Afghan National Policeman Abdul Khaled provides security outside the Garmsir Agricultural High School during district community council elections here, April 17, 2012. During the Afghan-led elections in Helmand More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin Knauth (blue), a 29-year-old native of Centennial, Colo., and Petty Officer 2nd Class Dustin Koch, a 26-year-old native of Las Cruces, N.M., corpsmen with 3rd Battalio More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Eric Ward (left), 24, from Savannah, Ga., and Staff Sgt. Andrew Elam, 27, from Nashville, Tenn., an ammunition technician and ammunition chief with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, loa More
Afghan children joke with U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Javier Garza, a machine gunner with 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 22-year-old native of Donna, Texas, while Garza stands ha More
U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Luke Forelle (center), the 3rd Platoon commander for India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a 28-year-old native of New York City, poses with local elders, their children and More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Ronald Valdez (left), a corpsman with 1st Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 30-year-old native of Waipahu, Hawaii, extends a helping hand to Marin More
Afghan National Police patrolman Charyogli Allahberdi searches a local man at a vehicle checkpoint outside the Hazar Joft Bazaar with U.S. Marines from Guard Force Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, d More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Cortez Greene (left), 21, from West Helena, Ark., Lance Cpl. Tyler Riddle (center), 19, from Baltimore, Md., and Cpl. Jacob Morris (right), 22, from Iowa Park, Texas, an electrician and m More
U.S. Marine Sgt. Maj. Andrew Cece (center), the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment sergeant major and a Sacramento native, salutes Sgt. Maj. Justin Lehew, regimental sergeant major, to signify full accountabili More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Garrett Carnes (in wheelchair), a squad leader with 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 22-year-old native of Mooresville, N.C., rests with fellow India Co. Mari More
The gunner of a mine resistant, ambush-protected, vehicle mans the MK-19 grenade launcher on a mounted patrol through the Garmser District, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 6, 2011. 1st MLG (FWD) Marines con More
FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELHI, Helmand Province, Afghanistan —Two Small-Arms Protective Insert plate carriers, one from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and the other from 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, More
Marines of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment patrol alongside the Helmand River after visiting a local school April 26. The 1/3 Female Engagement Team accompanied the patrol to help the infantry Marines intera More
GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Lt. Col. Matthew Reid and Sgt. Maj. Brent Cook case 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment's battalion colors during a Transfer of Authority Cer More
GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Debbie Murphy speaks to a local village elder about creating farming cooperatives in his area before a district community council here, May More
Staff Sgt. Lance Weier, the food service chief for Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, uses a metal detector to locate mock improvised explosive devices during counter-IED trai More
U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Matthew J. Palma, the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Bristol, R.I., receives the prayer of a mullah, or local religious leader, in honor of fallen Di More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Joshua Melendez, 26, a squad leader from Anaheim, Calif., and Lance Cpl. Joseph Streeby, 23, an artillery forward observer from Princeton, W.V., interact with local children during a security p More
U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Matthew J. Palma and Sgt. Maj. Andrew Cece, the commanding officer and sergeant major of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, attach an Operation Enduring Freedom battle streamer to the batt More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Isaiah Schult, a 20-year-old Indianapolis native and improvised explosive device dog handler with Jump Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, jokes More
U.S. Marine 2nd Lt. Tom Hathaway, 24, from Lynnfield, Mass., and Lance Cpl. Jake Engelen, 21, from New Port Richey, Fla., a platoon commander and machine gunner with Jump Platoon, Headquarters and Service Compa More
U.S. Navy Seaman Chris Mesnard, a 22-year-old corpsman with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, from Omaha, Neb., takes a break from boxing while training in mixed martial arts More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeff Stuart, a 27-year-old corpsman with Guard Force Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Wenatchee, Wash., walks through a local bazaar on a security pat More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Walter Gary, a 25-year-old mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of St. Louis, searches an Afghan man's truck halt at a vehicle checkpoint here, D More
An Afghan National Army soldier and U.S. Marines stand with Sayed Gul, a 15-year old Afghan amputee, during a visit to the Baluch Jan village here, Dec. 2. The Marines — (from left) Cpl. Travis Hayes, Gunnery S More
Afghan children watch U.S. Marines from Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment walk through their village during a security patrol here, Nov. 30. Afghan National Army soldiers and 3/3 Marines met w More
U.S. Marine Maj. Gen. John Toolan, Jr., the commanding general of Regional Command (Southwest) and II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), speaks with teachers from the Garmsir Agricultural High School here fo More
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 p More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Exxon Suarez, a 21-year-old food service specialist with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Portland, Ore., grills Salisbury steaks in preparatio More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Prall, a 19-year-old rifleman with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Syracuse, N.Y., scans the area while crossing a bridge during a partn More
U.S. Navy Lt. Jerry Durham, the chaplain for 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Odessa, Fla., sings a Christmas song with Marines, sailors and soldiers during a Christmas Eve service here, Dec. 24 More
U.S. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, speaks with Capt. Owen Boyce (middle) and 1st Sgt. Wesley Misenhimer (right), the commanding officer and first sergeant of Headquar More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan Bolt, a 20-year-old mortarman with 2nd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and Prosser, Wash. native, learns how to count in Pashto from a local boy while hel More
