Marines of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment patrol

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 interact with the local women and children. The FET visits medical clinics and schools on a regular basis in the Garmsir District. The FET's purpose is to interact with the female population in the local community and find the needs of the women in the area. The local traditions of some communities prevent women from speaking to men outside their immediate families. The battalion supports Regimental Combat Team 1, the Marine ground combat element in Southern Helmand province. The mission of the RCT is to partner with Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations to secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable Afghanistan to assume security responsibilities in the region. Ultimately, the partnered forces promote the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.