A coaliton force member speaks to a shop owner during a presence patrol with Afghan National Security Forces to escort a district governor in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 17, 2013. Afghan National Secur More
An Afghan National Army Special Forces Commander speaks with an Afghan Local Policeman after a construction project to build an ALP checkpoint in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 30, 2013. Afghan Local Poli More
An Afghan National Army Special Forces Soldier returns from helping Afghan Local Police build a checkpoint in Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 3, 2013. Afghan Local Police complement counterinsurgency effor More
An Australian soldier from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment Task Force assists the Afghan National Security Forces to provide security during a shura at Kajran in Daykundi province Oct. 22. (Photo by Cpl. Mark Doran, A More
Seaman Pedro Rivera, from Cherryhill, N.J., performs duties as a signalman aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) during a replenishment-at-sea with Military Sealift Command fleet repleni More
Spc. Kareem Tunstall, from Brooklyn, N.Y., now a signal support systems specialist with HHC, 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, tries to flank a squad of Opposing Forces during his squad's assault on a mock compound More
A Polish Rosomak vehicle on patrol in the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom, Nov. 18. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Justin Howe)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Erin Keogh a KC-10 Extender boom operator assigned to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, sits with his training manuals during an air refueling during a flying mission whi More
International Security Assistance Force members and local Afghans participate in a celebration on Forward Operating Base Spin Boldak, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Oct. 8, 2011. The celebration was for the el More
The moon sets near Shadizi Kalay, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Oct. 12-13 , 2011. A new road and checkpoint have are under review to be placed in the area. (Photo by: Spc. Phil Kernisan)
Romanian army soldiers from 300th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, St. Andrew, 2nd Infantry Company, stationed at Patrol Base 19, and officers from the Afghan National Police, visit Marbolaq, Zabul province, Afgh More
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Jamie Deets, right, sergeant major of Regimental Combat Team 6, thanks Marines with Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6 for their hard work be More
U.S. Army Capt. Jason Cordaway with Provincial Reconstruction Team Kapisa's security element talks to a local Afghan for security purposes while an inspection is performed on a local bridge, Kapisa province, Af More
U.S. Marine Corps Col. John R. Shafer, right, commanding officer, Regimental Combat Team 6 (RCT-6), speaks to Marines with RCT-6 during an award ceremony on Camp Delaram II, Nimroz province, Afghanistan May 23, More
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Alexander J. Urias, left, and Sgt William Carroll, both with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, pose for a picture in Zamindawar, Helmand province More
Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers with 2nd Tolai, 3rd Kandak, 215th Corps sight in at targets down range with their M24 sniper rifles during training near Forward Operating Base Edinburgh, Helmand province, A More
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos, center, speaks with a Marine July 17, 2012, at Forward Operating Base Zeebrugge, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Amos conducted a battlefield circulation throug More
U.S. and Coalition Forces attend a memorial service in honor of Sgt. Bradley W. Atwell at Camp Bastion, Helmand province, Afghanistan Sept. 20, 2012. Atwell was an aircraft electrical/instrument and flight cont More
Coalition Forces attend a memorial service in honor of Lt. Col. Christopher K. Raible at Camp Bastion, Helmand province, Afghanistan Sept. 19, 2012. Raible, commanding officer of Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 21 More
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Richard G. Deibler, UH-1Y Venom door gunner, Marine Light Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469, Marine Aircraft Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), conducts operations over Helm More
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Gregg A. Sturdevant, commanding general, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), speaks to Marines and Sailors in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Nov. 22, 2012. Sturdevant was conducting More
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Eric Scheibe, AV-8B Harrier pilot with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 231, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), flies over southern Helmand province, Afghanistan a More
A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), externally lifts M777 howitzers over Helmand province, Af More
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Dallas T. Butler with Headquarters Company, Regimental Combat Team 7, recites his oath during a promotion ceremony on Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 1, 2013. Butle More
Three U.S. Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy loadmasters assigned to the 436th Airlift Wing from Dover Air Force Base, Del., prepare their cargo area before the upload of three U.S. Army UH-60L Black Hawks for shipme More
An Afghan Local Policeman maintains security during a construction project for an ALP checkpoint in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 30, 2013. Afghan Local Police complement counterinsurgency efforts by ass More
Australian soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment Task Force assist the Afghan National Security Forces to provide security during a shura at Kajran in Daykundi province Oct. 22. (Photo by Cpl. Mark Doran, Aust More
