Lt. Col. Geoff Rollins, commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, presents Col. Abbas Aiyed Raddad, commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 29th Iraqi Army Brigade with a commemorative coin at the conclusion of the district's regional security meeting Dec. 20. This meeting at H3, an Iraqi Army outpost in western al-Anbar Province, was the first of several scheduled meetings for Iraqi and Coalition leadership. ::r::::n:: - Lt. Col. Geoff Rollins, commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, presents Col. Abbas Aiyed Raddad, commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, 29th Iraqi Army Brigade with a commemorative coin at the conclusion of the district's regional security meeting Dec. 20. This meeting at H3, an Iraqi Army outpost in western al-Anbar Province, was the first of several scheduled meetings for Iraqi and Coalition leadership. ::r::::n::

Staff Sgt. Edward Jacobs (left), 27, chief scout with Scout Sniper Platoon, Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, directs a sniper to a new target during a training exercise at Combat Outpost Rawah, Iraq, Dec. 18. The purpose of the training was to increase the proficiency levels of the snipers, while adapting both their weapons systems and themselves to the climate changes of a new area of operations. - Staff Sgt. Edward Jacobs (left), 27, chief scout with Scout Sniper Platoon, Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, directs a sniper to a new target during a training exercise at Combat Outpost Rawah, Iraq, Dec. 18. The purpose of the training was to increase the proficiency levels of the snipers, while adapting both their weapons systems and themselves to the climate changes of a new area of operations.

Cpl. Jeremy C. Olson, 22, tech shop supervisor for Headquarters and Service Company, Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, installs communication gear into a vehicle at Combat Outpost Ubaydi, Iraq, Dec. 18. From running wires and maintaining internet connectivity to fixing radios, the communications Marines work around the clock.::r::::n:: - Cpl. Jeremy C. Olson, 22, tech shop supervisor for Headquarters and Service Company, Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, installs communication gear into a vehicle at Combat Outpost Ubaydi, Iraq, Dec. 18. From running wires and maintaining internet connectivity to fixing radios, the communications Marines work around the clock.::r::::n::

Musicians Kid Rock (left) and Zac Brown perform a song for service members, including Marines and sailors with Regimental Combat Team 5, aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Dec. 19. The musicians are part of a USO tour for service members deployed overseas during the holidays. Fellow musician Kellie Pickler and comedians Lewis Black, Kathleen Madigan, John Bowman and Tichina Arnold also performed for the service members.::r::::n:: - Musicians Kid Rock (left) and Zac Brown perform a song for service members, including Marines and sailors with Regimental Combat Team 5, aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Dec. 19. The musicians are part of a USO tour for service members deployed overseas during the holidays. Fellow musician Kellie Pickler and comedians Lewis Black, Kathleen Madigan, John Bowman and Tichina Arnold also performed for the service members.::r::::n::

Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Barrassco, 40, pitches to Petty Officer First Class Paul Campagna, 45, from Salem, Mass. inside the new batting cage built by the Seabees at Combat Outpost Ubaydi, Iraq, Dec. 12. Both sailors are builders with Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 27. The batting cage gives the Marines and sailors operating within sight of the Syrian border a way to relax when not operating in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.::r::::n:: - Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Barrassco, 40, pitches to Petty Officer First Class Paul Campagna, 45, from Salem, Mass. inside the new batting cage built by the Seabees at Combat Outpost Ubaydi, Iraq, Dec. 12. Both sailors are builders with Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 27. The batting cage gives the Marines and sailors operating within sight of the Syrian border a way to relax when not operating in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.::r::::n::

Sgt. Julian Bejarano, a 28-year-old section leader with Combined Anti-Armor Team Red, Weapons Company, Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, talks to Lt. Col. Hamid Kniyaf, battalion executive officer for the Iraqi border guards, about future training operations between the two elements in western al-Anbar province, Iraq, Dec. 18. The CAAT Marines plan to conduct training with the guards along the Iraqi and Syrian border to keep insurgents from crossing over the border.::r::::n:: - Sgt. Julian Bejarano, a 28-year-old section leader with Combined Anti-Armor Team Red, Weapons Company, Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, talks to Lt. Col. Hamid Kniyaf, battalion executive officer for the Iraqi border guards, about future training operations between the two elements in western al-Anbar province, Iraq, Dec. 18. The CAAT Marines plan to conduct training with the guards along the Iraqi and Syrian border to keep insurgents from crossing over the border.::r::::n::

Lance Cpl. Joseph T. McCarty, a 20-year-old combat engineer with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion in support of Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, aims his field-expedient explosive toward targets at range at Combat Outpost Rawah, Iraq, Dec. 17. The demolition range was the first of a number of exercises the combat engineers plan to execute throughout the deployment to keep them proficient at their jobs while Iraqi Security Forces maintain control of Iraqâ??s security.::r::::n:: - Lance Cpl. Joseph T. McCarty, a 20-year-old combat engineer with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion in support of Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, aims his field-expedient explosive toward targets at range at Combat Outpost Rawah, Iraq, Dec. 17. The demolition range was the first of a number of exercises the combat engineers plan to execute throughout the deployment to keep them proficient at their jobs while Iraqi Security Forces maintain control of Iraqâ??s security.::r::::n::

An AH-1W Super Cobra bombards a target as Capt. Dave â??Penguinâ? Merrit, a 30-year-old air officer with Headquarters and Support Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, from Wilbraham, Mass., radios for the next pass over the target during an exercise at Combat Outpost Rawah, Iraq, Dec. 12. The exercise allowed the pilots and the Marines on the ground to maintain their skills while deployed.::r::::n:: - An AH-1W Super Cobra bombards a target as Capt. Dave â??Penguinâ? Merrit, a 30-year-old air officer with Headquarters and Support Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, from Wilbraham, Mass., radios for the next pass over the target during an exercise at Combat Outpost Rawah, Iraq, Dec. 12. The exercise allowed the pilots and the Marines on the ground to maintain their skills while deployed.::r::::n::

Two M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks patrol with Task Force Mech, Regimental Combat Team 5 in al-Anbar Province, Iraq, Nov. 29. Task Force Mech consists of Marines and sailors with Company A, 2nd Tank Battalion, in conjunction with elements of Company B, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Bn., and 1st Combat Engineer Bn. The Marines and sailors with Task Force Mech are conducting various missions in al-Anbar province to include presence patrols and humanitarian missions. - Two M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks patrol with Task Force Mech, Regimental Combat Team 5 in al-Anbar Province, Iraq, Nov. 29. Task Force Mech consists of Marines and sailors with Company A, 2nd Tank Battalion, in conjunction with elements of Company B, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Bn., and 1st Combat Engineer Bn. The Marines and sailors with Task Force Mech are conducting various missions in al-Anbar province to include presence patrols and humanitarian missions.

Cmdr. Gary Leigh, commander of Riverine Squadron 1, Regimental Combat Team 5, describes the features of the Mark 1 River Utility Craft to Staff Maj. Gen. Abdullah Mohammed Badir, commanding general of the 7th Iraqi Army Division, through an interpreter Dec. 16 at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. The boats will be used by Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police to patrol the Euphrates River and to maintain security on landmarks such as the Haditha Dam. ::r::::n:: - Cmdr. Gary Leigh, commander of Riverine Squadron 1, Regimental Combat Team 5, describes the features of the Mark 1 River Utility Craft to Staff Maj. Gen. Abdullah Mohammed Badir, commanding general of the 7th Iraqi Army Division, through an interpreter Dec. 16 at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. The boats will be used by Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police to patrol the Euphrates River and to maintain security on landmarks such as the Haditha Dam. ::r::::n::