U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan Gerrity, a 21-year-old

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan Gerrity, a 21-year-old fire team leader with 2nd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Cranford, N.J., jokes with local children during a security patrol here, Dec. 12, nearby the canal from which he previously helped rescue nine Afghans. On a Dec. 2 night patrol, a vehicle carrying an Afghan family struck an Afghan National Army soldier and sent both plunging into the frigid canal. The ANA soldiers provided security while the 2nd Platoon Marines braved the swiftly moving current to recover the accident victims. “If any one of the Marines from our platoon was put in that situation, they would’ve done the same thing,” Gerrity said.