Captain Kyle Larish, the executive officer of Police Advisor Team 4, and 31-year-old native of Buffalo, New York, engages with the assistant district chief of police and other Afghan Uniformed Police during a patrol to the Kajaki Police Headquarters, Feb. 11. "(We) are advising their key staff members in their functional areas to coordinate their efforts with their higher headquarters," said 1st Lt. Chad Ernst, the fires officer and Joint Terminal Attack Controller with PAT-4. "We are trying to help them get the Afghan support they need in the correct format." - Captain Kyle Larish, the executive officer of Police Advisor Team 4, and 31-year-old native of Buffalo, New York, engages with the assistant district chief of police and other Afghan Uniformed Police during a patrol to the Kajaki Police Headquarters, Feb. 11. "(We) are advising their key staff members in their functional areas to coordinate their efforts with their higher headquarters," said 1st Lt. Chad Ernst, the fires officer and Joint Terminal Attack Controller with PAT-4. "We are trying to help them get the Afghan support they need in the correct format."

U.S. Marine Cpl. Austin Aliferis, a fire team leader with the Regimental Combat Team 5 Police Advisor Team working in support of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, applies a bandage to an Afghan child's foot during a clearing operation here March 1, 2012. Aliferis and his team passed out food, water and candy to the group of children before moving to support Afghan police clearing the area of suspected insurgent activity. In addition to advising Afghan forces in the blocks of Marjah, 2nd Bn., 9th Marines conducted partnered counternarcotics missions with the Afghan National Interdiction Unit in the Bari Desert during Operation Psarlay Taba. The partnered force captured around 26,000 pounds of assorted opium products over the course of the four-month operation. Lance Cpl. Tyler Reiriz - U.S. Marine Cpl. Austin Aliferis, a fire team leader with the Regimental Combat Team 5 Police Advisor Team working in support of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, applies a bandage to an Afghan child's foot during a clearing operation here March 1, 2012. Aliferis and his team passed out food, water and candy to the group of children before moving to support Afghan police clearing the area of suspected insurgent activity. In addition to advising Afghan forces in the blocks of Marjah, 2nd Bn., 9th Marines conducted partnered counternarcotics missions with the Afghan National Interdiction Unit in the Bari Desert during Operation Psarlay Taba. The partnered force captured around 26,000 pounds of assorted opium products over the course of the four-month operation. Lance Cpl. Tyler Reiriz

U.S. Marine Col. Roger B. Turner Jr., the commanding officer Regimental Combat Team 5, shakes hands and gives the floor to Col. John R. Shafer, the commanding officer of RCT-6, after speaking during a transfer of authority ceremony here, July 5, 2012. Since their activation in 1917, 5th and 6th Marine Regiments have courageously fought for America, most notably in World War I when they fought side-by-side in the bloody Battle of Belleau Wood. In December 2011, Regimental Combat Team 6 arrived in northern Helmand province to support Operation Enduring Freedom, joining RCT-5 on the same battlefield for the first time in 94 years. This historic partnership is now coming to a close. Turner and Ruiz, the commanding officer and sergeant major of RCT-5, cased the colors of ‚Fighting Fifth‚ and transferred authority of their area of operations to Shafer and Sgt. Maj. Jamie Deets, the sergeant major of RCT-6 here, July 5. - U.S. Marine Col. Roger B. Turner Jr., the commanding officer Regimental Combat Team 5, shakes hands and gives the floor to Col. John R. Shafer, the commanding officer of RCT-6, after speaking during a transfer of authority ceremony here, July 5, 2012. Since their activation in 1917, 5th and 6th Marine Regiments have courageously fought for America, most notably in World War I when they fought side-by-side in the bloody Battle of Belleau Wood. In December 2011, Regimental Combat Team 6 arrived in northern Helmand province to support Operation Enduring Freedom, joining RCT-5 on the same battlefield for the first time in 94 years. This historic partnership is now coming to a close. Turner and Ruiz, the commanding officer and sergeant major of RCT-5, cased the colors of ‚Fighting Fifth‚ and transferred authority of their area of operations to Shafer and Sgt. Maj. Jamie Deets, the sergeant major of RCT-6 here, July 5.

