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Lance Cpl. Anthony Quintanilla makes his way into a well in an abandoned compound during Operation Sangin United Horizons here, May 17, 2012. Quintanilla, a native of Los Angeles, found narcotics, weapons, and components to construct an improvised explosive device hidden inside the well. - Lance Cpl. Anthony Quintanilla makes his way into a well in an abandoned compound during Operation Sangin United Horizons here, May 17, 2012. Quintanilla, a native of Los Angeles, found narcotics, weapons, and components to construct an improvised explosive device hidden inside the well.

Afghan Army, Marines investigate Wushtan

Helicopters landed in a field during the early morning darkness, May 17, delivering the Marines of Baker Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and soldiers of the Afghan National Army to the outskirts of the town of Wushtan to begin Operation Sangin United Horizons.The Marines of Baker Company acted as the main effort of the operation, with

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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::

Memorial Day for Marines at Afghanistan’s Helmand post honors fallen warriors

As the blistering sun sets, disappearing in the horizon, a solemn wind of silence breezes through the dusky sky along with the first hints of cool evening air here at this remotely located operating base in Helmand province at precisely 7:12 p.m., May 28, 2012. Flanked by a bugler, who plays the ceremonial hymn, Retreat, three formations of U.S.

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A Marine Corps eight-point cover lays next to family photos, showcasing Staff Sgt. Maribel Valdez's balancing act between her family and her military career, May 15, 2012. She is the adjutant with 1st Marine Division (Forward). Valdez said she knows it's difficult for her family while she's deployed but plans on spending a lot of time with her family when she returns home.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n:: - A Marine Corps eight-point cover lays next to family photos, showcasing Staff Sgt. Maribel Valdez's balancing act between her family and her military career, May 15, 2012. She is the adjutant with 1st Marine Division (Forward). Valdez said she knows it's difficult for her family while she's deployed but plans on spending a lot of time with her family when she returns home.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::

Mother, Marine, more; one woman’s sacrifice while deployed

Staff Sgt. Maribel Valdez, the adjutant with 1st Marine Division (Forward), sits quietly at her desk. She sits straight with dark eyes, her M-9 pistol holstered tight to her uniform, and pictures of her family on the board behind her, showcasing the two different lives she lives. She’s a mother and a Marine. A balancing act that’s more difficult

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Sergeant Christopher Scott, the logistics advisor with the Embedded Training Team, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, eats a meal of bread, beef and fresh vegetables with his Afghan allies, April 29, 2012. Scott was a guest of his Afghan National Army soldiers serving with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps. Scott regularly spends extra time getting to know his Afghan National Army coworkers.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n:: - Sergeant Christopher Scott, the logistics advisor with the Embedded Training Team, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, eats a meal of bread, beef and fresh vegetables with his Afghan allies, April 29, 2012. Scott was a guest of his Afghan National Army soldiers serving with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps. Scott regularly spends extra time getting to know his Afghan National Army coworkers.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::

Breaking bread key to building trust between Afghans, Marines

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan – “Shana ba shana” is a Dari saying that Sgt. Christopher Scott has heard since he arrived here in December 2011. The saying translates to shoulder-to-shoulder. Afghan forces say it’s a way to describe someone’s work ethic and shows the effort they put in with others.For Scott, a logistics advisor with

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Afghan National Army Gunnery Sgt. Mohammad Hasan, sights in on his target with his M24 sniper rifle, May 2, 2012. Hasan was the high shooter on the first day of the range and said he remembered to control his breathing and to relax while firing the new weapon.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n:: - Afghan National Army Gunnery Sgt. Mohammad Hasan, sights in on his target with his M24 sniper rifle, May 2, 2012. Hasan was the high shooter on the first day of the range and said he remembered to control his breathing and to relax while firing the new weapon.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::

Afghans learn marksmanship from Scout Snipers

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan - Afghan soldiers will add a new weapon to their arsenal, when recent graduates from a marksmanship course return to their bases. The newly trained soldiers will carry a M24 sniper rifle, a weapon recently acquired by the local kandak.The weeklong marksmanship course, taught by a Marine scout sniper

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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.

