Lt. Col. Terry Johnson, (Left) the outgoing commanding officer of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, passes the battalion colors to Lt. Col. Keven Matthews, (center) the incoming commanding officer of the battalion, during a change of command ceremony at Camp San Mateo parade deck here, June 28, 2013. Matthews, a native of Honolulu, assumed command of the battalion from, Johnson, a native of Palo Pinto, Texas. - Lt. Col. Terry Johnson, (Left) the outgoing commanding officer of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, passes the battalion colors to Lt. Col. Keven Matthews, (center) the incoming commanding officer of the battalion, during a change of command ceremony at Camp San Mateo parade deck here, June 28, 2013. Matthews, a native of Honolulu, assumed command of the battalion from, Johnson, a native of Palo Pinto, Texas.
Lieutenant Col. Shawn Beltran, (left) the incoming commanding officer of 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, and a native of Wichita Falls, Texas, takes the battalion colors from Lt. Col. David Everly, (center) the outgoing commanding officer, and a native of Inglewood, Calif., during a change of command ceremony at Camp Las Pulgas here, June 28, 2013. Everly served for two years as the battalion's commanding officer and said leading and being in command of Marines is one of the greatest honors. - Lieutenant Col. Shawn Beltran, (left) the incoming commanding officer of 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, and a native of Wichita Falls, Texas, takes the battalion colors from Lt. Col. David Everly, (center) the outgoing commanding officer, and a native of Inglewood, Calif., during a change of command ceremony at Camp Las Pulgas here, June 28, 2013. Everly served for two years as the battalion's commanding officer and said leading and being in command of Marines is one of the greatest honors.
A "God Bless America" sign decorates the mess hall here, July 4, 2013. "To me, the Fourth of July simply means freedom," said Cpl. Dimitri Armstead, 20, from Kailua, Hawaii, a motor transportation mechanic with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7. "It's a day to remember the sacrifices made by past service members who gave their lives for the country." - A "God Bless America" sign decorates the mess hall here, July 4, 2013. "To me, the Fourth of July simply means freedom," said Cpl. Dimitri Armstead, 20, from Kailua, Hawaii, a motor transportation mechanic with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7. "It's a day to remember the sacrifices made by past service members who gave their lives for the country."
Staff Sgt. Leo Tapia, the radio chief with the Signals Kandak Adviser Team, assists an Afghan National Army soldier with assembling a radio antenna here, July 1, 2013. Tapia, a 30-year-old native of Yakima, Wash., teaches the Afghan soldiers radio and antenna theory to help them understand how and why their equipment works. - Staff Sgt. Leo Tapia, the radio chief with the Signals Kandak Adviser Team, assists an Afghan National Army soldier with assembling a radio antenna here, July 1, 2013. Tapia, a 30-year-old native of Yakima, Wash., teaches the Afghan soldiers radio and antenna theory to help them understand how and why their equipment works.