Staff Sgt. Gerhard Tauss launches an unmanned aerial vehicle prior to conducting operations in the scouted area in Nahr-e Saraj, Afghanistan June 20, 2012. Tauss is the platoon sergeant for 2nd platoon, Mobility Assault Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, and operated in support of Operation Jaws as apart of the route clearance effort. - Staff Sgt. Gerhard Tauss launches an unmanned aerial vehicle prior to conducting operations in the scouted area in Nahr-e Saraj, Afghanistan June 20, 2012. Tauss is the platoon sergeant for 2nd platoon, Mobility Assault Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, and operated in support of Operation Jaws as apart of the route clearance effort.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David H. Berger, right, commanding general of Task Force Leatherneck (TFL) and Sgt. Maj. Terry L. Jones, TFL Sergeant Major, salute the American Flag during an evening colors ceremony on Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province Afghanistan May 28, 2012. Berger held the ceremony as a Memorial Day Commemoration in remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Sgt. Sheila M. Brooks)::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n:: - U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David H. Berger, right, commanding general of Task Force Leatherneck (TFL) and Sgt. Maj. Terry L. Jones, TFL Sergeant Major, salute the American Flag during an evening colors ceremony on Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province Afghanistan May 28, 2012. Berger held the ceremony as a Memorial Day Commemoration in remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Sgt. Sheila M. Brooks)::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::

U.S. Marine Pfc. Taurean Benn (left), a small arms mechanic, and Lance Cpl. Seth Isaacs, a rifleman, both serving with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, share some small talk as they guard one of the base’s entry control points here May 6, 2012. As they keep vigilant, scanning the scenery immediately in front of them all the way back to the horizon, on the lookout for threats and enemy activity, they often think about home. Benn is from Three Rivers, Mich., and Isaacs is from Sophia, N.C. - U.S. Marine Pfc. Taurean Benn (left), a small arms mechanic, and Lance Cpl. Seth Isaacs, a rifleman, both serving with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, share some small talk as they guard one of the base’s entry control points here May 6, 2012. As they keep vigilant, scanning the scenery immediately in front of them all the way back to the horizon, on the lookout for threats and enemy activity, they often think about home. Benn is from Three Rivers, Mich., and Isaacs is from Sophia, N.C.

An Afghan child watches as a squad of Marines patrol by the bazaar here May 3, 2012, on their way to the Afghan Uniformed Police precinct. Recently, 1st Platoon, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, has been tasked to mentor and provide support to the local Afghan Uniformed Police precinct in northern Marjah. - An Afghan child watches as a squad of Marines patrol by the bazaar here May 3, 2012, on their way to the Afghan Uniformed Police precinct. Recently, 1st Platoon, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, has been tasked to mentor and provide support to the local Afghan Uniformed Police precinct in northern Marjah.

Sergeant Timothy Brookshire, a combat engineer serving with Engineers Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, provides security over watch as his Marines construct new fortified walls around the base’s perimeter here May 4, 2012. Combat engineers have torn down some of the fortified walls to shrink the base’s perimeter. The Marines plan to reduce their base’s guard posts in half by the end of their seven-month deployment. Brookshire is a Homer, Ga., native. - Sergeant Timothy Brookshire, a combat engineer serving with Engineers Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, provides security over watch as his Marines construct new fortified walls around the base’s perimeter here May 4, 2012. Combat engineers have torn down some of the fortified walls to shrink the base’s perimeter. The Marines plan to reduce their base’s guard posts in half by the end of their seven-month deployment. Brookshire is a Homer, Ga., native.

Dharma, a 4-year-old black Labrador retriever, take a break during a patrol, April 25, 2012. Lance Cpl. Jeffery Rodriguez, a dog handler with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, exercises Dharma twice a day to keep her stamina up on patrols.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n:: - Dharma, a 4-year-old black Labrador retriever, take a break during a patrol, April 25, 2012. Lance Cpl. Jeffery Rodriguez, a dog handler with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, exercises Dharma twice a day to keep her stamina up on patrols.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO – Afghan Natioanl Army First Sgt. Mubarak, the operations first sergeant with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, levels out a plot of land with Capt. Stephen Walker, the operations advisor with the Embedded Training Team, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, April 21, 2012. Mubarak worked with Walker to build a permanent terrain model for the Kandak. A terrain model is a 3-D map, outlining roads and other major geographical features. - FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO – Afghan Natioanl Army First Sgt. Mubarak, the operations first sergeant with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, levels out a plot of land with Capt. Stephen Walker, the operations advisor with the Embedded Training Team, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, April 21, 2012. Mubarak worked with Walker to build a permanent terrain model for the Kandak. A terrain model is a 3-D map, outlining roads and other major geographical features.