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.

Marines with Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, gathered to remember Cpl. Aaron M. Allen, a 24-year-old team leader from Santa Barbra, Calif., with the company, who was killed while conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq. A memorial service was held Nov. 22 at a combat outpost where Allen served his military duties as part of a seven-month deployment. - Marines with Company A, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, gathered to remember Cpl. Aaron M. Allen, a 24-year-old team leader from Santa Barbra, Calif., with the company, who was killed while conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq. A memorial service was held Nov. 22 at a combat outpost where Allen served his military duties as part of a seven-month deployment.

FERRIS, Iraq –Iraqi Security Forces set up a cordon in the streets of Ferris, Iraq, to search the area f during a joint operation with Marines from Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1.(Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chris T. Mann)::r::::n::(Released) - FERRIS, Iraq –Iraqi Security Forces set up a cordon in the streets of Ferris, Iraq, to search the area f during a joint operation with Marines from Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1.(Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chris T. Mann)::r::::n::(Released)

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.

Capt. James R. Berard, assistant air officer, Regimental Combat Team 1, relays target coordinates to an F/A-18 fighter jet via a radio during a Tactical Air Control Party training exercise Nov. 13, 2008, in al Anbar Province, Iraq. The exercise was conducted to refresh both forward air controllers and pilots on the tactics and skills necessary for a successful combined arms engagement from aircraft to ground targets. - Capt. James R. Berard, assistant air officer, Regimental Combat Team 1, relays target coordinates to an F/A-18 fighter jet via a radio during a Tactical Air Control Party training exercise Nov. 13, 2008, in al Anbar Province, Iraq. The exercise was conducted to refresh both forward air controllers and pilots on the tactics and skills necessary for a successful combined arms engagement from aircraft to ground targets.

Navy Lt. Mickey Deel, a 30-year-old medical officer with Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, examines an Iraqi woman’s eyes during a specialized Combined Medical Engagement at the Saqlawiyah Clinic, Nov. 18. Deel used a Slit Lamp, a high-intensity light source which provides a magnified view of different parts of the human eye to help determine a prescription for eyeglasses. - Navy Lt. Mickey Deel, a 30-year-old medical officer with Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, examines an Iraqi woman’s eyes during a specialized Combined Medical Engagement at the Saqlawiyah Clinic, Nov. 18. Deel used a Slit Lamp, a high-intensity light source which provides a magnified view of different parts of the human eye to help determine a prescription for eyeglasses.