Pfc. Steven L. Blizzard, a driver with Jump Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, provides security while escorting media through the Nawa Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 22, 2010. Jump Platoon’s primary mission is to provide security for the battalion commander and transport him throughout 3/3’s battle space, but the platoon performs a variety of tasks from providing supplementary security and running vehicle checkpoints, to masonry and gardening. Blizzard is from Clare, Mich. - Pfc. Steven L. Blizzard, a driver with Jump Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, provides security while escorting media through the Nawa Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 22, 2010. Jump Platoon’s primary mission is to provide security for the battalion commander and transport him throughout 3/3’s battle space, but the platoon performs a variety of tasks from providing supplementary security and running vehicle checkpoints, to masonry and gardening. Blizzard is from Clare, Mich.

Lance Cpl. Justin L. Chase, a metal worker with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, and Sally L. McCoy, a Children Giving Gifts volunteer from Orange County, Calif., show Caleb, Naomi and Lucas Mata gifts items at Children Giving Gifts in San Mateo, Nov. 20. Children Giving Gifts, a non-profit organization, came to Camp Pendleton and allowed children to select gifts for their parents. - Lance Cpl. Justin L. Chase, a metal worker with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, and Sally L. McCoy, a Children Giving Gifts volunteer from Orange County, Calif., show Caleb, Naomi and Lucas Mata gifts items at Children Giving Gifts in San Mateo, Nov. 20. Children Giving Gifts, a non-profit organization, came to Camp Pendleton and allowed children to select gifts for their parents.

Engineers with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Forward), fill Hesco barriers at a new combat outpost in Musa Qal’eh, Nov. 13, 2010. Afghan forces were in need of a defensive position due to enemy activity in a near by town. - Engineers with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Forward), fill Hesco barriers at a new combat outpost in Musa Qal’eh, Nov. 13, 2010. Afghan forces were in need of a defensive position due to enemy activity in a near by town.

Marines with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, and Afghan National Army soldiers play volleyball during a friendly match at ANA Post Nabi, Nov. 16, 2010. The Afghan soldiers said they love volleyball which was shown by the court in the middle of their base and their knowledge of the game. - Marines with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, and Afghan National Army soldiers play volleyball during a friendly match at ANA Post Nabi, Nov. 16, 2010. The Afghan soldiers said they love volleyball which was shown by the court in the middle of their base and their knowledge of the game.

Cpl. Zachary Wallick, a squad leader with 3rd Platoon, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, pays his respects to 1st Lt. James Zimmerman, his former platoon commander, during a memorial service at Patrol Base Shanfield, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Nov. 11. Zimmerman was from Aroostock, Maine. - Cpl. Zachary Wallick, a squad leader with 3rd Platoon, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, pays his respects to 1st Lt. James Zimmerman, his former platoon commander, during a memorial service at Patrol Base Shanfield, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Nov. 11. Zimmerman was from Aroostock, Maine.

Children at Khalaj High School raise their hand after their teacher asked who wants to grow up to be a Marine during a visit from U.S. senators to Nawa, Afghanistan, Nov. 11, 2010. Senators John McCain, a senior senator from Arizona, Lindsey Graham, a senior senator from South Carolina, Kirsten Gillibrand, a junior senator from New York, and Joseph I. Lieberman, a junior senator from Connecticut, visited Marines of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, where they toured Khalaj High School, the Nawa District bazaar and the Nawa District Governance Center as well as meeting with Nawa government officials. - Children at Khalaj High School raise their hand after their teacher asked who wants to grow up to be a Marine during a visit from U.S. senators to Nawa, Afghanistan, Nov. 11, 2010. Senators John McCain, a senior senator from Arizona, Lindsey Graham, a senior senator from South Carolina, Kirsten Gillibrand, a junior senator from New York, and Joseph I. Lieberman, a junior senator from Connecticut, visited Marines of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, where they toured Khalaj High School, the Nawa District bazaar and the Nawa District Governance Center as well as meeting with Nawa government officials.

