NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will remain in his position through July 2014, after the North Atlantic Council on Oct. 3 extended his four-year term for another year. In a press briefing in Brussels following the decision, Rasmussen said he was “honored by the trust and support” bestowed on him by the allied governments. He highlighted the alliance’s accomplishments during his first years in office, including the decision to develop a NATO missile defense system and the alliance’s involvement in Libya in 2011. However, he said there is still plenty of work to be done, such as “completing the process of transition in Afghanistan within the timeline we have set, strengthening our unique network of partners, and keeping our alliance fit for the future.” (AFPS report by Cheryl Pellerin) (See also NATO webpage with Rasmussen briefing.)
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.