Singer/Songwriters Diana Degarmo and Ace Young perform a song for military members during a troop visit sponsored by the United Service Organization Inc. (USO) at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan More
Afghan National Army Maj. Gen. Sayed Malook, commanding general of the 215th Corps, salutes a formation of soldiers during a celebration at Camp Shorabak, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 19, 2013. The soldi More
Jen Goncalves, the lead singer of Hip Kitty, sings to the crowd during the band's performance of Sweet Home Alabama. Servicemembers came together to share in morale boosting music by alternative rock 'n' roll b More
Corporal Ethan Sullivan, squad leader, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 7, is currently conducting his third deployment and first combat deployment. He plans on using his experience as both a More
Corporal Casey Hunter, vehicle commander, Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 7, joined the Marine Corps when he was 22. He used his life experience to lead and train his Marines an More
Staff Sgt. Jonathan Miller speaks with role players during Helmand province’s first Afghan Inform and Influence Methods course on Camp Shorabak, Afghanistan, Jan. 3, 2013. Miller, a psychological operations spe More
Corporal Frank Blundetto, team leader, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 7, and his three siblings all earned the title United States Marine. Blundetto, currently serving in Sangi More
Petty Officer 3rd Class George Felli, hospital corpsman, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 7, was born in Accai, Ghana. He moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., when he was 14 and is currently More
U.S. Navy Lt. Johan Baik, deputy wing chaplain, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), gives an invocation at Camp Bastion, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 10, 2013. Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 1 More
Lance Cpl. Nicholas C. Jansen, generator mechanic with Georgian Liaison Team for Regimental Combat Team 7, Regional Command Southwest, is charged with the duties of a Marine above his grade. Operating as the un More
Corporal Stephen Karavolos, a motor transport operator, is currently deployed to Afghanistan with the Georgian Liaison Team for Regimental Combat Team 7, Regional Command Southwest. Karavolos currently holds ma More
Ten Marines made up the supply shop with I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group (Forward), in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The Marines retrograded more than 800 million pieces of equipment in additio More
Lance Cpl. Anthony Zavala, ammunition technician, Regimental Combat Team 7, suffered third degree burns on his right hand. He was out of work for three to four months because of the injury but refused to let it More
Regional Command Southwest Sgt. Maj. Harrison Tanksley prepares to board a helicopter in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 16, 2013. Tanksley has served as the senior enlisted in RC (SW) for the past year.
Recently repaired vehicles wait for transportation back to Camp Leatherneck after Marines with the Intermediate Maintenance Activity section repaired them on Combat Outpost Shir Ghazay. The mission of the IMA i More
Soldiers with the 32nd Georgian Battalion provide security at a local school in Shir Ghazay, Afghanistan, Jan. 17, 2013. The soldiers, along with Marines from the Georgian Liaison Team 6, Regimental Combat Team More
Afghan National Army soldiers patrol over the frost covered ground during Operation New Hope, Kajaki, Afghanistan, Jan. 16. Moments after, they would receive fire from multiple enemy positions. During the opera More
Colonel James Hanlon (center front) commanding officer, I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group (Forward), and Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Rocquemore, sergeant major, I MHG (Fwd), render salutes during a transfer More
Colonel Stephen Sklenka, commanding officer, Combat Logistics Regiment 15, salutes the colors during the unit’s transfer of authority to CLR-2 at a ceremony aboard Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Jan. 26, 2013. More
Corporal Rocio Sanchez, electronic key management system clerk, Retrograde and Redeployment in support of Reset and Reconstitution Operational Group, Regional Command (Southwest), is currently serving aboard Ca More
U.S. Marines with Landing Support Platoon, Combat Logistics Regiment 2 (CLR-2), offload pallets of gear off a CH-53 Sea Stallion on Camp Bastion, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Feb. 7, 2013. Landing Support Pl More
Dinar Hasan serves as the lead translator for the Marine Corps brigade advisor team with the Aghan National Army's 1st Brigade, 215 Corps. Dinar has served with the MarineCorps in Helmand Province since 2010. ( More
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Kyle A. Buchina, Harrier pilot, with Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231), prepares to carry out a close air support (CAS) mission, Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Feb. 7, 20 More
Corporal Anthony Besso, 20, a landing support specialist with Marine Air Ground Task Force Support Company, Reset and Reconstitution Operational Group, and a native of Camden County, N.C., is awarded a Certific More
MSgt. Remi Rodriguez loads amunitions into his tactical vehicle in preparation for a movement to Combat Outpost Passerlay Feb. 8. Rodriquez and members of the 1st Brigade, 215 Corps advisor team are traveling t More
