There's a new report out today that says militants were able to hack one of the most effective weapons in finding and killing al Qaeda members. Insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan were reportedly able to intercept live video feeds from U.S. unmanned drones, allowing them to see on the ground what the drones were seeing in the air.

On Thursday's American Morning we spoke with the reporter who broke this story, Wall Street Journal Intelligence Correspondent Siobhan Gorman.

By Siobhan Gorman, Yochi J. Dreazen and August Cole
From The Wall Street Journal

U.S. enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan have used off-the-shelf programs to intercept video feeds from Predator unmanned aircraft.

WASHINGTON – Militants in Iraq have used $26 off-the-shelf software to intercept live video feeds from U.S. Predator drones, potentially providing them with information they need to evade or monitor U.S. military operations.

Senior defense and intelligence officials said Iranian-backed insurgents intercepted the video feeds by taking advantage of an unprotected communications link in some of the remotely flown planes' systems. Shiite fighters in Iraq used software programs such as SkyGrabber - available for as little as $25.95 on the Internet - to regularly capture drone video feeds, according to a person familiar with reports on the matter.

U.S. officials say there is no evidence that militants were able to take control of the drones or otherwise interfere with their flights. Still, the intercepts could give America's enemies battlefield advantages by removing the element of surprise from certain missions and making it easier for insurgents to determine which roads and buildings are under U.S. surveillance.

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For the more than 180,000 U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, a package from home is the next best thing to being there, especially this time of year.

In a CNN exclusive, our Barbara Starr takes us inside a massive post office in Afghanistan, where soldiers are working around the clock to deliver cards, letters, and presents to America's homesick troops.

Editor's Note: We're tracking three recruits from their final days as civilians through to deployment. It's an unprecedented look inside the life of a soldier. This is part three of the American Morning original series "A Soldier's Story," and don't miss part one and two here.

Army recruit Will McLain is in week three of basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

By Adam Reiss, CNN

It's week three of basic training for Will McLain. He and 193 other new recruits are busy getting through the red stage, physical training also known as PT.

The booming voice of Drill Sergeant Joseph Rix is ever present, "just trying to get them ready to deploy so they have a little bit of a head start more than what we did when we went through basic training," says Rix.

After a quarter of a mile run, Will has time for a drink, while outside a private, who just cannot make it, passes out on the ground. "You've done a total of twenty five push-ups and one lap. Now get up! You did not pass out," says a drill sergeant standing over him. Eventually the other soldiers are ordered to bring him into the barracks and leave him on a bunk to recover.

Later, several soldiers would stumble through the rigorous exercise that has them carrying two forty-pound duffel bags at the same time. It's not easy and Will has trouble lifting them both at the same time. Another angry drill sergeant whispers “encouraging words” in his ear.

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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen arrived in Kabul earlier today for a series of meetings with the Afghan government on the president's new war strategy.

Meanwhile, here at home, President Obama is rejecting criticism that he shouldn't have said he'd begin to draw down some of the 30,000 new troops to Afghanistan by the summer of 2011.

For the 30,000 additional troops headed to Afghanistan, the fight is a lot more complex than just good guys versus bad guys. Our Barbara Starr traveled to eastern Afghanistan for this AM original report.

A squadron of the Tennessee National Guard needs $4,000 for buses to go home for the holidays.

Troops preparing to serve this country in Iraq need your help so they can make it back home for the holidays.

A squadron of the Tennessee National Guard training in Mississippi is eligible to return home next week, but there's a snag.

They still need $4,000 for the buses after the money fell through last week.

If you'd like to help, the squadron has a Facebook page.

Editor's Note: We're tracking three recruits from their final days as civilians through to deployment. It's an unprecedented look inside the life of a soldier. CNN's Jason Carroll reports for American Morning's special series, "A Soldier's Story." Watch part one and two, and tune in to American Morning on Wednesday for part three.

Army recruit Will McLain wears a gas mask for a drill on the dangers of a potential sarin gas attack.

By Adam Reiss, CNN

Correspondent Jason Carroll and I returned to Fort Leonard Wood Monday to check back in on the recruit we are profiling for our ongoing series, "A Soldier’s Story." You may remember meeting Will McLain when we first met him in his hometown of Rosamond, California.

We spent the first couple days of basic combat training with him and now he is with his platoon in his third week of basic training. Will is changing before our eyes both physically and mentally. He has lost ten pounds and is really on his way to becoming a U.S. Army soldier.

He has been assigned a battle buddy, Demetrius Daniels, 23, from Detroit, Michigan. A battle buddy is an interesting concept. The Battle Buddy system is the policy of pairing Initial Entry Training (IET) Soldiers into teams for the following reasons:

- Mutual support and assistance
- Teaching teamwork
- Developing a sense of responsibility and accountability for fellow soldiers
- Improving safety during training
- Reducing the likelihood and opportunity for sexual harassment, misconduct, and suicide gestures or attempts.

Essentially you do not go anywhere without your battle buddy, and Will and Demetrius seem to get along just fine.

On Monday, all the soldiers went through a drill in the NBC chamber. It is where they drill the soldiers on the dangers of a potential sarin gas attack. For the purposes of the test, they use small plastic pellets that they cook on a grill in the chamber. The result is stinging throat and eyes.

Soldiers go in fifteen at a time and go through several exercises before they are ordered to remove their masks. Most of the soldiers begin jumping up and down and try to do anything to ease the pain. One soldier couldn’t make it and ran from the chamber. Will was successful and passed the test.

Please tune in next Wednesday for part three of A Soldier’s Story with Will McLain.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Tuesday. He's there to assure our troops, "we're in this thing to win."

Secretary Gates arrived overnight – six days after President Obama announced he's sending in 30,000 reinforcements. The secretary is also there to reassure the Afghan president that America will not abandon him. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the report from Afghanistan.

Read more: Defense secretary visits Afghanistan

It took three months for President Obama to decide on a troop surge strategy for Afghanistan. It took less than a week for the Pentagon to announce the first deployments.

About 1,500 U.S. Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina just got the call. They're shipping out this month. Our Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence has the report from Camp Lejeune.

Related: Official: Obama discusses troop surge with general

President Obama will meet today with his top commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, and America's ambassador to Kabul, Karl Eikenberry.

As the president's war strategy starts falling into place, our Barbara Starr is already on the ground, embedded with U.S. forces.

Today she has the story of one village where Afghan forces are fighting back against the Taliban, and winning. It's a story you won't see anywhere else.