Capt. Sean Nolan, commander of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, addresses his soldier following a 'combat patch' ceremony at Combat Outpost Lakaray, Afghanistan, June 16, 2012. The 1-17th More
Dadullah, an Afghan farmer, holds a piece of a plant in a cucumber field near Haji Nikal, Afghanistan, July 22, 2012. Dadullah said the pest problem is a significant threat to crops this year. The U.S. Agency f More
Two members of the Albanian special operations forces conduct security operations with Sgt. 1st Class Jason Taylor (back, left) and Staff Sgt. Glen Kent near Haji Nikal, Afghanistan, July 22, 2012. Both U.S. so More
Sgt. Joshua White, cavalry scout with Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, walks next to a Stryker fighting vehicle in the morning hours of Operation Southern Strike III in the district of Spin Bol More
Spc. Scott Roland (top) and Spc. Jared Higgins, infantrymen with 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, spray paint the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 3rd Infantry Division on a T-wall a More
Soldiers with Combined Task Force Arrowhead, Spin Boldak Fire Department firefighters and other personnel join together to remember the events of 9/11 during a memorial service at Forward Operating Base Spin Bo More
Pfc. Marcus Mayes, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, receives his 'combat patch' from Sgt. Timothy Hartbeck during a ceremony at Combat Outpost Lakaray, Afghanistan, June 16, 2012. The More
An Afghan local walks across an arid field with flourishing cannabis plants in the distance near Haji Nikal, Afghanistan, July 22, 2012. Since a drought hit Kandahar province in the 1990s, farmers are finding i More
Pfc. Jarred Keith, an infantryman with Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, receives his 'combat patch' from Staff Sgt. Stanley Arnold during a patching ceremony at Combat Outpost Lakar More
From left, Maj. Roger Shaw, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and Maj. Gregory Sakimura, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, speak with the local Afghan Border Po More
Capt. Pennie Llorente, team chief of Civil Affairs Team 613, and Steve Tavella, a field program officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development, speak with an Afghan farmer named Dadullah in a cucumbe More
Soldiers with Combined Task Force Arrowhead, Spin Boldak Fire Department firefighters and other personnel join together to remember the events of 9/11 during a memorial ceremony at Forward Operating Base Spin B More
Sgt. Guillermo Garcia, an infantryman with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, scans his sector while on farmland near Haji Nikal, Afghanistan, July 22, 2012. Garcia's unit is part of the 2nd More
Dadullah, an Afghan farmer, speaks with a field program officer of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and members of Alpha Company, 426th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), in a cucumber field near More
Staff Sgt. Conyers Lamb, soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, receives his 'combat patch' during a nighttime ceremony at Forward Operating Base Spin Boldak, More
Steve Tavella, a field program officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development, speaks with Dadullah, an Afghan farmer, amongst a crop of cucumbers near the village of Haji Nikal, Afghanistan, July 22 More
Staff Sgt. Parker Rojas, infantryman with Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, provides security near Haji Nikal, Afghanistan, July 22, 2012. His unit is with Combined Task Force Arrowhead and More
Staff Sgt. Glen Kent, infantryman with Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, provides security near Haji Nikal, Afghanistan, July 22, 2012. His unit is part of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Tea More
Steve Tavella, a field program officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development, surveys a field of cannabis (marijuana) near the village of Haji Nikal, Afghanistan, July 22, 2012. USAID focuses on pro More
Second Lt. Michael Tovo, a platoon leader with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, talks to members of his unit during a patrol near Haji Nikal, Afghanistan, July 22, 2012. Tovo's unit is part More
Sgt. 1st Class Jason Taylor, a platoon sergeant with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, speaks with Capt. Pennie Llorente, team chief with Alpha Company, 426th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airbor More
Col. Alden Saddlemire, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, speaks with local children about obtaining a soccer ball during a visit to the district center in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 23, 2012.
Lt. Col. Joseph Cetta, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and Trisha Bury, a field program officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development, speak with an Afghan civilian about a More
Lt. Col. Joseph Cetta, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, speaks with Vlatko Trajkovski, a provincial manager with the Central Asia Development Group's Community Development Program, during More
First Lt. Greg Barry, platoon leader with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, patrols along Highway 4 outside the district center in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 23, 2012. His unit is part o More
Spc. Matthew Arehart, an infantryman with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, scans his sector during a patrol along Highway 4 in the city of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 23, 2012. His unit More
Col. Alden Saddlemire, deputy commander of Combined Task Force Arrowhead-South, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, participates in a shura during Operation Southern Strike III in the villag More
First Lt. Greg Barry, a platoon leader with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, leads a group of soldiers during a patrol along Highway 4 in the city of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 23, 2012 More
Afghan truck drivers pause after unloading bags of grain from a jingle truck during Operation Buffalo Thunder II at the 5th Kandak headquarters in Shorabak, Afghanistan, June 30, 2012. Spc. Nathan Smith (lower More
Spc. Benjamin Williams, an infantryman and radio telephone operator with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, patrols a street in the city of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 23, 2012. His unit i More
Pfc. Alexander Miller, an infantryman with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, provides security during a patrol in the city of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 23, 2012. His unit is part of the More
First Lt. Jerrod Jerome, a platoon leader with Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, talks with members of the Albanian Special Operations Forces before execution of a mission in the city of Spi More
Pfc. Frank Miranda, an infantryman with Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, rushes to his next position while providing security outside the district center in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 3 More
Pfc. Carlos Rivera, a squad designated marksman with Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, scans his sector while providing security in the district of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 30, 2012. H More
Soldiers with the Albanian Special Operations Forces provide rear security during a mission at the district center in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 30, 2012.
Staff Sgt. Marin Colunga, an infantryman with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, listens to radio chatter during a patrol in the city of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 23, 2012. Colunga's uni More
First Lt. Jerrod Jerome, a platoon leader with Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, provides security during a mission in the city of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 30, 2012. Jerome's unit is p More
First Lt. Michael Porter, platoon leader with Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron of the 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Marco, a master-at-arms, takes a break while on a pa More
Lt. Col. Steven Soika, commander of the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, communicates via radio while members of his unit provide security during Operation Southern Strike III in the village of Spin Kariz More
Cpl. Bobby Liverman, an infantryman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, takes a knee during Operation Southern Strike III in the village of Jandad Kalay, district More
Air Force Staff Sgt. Nathan Goedert and his military working dog Jacob find some shade during Operation Southern Strike III in the village of Jandad Kalay, Spin Boldak district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, More