U.S. sdailors perform maintenance on an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70 aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) in the Atlantic Ocean Dec. More
Spc. Kareem Tunstall, a signal support systems specialist with HHC, 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, tries to flank a squad of opposing forces during his squad's assault on a mock compound for a Warrior Leadership More
A wall with graffiti translated to, "Ustad Rahmani a good candidate of Ghazni province," viewed on patrol in the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan, Nov. 18. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Justin Howe)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Erin Keogh a KC-10 Extender boom operator assigned to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, communicates with pilots during aerial refueling over Afghanistan in support of Op More
An Afghan child stands under a tree near Shadizi Kalay, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2011. A new road and checkpoint have are under review to be placed in the area. (Photo by: Spc. Phil Kernisan)
U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. David Bradney, right, battalion commander, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6 and Sangin District Governor Mohammad Sherriff, left, attend a Sangin District More
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Jamie Deets, center, sergeant major of Regimental Combat Team 6, thanks Marines with Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6 for their hard work b More
Members of Provincial Reconstruction Team Kapisa inspect a local bridge, Kapisa, Afghanistan, May 17, 2012. The Kapisa PRT is a U.S. military team that engages with local leaders and contractors to plan and ins More
U.S. Marine Corps Col. John R. Shafer, front, commanding officer, Regimental Combat Team 6 (RCT-6), prepares to dismiss Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Rudy during an award ceremony on Camp Delaram II, Nimroz province, Af More
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Dusty A. Sampson, left, and 1st Lt. Neal T. Jones, right, both with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, provide overwatch as the Marines secu More
An Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier with 2nd Tolai, 3rd Kandak, 215th Corps sights in at targets down range with his M24 sniper rifle during training near Forward Operating Base Edinburgh, Helmand province, A More
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos, right, listens to a Marine July 17, 2012, at Forward Operating Base Zeebrugge, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Amos conducted a battlefield circulation througho More
Air Force Staff Sgt. Nathan Goedert and his military working dog Jacob provide security during Operation Southern Strike III in the village of Jandad Kalay, Spin Boldak district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, More
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Thomas K. Frizzell, chaplain, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), smokes cigars with Marines and Sailors in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Nov. 22, 2012. Frizzell was conducting a battlefield ci More
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jonathan Lewenthal and Capt. Eric Scheibe, AV-8B Harrier pilots with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 231, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), fly over southern Hel More
Two U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallions with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), externally lift M777 howitzers over Helmand province, More
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Dallas T. Butler (left) with Headquarters Company, Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT-7), is congratulated by U.S. Marine Corps Col. Austin E. Renforth, Commanding Officer RCT-7, after his pr More
A U.S. Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy is parked on the flight line at an undisclosed staging base Feb. 4, 2013. The aircraft is one of three C-5Ms assisting with the U.S. Transportation Command multimodal exchang More
A coaliton force member walks through a bazaar during a presence patrol with Afghan National Security Forces to escort a district governor in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 17, 2013. Afghan National Secur More
Afghans from surrounding villages volunteer to help Afghan Local Police fill sand bags for an ALP checkpoint in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 30, 2013. Afghan Local Police complement counterinsurgency ef More
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos, front left, the commandant of the Marine Corps, exchanges greetings with a Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, J More
An Afghan policeman assists the Afghan National Security Forces to provide security during a shura at Kajran in Daykundi province, Oct. 22. (Photo by Cpl. Mark Doran, Australian Defense Force/Released)
U.S. sailors move an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7 in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in the Gulf of Oman Dec. 8, 2013. The Har More
Soldiers from U.S. Army Central Command Warrior Leadership Course reload their M-4's before assaulting a mock compound during their final training lanes and evaluations versus mock opposing forces during the ea More
An Afghan boy watches as a Polish security patrol moves through the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan, Nov. 18. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Justin Howe)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Erin Keogh a KC-10 Extender loadmaster assigned to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, communicates with pilots during aerial refueling over Afghanistan in support of Opera More
