Lance Cpl. Cody Goebel, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, marches in front of the colors during his Silver Star award ceremony, Dec. 14, 2011. Goebel was awarded the Silver Star for actions while he was in Afghanistan with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. Goebel was shot in the neck while on post in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Ignoring his wound, he returned fire and refused medical attention until he was properly relieved. Goebel will return to Afghanistan next year with 2nd Battalion. - Lance Cpl. Cody Goebel, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, marches in front of the colors during his Silver Star award ceremony, Dec. 14, 2011. Goebel was awarded the Silver Star for actions while he was in Afghanistan with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. Goebel was shot in the neck while on post in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Ignoring his wound, he returned fire and refused medical attention until he was properly relieved. Goebel will return to Afghanistan next year with 2nd Battalion.

U.S. Marines from 2nd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment stand atop Patrol Base Barcha following a security patrol here, Dec. 12. The Marines pictured (left to right) are Lance Cpl. James Blomstran and his improvised explosive device detection dog Sage, Sgt. Matt Garst and Lance Cpls. Ryan Gerrity and Nicholas Dumke. The four Marines saved nine Afghans from a canal during a Dec. 2 night patrol. Near the end of their patrol, a vehicle carrying an Afghan family struck an Afghan National Army soldier and sent both plunging into the frigid canal. The ANA soldiers provided security while the 2nd Platoon Marines braved the swiftly moving current to recover the accident victims. Blomstran, 22, is from Cortland, Ohio; Garst, 23, is from Charlotte, N.C.; Gerrity, 21, is from Cranford, N.J.; and Dumke, 20, is from Huron, S.D. - U.S. Marines from 2nd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment stand atop Patrol Base Barcha following a security patrol here, Dec. 12. The Marines pictured (left to right) are Lance Cpl. James Blomstran and his improvised explosive device detection dog Sage, Sgt. Matt Garst and Lance Cpls. Ryan Gerrity and Nicholas Dumke. The four Marines saved nine Afghans from a canal during a Dec. 2 night patrol. Near the end of their patrol, a vehicle carrying an Afghan family struck an Afghan National Army soldier and sent both plunging into the frigid canal. The ANA soldiers provided security while the 2nd Platoon Marines braved the swiftly moving current to recover the accident victims. Blomstran, 22, is from Cortland, Ohio; Garst, 23, is from Charlotte, N.C.; Gerrity, 21, is from Cranford, N.J.; and Dumke, 20, is from Huron, S.D.

U.S. Marines with the air interdiction force composed of 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, and 2nd Bn., 11th Marines, pause for a break as a CH-53 Sea Stallion refuels during an Afghan Border Police led clearing operation here, Dec. 7. The AIF circles high in sky above, searching for suspicious vehicles or personnel, and plays a unique role in counter-insurgency operations in southern Helmand. - U.S. Marines with the air interdiction force composed of 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, and 2nd Bn., 11th Marines, pause for a break as a CH-53 Sea Stallion refuels during an Afghan Border Police led clearing operation here, Dec. 7. The AIF circles high in sky above, searching for suspicious vehicles or personnel, and plays a unique role in counter-insurgency operations in southern Helmand.

An Afghan National Army soldier and U.S. Marines stand with Sayed Gul, a 15-year old Afghan amputee, during a visit to the Baluch Jan village here, Dec. 2. The Marines ‚ (from left) Cpl. Travis Hayes, Gunnery Sgt. Todd Leahey and Staff Sgt. Christopher Balance ‚ are assigned to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, at nearby Patrol Base 00. Gul lost half of his left leg when he was struck by a 20-pound improvised explosive device in March near the patrol base. He was evacuated by helicopter to receive three weeks of advanced care at Camp Dwyer‚s Combat Support Hospital. After returning to his village and becoming extremely sick, he received life-saving care from Weapons Co. Marines and corpsmen. He returns to them weekly for continued care. ‚If the Marines weren‚t here, maybe I‚d have lost my life because nobody else would‚ve been able to help me,‚ Gul said. - An Afghan National Army soldier and U.S. Marines stand with Sayed Gul, a 15-year old Afghan amputee, during a visit to the Baluch Jan village here, Dec. 2. The Marines ‚ (from left) Cpl. Travis Hayes, Gunnery Sgt. Todd Leahey and Staff Sgt. Christopher Balance ‚ are assigned to Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, at nearby Patrol Base 00. Gul lost half of his left leg when he was struck by a 20-pound improvised explosive device in March near the patrol base. He was evacuated by helicopter to receive three weeks of advanced care at Camp Dwyer‚s Combat Support Hospital. After returning to his village and becoming extremely sick, he received life-saving care from Weapons Co. Marines and corpsmen. He returns to them weekly for continued care. ‚If the Marines weren‚t here, maybe I‚d have lost my life because nobody else would‚ve been able to help me,‚ Gul said.