Lance Cpl. Trevor M. Smith, a 20-year-old combat tracker dog handler from Myrtle Beach, S.C., with Task Force Military Police, I Marine Expeditionary Force, in support of Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, taunts Grek, a military working dog, who replies with intimidating snarls. The working dogs’ keen senses make them a valuable resource when searching for improvised explosive devices and tracking down the insurgents who made them. - Lance Cpl. Trevor M. Smith, a 20-year-old combat tracker dog handler from Myrtle Beach, S.C., with Task Force Military Police, I Marine Expeditionary Force, in support of Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, taunts Grek, a military working dog, who replies with intimidating snarls. The working dogs’ keen senses make them a valuable resource when searching for improvised explosive devices and tracking down the insurgents who made them.
Soldiers with the 1st Azerbaijani Peacekeeping Company prepare to case the Azerbaijan flag to symbolize the completion of their tour in Iraq during a ceremony at Camp Ripper, Al Asad Airbase, Iraq, Dec. 3. For the past five years, soldiers from Azerbaijan, a small country near the Caspian Sea, have provided security at the Haditha Dam, which produces over 25 percent of the power to the country of Iraq. Iraqi Security Forces will now provide security at the dam, and the Azerbaijanis will soon return home.::r::::n:: - Soldiers with the 1st Azerbaijani Peacekeeping Company prepare to case the Azerbaijan flag to symbolize the completion of their tour in Iraq during a ceremony at Camp Ripper, Al Asad Airbase, Iraq, Dec. 3. For the past five years, soldiers from Azerbaijan, a small country near the Caspian Sea, have provided security at the Haditha Dam, which produces over 25 percent of the power to the country of Iraq. Iraqi Security Forces will now provide security at the dam, and the Azerbaijanis will soon return home.::r::::n::
Major Gen. Martin Post, deputy commanding general for Multi-National Force-West, and Al-Kumanji Mawafek Mohammed, director of real estate, and several other members of the Iraqi government, sign the documents to officially turn the Haditha Dam back over to the Government of Iraq Dec 3. The dam supplies almost one-third of Iraq's electricity and had been controlled by Coalition forces since 2003.::r::::n:: - Major Gen. Martin Post, deputy commanding general for Multi-National Force-West, and Al-Kumanji Mawafek Mohammed, director of real estate, and several other members of the Iraqi government, sign the documents to officially turn the Haditha Dam back over to the Government of Iraq Dec 3. The dam supplies almost one-third of Iraq's electricity and had been controlled by Coalition forces since 2003.::r::::n::
Seaman Nick Vasilliades (front), the hospital corpsman with Provisional Rifle Platoon 3, patrols a residential area north of the Euphrates River in Rawah, Iraq, Dec. 1. Vasilliades, known as â??Docâ? to the Marines in the platoon, has been on every mounted and dismounted patrol conducted by the Marines of PRP-3 at Traffic Control Point 3 in western al Anbar province, Iraq.::r::::n:: - Seaman Nick Vasilliades (front), the hospital corpsman with Provisional Rifle Platoon 3, patrols a residential area north of the Euphrates River in Rawah, Iraq, Dec. 1. Vasilliades, known as â??Docâ? to the Marines in the platoon, has been on every mounted and dismounted patrol conducted by the Marines of PRP-3 at Traffic Control Point 3 in western al Anbar province, Iraq.::r::::n::
Lance Cpl. Kyle Friel, a motor transport mechanic with Civil Affairs Team 5, Detachment 1, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, prepares a pile of honey packets that will be used to glaze the two turkeys he and his team are preparing for a Thanksgiving feast in Rawah, Iraq, Nov. 27. Each Marine with the team pitched in to make the occasion as memorable as possible. ::r::::n:: - Lance Cpl. Kyle Friel, a motor transport mechanic with Civil Affairs Team 5, Detachment 1, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, prepares a pile of honey packets that will be used to glaze the two turkeys he and his team are preparing for a Thanksgiving feast in Rawah, Iraq, Nov. 27. Each Marine with the team pitched in to make the occasion as memorable as possible. ::r::::n::