Local children pump water out of a well while Afghan National Army soldiers and U.S. Marines with 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment share chai with a local elder on a partnered secu More
An interpreter explains the concerns of local elders to U.S. Marine Col. Roger Turner (left) and Lt. Col. Matthew Palma (right), the commanding officers of Regimental Combat Team 5 and 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine More
As seen through the window of an abandoned building, U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Bryan Wigley, a 25-year-old fire team leader with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and Six Mile, S.C. nat More
U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Ryan Gulliksen, a 26-year-old logistics officer with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Ormond Beach, Fla., displays a small piece of America More
Afghan National Police patrolman Bismullah Jan looks back while patrolling to a vehicle checkpoint with U.S. Marines from 2nd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, near Patrol Base Amir Agh More
An Afghan schoolteacher and his students watch U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, walk up to his outdoor school during a visit here, Nov. 19. Twelve permanent schools are currently under cons More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Jason Misener, a 21-year-old rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment’s Embedded Training Team, and a native of Hackettstown, N.J., teaches Afghan National Army soldiers from 2nd Kandak More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Khal Mohammad, a 22-year-old infantryman with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, and a native of Badakhshan province, smiles while listening to his U.S. Marine instructor teach a cl More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Nick Lacarra, a dog handler with Combined Anti-Armor Team 2, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 20-year-old native of Long Beach, Calif., walks through a field with More
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Timothy Easterly, a member of the Border Adviser Team 2 in support of 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, and members of the Afghan Border Police return to Patrol Base Pay Banadar More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Cameron Collier, a 20-year-old combat engineer with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Burbank, Calif., sweeps an alleyway during a security patrol here, Feb. More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Garrett Reed, a 22-year-old squad automatic weapon gunner with the 81 mm Mortar Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Plano, Texas, walks through a s More
Country music star Rodney Atkins performs a song for U.S. Marines and sailors with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, during a United Service Organization-sponsored concert in the dining facility here, Feb. 16 More
U.S. Marine Cpl. DaJuan Dilworth, a 25-year-old squad leader with the 81mm Mortar Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Los Angeles, obtains an Afghan man’s fingerprints More
U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. James Carter, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Embedded Training Team senior enlisted adviser, and a native of Winfield, Ala., gives a safety brief to Afghan National Army soldier More
Afghan National Army Lt. Col. Haji Mohammad, the commanding officer of Garmsir’s newest ANA battalion — 6th Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps — speaks to a crowd of approximately 200 elders during a shura with A More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Devin Deweerdt, a 20-year-old mortarman with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Riverton, Utah, walks past a group of Afghan children during a security More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Leonardo Espitiarobles, a 19-year-old rifleman with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Anaheim, Calif., performs weighted crunches during a worko More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Kyle Ferrin, a 21-year-old rifleman with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Clinton, Utah, holds security at an intersection while halted during a secu More
(From left) Afghan Local Police patrolman Hazrat Ali; U.S. Marine Cpl. Nathan Dittmer; Afghan National Directorate of Security 1st Lt. Maiwand Salim; and Afghan National Army Sgt. Anamullah work together in Gar More
Afghan National Army Pvt. Sadajan Abdul, a medic assigned to 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, checks the pulse of U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Seth Michaelis, a 24-year-old corpsman with the 3rd Batta More
A student of the Safar School smiles while listening to local elders speak about security and education in Garmsir district during a shura here, March 18. Approximately 40 elders and 150 students met with Afgha More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Rick Ulrich, a 22-year-old radio operator with Guard Force Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Orangeville, Pa., watches an Afghan National Police patrolman interact with More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Agha Gul, a sergeant of the guard with Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, pats his soldier Pvt. Zawail on the back after Zaiwal located an AK-47 ri More
U.S. Marine Cpl. George Eifert (left), a wrecker operator with Trucks Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 22-year-old native of Cambridge, Minn., smiles at a fellow Marine’s joke while repairing a More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Tarek Houssamy (left), a squad leader with 4th Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 27-year-old native of Cocoa Beach, Fla., interacts with Afghan children during a se More
U.S. Marine 2nd Lt. Tom Hathaway (center), the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Jump Platoon commander, and a 24-year-old native of Lynnfield, Mass., shares a convoy brief with Maj. Gen. David Berger, the com More
Afghan National Police Lt. Mohammad Isa rests while searching a compound for possible insurgent materiel with fellow policemen and U.S. Marines from 1st Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment More
Afghan National Policeman Abdul Khaled (left) provides security outside the Garmsir Agricultural High School while fellow policeman Sher Agha (right) searches local elders waiting to vote in district community More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Jones (left), a corpsman with 4th Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a 22-year-old native of Clinton, Miss., bandages an Afghan National More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Eric Ward, an ammunition technician with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a 24-year-old native of Savannah, Ga., records ammunition counts while r More