Lieutenant Col. Christeon C. Griffin, the outgoing commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, hands the battalion colors to Lt. Col. Robert C. Rice, the battalion's incoming commanding officer, during a change of command ceremony at the Camp San Mateo parade deck here, June 26, 2013. The passing of the colors signified the transfer of authority and responsibility from one commander to the next.(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jacob H. Harrer) - Lieutenant Col. Christeon C. Griffin, the outgoing commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, hands the battalion colors to Lt. Col. Robert C. Rice, the battalion's incoming commanding officer, during a change of command ceremony at the Camp San Mateo parade deck here, June 26, 2013. The passing of the colors signified the transfer of authority and responsibility from one commander to the next. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jacob H. Harrer)
Colonel Roger B. Turner, the outgoing commanding officer of 5th Marine Regiment, salutes the U.S. flag during a change of command ceremony at the Camp San Mateo helicopter landing pad here, June 25, 2013. Turner, a native of Laurel, Md., will assume his post as the new Military Secretary for the Commandant of the Marine Corps. - Colonel Roger B. Turner, the outgoing commanding officer of 5th Marine Regiment, salutes the U.S. flag during a change of command ceremony at the Camp San Mateo helicopter landing pad here, June 25, 2013. Turner, a native of Laurel, Md., will assume his post as the new Military Secretary for the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Canadian Army Sapper Alexander Boucher, a section member serving with 2nd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment, takes cover inside a building while a M1A1 Abrams Tank provides cover during Exercise Dawn Blitz here, June 21, 2013. Canadian soldiers coordinated movements with Marines from 1st Tank Battalion to clear the mock village of enemy role players. Dawn Blitz 2013 is a multinational amphibious exercise off the Southern California coast that refocuses Navy and Marine Corps and coalition forces in their ability to conduct complex amphibious operations essential for global crisis response across the range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jacob H. Harrer) - Canadian Army Sapper Alexander Boucher, a section member serving with 2nd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment, takes cover inside a building while a M1A1 Abrams Tank provides cover during Exercise Dawn Blitz here, June 21, 2013. Canadian soldiers coordinated movements with Marines from 1st Tank Battalion to clear the mock village of enemy role players. Dawn Blitz 2013 is a multinational amphibious exercise off the Southern California coast that refocuses Navy and Marine Corps and coalition forces in their ability to conduct complex amphibious operations essential for global crisis response across the range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jacob H. Harrer)
A Marine serving with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion leads his peers in a static line jump here, June 22, 2013. The battalion performed jumps with 4th Recon Bn. to maintain their qualifications and sharpen their airborne skills. After performing static line jumps, many Marines completed one of the prerequisites to earn the Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist insignia. To earn the insignia, a Marine or sailor who has already completed the Basic Airborne course must complete a minimum of five static line jumps, including one combat equipment day jump, two combat equipment night jumps and exit from at least two different types of military aircraft. - A Marine serving with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion leads his peers in a static line jump here, June 22, 2013. The battalion performed jumps with 4th Recon Bn. to maintain their qualifications and sharpen their airborne skills. After performing static line jumps, many Marines completed one of the prerequisites to earn the Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist insignia. To earn the insignia, a Marine or sailor who has already completed the Basic Airborne course must complete a minimum of five static line jumps, including one combat equipment day jump, two combat equipment night jumps and exit from at least two different types of military aircraft.
Garmser District, Afghanistan - Gunnery Sgt. Richard Fitzgerald, the senior enlisted advisor with Afghan National Civil Order Police Advisor Team 2, and a native of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., passes out study guides to ANCOP instructors at the station here, June 17, 2013. Fitzgerald gave out the study guides before class so Afghan police could follow along during the period of instruction. "We're trying to implement the training cycle phase so they understand the importance of the training prior to deploying to the next area," said Fitzgerald. - Garmser District, Afghanistan - Gunnery Sgt. Richard Fitzgerald, the senior enlisted advisor with Afghan National Civil Order Police Advisor Team 2, and a native of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., passes out study guides to ANCOP instructors at the station here, June 17, 2013. Fitzgerald gave out the study guides before class so Afghan police could follow along during the period of instruction. "We're trying to implement the training cycle phase so they understand the importance of the training prior to deploying to the next area," said Fitzgerald.
Marines serving with Bravo Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, attach a detonation cord to a cratering charge at Range 108 here, June 19, 2013. The company conducted a demolition training range where Marines learned about the capabilities of various explosives such as dynamite, TNT, shape charges and C4. The charges are used by engineers to destroy heavily armored vehicles, defensive obstacles and bridges. - Marines serving with Bravo Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, attach a detonation cord to a cratering charge at Range 108 here, June 19, 2013. The company conducted a demolition training range where Marines learned about the capabilities of various explosives such as dynamite, TNT, shape charges and C4. The charges are used by engineers to destroy heavily armored vehicles, defensive obstacles and bridges.