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
Afghan National Army Sgt. Khal Mohammad, a 22-year-old infantryman with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, and a native of Badakhshan province, practices a speed reload drill under the watch of his U.S. Mari 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., and Coot, an improvised exp More
An Afghan boy watches Afghan Border Police Pvt. Ghul Faruq, a medic with 2nd Tolai, 2nd Kandak, Helmand ABP, provide security as fellow ABP search a compound during a partnered security patrol with U.S. Marines More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Shabaz, a non commissioned officer with 4th Tolai, 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, hands an anti-poppy pamphlet to a local resident during a patrol with U.S. Marines from Weapons More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Garrett Reed (left), a 22-year-old squad automatic weapon gunner from Plano, Texas, and Sgt. Roger Merritt, a 26-year-old squad leader from Horn Lake, Miss., assigned to the 81 mm Mortar More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpls. Ryan Snyder, a 21-year-old team leader from Kapolei, Hawaii, and David Lambert, a 21-year-old mortarman from Granbury, Texas, assigned to the 81mm Mortar Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Ba 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, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Embedded More
U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Matthew Palma (left), the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, listens to his interpreter’s translation as Mir Hamza, the director of Garmsir district’s National Defens More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Devin Deweerdt (right), a 20-year-old mortarman with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Riverton, Utah, and fellow Marines discuss insurgent activity i More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Mickey Shaw, a 23-year-old squad leader with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Louisville, Ky., cooks chicken for lunch in the combat kitchen here, Fe More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Kyle Click, a 22-year-old improvised explosive device detection dog handler with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Grand Rapids, Mich., shares a momen More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Maxwell McGill, a 25-year-old corpsman with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment battalion aid station, and native of Englewood, Fla., observes Afghan National Army Pvt. Moha More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Evan Frickey, a 21-year-old dog handler with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Idaho Falls, Idaho, pets Cookie, an improvised explosive device d More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Stuart Ferreri, a 21-year-old dog handler with Guard Force Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Northglenn, Colo., and his improvised explosive device detection dog More
Afghan National Army Pvt. Zawail, a soldier with Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, holds an AK-47 rifle he found while searching a compound for narcotics and insurgent mate More
U.S. Marine Cpl. George Eifert, a wrecker operator with Trucks Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 22-year-old native of Cambridge, Minn., displays his dirty, oiled gloves while repairing a 7-ton t More
U.S. Marines with 4th Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, patrol past the Garmsir district center during a security patrol here, April 8, 2012. On the patrol, the Kilo Co. Marines partner More
Carlos, an improvised explosive device detection dog, looks to U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Hughes, a dog handler with 1st Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a 19-year-old native of More
Afghan elders converse outside the Garmsir Agricultural High School while U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Eric Chrivia (right), a mortarman with 4th Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 21-year More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randy Ball (center), a corpsman with Headquarters Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a 23-year-old native of Mamou, La., is aided by fellow corpsmen More
U.S. Marine Cpls. George Eifert (left), 22, from Cambridge, Minn., and Jacob Morris, 22, from Iowa Park, Texas, motor transport Marines with Trucks Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, load a generator More
U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Luke Forelle, the 3rd Platoon commander for India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a 28-year-old native of New York City, speaks with a local elder during a security patrol h More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpls. Joshua Boudreau (left), 23, from Cartersville, Ga., and Ryan Courture, 27, from Olustee, Okla., riflemen with 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, use metal de More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Straub (center), a team leader with 1st Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 23-year-old native of Lykens, Pa., uses a makeshift bridge to cross a canal More
Afghan Border Police with 4th Tolai, 2nd Kandak, and U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, board a CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter near Combat Outpost Torbert here before the sta More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Mark Jensen (center), a team leader with 4th Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 22-year-old native of Nyssa, Ore., jokes with Afghan National Police patrolmen and lo More
U.S. Marine Sgt. Maj. Justin Lehew (second from right) and Col. Nathan Nastase (far right), the regimental sergeant major and commanding officer of 3rd Marine Regiment, attach a battle streamer to the 3rd Marin 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., jokes with Sgt. Kenney Clark (ri More
U.S. Marine Sgt. Jesse Taylor (left), a communications equipment operator, runs alongside Lt. Col. Matthew Palma and Sgt. Maj. Andrew Cece (center and right), the commanding officer and sergeant major of 3rd Ba 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
Marines of 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), unload pallets of bridge components during a bridging operation in Garmser District, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 14, 2011 More
GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand Province, Afghanistan — Cpl. Julian Herman directs his patrol to walk on one side of the bridge during a joint patrol conducted by Marines from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and 2 More
Lance Cpl. Victoria Rogers, a Splendora, Texas, native, jumps over a canal on her way to a local school, April 30. Rogers, a member of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Female Engagement Team, visits medic More
GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Lt. Col. Sean Riordan and Sgt. Maj. Dwight Jones uncase 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment's battalion colors during a Transfer of Authority More
Local elders listen to District Governor Mohammad Fahim speak about the transfer of authority of Garmsir from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, during a dinner at the d More
Garmsir District Governor Mohammad Fahim (right) and U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Matthew Palma, a Bristol, R.I. native and commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, walk back to Combat Outpost Rankel a 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
An Afghan child eats candy she received from U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Si Moy, a 21-year-old rifleman with Guard Force Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Manhattan, N.Y., as he provides secu More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Phil Schiffman, a 22-year-old mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Phoenix, waves to two Afghan men on a motorcycle after searching them at a More
U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Christopher Ballance, a 25-year-old 81mm mortar platoon section leader with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Elizabeth City, N.C., walks through a field d More
U.S. Marines from 2nd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment stand atop Patrol Base Barcha following a security patrol here, Dec. 12. The Marines pictured are (front to back) Sgt. Matt Garst, More
U.S. Marine Sgt. Jeremy Holsten, a 25-year-old squad leader with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Albuquerque, greets local children during a partnered security patrol More
U.S. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, greets Pfc. Bao Tuong, a 20-year-old armorer with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment during a Chr More
An Afghan National Army soldier jokes with local children while helping Marines with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment clear strains of illegal activity remaining among the bazaar's legitimate vendors during O More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. William Campe, a 19-year-old rifleman with 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and Algonquin, Ill. Native, holds security while halted on a partnered security p More
U.S. Marine Sgt. Jeremy Holsten, a 25-year-old squad leader with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and Albuquerque native, tests fertilizer to determine its legality while clearing c More
Afghan National Police patrolman Bismullah Jan provides security while ANP patrolman Abdul Salaam searches a vehicle and its occupants at a partnered vehicle checkpoint with U.S. Marines from 2nd Platoon, Kilo More
Afghan contractors work to reinforce the roof of a school building under construction here, Nov. 19. Twelve permanent schools are currently under construction by local contractors in Garmsir district. U.S. Mari 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, waits for the command to fire while calibrating his weapon duri More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Ali Agha, an infantryman with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, listens for the command to begin firing while calibrating his weapon under the watch of U.S. Marines with the 3rd Ba More
An interpreter and Afghan Border Police Pvt. Ghul Faruq, a medic with 2nd Tolai, 2nd Kandak, Helmand ABP, speak with a local boy while fellow ABP search a compound during a partnered security patrol with U.S. M More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class James Whitaker, a 33-year-old corpsman with Combined Anti-Armor Team 1, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Arlington, Wash., throws a handful More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Luther Jones, a 23-year-old radio operator with Headquarters Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Johns Island, S.C., waits for radio transmissions at h More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Abdullah, a machine gunner with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, fires his weapon during a machine gun range with U.S. Marines assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment E More
Afghan Border Police Lt. Col. Ali Jan and Afghan National Army Lt. Col. Haji Mohammad, the commanding officers of Garmsir district-based units, listen to U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Matthew Palma, the commanding offic More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Short, a 24-year-old corpsman with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Aurora, Colo., tends to Afghan National Police patrolman More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpls. Richard Kulakowski (right), 21, from Stafford, Va., and Jeremy Landers, 21, from Tucson, Ariz., riflemen with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, walk toward C More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Kyle Click, a dog handler with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 22-year-old native of Grand Rapids, Mich., plays with Windy, an improvised explosive device det More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Maxwell McGill (left), a 25-year-old corpsman with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment battalion aid station, and native of Englewood, Fla., and his interpreter Steve (right More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Kyle Click, a 22-year-old dog handler with 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Windy, an improvised explosive device detection More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Stuart Ferreri, a 21-year-old dog handler with Guard Force Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Northglenn, Colo., speaks to a local boy as Afghan National Police pa More
