Staff Sgt. Chris Lozano, platoon commander, Grizzly Mobile, Regimental Combat Team 5, plays guitar and sings "Watching Airplanes," a Gary Allan song, at Camp Ripper, Iraq, Nov. 17. As vocalist for the Chris Lozano Band, the self-taught musician has gone from a hobbyist to a professional musician with a solid following of country music fans in Southern California. - Staff Sgt. Chris Lozano, platoon commander, Grizzly Mobile, Regimental Combat Team 5, plays guitar and sings "Watching Airplanes," a Gary Allan song, at Camp Ripper, Iraq, Nov. 17. As vocalist for the Chris Lozano Band, the self-taught musician has gone from a hobbyist to a professional musician with a solid following of country music fans in Southern California.
Cpl. Willie Holden, an armorer with 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, has Petty Officer Orestes Martinez, a corpsman with Regimental Combat Team 5, in a back mount during jiu-jitsu class Nov. 17 at the Camp Ripper, Iraq, martial arts training tent. In a class taught by instructors with more than 35 years of combined martial arts experience, Martinez and Holden are but two of the students who are getting a well-rounded experience in grappling techniques beyond what's taught in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. - Cpl. Willie Holden, an armorer with 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, has Petty Officer Orestes Martinez, a corpsman with Regimental Combat Team 5, in a back mount during jiu-jitsu class Nov. 17 at the Camp Ripper, Iraq, martial arts training tent. In a class taught by instructors with more than 35 years of combined martial arts experience, Martinez and Holden are but two of the students who are getting a well-rounded experience in grappling techniques beyond what's taught in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
Second Lt. Dwayne Edwards, 26, a platoon commander with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, from New York City, exchanges high-fives with students at Ma'an Primary School in Rutbah, Iraq, Nov. 21. In an effort to encourage community policing in the city, the Marines and Iraqi police officers distributed stuffed animals to the students and spoke to them about the United States and Iraq's joint commitment to the security of Iraq and development of the critical infrastructure. - Second Lt. Dwayne Edwards, 26, a platoon commander with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, from New York City, exchanges high-fives with students at Ma'an Primary School in Rutbah, Iraq, Nov. 21. In an effort to encourage community policing in the city, the Marines and Iraqi police officers distributed stuffed animals to the students and spoke to them about the United States and Iraq's joint commitment to the security of Iraq and development of the critical infrastructure.
Reserve Marines from Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5 search a vehicle parked near the Iraq-Syrian border during a routing security patrol Nov. 9. The vehicle was owned and operated by Iraqi shepherds whose flocks graze on the sparse patches of grass that periodically spring up in the desert. ::r::::n:: - Reserve Marines from Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5 search a vehicle parked near the Iraq-Syrian border during a routing security patrol Nov. 9. The vehicle was owned and operated by Iraqi shepherds whose flocks graze on the sparse patches of grass that periodically spring up in the desert. ::r::::n::
Assisted by Khamis Ahmed Ali-Mussbeh (right), an Arabic interpreter with 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, Iraqi imam Mahmoud Ahmed Nudin Obid (center), a religious leader in western al-Anbar province, browses the serving line at the Camp Korean Village dining facility following a base religious service Nov. 16. The imam addressed the U.S. troops during the service, encouraging them to study about our religion while they are here. ::r::::n:: - Assisted by Khamis Ahmed Ali-Mussbeh (right), an Arabic interpreter with 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, Iraqi imam Mahmoud Ahmed Nudin Obid (center), a religious leader in western al-Anbar province, browses the serving line at the Camp Korean Village dining facility following a base religious service Nov. 16. The imam addressed the U.S. troops during the service, encouraging them to study about our religion while they are here. ::r::::n::