Soldiers with 393rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion listen to personnal reflections during an induction ceremony here, Feb. 8. During the ceremony, soldiers honored Staff Sgt. Robert A. Massarelli and Sgt. More
Petty Officer 2nd Class Keron Liverpool, a surgical laboratory technician with Surgical Platoon, General Support Combat Logistics Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, demonstrates how to conduct a blood test. More
Dinar Ehsan grew up during a time of war and has seen the transition in Afghanistan. (Photo by Sgt. Bobby J. Yarbrough)
1st. Lt. Dominic Chiaverotti reviews capital and lowercase letters with soldiers of the Afghan National Army's 1st Brigade, 215 Corps aboard Camp Dwyer Feb. 16. Chiaverotti and Marines with the 1st Brigade advi More
Soldiers as part of the Afghanistan National Army’s 8th Corps, 199th Recruit Battalion, made up of approximately 600 personnel, take their placement exams at the Regional Military Training Center. In a manner s More
U.S. Airmen with the 651st Air Expeditionary Group and British Royal Airmen with the Joint Movements Unit stand in formation during an awards ceremony aboard Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Feb. 21, 2013. Brigad More
Petty Officer First Class Timothy Sheller lifts weights at the outdoor gym inside the Marine Expeditionary Force compound aboard Camp Leatherneck Feb. 23. (Photo by Cpl. Brittany N. Woods)
1st Lt. Stephen Graves completes a cross fitness workout at the Marine Expeditionary Force's outside gym aboard Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan Feb. 23. Graves is a member of II Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd) c More
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Sarah Abdella, right, counter insurgency advisor with 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), greets Mahommed Dawood Farhang, engineer with the Provincial Joint Secretary Team of Helman More
Major Gen. Charles M. Gurganus, the I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) and Regional Command Southwest commanding general, speaks to distinguished coalition and Afghan officials during the I MEF (Fwd) farewe More
The commander of Regional Command Southwest held a farewell dinner at the Afghan Cultural Center here, Feb. 24. Major Gen. Charles M. Gurganus, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) commanding general and Regi More
1st Lt. Paul D. Gowin, a member of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd), is promoted during a ceremony at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan Feb. 25. Gowin is a prior enlisted Marine with more than 12 years of se More
Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Harrison Tanksley, I Marine Expiditionary Force (Forward) sergeant major, cases the colors during the Regional Command (Southwest) Transfer of Authority ceremony here, Feb. 28. The I MEF More
Major. Gen. W. Lee Miller, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) commanding general (left) and Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, the International Security Assistance Force commander, salute during the Regional Command More
Lt. Gen. Robert B. Neller, Marine Corps Forces Central Command Commander visits Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 2 (CLR-2) in Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Feb. 28, 2013. Neller's visit More
Cpl. Nicolas Pinedasilva of Marine Air Ground Task Force Support Company, Redeployment and Retrograde in Support of Reset and Reconstitution Operations Group, listens to the guest speaker during a naturalizatio More
Army Maj. Aimee Wilson, a radiologist with 14th Combat Support Hospital at Camp Bastion, here, throws a football with fellow soldiers while waiting for celebrities with the USO's Spring Troop Visit to arrive, M More
Staff Sgt. Jose A. Zazueta recites the Naturalization Oath of the United States during a naturalization ceremony aboard Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, March 1. (Photo by Sgt. Bobby J. Yarbrough)
Lance Cpl. Gavin Ellis, Clinton and Knoxville, Tenn. native, watches the surrounding area as Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, conduct a sweep of a compound near Patrol Base Boldak March 3, 2013. More
Lance Cpl. Nathan Bush, Lenox, MA and Sarasota, FL native, launches the Puma just before nightfall at Patrol Base Boldak March 2. The Puma has a thermal imaging camera which allows units to conduct aerial surve More
Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment prepare to conduct a dismounted patrol near Patrol Base Boldak March 3. The unit planned the early morning sweep to search a compound suspected of harboring insur More
Staff Sgt. Luis E. Meraz, supply chief with Marine Air Ground Task Force Support Company, Redeployment and Retrograde in Support of Reset and Reconstitution Operations Group, helps with grilling burgers, chicke More
Lance Cpl. Nastassja R. Trinidad of Marine Air Task Ground Force Support Company, Redeployment and Retrograde in Support of Reset and Reconstitution Operations Ground, pulls a strap from the pile of gear that s More
U.S. Marines with the Landing Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, load tri-wall containers on a CH-53E Super Stallion for the Warfighter Exchange Service Team (WES Team) to travel to Forward Operating More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Diego A. Cordova, operations administrations, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2d MAW) Forward and Queens, NY native, poses for a photo in front of the 2d MAW (FWD) T wall barrier, Camp Leathern More
Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 (HMLA-169) land near Patrol Base Boldak, Afghanistan, March 6. The squadron was transporting Maj. Gen. Lee Miller, the commanding general of Regional Com More
Regional Command Southwest Commanding General Maj. Gen. Lee Miller, Sgt. Maj. Paul Berry, and Command Master Chief Kelly McNulty visits with the Marines of Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment at More
A panoramic of the Helmand River, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 6, 2013. The river flows through the Kajaki Dam and has a dual function to provide electricity and to irrigate some 650,000 acres of an ot More
The Marines of Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, pose for a picture at Patrol Base Boldak March 7. (Photo by Sgt. Bobby J. Yarbrough)
U.S. Marines with 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) work and provide security for their unit, Camp Leatherneck, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, March 5, 2013. A poster was created to ensure 2d MAW (FWD) Marine More
Tires, tools, gear and other supplies were among the items 2nd Platoon, Transport Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, brought back from their convoy to Patrol Base Shir Ghazy and Forward Operating Bas More
Lance Cpls. Dakota L. Vlach (top), Bryant A. Davis (right) and Shane E. Atchison, motor transport and vehicle operators with 3rd Platoon, Transport Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, tie down an ISO More
Medics with the Afghan National Army practice treating injuries and loading injured personnel into medical helicopters aboard Camp Bastion, Afghanistan March 12. The ANA medics worked alongside U.S. and British More
U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 perform a foreign object debris (FOD) walk at Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan March 12, 2013. A FOD walk is an inspection of the flightline in More
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Walter L. Mills, right, commanding general, Regional Command (Southwest), visits Forward Operating Base Geronimo, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 12, 2013. The Senior leadership More
Afghan National Army medics practice routine battlefield care during a training exercise at Camp Bastion, March 12.The training helped prepare the soldiers for casualty that could be seen during combat operatio More
U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment (2/7), secure a landing zone while an MV-22 Osprey departs prior to a key leader engagement in Nimroz Province, Afghanistan, March 13, 2013. Maj. Gen. Walter More
DynCorp International employees stage and inspect cargo containers on Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 13, 2013. As the U.S. military draws down its presence in Afghanistan, Marines assign More
Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Taylor, an electric equipment repair specialist with Maintenance Platoon, Combat Logistics Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, and native of Cleveland, Ga., disconnects the trickle-charged More
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jayme Copeland, an embarkation specialist from Colorado Springs, Colo., assigned to Retrograde and Redeployment in support of Reset and Reconstitution Operational Group (R4OG), grou More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Brett MegarityKoch folds an American flag in Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 15, 2013. Cpl. MegarityKosh flew an American flag to honor his departed father on his birthda More
Afghan National Army soldiers with the 215th Corps, Engineer Kandak prepare to conduct a clearing operation near Camp Shorabak, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, March 16, 2013. The operation was designed to elimi More
U.S. Marine Capt. Matthew A. Krempel, left, rides on a MV-22 Osprey helicopter to Camp Dwyer, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, March 16, 2013. Brig. Gen. Smith, the deputy commander of Security Force Assistance, More
U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgts. Nelson J. Hammer, left, and Michael Rock, with Headquarters Company, Regimental Combat Team 7, prepare an outdoor cooking area at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March More
The Strength of the Corps is only as strong as you are. (Poster by Sgt. Bobby J. Yarbrough)
U.S. Marine Lance Cpls. Nickolas Franklin, left, and Zachary Schiable, both data network specialists from Richmond, CA., and Corona, CA., respectively and assigned to Headquarters Company, Regimental Combat Tea More
An Auto Meter BusPro-660 AGM Optimized battery charger is connected to six batteries at the maintenance bay of the Intermediate Maintenance Activity lot here, March 18. The engineering section of General Suppor More
From left to right, Capt. Jeffrey P. Sparrow, 4th Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 215th Corps, Security Force Assistance Advisor Team communications advisor; Capt. Nicolas S. Rapkoch 4th Kandak SFAAT team advisor, ANA Lt. More
Page, an improvised explosive device detection dog (IDD) with 2d Combat Engineer Battalion (CEB), handled by U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Triba, a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, searches th More
An Afghan National Army medical soldier extends wiring from the 2nd Brigade, 21th Corps Brigade Aid Station to a generator March 24, at Forward Operating Base Nolay, Sangin District, Helmand province, Afghanist More
