Marines and sailors of 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment,
Marines and sailors of 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, stand in formation during the deactivation of the battalion June 1. The battalion’s deep history extends back to their activatio... More
Sergeant Jeremy Lake, a training NCO with Company L,
Sergeant Jeremy Lake, a training NCO with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment’s Police Embedded Training Team, ensures that the Marine with PETT understand the fundamentals or rocket propelled grenade... More
Cpl. Brandon Thaller, a motor transportation operator
Cpl. Brandon Thaller, a motor transportation operator with Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 12 Marine Regiment, places razor wire around the perimeter of the base to help secure it against enemy forces. The base recei... More
Petty Officer 3rd Class Gregory Rochelle, a hospital
Petty Officer 3rd Class Gregory Rochelle, a hospital corpsman with Regimental Combat Team 8, is stationed out of Forward Operating Base Delaram II, but currently works with soldiers from the Republic of Georgia... More
Private Romeo Danela, a Tbilisi native, washes the
Private Romeo Danela, a Tbilisi native, washes the face of an Afghan child during a meeting with local elders of Shukvani, Afghanistan, Oct. 31. Danela, who has been in the military for one year, said he felt ... More
The District Governor of Now Zad Sayed Murad Saadat,
The District Governor of Now Zad Sayed Murad Saadat, known as DG Murad, and Capt. Michael Petit, a civil affairs team leader from Regimental Combat Team 8, converse with locals and members of his district gover... More
Lance Cpl. Douglas Pala, a radio operator with 2nd
Lance Cpl. Douglas Pala, a radio operator with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, holds security during a patrol over the Musa Qal’eh Wadi Crossing, Dec. 6. The wadi crossing allows neighboring villages to co... More
Marines hold security down an alley way in a hostile
Marines hold security down an alley way in a hostile village in the Now Zad District, Nov. 27. The Marines were clearing the village of insurgent forces as part of Operation Western Gambit.
Lance Cpl. Dustin Wood, a Kokomo, Ind. native, and
Lance Cpl. Dustin Wood, a Kokomo, Ind. native, and Sgt. Justin Kozlowski, a Lowell, Ind. native, talk with Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana’s 3rd District, Dec. 10. Six congressmen from various states visited se... More
The interpreter for Female Engagement Team 12 (center)
The interpreter for Female Engagement Team 12 (center) instructs a young woman’s literacy class in Musa Qal’eh. The class is the first form of formal education for the women in the Musa Qal’eh district. Educati... More
Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion ride with
Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion ride with officers from the Jacksonville Police Department, July 13, during the free Bike Safe program sponsored and operated by JPD. The course offers more advanced... More
Sergeant Major Raymond Mackey (right) shares his new
Sergeant Major Raymond Mackey (right) shares his new deck with Master Gunnery Sgt. Andrew Hampton (left) and 1st Sgt. Shawn Wright (center) before a flag pole dedication at Mackey’s house, Aug. 30. The house w... More
Sgt. Jeremy Lake is a York, Pa., native with Company
Sgt. Jeremy Lake is a York, Pa., native with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment’s Police Embedded Training Team. He explains the components of a rocket used in a rocket propelled grenade launcher to ... More
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 guide a concrete slab suspended by a crane into place, Sept. 24. The slab is part of the foundation for the Musa Qal’eh Wadi Crossing will gap a wadi, or river... More
Marines with Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marine
Marines with Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, search an abandoned compound in an area referred to as Sharp’s Alley inside the Kajaki district. The Marines were looking for weapons caches insurgen... More
Petty Officer 3rd Class Gregory Rochelle, a hospital
Petty Officer 3rd Class Gregory Rochelle, a hospital corpsman with Regimental Combat Team 8, is stationed out of Forward Operating Base Delaram II, but currently works with soldiers from the Republic of Georgia... More
A soldier with the Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light
A soldier with the Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion examines a local child while the child’s father participated in a meeting with soldiers from the battalion to discuss local issues of inter... More
The Musa Qal’eh Wadi crossing is located just outside
The Musa Qal’eh Wadi crossing is located just outside of Forward Operating Base Musa Qal’eh where protection is provided for it under the watchful eye of the Marines and Afghan National Police. The full respons... More
Marines with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine
Marines with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment patrol with Javelin Missile Systems through a hostile village in the Now Zad District, Nov. 27. The Marines patrolled for several days and carrie... More
Sergeant Justin Kozlowski, a Lowell, Ind. native, talks
Sergeant Justin Kozlowski, a Lowell, Ind. native, talks with Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana’s 3rd District, Dec. 10. Stultzman and five additional congressional representatives toured Regimental Combat Team 8’... More
Marines, sailors and honored guests in attendance at
Marines, sailors and honored guests in attendance at the deactivation ceremony for 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, stand with heads bowed during the invocation given at the beginning o... More
Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion ride with
Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion ride with officers from the Jacksonville Police Department, July 13, during the free Bike Safe course sponsored and operated by JPD. The course offers more advanced ... More
Sergeant Major Raymond Mackey finishes a review of
Sergeant Major Raymond Mackey finishes a review of the color guard posted for the flag pole dedication held in his front yard, Aug. 30. The flag pole, along with home renovations, were donated to Mackey by the... More
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 use a tractor to help pull a heavy concrete slab into position during the construction of the Musa Qal’eh Wadi Crossing, Sept. 24. The crossing will provide a ... More
Marines with Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marine
Marines with Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, walk along the perilous Route 611 during a recent patrol through the area. The road is notorious for having improvised explosive devices buried in th... More
A civil military officer with the Republic of Georgia’s
A civil military officer with the Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion discusses topics of local interest with a village elder of Shukvani, Afghanistan, during a break in a security patrol, Nov. ... More
An Afghan child walks across the Musa Qal’eh Wadi crossing,
An Afghan child walks across the Musa Qal’eh Wadi crossing, Dec. 6. Many local citizens use the crossing to commute over the seasonal river. The water level is already beginning to rise, making the opening of t... More
Marines help each other climb atop a roof to establish
Marines help each other climb atop a roof to establish a security position against insurgent forces in an insurgent influenced area of the Now Zad District, Nov. 27. The Marines seek high ground to gain effecti... More
Sergeant Joshua Taylor, a motor transport Marine with
Sergeant Joshua Taylor, a motor transport Marine with Regimental Combat Team 8 and Menasha, Wisc. native, engages in a discussion with Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin’s 1st District, Dec. 10. Six U.S. congressmen v... More
The 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine
The 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, color guard presents the unit’s colors before a static display of three M777A2 howitzer cannons prior to the unit’s deactivation June 1. The unit’s ... More
Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion ride with
Marines with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion ride with officers from the Jacksonville Police Department, July 13, during the free Bike Safe program sponsored and operated by JPD. The course offers more advanced... More
Sergeant Major Raymond Mackey address those in attendance
Sergeant Major Raymond Mackey address those in attendance to his flag pole dedication, Aug. 30. Mackey lost both legs in Afghanistan, 2009, and recently received home renovations, to include a flag pole, from ... More
Lieutenant Col. Walker Field (left), the commanding
Lieutenant Col. Walker Field (left), the commanding officer of 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division and Col. Brad Hall (right) the commanding officer of the regiment, approach the unit’s col... More
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 adjust the placement of a cement slab with the bucket of a backhoe during the construction of the Musa Qal’eh Wadi Crossing, Sept. 24. The cement slabs provid... More
A soldier with the Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light
A soldier with the Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion takes the time to replace the bandage on an Afghan child’s foot during a patrol through Shukvani, Nov. 2. The soldiers offer aid to the peo... More
Marines with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, patrol
Marines with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, patrol over the Musa Qal’eh Wadi crossing, Dec. 6. The wadi crossing will allow freedom of movement for the citizens of the Musa Qal’eh District Center and neigh... More
Marines post security on top of a building in a village
Marines post security on top of a building in a village within the Now Zad District that was riddled with insurgent forces, Nov. 27. The Marines were conducting the clearing portion of Operation Western Gambit,... More
Corporal Jared Beard, a motor transportation Marine
Corporal Jared Beard, a motor transportation Marine with Regimental Combat Team 8 and Hillsboro, N.H. native, meets with Rep. Frank Guinta of New Hampshire’s 1st District, Dec. 10. Six representatives toured Re... More
Corporal Justin White, a mechanic with 2nd Assault
Corporal Justin White, a mechanic with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, mounts his motorcycle during the Bike Safe course offered by the Jacksonville Police Department, July 13. The day-long course, adopted fro... More
The Marine Corps and American flags are raised for
The Marine Corps and American flags are raised for the first time on Sgt. Maj. Raymond Mackey’s new flag pole, Aug. 30. Mackey lost both legs in Afghanistan, 2009, and recently received home renovations, to in... More
Residents of Musa Qal’eh sit and observe the construction
Residents of Musa Qal’eh sit and observe the construction of the Musa Qal’eh Wadi Crossing, Sept. 24. The wadi, or river bed, gets heavy currents during the rainy season, but is nearly dry the remainder of the ... More
Marines with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, patrol
Marines with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, patrol across the Musa Qal’eh Wadi crossing, Dec. 6. The structure was constructed by the sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 in efforts to gap th... More
Corporal Jared Beard, a motor transportation Marine
Corporal Jared Beard, a motor transportation Marine with Regimental Combat Team 8 and Hillsboro, N.H. native, meets with congress representative Frank Guinta of New Hampshire’s 1st District, Dec. 10. Six repres... More
Lieutenant Col. Walker Field, the commanding officer
