U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham shakes hands with U.S. Marine Lt. Col. David L. Odom, the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force- More
Marine Lance Cpl. Jason Mueske, an engineer with Route Clearance Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afghanistan, tightens part of a wheel module to a "Husk More
Smoke from illumination flares hangs in the night sky over Camp Barber Dec. 9. U.S. Marines and sailors with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Ta More
Petty Officer 2nd Class Charles Swoboda (left) and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Shaw (right) organize boxes donated by citizens across America on Camp Barber, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Dec. 12. Swoboda More
Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), fire 120 mm mortars on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III Jan. 2, 2009, in the Farah province of Afghanistan. 3/8 is the ground combat el More
A young Afghan boy works in a garage as U.S. Marines with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment and Afghan National Police officers patrol through a bazaar in Farah province, Afghanistan, Jan. 24, 2009. More
U.S. Marine Lt Col. David L. Odom greets U.S. Senator John McCain Dec. 7 on Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. U.S. Military service members with Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afghanistan and British Roy More
Illumination flares light the sky over Camp Barber Dec. 9. U.S. Marines and sailors with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afghanistan More
Cpl. Andrew Pearson, an engineer with Route Clearance Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afghanistan, prepares a wheel module to be attached to the main hu More
Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), cover their ears in a cloud of sand while firing the 120 mm mortar system on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah province of More
U.S. Senator John McCain speaks with members of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afghanistan's ground combat element Dec. 7 on Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. U.S. Military service members with SPMAGTF-A More
Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Shaw, with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, organizes boxes donated by U.S. military supporters across America on Camp Barber, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Dec. 12. 3/8 is t More
Sgt. Brian Morris, a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), shovels dirt into dirt-filled protective barriers on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah province of A More
U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman shakes hands with U.S. Marine Maj. Reginald McClam, the operations officer for 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Af More
Cpl. Michael Higuchi (left) helps Lance Cpl. Jason Mueske (right) tighten a piece to a wheel module on a "Husky" tactical support vehicle on Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, Dec. 9. Higuchi and Mueske are engineers w More
Lance Cpl. Ryan Welch (front) and Cpl. Kenneth Brown, with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, fire their M203 grenade launchers during live-fire training outside of Camp Bastion, Islamic Repub More
A Marine with Combat Logistics Battalion 3 operates a tractor rubber-tired articulated steering multi-purpose vehicle, also known as a TRAM, outside of a combat outpost in the Farah province of Afghanistan Jan. More
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. John Nicholson (center) and U.S. Marine Lt Col. David L. Odom meet with U.S. Senator John McCain Dec. 7 on Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. U.S. Military service members with Special Purpose Mari More
Pfc. William Jones, a machine gunner with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, fires a 60mm mortar system during live-fire training outside of Camp Bastion, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Dec. More
Petty Officer 2nd Class Charles Swoboda, with Combat Logistics Battalion-3, looks at items in boxes donated by U.S. military supporters across America on Camp Barber, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Dec. 12. C More
U.S. Senator John McCain talks with U.S. Marine Lt. Col. David L. Odom, the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afghanista More
Petty Officer 2nd Class Charles Swoboda (left) and Pety Officer 3rd Class Jason Shaw (right), organize boxes donated by citizens across America on Camp Barber, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Dec. 12. Swoboda More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. David Arnold, a machine gunner with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, fires his M2 .50 caliber heavy machine gun during live-fire training outside of Camp Bastion, Isla More
U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman shakes hands with U.S. Marine Maj. Brian Mulvihill, the executive officer of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afgh More
Petty Officer 2nd Class Charles Swoboda (left) and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Shaw (right) organize boxes donated by U.S. military supporters across America on Camp Barber, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, D More
A young Afghan boy walks across the desert in the Helmand province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Dec. 12.
U.S. Senator John McCain talks with Helmand Provincial Governor Gulab Mangal (far right) on Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, Dec. 7. U.S. Military service members with Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Afg More
Lance Cpl. Daniel Neece, a machine gunner with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, fires his M4 service rifle during live-fire training outside of Camp Bastion, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, More
Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), maintain security on a patrol during Operation Gateway III in the Farah province of Afghanistan Jan. 7, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element of Sp More
Lance Cpl. Anthony Lostal, a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), shovels dirt into dirt-filled protective barriers on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah provi More
Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), shovel dirt into dirt-filled protective barriers on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah province of Afghanistan Jan. 6, 2009. More
Lance Cpl. Kevin Gonzalez Sierra, with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), patrols across a field during Operation Gateway III in the Farah province of Afghanistan Jan. 7, 2009. 3/8 is the ground c More
Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), cover their ears while firing the 120 mm mortar system on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah province of Afghanistan Jan. 8, More
Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), fill sand bags in order to fortify their position Jan. 2, 2009 in the Farah province of Afghanistan. 3/8 is the ground combat element of Special Pur More
Lance Cpl. Nick Wyatt, with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), breaks up dirt on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III Jan. 2, 2009, in the Farah province of Afghanistan. 3/8 is the ground More