An Afghan boy curiously observes U.S. Marine Capt. Owen Boyce, the commanding officer of Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Simsbury, Conn., as Boyce relays a More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Oscar Deleon (center), a tactical vehicle operator with Trucks Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 23-year-old native of Dallas, gives a thumbs-up to fellow operator Cpl. Jacob Mor More
Afghan National Police Lt. Naib (second from left) interacts with an Afghan National Army soldier outside a fuel store in the Hazar Joft Bazaar while manning a vehicle checkpoint here, April 8, 2012. On the pat More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Matthew Davis (right), a squad leader with 1st Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a 22-year-old native of Orcutt, Calif., uses a handheld scanner to collect the biom More
Afghan elders speak with Afghan National Policeman Sher Agha outside the Garmsir Agricultural High School while waiting to vote in district community council elections here, April 17, 2012. During the Afghan-le 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 Lance Cpl. Patrick Jordan, a rifleman with 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 20-year-old native of Hollywood, Fla., scans his surroundings during a security patrol More
Hajji Ayatollah, a village elder in the Durzay region of Helmand province's Garmsir district, smiles after receiving a greeting from U.S. Marine Sgt. Ryan Brown, a squad leader with 1st Platoon, India Company, More
U.S. Marine Cpl. Reece Lodder, a combat correspondent with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 22-year-old native of Everson, Wash., pauses during a security halt while patrolling here with the 81mm Mortar More
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Maxwell McGill, a corpsman with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment battalion aid station, and 25-year-old native of Englewood, Fla., checks the compass reading of Afghan Na More
U.S. Marine Sgt. Maj. Andrew Cece (left), the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment sergeant major and a Sacramento native, pushes the wheelchair of Cpl. Garrett Carnes, a squad leader with 3rd Platoon, India Comp 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. Marines and sailors with Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, run amid approximately 3,000 Marines and sailors during a memorial run here, June 1, 2012, to honor the sacrifices of 116 More
Marines of 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines cross a newly constructed bridge (not shown) built by Marines of 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) in Garmser District, Helmand province, More
FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELHI, Helmand Province, Afghanistan — Cpl. Shawn Walker gets ready to take the wheel from Sgt. Eric James, a motor transportation operator with the outgoing Marine battalion in Garmsir d More
GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Lt. Col. Matthew Reid, a native of Malone, N.Y., speaks during a Transfer of Authority ceremony, May 6. Reid is the battalion commander for More
U.S. Marine Sgt. Thomas Settle, 29, Jump Platoon sergeant for Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Culpeper, Va., posts security at the entrance of the district More
Afghan elders from the Andar and Nurzai tribes listen to Garmsir District Governor Mohammad Fahim speak during a jirga, the Pashto term for an assemble of tribal elders, here, Nov. 23. Following their recent as More
U.S. Marine Gen. James Amos and Sgt. Maj. Michael Barrett, the Commandant and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, present awards to Sgt. Christopher Stine and Petty Officer 2nd Class Maxwell McGill, an intellig 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 boxing while training in mixed martial arts inside t More
Afghan children watch Afghan National Army soldiers and U.S. Marines from Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment walk through their village during a security patrol here, Dec. 2. The ANA soldiers a More
U.S. Marines from 2nd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment stand atop Patrol Base Barcha following a security patrol here, Dec. 12. The Marines pictured (left to right) are Lance Cpl. James More
Afghan National Army soldiers and U.S. Marines with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment return to nearby Combat Outpost Koshtay during a partnered security patrol here, Dec. 18. On the More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpls. Brian Hernandez (left), 19, from San Francisco, and Nick Montez (right), 20, from Lewiston, Idaho, a mortarman and an improvised explosive device dog handler with the 81mm mortar platoon More
Afghan National Army soldier Hussain listens for instructions while halted on a partnered security patrol with U.S. Marines from 3rd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment here, Dec. 30. The More
Afghan National Army soldier Taza Khan enters a local elder's home while clearing compounds with U.S. Marines from 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, during Operation Tageer Shamal ( More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Alexander Voshell, a 20-year-old mortarman with 2nd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Viola, Del., provides security at a vehicle checkpoint with More
An Afghan man takes a break from his work at the site of a school building under construction here, Nov. 19. Twelve permanent schools are currently under construction by local contractors in Garmsir district. U More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Kabir, an infantryman with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, receives marksmanship instruction from U.S. Marine Sgt. Joshua Watson, 27, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Embed More
Afghan Border Police Pvt. Ghul Faruq, a medic with 2nd Tolai, 2nd Kandak, Helmand ABP, walks through a village during a partnered security patrol with U.S. Marines from Combined Anti-Armor Team 2, Weapons Compa More
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. David Manning, a 20-year-old machine gunner with Headquarters Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Chico, Calif., digs a foxhole at his platoon’s More
Afghan National Army Sgt. Fasil Rahim, a machine gunner with 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, smiles while waiting for the command to fire during a machine gun range with U.S. Marines assigned to the 3rd B More
A local elder asks Garmsir District Governor Mohammad Fahim a question about development projects during a shura here, Feb. 23. Fahim asked the elders for help in growing the Afghan Local Police program, and ur More