Lieutenant Col. Walker Field, the commanding officer of 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, salutes the Marines and sailors of his battalion one last time during the pass in review portion... More
Corporal Justin White, a mechanic with 2nd Assault
Corporal Justin White, a mechanic with 2nd Assault Amphibian Amphibious Battalion, gets the details of a motorcycle route from a member of the Jacksonville Police Department during the Bike Safe course offered ... More
Master Gunnery Sergeant Andrew Hampton, the 2nd Marine
Master Gunnery Sergeant Andrew Hampton, the 2nd Marine Division operations chief, salutes as Sgt. Maj. Raymond Mackey raises the Marine Corps and American flags for the first time on his new flag pole, Aug. 30.... More
A sailor with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4
A sailor with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 guides a bunker to its proper position while it is suspended from a crane, Sept. 24. These bunkers will act as a bridge over the wadi, or river bed, during th... More
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 complete the finishing touches on the Musa Qal'eh Wadi crossing, Dec. 3. The sailors have been constructing the crossing for three months and are slated to ope... More
Mason, Wash., native Lance Cpl. Douglas Pala, a radio
Mason, Wash., native Lance Cpl. Douglas Pala, a radio operator with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, holds security during a patrol over the Musa Qal’eh wadi crossing. The riverbed crossing allows neighborin... More
Sgt. David Pedroza, a squad leader with 2nd Platoon,
Sgt. David Pedroza, a squad leader with 2nd Platoon, Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment and a Fontana, Calif. native, patrols through a village held under heavy insurgent influence as part of o... More
Corporal Michael Gonen (left), a civil affairs Marine
Corporal Michael Gonen (left), a civil affairs Marine attached to Regimental Combat Team 8 and New Castle, Del. native, and Lance Cpl. Eric Roberts (right), a motor transportation Marine from Georgetown, Del.,... More
Sergeant Maj. Curtis Warren (left), the battalion sergeant
Sergeant Maj. Curtis Warren (left), the battalion sergeant major of 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division and Lt. Col. Walker Field (right) the commanding officer of the battalion, case the b... More
Members applaud after the American and Marine Corps
Members applaud after the American and Marine Corps flags are raised for the first time on Sgt. Maj. Raymond Mackey’s new flag pole, Aug. 30. The flag pole was donated to Mackey, in addition to house renovatio... More
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4
Sailors with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 guides a bunker to its proper position while it is suspended from a crane, Sept. 24. The construction of the crossing began in early September and is expected ... More
Marines and an infantry detection dog hold security
Marines and an infantry detection dog hold security in an isolated village in the Now Zad District that has never seen coalition forces, Nov. 27. The Marines were engaged in several firefights with insurgent fo... More
Marines with Regimental Combat Team 8 hold the Indiana
Marines with Regimental Combat Team 8 hold the Indiana state flag with Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana’s 3rd District, Dec. 10. Six representatives from different states visited constituents serving in Southwes... More
The guidon of Battery G, 2nd Battalion, 12 Marine Regiment,
The guidon of Battery G, 2nd Battalion, 12 Marine Regiment, an asset of 5th Battalion, 10 Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, stands retired in front of a unit of Marines from the battery June 1, during the d... More
Sergeant Major Raymond Mackey (middle) stands amongst
Sergeant Major Raymond Mackey (middle) stands amongst the Marine volunteers with the Semper Fi Fund, who helped renovate his house, Aug. 30. Mackey, who lost both legs to an improvised explosive device in Afgh... More
Marines move in a formation through the desolate Afghan
Marines move in a formation through the desolate Afghan desert, Nov. 27, as part of Operation Western Gambit. Marines and Afghan National Army soldiers made a presence in areas of the Now Zad and Musa Qal’eh di... More
Marines with Regimental Combat Team 8 talk to Rep.
Marines with Regimental Combat Team 8 talk to Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana’s 3rd District, Dec. 10. Six representatives from different states visited constituents serving in the southern area of operation in... More
Sergeant Maj. Curtis Warren (left), the battalion sergeant
Sergeant Maj. Curtis Warren (left), the battalion sergeant major of 5th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, and Lt. Col. Walker Field (right) the commanding officer of the battalion, salute th... More
A Marine hikes though the Afghan desert in the District
A Marine hikes though the Afghan desert in the District of Now Zad as part of operation Western Gambit, Nov. 27. The operation introduced the Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition Forces to people in is... More
Major Garrett Benson, the Regimental Combat Team 8’s
Major Garrett Benson, the Regimental Combat Team 8’s Fires and Effects Coordination Cell officer in charge and Enid, Okla. native, talks to Rep. James Lankford of Oklahoma’s 5th District, Dec. 10. Six congressm... More
Representative Frank Guinta, of New Hampshire’s 1st
Representative Frank Guinta, of New Hampshire’s 1st District, talks to Marines with Regimental Combat Team 8 during his brief visit to Forward Operating Base Delaram II, Dec. 10. Six U.S. congressmen visited th... More
Representative Frank Guinta, of New Hampshire’s 1st
Representative Frank Guinta, of New Hampshire’s 1st District, displays the New Hampshire state flag with Regimental Combat Team 8 Marines during his brief visit to Forward Operating Base Delaram II, Afghanistan... More