Year in Review 2014

FILE -- This file photo provided by Nintendo shows a scene from the video game, "Mario Kart 8." (AP Photo/Nintendo, File)

A year of adventure, exploration in video games

In 2014, role-playing games returned to their place of glory. Gamers spent countless hours roaming large open worlds, usually wielding special powers and a blade or gun as they vanquished evil. The best included “Dragon Age: Inquisition,” “inFamous: Second Son,” “South Park: The Stick of Truth,” “Sunset Overdrive” and Wasteland 2.”

The Ramstein Royals took the Division I football title with a stunning 17-0 shutout victory against Wiesbaden that brought the title back to Ramstein.

Dynasties provided most highlights in DODDS Europe

Here are the top 10 stories from an eventful 2014 in DODDS Europe high school sports.

Stars and Stripes' most watched videos of 2014

Stripes’ YouTube channel produced over 150 videos in 2014 from bureaus in the U.S., Europe, Pacific and Afghanistan, but only a few can make the most-watched list.

more Year in Review 2014 news

From left, Lance Cpl. Matthew Ford, Cpl. Matthew Pappas and Lance Cpl. Albert Adams, all of Retrograde and Redeployment in Support of Reset and Reconstitution Operations Group, prep a pallet of gear for transport from Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, to I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif. in this photo from February 2014.

Taliban violence continues as US combat mission winds down

Isolated combat outposts and sprawling forward operating bases, 62 in all, were transferred from U.S. and NATO militaries to Afghan forces — or disappeared — over the course of the past year, according to the International Security Assistance Force.

The 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division Soldiers uncovered munitions in a large weapons cache discovered on the afternoon of Sept. 28. Since the 70th Engineer Battalion started excavating, they have unearthed more than 700 mortar rounds ranging from 60mm to 120mm, over 700 rocket-propelled grenades, more than 100 rockets, and 51,000 rounds 14.5mm of anti-aircraft ammunition. The Soldiers also found several mortar tubes, various explosives, small arms, homemade rocket launchers, wires and timing devices. The weapons cache was uncovered by 2nd Platoon, C Company 70th Engineer Battalion after they searched a truck that matched a vehicle used in previous attacks. The 70th Engineer Bn. is deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 3 with 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division. (Photo by: Staff Sgt. Kevin Bromley, 100th MPAD, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division PAO)

Troops in Iraq: We were exposed to chemical warfare agents

A New York Times investigation this year found a “previously untold chapter” of the U.S. campaign in Iraq, with more than 600 servicemembers coming forward to say they believe they were exposed to chemical warfare agents.

120p na From left, Gen. James Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps; Adm. Jonathan Greenert, Chief of Naval Operations; Adm. James Winnefeld, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Ray Odierno, Army chief of staff; Gen. Mark Welsh III, Air Force chief of staff; and Gen. Frank Grass, Chief Of The National Guard Bureau, testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, making the case that cuts to pay and benefits are necessary to maintain military readiness.
Rick Vasquez/Stars and Stripes

Budget fight pits benefits against troop readiness

Troop benefits were in the budgetary cross hairs in 2014.

Soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division pack electronics at Camp Mike Spann, near Mazar-e-Sharif, in northern Afghanistan. Coalition forces turned over the base, part of a larger training center, to Afghan control at a ceremony Sunday, April 27, 2014.

Heath Druzin/Stars and Stripes

Best photos: Afghanistan in 2014

A look at some of the best photos taken by Stars and Stripes reporters covering Afghanistan in 2014.

Corky shows his affection for Sgt. Eric Goldenthal Jan. 27, 2014, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. They both received gunshot wounds to the leg while deployed to Afghanistan.

Best photos: Europe and Mideast

From the United Kingdom to the hills of northern Iraq and from the beaches of Normandy to the waters of the Persian Gulf, here is a look at some of the best photos taken by Stars and Stripes photographers and reporters in Europe and the Middle East in 2014.

Staff Sgt. Pierre Johnson and Staff Sgt. Carl Higgins, patrolmen with the 51st Security Forces Squadron, clear the second floor of Osan Middle School during an active shooter exercise at Osan Air Base, South Korea, Nov. 13, 2014.

Matthew Lancaster/U.S. Air Force

US, South Korea agree to again delay handover of wartime operational control to Seoul

Citing the threat posed by North Korea’s apparently growing nuclear capabilities, the U.S. and South Korea agreed in the fall to again delay the handover of wartime operational control to Seoul.