Board deliberates in case of gay NY Nat’l Guard officer who protested ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A military administrative board is deliberating over whether a New York National Guard officer who publicly announced he’s gay should be discharged for violating the military’s ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy.

Gay National Guard officer who challenged ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy could be discharged

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A hearing is under way in upstate New York for an Army National Guard officer who publicly announced he was gay to protest the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

Facing critics, Obama reaffirms support for top priorities of gay rights activists

WASHINGTON — Countering criticism that he’s done little on gay rights, President Barack Obama commemorated the 40th anniversary of the birth of the modern movement by welcoming its leaders to the White House and reaffirming his commitment to their top priorities.

Doctor investigated over botched prostate surgeries at Philadelphia VA hospital admits errors

PHILADELPHIA — A doctor accused of botching dozens of prostate cancer surgeries at a Veterans Administration hospital admitted Monday that he sometimes missed his target when implanting radioactive seeds, leaving patients with incorrect dosages.

Oncologist at center of Philadelphia VA cancer probe tells Senate panel he’s not rogue doctor

PHILADELPHIA — An oncologist blamed for botching cancer treatments at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center says he’s not the rogue physician he’s been portrayed to be.

Licking their wounds: New federal program pairs service dogs with wounded warriors

FORT CARSON, Colo. — Army Specialist Cameron Briggs washes down a cocktail of prescription drugs every day for post-traumatic stress disorder and a brain injury he suffered when four roadside bombs rocked his Humvee in Iraq.

Pa. oncologist at center of VA hospital cancer treatment controversy takes leave of absence

PHILADELPHIA — An oncologist involved in treating veterans who received botched prostate cancer therapy in Philadelphia has taken a leave of absence from the University of Pennsylvania’s medical school.

PROMISES, PROMISES: Gays open wallets for Obama despite lack of progress on campaign pledges

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is taking heat from some gays and lesbians for not fulfilling campaign pledges. He’s also taking their cash.

Rising casualties bring chaos to US military hospital in Afghanistan

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — The urgent call came in: Roadside bombs had ripped through two Humvees and wounded eight or nine U.S. soldiers.

PROMISES, PROMISES: Obama takes slow approach to gay rights, still will take their money

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama promised gay and lesbian voters he would repeal a law banning their open service in the military, would do away with a federal marriage law and would champion their causes from the White House. In his first five months, he’s taken incremental steps that have little real effect and left some people feeling betrayed.

Four months and 15 surgeries after she was burned by white phosphorous, Afghan girl goes home

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — A nurse fixed a black wig on Razia’s scarred and disfigured scalp before the 8-year-old took off around the emergency room to bid farewell to the staff who cared for her after white phosphorous scorched her head, face, neck and hands.

China, US say will work together to avoid military confrontations at sea

BEIJING — (AP) — Top U.S. and Chinese military officials said Wednesday the countries will work together to avoid confrontations at sea that have sparked worries of a crisis in overall relations.

China may work with US to avoid military confrontations at sea

China working with US to avoid sea confrontations

BEIJING — The Chinese and U.S. militaries will work together to avoid confrontations at sea that have sparked worries of a crisis in overall relations, a top Chinese military officer said Wednesday. The issue was at the center of their first high-level military talks in 18 months after a series of recent naval encounters — including a collision of a Chinese submarine and a U.S. sonar device — that have raised concerns about poor communication between the two sides.

Congress largely ignoring Obama budget cuts as spending bills advance

WASHINGTON — Democrats in Congress crafting spending bills are largely rejecting the roster of program eliminations and budget cuts wanted by President Barack Obama.

Scarred by white phosphorus, Afghan girl claws from death’s edge at US military hospital

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — The American military doctors watched in horror as the oxygen mask on the young Afghan girl’s face started to melt.

Philadelphia VA tabbed as national research center on homelessness among veterans

PHILADELPHIA — A new federal agency dedicated to eliminating homelessness among veterans has been established in Philadelphia.

Michelle Obama calls on Americans to join summer of service, helps refurbish Calif. playground

SAN FRANCISCO — First lady Michelle Obama kicked off a summer of community service Monday by helping fix up a school playground, part of a national effort that saw administration officials traveling all over the country to promote the value of volunteering.

Newspapers: Philadelphia VA hospital botched cancer treatments for years

PHILADELPHIA — Ninety-two veterans were given incorrect radiation doses in a common surgical procedure to treat prostate cancer during a six-year period at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia, according to newspaper reports Sunday.

Nonprofit planned to give injured vet Md. home, then finds family already owns 2 Ga. homes

PASADENA, Md. — A veteran who lost three limbs in Iraq will not get the keys to a new home, after a nonprofit group said the family concealed that they already own two homes.

White House says Census Bureau will work to better count same-sex couples in 2010 headcount

SAN FRANCISCO — U.S. Census Bureau officials said Friday that married same-sex couples will be counted as such in the 2010 national tally, reversing an earlier decision made under the Bush administration.

Gay-rights leaders want faster action by Obama and Congress on their political agenda

NEW YORK — Frustrated gay-rights leaders want President Barack Obama to be far more forceful in supporting their political goals, but they also fault the Democratic-led Congress and vow to step up lobbying efforts in hopes of seeing campaign promises fulfilled.

Medtronic made $850,000 in payments to surgeon who Army says wrote bogus study

WASHINGTON — Medical device maker Medtronic paid about $850,000 over nearly 10 years to a former Army surgeon accused of forging signatures and falsifying data for a study touting the benefits of one of the company’s implants.

Veterans, widows force Bosnian government not to cut their benefits by 10 percent

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — Veterans in wheelchairs and on crutches and the widows and children of slain soldiers protested Thursday in Sarajevo, forcing the government to abandon plans to cut their benefits 10 percent.

While VA works to address claims backlog, the number of claims grows to nearly 1 million

WASHINGTON — This isn’t the same as getting a free duffel bag for being the millionth person to go through the turnstiles: The Veterans Affairs Department appears poised to have hit the 1 million milestone on claims it still hasn’t processed.

Obama gives some same-sex couples some federal employees with new memorandum

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has signed a measure that would extend some benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.

Fighting off critics, Obama gives some same-sex couples some federal employees at some point

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama signaled to gay rights activists Wednesday that he’s listening to their priorities by extending some benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. But he didn’t give them even close to everything they want, bringing growing anger against the president to the surface.

AP source: Obama order to extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal government employees

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, whose gay and lesbian supporters have grown frustrated with his slow movement on their priorities, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees but stopping short of a guarantee of full health insurance, a White House official said.

AP source: Obama to sign order extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, whose gay and lesbian supporters have grown frustrated with his slow movement on their priorities, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, a White House official said.

VA faces criticism from lawmakers after report finds continued problems with colonoscopies

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers sharply criticized the Veterans Affairs Department on Tuesday about why a national scare over botched colonoscopies earlier this year didn’t prompt stronger safeguards at the agency’s medical centers.

VA to face lawmakers’ questions after report finds continued problems with colonoscopies

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers sharply criticized the Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday about why a national scare over botched colonoscopies earlier this year didn’t prompt stronger safeguards at the agency’s medical centers.