Pfcs. Anthony S. Roldan, Christopher M. Smith and Ryan J. Shuey, combat engineers with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, stand at parade rest in front of 1st CEB's headquarters building at the San Mateo training area Oct. 8. The Marines were presented with 1st CEB Sapper Coins by Lt. Col. Andrew Niebel, commanding officer of 1st CEB, for their actions Oct. 6 when they assisted a police officer with the Long Beach Police Department who was violently attacked by a suspect yielding a knife. Roldan, is an 18-year-old from Long Beach, Calif., Smith is a 20-year-old from Lemoore, Calif., and Shuey is a 20-year-old from Huntingdon County, Pa. - Pfcs. Anthony S. Roldan, Christopher M. Smith and Ryan J. Shuey, combat engineers with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, stand at parade rest in front of 1st CEB's headquarters building at the San Mateo training area Oct. 8. The Marines were presented with 1st CEB Sapper Coins by Lt. Col. Andrew Niebel, commanding officer of 1st CEB, for their actions Oct. 6 when they assisted a police officer with the Long Beach Police Department who was violently attacked by a suspect yielding a knife. Roldan, is an 18-year-old from Long Beach, Calif., Smith is a 20-year-old from Lemoore, Calif., and Shuey is a 20-year-old from Huntingdon County, Pa.

Lance Cpl. Cody Campioni, a dog handler with the Dog Handler Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, conducts bumper drills with his dog at Combat Outpost Shabu, Afghanistan, Sept. 18. Marines use dogs in Afghanistan to locate improvised explosive devices. - Lance Cpl. Cody Campioni, a dog handler with the Dog Handler Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, conducts bumper drills with his dog at Combat Outpost Shabu, Afghanistan, Sept. 18. Marines use dogs in Afghanistan to locate improvised explosive devices.

Marines with Weapons Platoon, Company B, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, patrol toward the village of Shabu, Afghanistan Sept. 15. Twice a day the Marines patrol several miles to get to Shabu to maintain village security. - Marines with Weapons Platoon, Company B, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, patrol toward the village of Shabu, Afghanistan Sept. 15. Twice a day the Marines patrol several miles to get to Shabu to maintain village security.

Sergeant David Fresenius, an assistant team leader with 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, is awarded the Purple Heart by Brig. Gen. Joseph Osterman, 1st Marine Division (Forward) commanding general, aboard Camp Leatherneck, Sept. 23. The 23-year-old from Westminster, Calif., was hit in the top of his back’s protective Sapi plate during a small arms fire engagement in Trek Nawa, on June 21, 2010. The round lodged in his protective gear, just millimeters away from breaking skin and hitting his upper spine. After his corpsman attended to the wound, that left a baseball-sized welt in his upper back, a very lucky and determined Fresenius re-donned his gear, and got back in the engagement with the Taliban that lasted just over an hour. “It felt like I had been hit with a sledge hammer,” Fresenius said. “Once I realized I was okay, my only thoughts were to get back to the fight – to get back with my men.” - Sergeant David Fresenius, an assistant team leader with 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, is awarded the Purple Heart by Brig. Gen. Joseph Osterman, 1st Marine Division (Forward) commanding general, aboard Camp Leatherneck, Sept. 23. The 23-year-old from Westminster, Calif., was hit in the top of his back’s protective Sapi plate during a small arms fire engagement in Trek Nawa, on June 21, 2010. The round lodged in his protective gear, just millimeters away from breaking skin and hitting his upper spine. After his corpsman attended to the wound, that left a baseball-sized welt in his upper back, a very lucky and determined Fresenius re-donned his gear, and got back in the engagement with the Taliban that lasted just over an hour. “It felt like I had been hit with a sledge hammer,” Fresenius said. “Once I realized I was okay, my only thoughts were to get back to the fight – to get back with my men.”