U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Luke Forelle (second from left), the 3rd Platoon commander for India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a 28-year-old native of New York City, speaks with local children in Pas More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher Bones, a rifleman with 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 21-year-old native of Brookings, Ore., hands an Afghan child a piece of gum while ha More
U.S. Marines with 1st Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, walk through a field toward Afghan National Army-operated Patrol Base KT4 during a security patrol here, April 30, 2012. On the More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Rhaman, a machine gunner with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, fires his weapon under the watch of U.S. Marine Sgt. Joshua Watson, a platoon sergeant with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marin More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Enrique Torres (right), a squad leader with 1st Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 21-year-old native of Alvarado, Texas, helps Lance Cpl. Joseph Hevia, a rifleman a More
U.S. Marines with the 3rd Marine Regiment color guard march into place under the watch of Sgt. Maj. Justin Lehew (left) and Col. Nathan Nastase (right), regimental sergeant major and commanding officer, during More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Garrett Carnes (in wheelchair), a squad leader with 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 22-year-old native of Mooresville, N.C., participates in a motivational r More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Aramis Sandoval (carrying flag), an administrative clerk with Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 20-year-old native of Bronx, N.Y., and approximately 3,000 Marines an More
Marines of the Personal Security Detail, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), roll through a busy bazaar during a mounted patrol through the Garmser District, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 6, 2011. 1st M More
GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand Province, Afghanistan — Lance Cpl. Michael Whitson, native of Boston, patrols an alleyway in Garmsir District, April 26. The patrol was a joint operation with Marines from 1st Battalio More
Lance Cpl. Shawn Cole, a Cresskill, N.J., native, provides security during a security patrol, April 30. Cole, an assistant patrol leader of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Guard Force Platoon, patrols re More
GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Carter Malkasian speaks to a local village elder before an informal district community council here, May 11. Malkasian, a native of Huntingt More
Lance Cpl. Ryan Kelly, a rifleman with Jump Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, waits to have his weapon cleared out after calibrating it during a battle sight zero ex More
Local boys watch U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment patrol to nearby Forward Operating Base Delhi following the funeral of District Chief of Police Lt. Col. Sayfullah Khan Rashidi here, Nov. 1 More
Local elders share a traditional meal of rice, bread, chicken and fresh fruit to celebrate the transfer of authority of Garmsir from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, du More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dominic Evola, 29, from Medford, N.J., and Cpl. Sebastian Chenault, 27, from Lacon, Ill., a rifleman and an anti-tank missileman with Jump Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd B More
U.S. Navy Seaman Chris Mesnard, a 22-year-old corpsman with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, from Omaha, Neb., practices kickboxing while training in mixed martial arts insi More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Knabb (right) jokes with Lance Cpl. Austin Janutol (left) as Janutol receives a message over the radio at a guard post here, Nov. 28. Knabb and Janutol, 22, are from Cincinnati a More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Phil Schiffman (right), a mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, searches Afghan men and their tractor at a vehicle checkpoint here, Dec. 1. Schiffman, 22, is More
Sayed Gul, a 15-year old Afghan amputee, crutches out of the Patrol Base 00 exit here next to his father Alai Noor following a medical visit with Marines and corpsmen from Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Ma More
An Afghan National Army soldier and U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Todd Leahey, the 34-year-old 81 mm mortar platoon sergeant with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of St. Peters, Mo., sp More
U.S. Marine Major Gen. John Toolan, Jr., the commanding general of Regional Command (Southwest) and II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), introduces the students of Lejeune High School on Marine Corps Base C More
U.S. Marine Sgt. Matt Garst, a 23-year-old squad leader with 2nd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Charlotte, N.C., looks back on his Marines during a security patrol here, More
This five-Marine team of cooks with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, prepare and serve three meals to approximately 500 hungry troops and civilian contractors here every day More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Nasir interacts with local children at a vehicle checkpoint during a partnered security patrol with Marines from 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment here, Dec More
U.S. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, and members of his visiting delegation prepare to load a CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter following a Christmas Day visit here, Dec. 2 More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Steven Baumer, a 22-year-old rifleman with 2nd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and Indianapolis native uses a biometric scanner to gather information on a local More
A local child drinks a juice box she received from an Afghan National Army soldier during a partnered security patrol with U.S. Marines from 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment here, More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpls. Matthew Scofield (left), 19, from Syracuse, N.Y., and Jarrett Hatley, 21, from Millingport, N.C., a squad automatic weapon gunner and an improvised explosive device detection dog handler More
U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Ryan Gulliksen, a 26-year-old logistics officer with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Ormond Beach, Fla., stands next to one of the armored More
Afghan National Police patrolman Bismullah Jan searches a local man at a partnered vehicle checkpoint with U.S. Marines from 2nd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, near Patrol Base Amir More
Afghan boys laugh at their schoolteacher’s joke during classes at an outdoor school here, Nov. 19. Twelve permanent schools are currently under construction by local contractors in Garmsir district. U.S. Marine More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Khal Mohammad, a 22-year-old infantryman with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, practices a speed reload drill under the watch of U.S. Marines with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Re More