U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Jon Lyman, a 21-year-old mortarman

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Jon Lyman, a 21-year-old mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Oregon City, Ore., hands a piece of candy to an Afghan child during a security patrol here, Nov. 30. Afghan National Army soldiers and 3/3 Marines met with local elders at a shura and built rapport with local children during the patrol. The Marines of “America’s Battalion” will continue mentoring the Afghan National Security Forces as they assume security responsibility in Garmsir district. Their interoperability is designed to further the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance of Afghanistan by defeating insurgent forces and helping secure the Afghan people.