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Kristina Wong

kwong@washingtontimes.com

Kristina Wong was a national security reporter for The Washington Times.

Articles by Kristina Wong

**FILE** Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin E. Dempsey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on Feb. 12, 2013, before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the looming cuts to the defense budget. (Associated Press)

U.S. military gearing up for cyber wars

The top U.S. military officer urged private businesses and lawmakers Thursday to do more to protect the nation from cyber threats, saying "intrusions" into critical networks have increased 17-fold in the last two years.

June 27, 2013
Air Force Staff Sgt. Ben “Jake” Jacobs, a NATO special mission aviator, scans the terrain during a training mission with Afghans from the Kandahar Air Wing. Afghans must learn quickly to perform such missions on their own as they face combat with Taliban insurgents in the years ahead after foreign forces leave. (Kristina Wong/The Washington Times)

High expectations: Fledging Afghan air force pressured for readiness

With only 18 months left to go before NATO ends its combat mission and much of its air support, coalition trainers are teaching the Afghan air force how to fly and maintain aircraft, and secure airfields as fast and as much as they can before coalition combat troops leave, along with much of its air power.

June 24, 2013
Gen. Keith B. Alexander, director of the National Security Agency and head of the U.S. Cyber Command, said on Wednesday he would discuss specific foiled terrorist plots in more detail Thursday during a closed congressional hearing on the NSA leak. (Associated Press)

NSA says efforts have foiled plots; leaks causing a reassessment

The director of the National Security Agency said Wednesday that "dozens" of terrorist plots have been foiled as a result of a top-secret telecommunications surveillance program that has come under public scrutiny after a former contractor leaked information about it last week.

June 12, 2013
** FILE ** Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander (Associated Press)

NSA director to testify before Congress; leak scandal likely topic

The director of the National Security Agency is heading to Capitol Hill, where lawmakers likely will grill him Wednesday on how a low-level contractor was able to access and leak top-secret information on the agency's telecommunications surveillance program

June 12, 2013
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, center, flanked by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, left, and Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale, listens on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 11, 2013, during the Senate Defense subcommittee hearing on department leadership. (Associated Press)

Defense officials ask lawmakers for base closures, health reform

Defense officials urged lawmakers Tuesday to consider reforming the TRICARE military health care program and shutting down underused bases around the country — moves that would be unpopular among pro-military voters and localities dependent on commerce from the facilities.

June 11, 2013
** FILE ** This Sunday, June 9, 2013, file photo provided by The Guardian Newspaper in London shows Edward Snowden, in Hong Kong. Snowden has left Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and entered Russia his lawyer said on Thursday Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/The Guardian, Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras, File)

Lawmakers hit contractors’ pay in NSA leak scandal

Lawmakers pointed to the National Security Agency contractor who leaked top secret information about NSA's telecommunications surveillance program as a consequence of a bloated, expensive contracting workforce.

June 11, 2013
** FILE ** This Sunday, June 9, 2013, file photo provided by The Guardian Newspaper in London shows Edward Snowden, in Hong Kong. Snowden has left Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and entered Russia his lawyer said on Thursday Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/The Guardian, Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras, File)

Army: Snowden discharged from special forces program

The former National Security Agency contractor who leaked classified data about a telecommunications surveillance program had enlisted in the Army in 2004 but was discharged after five months, the Army confirmed Monday.

June 10, 2013
The Pentagon. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

Pentagon blocks workers’ Web access after security breach

News and social media websites have been blocked on some Pentagon workstations Friday to prevent employees and contractors from accessing classified information that was leaked Thursday about a federal program that gathers Internet users' personal data from the computer servers of Web service providers.

June 7, 2013
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday about sexual assaults in the military are (from right): Legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Brig. Gen. Richard C. Gross, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, Judge Advocate General of the Army Lt. Gen. Dana K. Chipman, Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos, and Staff Judge Advocate to the Marine Corps Commandant Maj. Gen. Vaughn A. Ary.

Military chiefs defend commanders’ authority to discipline sex abusers

Military chiefs acknowledged Tuesday that more needs to be done to combat sexual assault within the ranks but insisted that commanders need to maintain the ability to discipline their troops, rather than giving that authority to an outside entity, as some lawmakers suggest.

June 4, 2013
Afghan National Army soldiers are taking the lead at Camp Shorabak, a base in Southwest Afghanistan where they live and train. (Kristina Wong/The Washington Times)

Marines stand back as Afghans take lead

Marines inside Afghan bases are instructed to keep their guns on the highest readiness condition, and are always accompanied by "guardian angels" — Marines who provide security for those interacting with Afghan troops. Meanwhile, most Afghan troops are not allowed to carry weapons in their bases, except for security guards.

May 30, 2013