The Obama administration issued a Presidential Memorandum today, directing an "immediate inventory" of all intelligence in US Government files relevant to the shootings at Fort Hood last week. The memo to the Secretary of Defense, the Director of National Intelligence and the FBI director, asks that any intelligence on the alleged shooter, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, be included in the inventory.

The President also directed a review to determine how "any such intelligence was handled, shared, and acted upon within individual departments and agencies and what intelligence was shared with others."

According to the memo, John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, will be the point of contact for the inventory and review, the results of which will be provided by November 30.

Prior to his departure for Asia, President Obama made a statement on the economy in which he announced a jobs forum in December to "talk about how we can work together" to create jobs.

Mr Obama said Thursday's report showing jobless claims falling to 502,000, the lowest level since January, is a "hopeful sign." The president went on to say that the search for work for the millions of people without jobs, remains one of his administration's top challenges.

"We have an obligation to consider every additional, responsible step that we can [take] to encourage and accelerate job creation in this country," the president said. "The White House will gather CEOs and small business owners, economists and financial experts, as well as representatives from labor unions and nonprofit groups, to talk about how we can work together to create jobs and get this economy moving again."

No specific date in December has been announced.

Below are the president's remarks in their entirety:

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President Obama will make a statement on the economy at 915 this morning. According to the White House, the President will discuss his plans to continue exploring options for job creation and economic growth and the importance of his trip to Asia for the American economy.

Mr Obama will depart the White House immediately after his statement for a week long trip to Asia that will include stops in Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea.

President Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team.

Fox News' Mike Emanuel reports the President raised questions Wednesday at his 8th national security team meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan, that could alter the dynamic of how many additional troops are sent to Afghanistan and what the duration would be for their presence in the war zone.

The key sticking points - timelines and mounting questions about the credibility of the Afghan government.

Administration officials said Wednesday President Obama wants to make it clear that the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan is not open-ended, and Mr Obama is pushing his national security team for revisions to clarify how and when US troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government.

9:15AM THE PRESIDENT makes a brief statement to the press on the economy - Diplomatic Reception Room

9:30AM THE PRESIDENT departs The White House en route Andrews Air Force Base

9:50AM THE PRESIDENT departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Anchorage, Alaska

4:50PM THE PRESIDENT arrives Anchorage, Alaska

5:10PM THE PRESIDENT meets with service members at Elmendorf Air Force Base

5:30PM THE PRESIDENT holds a rally with troops at Elmendorf Air Force Base

6:55PM THE PRESIDENT departs Alaska for Japan

On the eve of the President's trip to Asia, which includes a stop in Japan, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs released the following statement on the Japanese government's contributions to the efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"We welcome the announcement by the Government of Japan to provide approximately $5 billion over the next five years to Afghanistan and to implement swiftly its April 2009 pledge of $1 billion for economic assistance to Pakistan. The U.S. appreciates all that Japan has done to assist in the stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan and welcomes Japan's renewed commitment to development assistance for this international effort. Japan is among the largest bilateral donors in foreign assistance to Pakistan and Afghanistan, reflecting Japan's crucial leadership in the region and around the globe. As President Obama prepares to travel to Japan this week, he looks forward to renewing our strong alliance with Japan, and discussing our continued partnership on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and critical bilateral issues."

President Obama is meeting today with his national security team to discuss Afghanistan and Pakistan. The president travels to Japan tomorrow where he will discuss North Korea's nuclear program, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the US-Japanese alliance. No decisions on US troop increases in Afghanistan is expected prior to Mr Obama's departure for Asia.

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON S.475

Today I have signed into law S. 475, the "Military Spouses Residency Relief Act". This Act, among other things, would provide that when a service member leaves his or her home State in accord with military or naval orders, the service member's spouse may retain residency in his or her home State for voting and tax purposes, after relocating from that State to accompany the service member.

When the military orders service members to move, spouses who move with them often have to pay taxes in a new State or locality and lose the right to vote in the place considered to be home. This legislation will alleviate these and other burdens on our military families. As the Congress has recognized, and as the legislative history reflects, this legislation is an important means of maintaining the morale and readiness of our Armed Forces and significantly enhances the ability of our military to effectively recruit and retain these highly valued service personnel.

President Barack Obama, second from left, and Gen. Karl Horst, right, stop to talk with visitors among the graves of soldiers from the Iraq and Afghan conflicts in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, Nov. 11, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

President and Mrs Obama marked Veterans Day with the traditional visit to Arlington National Cemetery where Mr Obama participated in a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The President then delivered remarks in which he paid tribute to the determination of those who serve in uniform.

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9:05AM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY host Veterans Day breakfast - East Room

11:00AM THE PRESIDENT participates in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns - Arlington National Cemetery

11:25AM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks - Arlington National Cemetery

2:30PM THE PRESIDENT meets with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan - Situation Room

President and Mrs Obama attended a memorial service today, honoring the 13 who were killed last week at Fort Hood.

Each of the victims was represented by their photo, resting below the traditional military tribute - combat boots with an inverted riffle topped with a helmet. Following his remarks, President Obama walked along the 13 pairs of boots placing the commander-in-chief's coin next to each photo.

The coin the president left, like the one below, is called a "challenge coin." According to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, the President gives one to most military members he meets - he even distributed them to wounded soldiers he met at a recent visit to Walter Reed, and laid one on each of the coffins at the dignified transfer he attended at Dover.

President Obama's Challenge Coin