U.S. Marine Maj. Gen. Walter Miller Jr., center, commanding general of Regional Command (Southwest), shakes hands with Afghan National Army (ANA) leaders at forward operating base Delaram, Helmand Province, Afg More
Cpl. Robert C. Richardson III, a machinist in Maintenance Repair, General Support Combat Logistics Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, points to the valve of a water jet which was used to cut 30 aluminum sick More
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen Walter L. Miller Jr., center, commanding officer of Regional Command (Southwest), sits with other key leaders during a celebration at the cultural center on Camp Leatherneck, Afghanis More
Distinguished guests, Afghan cultural advisors, linguists and coalition force members celebrate Nowruz, the Afghan New Year, at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 21, 2013. The festivities, More
Afghan National Army medics inject a soldier with penicillin at the 2nd Brigade, 215th Corps aid station March 23, here. The ANA medics, according to Petty Officer 1st Class Federico Sanchez, a Reno, Nev., nati More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Matasha Calhoun with Rolling Thunder 1, Transportation Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, drives a Mine-Resistant, Ambush Protected All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) during a combat More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpls, Alex Rojas, left, and Joseph Casillas, both scout snipers assigned to Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, make their way to a live fire range on Camp Leatherneck, Helmand P More
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Christian Narvaja, a combat engineer with 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, holds up a coin presented to him by Maj. Gen. Walter L. Miller Jr., commanding general of Regional Command (Southwe More
Cpl. Damien Blevins uses an acetylene torch to remove bolts off of a M-ATV at the Motor Transport Maintenance lot aboard Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan March 25. Blevins is a motor transportation mechanic with C More
From left to right, GySgt. Fernando Gonzalez, Outside Plant and Inside Plant project manager with 8th Communications Battalion, Task Force Belleau Wood; GySgt. Timothy Stovall, battalion telephone switching chi More
Lance Cpl. Matthew Paul makes repairs to the undercarriage of a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement March 25. Paul is a motor transportation mechanic with Combat Logistics Regiment 2.
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Jermaine Pullum, a field wireman from Jackson, Miss., assigned to Retrograde and Redeployment in support of Reset and Reconstitution Operational Group (R4OG), cleans communication equipme More
The Afghan National Army 215th Corps' flag detail readies for a graduation ceremony Mar. 28, here. More than 200 soldiers graduated after nine weeks of basic training and will move on to specialty schools. The More
An explosives instructor teaches an Afghan Uniform Police officer how to handle Composite C-4 during a controlled detonation at Forward Operating Base Zeebruge March 28. The controlled detonation was part of th More
Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers assigned to the 215th Corps march during a graduation ceremony on Camp Shorabak, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 28, 2013. The graduation ceremony was being held for the More
Lance Cpl. Daniel McCoy gets dressed for an early morning patrol at Forward Operating Base Zeebruge, March 30. McCoy is a member of the U.S. Marine-led Kajaki Police Advisor Team. (Photo by Sgt. Bobby J. Yarbrough)
Cpl. Jason Cooper, a data and circuit card repair chief for the communication electronics maintenance section, General Support Combat Logistics Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, scans the components of a Dr More
A Kajaki District Afghan Uniformed Police officer searches a motorcyclist at an AUP post March 30. The AUP have established checkpoints on Route 611 and search vehicles and pedestrians as they pass through the More
Navy Chief Petty Officer Salvador Vallebo injects a numbing agent into the face of a Kajaki Afghan Uniformed Police officer during a procedure at Forward Operating Base Zeebruge March 31. Afghan National Securi More
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Matthew D. Huddleston, MV-22B Osprey crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor 264, provides aerial security during a casualty evacuation drill with 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) Forwa More
A trip wire rests across a doorway during Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) training at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, April 3, 2013. The training, taught by 2d Combat Engineer Battal More
Cpl. Christopher Labrovic (right), a machinist with General Support Combat Logistics Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, supervises Craftsman Karl Lusardi (left), an armorer with 1 Close Support Battalion, Ro More
Maj. Gen. Walter L. Miller, Jr., left, commanding general of Regional Command (Southwest), meets with Maj. Gen. Joseph L. Osterman, the deputy chief of staff, International Security Assistance Force Joint Comma More
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan Vashey, left, a mortarman assigned to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment (3/9), shoots an azimuth while setting up a M252 81 mm mortar system on forward opera More