In the early morning hours, Lance Cpl. Brandon Rayborne

In the early morning hours, Lance Cpl. Brandon Rayborne plays cards with fellow Marines before boarding the aircraft and departing Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin Oct. 17, ending the Marine Rotational Force Darwin’s six-month deployment in the Northwest Territory. The MRF-D is returning to Camp Pendleton, California, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii. While in Darwin, the third rotation of Marines conducted independent and bilateral training with the Australian Defence Force to increase interoperability and promote stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Rayborne is an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. (Official Marine Corps photo by 2nd Lt. Martin Harris/released)