Marines reduce footprint in Marjah

Marines here are making big moves for the future of Afghanistan.Combat engineers in Marjah in direct support of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, began demilitarizing bases in order to reduce their footprint from military operations here.The battalion is currently manning 17 outposts in the Marjah area, but is planning to cut that number down to

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Afghan National Army Sgt. Jawad, a range instructor with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, watches an ANA soldier during a live-fire range April 29, 2012. The range is completely Afghan led, with Marines providing only the range and targets.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n:: - Afghan National Army Sgt. Jawad, a range instructor with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, watches an ANA soldier during a live-fire range April 29, 2012. The range is completely Afghan led, with Marines providing only the range and targets.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::

Sighting in on the big picture: Afghans see independence

The unmistakable sound of gunfire breaks the mid-morning calm. The Afghan instructor paces behind several Afghan National Army soldiers, who are lying in the prone position. The sun is rising to their backs, casting long shadows, stretching before the green targets in front of them.He kneels down and positions the end of rifle squarely into the

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Lance Cpl. Brandon Debruler, a squad automatic weapon gunner with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, patrols through an open field with his Afghan National Army counterparts, April 26, 2012. Marines with 2nd Bn., 6th Marines participated in a support role during, the Afghan-led, Operation High Noon 15.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n:: - Lance Cpl. Brandon Debruler, a squad automatic weapon gunner with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, patrols through an open field with his Afghan National Army counterparts, April 26, 2012. Marines with 2nd Bn., 6th Marines participated in a support role during, the Afghan-led, Operation High Noon 15.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::

Through dust, heat, Afghan National Army lead operation to success

The people in Trek Nawa, an area between the Marjah and Nawa district, were witnesses to an unusual sight April 23-26. The Afghan National Army dispatched about 190 soldiers from various tolais within 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, to areas throughout the expanding landscape. During this maneuver, Marines with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine

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Lance Cpl. Samantha C. Catoe, a data network specialist working with Headquarters Detachment, Task Force Leatherneck, 1st Marine Division (Forward), was selected as this period's detachment Marine of the Quarter. The 21-year-old native of Irmo, S.C., is tasked with resolving trouble tickets submitted by headquarters personnel at the Task Force Leatherneck compound here. She deployed with the 1st MarDiv (Fwd) in February, and so far displayed strong technical skills at her job. - Lance Cpl. Samantha C. Catoe, a data network specialist working with Headquarters Detachment, Task Force Leatherneck, 1st Marine Division (Forward), was selected as this period's detachment Marine of the Quarter. The 21-year-old native of Irmo, S.C., is tasked with resolving trouble tickets submitted by headquarters personnel at the Task Force Leatherneck compound here. She deployed with the 1st MarDiv (Fwd) in February, and so far displayed strong technical skills at her job.

Data network Marine an expert in her domain

When a senior Marine refers to one of his devil dogs as the most “Marine” Marine under his charge, a person reaching 5 feet 1 inch and shy of 100 pounds is probably not the visual.Nonetheless, Lance Cpl. Samantha C. Catoe, a data network specialist working at the headquarters element of Task Force Leatherneck, 1st Marine Division (Forward), was

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Lance Cpl. Daniel Grant, a native of Detroit and rifleman serving with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, departs Patrol Base Virginia, an Afghan National Civil Order Police position in Kajaki, as his squad begins a foot patrol here, April 14, 2012. Marines formerly operated PB Virginia until the ANCOP officers took full responsibility for maintaining security in the local area. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Reiriz) - Lance Cpl. Daniel Grant, a native of Detroit and rifleman serving with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, departs Patrol Base Virginia, an Afghan National Civil Order Police position in Kajaki, as his squad begins a foot patrol here, April 14, 2012. Marines formerly operated PB Virginia until the ANCOP officers took full responsibility for maintaining security in the local area. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Reiriz)

‘Here to protect’: Marines stay involved in Kajaki

As coalition forces continue to transfer security responsibilities to Afghan National Army and police in Afghanistan, the Marines here continue to patrol to keep the people of Kajaki safe.Since arrival, Marines of Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, have assisted Afghan forces in taking control of security operations here and

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