Almost 500 pieces of ordnance were unearthed following the discovery of a weapons cache near the town of Ubaydi, Iraq, Nov. 14. The cache, which contained rocket propelled grenades, machine guns, bomb-making materials and an anti-tank mine, was unearthed by a Navy explosive ordnance disposal team while security was held by Iraqi Police officers and Marines from Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5.::r::::n:: - Almost 500 pieces of ordnance were unearthed following the discovery of a weapons cache near the town of Ubaydi, Iraq, Nov. 14. The cache, which contained rocket propelled grenades, machine guns, bomb-making materials and an anti-tank mine, was unearthed by a Navy explosive ordnance disposal team while security was held by Iraqi Police officers and Marines from Task Force 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5.::r::::n::
Lance Cpl. Miguel Covarrubiaz, a heavy equipment operator with Support Platoon, Company B, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, places concertina wire around a newly constructed traffic control point Nov. 12 near Rutbah, Iraq. The platoon built the new TCP in support of the Marines with Tango Battery, 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, RCT-5 to monitor local traffic. The new TCP will be operated by both Marines and the local Iraqi police. - Lance Cpl. Miguel Covarrubiaz, a heavy equipment operator with Support Platoon, Company B, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, places concertina wire around a newly constructed traffic control point Nov. 12 near Rutbah, Iraq. The platoon built the new TCP in support of the Marines with Tango Battery, 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, RCT-5 to monitor local traffic. The new TCP will be operated by both Marines and the local Iraqi police.
Sgt. Alejandro Castellano(second from left), 37, utilities maintenance chief, Support Platoon, Company B, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, passes a glazed pastry to Lance Cpl. Dimitri Murray, 19, an electrician with Support Platoon, during a Marine Corps birthday ceremony Nov. 13 in Rutbah, Iraq. Castellano and Murray were the oldest and youngest Marines present. It is customary at a Marine Corps birthday ceremony for the oldest Marine to pass a piece of cake to the youngest Marine, symbolizing the passing of traditions from the older Marines to the younger Marines. - Sgt. Alejandro Castellano(second from left), 37, utilities maintenance chief, Support Platoon, Company B, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, passes a glazed pastry to Lance Cpl. Dimitri Murray, 19, an electrician with Support Platoon, during a Marine Corps birthday ceremony Nov. 13 in Rutbah, Iraq. Castellano and Murray were the oldest and youngest Marines present. It is customary at a Marine Corps birthday ceremony for the oldest Marine to pass a piece of cake to the youngest Marine, symbolizing the passing of traditions from the older Marines to the younger Marines.
Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police teams sprint through clouds of smoke while fireman carrying simulated casualties during the Anbar Province Security Force Tactical Conditioning Competition at Combat Outpost Rawah, Iraq, Nov. 12. The competition was coordinated by Naval Special Warfare Detachment 5 and pitted teams of Iraqi Security Forces against each other in numerous fire and maneuver and physical training exercises that helped assess skill levels and build camaraderie between the forces.::r::::n:: - Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police teams sprint through clouds of smoke while fireman carrying simulated casualties during the Anbar Province Security Force Tactical Conditioning Competition at Combat Outpost Rawah, Iraq, Nov. 12. The competition was coordinated by Naval Special Warfare Detachment 5 and pitted teams of Iraqi Security Forces against each other in numerous fire and maneuver and physical training exercises that helped assess skill levels and build camaraderie between the forces.::r::::n::
Maj. Byron W. Duke, an executive officer from Granbury, Texas, practices using a rear choke with figure-four variation on Lance Cpl. Christopher A. Barroso, a logistics clerk from Roosevelt, N.Y., during a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program gray-belt class at Camp Korean Village, Iraq, Nov. 7. Both Marines are with 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5. Marines in the battalion are working on earning their MCMAP gray belt.::r::::n:: - Maj. Byron W. Duke, an executive officer from Granbury, Texas, practices using a rear choke with figure-four variation on Lance Cpl. Christopher A. Barroso, a logistics clerk from Roosevelt, N.Y., during a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program gray-belt class at Camp Korean Village, Iraq, Nov. 7. Both Marines are with 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5. Marines in the battalion are working on earning their MCMAP gray belt.::r::::n::