the most dangerous embassy in the world is? It’s got to be Libya or Iraq,” Paul said at an event in New Hampshire on Monday.

President Obama nominated two generals for promotions on Thursday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced at a press briefing.

The administration has tapped Army Gen. David Rodriguez to take over as head of U.S. Africa Command, and Marine Lt. Gen. John Paxton to become assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.

Both moves must be confirmed by the Senate.

The FBI team sent to Libya has been unable to visit the attack site due to the dangerous security situation.

Two Marines will face an official court martial to answer for a bevy of charges tied to a "desecration incident" in which both men were videotaped urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters after a firefight in Afghanistan last July.