Lance Cpl. Michael S. Dunn (center), an administrative clerk with Regimental Combat Team 5, smiles while participating in Jimmy Kimmel Show via satellite Nov. 25 in Al Asad, Iraq. Two Marines from RCT-5 got to participate in the show, and both had the opportunity to speak to the people in attendance and give individual shout-outs to their families and hometowns. ::r::::n:: - Lance Cpl. Michael S. Dunn (center), an administrative clerk with Regimental Combat Team 5, smiles while participating in Jimmy Kimmel Show via satellite Nov. 25 in Al Asad, Iraq. Two Marines from RCT-5 got to participate in the show, and both had the opportunity to speak to the people in attendance and give individual shout-outs to their families and hometowns. ::r::::n::
Students at an elementary school in Rawah, Iraq, - a town on the northern bank of the Euphrates River in western al Anbar province - smile at Marines from Provisional Rifle Platoon 3, Regimental Combat Team 5, who brought snacks Nov. 25 to share with the children. The Marines brought the children treats as a gesture to show they are good neighbors.::r::::n:: - Students at an elementary school in Rawah, Iraq, - a town on the northern bank of the Euphrates River in western al Anbar province - smile at Marines from Provisional Rifle Platoon 3, Regimental Combat Team 5, who brought snacks Nov. 25 to share with the children. The Marines brought the children treats as a gesture to show they are good neighbors.::r::::n::
Sgt. Joseph Potucek (left), 25, of Nastic, N.Y., and Lance Cpl. Alexander Vassilopoulos, 27, from New York City, hand out packages of hygiene and comfort items to Iraqi highway patrolmen at an Iraqi base in Western al-Anbar province, Iraq, Nov. 23. Both Potucek and Vassilopoulos are Reserve Marines with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5. The packages were mailed to the Marines in Iraq by a women's organization in Carlsbad, Calif., to show their support for the troops' service in fighting the Global War on Terror.::r::::n:: - Sgt. Joseph Potucek (left), 25, of Nastic, N.Y., and Lance Cpl. Alexander Vassilopoulos, 27, from New York City, hand out packages of hygiene and comfort items to Iraqi highway patrolmen at an Iraqi base in Western al-Anbar province, Iraq, Nov. 23. Both Potucek and Vassilopoulos are Reserve Marines with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5. The packages were mailed to the Marines in Iraq by a women's organization in Carlsbad, Calif., to show their support for the troops' service in fighting the Global War on Terror.::r::::n::
Lt. Col. Geoff Rollins, commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, visits a classroom at a girl's primary school with Qasum Marai Awwad, mayor of Rutbah, Iraq, Nov. 18. As a sales consultant for a major information technology firm for 12 years, Rollins cites his own professional experience as a critical element of his development as a leader of Marines. - Lt. Col. Geoff Rollins, commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, visits a classroom at a girl's primary school with Qasum Marai Awwad, mayor of Rutbah, Iraq, Nov. 18. As a sales consultant for a major information technology firm for 12 years, Rollins cites his own professional experience as a critical element of his development as a leader of Marines.
Lance Cpl. Dmitri R. Murray, 19, an electrician with Support Platoon, Company B, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, connects the final wire on an electrical outlet while Lance Cpl. Kevin M. Kackos, 20, a generator mechanic with Support Platoon installs a wire fastener to hold the electrical wires in place Nov. 18 near Rutbah, Iraq. The two utility Marines are wiring a newly built building inside a recently built traffic-control point built by the platoon. - Lance Cpl. Dmitri R. Murray, 19, an electrician with Support Platoon, Company B, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, connects the final wire on an electrical outlet while Lance Cpl. Kevin M. Kackos, 20, a generator mechanic with Support Platoon installs a wire fastener to hold the electrical wires in place Nov. 18 near Rutbah, Iraq. The two utility Marines are wiring a newly built building inside a recently built traffic-control point built by the platoon.