A group of Afghans stand near a field near Shadizi Kalay, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2011. A new road and checkpoint have are under review to be placed in the area. (Photo by: Spc. Phil Kernisan)
U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 6, the Sangin District Governor, Mohammad Sherriff, Center, and local International Security Assistance Forces commanders attend the Sangin D More
U.S. Marines with Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6 listen to comments from Sgt. Maj. Jamie Deets, sergeant major of Regimental Combat Team 6, on Camp Delaram II, Helma More
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. James K. Seitua Jr., left, and Lance Cpl. Eugene M. Weilbach, both with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, provide overwatch as the Marines More
An Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier with 2nd Tolai, 3rd Kandak, 215th Corps loads his M24 sniper rifle during training near Forward Operating Base Edinburgh, Helmand province, Afghanistan July 12, 2012. ANA s More
A villager from Jandad Kalay appears during Operation Southern Strike III in the district of Spin Boldak, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Sept. 9, 2012. The operation focused on dislocating the enemy from the l More
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joshua S. Martinez, UH-1Y Venom crew chief, Marine Light Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469, Marine Aircraft Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), conducts operations over Helma More
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Dallas T. Butler (left) with Headquarters Company, Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT-7), is congratulated by his fellow Marines after his promotion ceremony on Camp Leatherneck, Helmand prov More
U.S. Army contractors at an undisclosed staging base prepare to winch U.S. Army UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters into a C-5M Super Galaxy for shipment to Afghanistan, Feb. 4, 2013. The movement was part of a U.S. More
Coalition force members drive a light-tactical all-terrain vehicle across a bridge during a presence patrol with Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army Special Forces to escort a district governor in H More
An Afghan National Army Special Forces Commander introduces an Afghan Local Police commander to village elders during a shura to speak to villagers about an on going construction project to build an ALP checkpo More
A district governor returns from overseeing Afghan National Army Special Forces help Afghan Local Police build a checkpoint in Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 3, 2013. Afghan Local Police complement counte More
U.S. Navy Legalman 3rd Class Jasmine Laumoli reads aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in the Gulf of Oman Dec. 8, 2013. The Harry S. Truman, the flagship for the Harry S. Truman Carrier St More
A Military Policeman secures Spc. Tessa Marino, a supply specialist with HHC, 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, after assaulting her opposing forces's compound during a Warrior Leadership Course (WLC) mission the e More
Afghan boys watch as a Polish security patrol moves through the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan, Nov. 18. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Justin Howe)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Erin Keogh a KC-10 Extender loadmaster assigned to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, flies with his American flag patch during an aerial refueling mission in support of O More
From right, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. David Bradney, battalion commander, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, a linguist, and a U.S. Marine attend the Sangin District Security Shura o More
U.S. Marines with Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6 attempt to throw rocks into an empty water bottle on Camp Delaram II, Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 12, 2012. M More
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. James K. Seitua with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6 provides security for Marines inside of a compound in Zamindawar, Helmand province, A More
An Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier with 2nd Tolai, 3rd Kandak, 215th Corps fires at targets down range with his M24 sniper rifle during training near Forward Operating Base Edinburgh, Helmand province, Afgha More
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos addresses Marines July 17, 2012, at Forward Operating Base Zeebrugge, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Amos conducted a battlefield circulation throughout the Reg More
Sgt. Chris Hagen of Winter Haven, Fla., hands out candy during Operation Southern Strike III in the village of Jandad Kalay, Spin Boldak district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Sept. 9, 2012. Hagen is an infa More
U.S. Army contractors carry the packed horizontal stabilizer of a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter into a C-5M Super Galaxy for shipment to Afghanistan, Feb. 4, 2013. The movement was part of a U.S. Transportation More
A child watches Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces escort a district governor in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 17, 2013. Afghan National Security Forces have been taking the lead in sec More
A villager leads a prayer during a shura held by an Afghan Local Police commander during a construction project to build an ALP checkpoint in Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 30, 2013. Afghan Local Police c More
A Marine Special Operations Team member speaks with Afghan Local Police after providing over watch for Afghan National Army Special Forces to help ALP build a checkpoint in Helmand province, Afghanistan, April More
U.S. Navy Boatswain's Mate Seaman Daniel Murphy, front, and Seaman Recruit Kenneth Moore stand watch on the starboard bridge wing of the guided missile destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61) in the Mediterranean Sea Dec More