U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 3D Amphibian Assault Battalion, 15TH Marine Expeditionary Unit, land their AAVPV7 amphibious assault crafts on to the well deck aboard the USS Comstock (LSD-45), Mar. 26, 2012. The landing is part of a 12 nautical-mile test to prove the vehicle's capabilities and viability to the U.S. Marine Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jonathan Ross Waldman/Not Reviewed) - U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 3D Amphibian Assault Battalion, 15TH Marine Expeditionary Unit, land their AAVPV7 amphibious assault crafts on to the well deck aboard the USS Comstock (LSD-45), Mar. 26, 2012. The landing is part of a 12 nautical-mile test to prove the vehicle's capabilities and viability to the U.S. Marine Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jonathan Ross Waldman/Not Reviewed)

ON MARCH 9, 2012 3DAABN ENJOYED BRINGING THEIR CHILDREN TO WORK FOR THE DAY. DURING THE DAY THEY PARTICIPATED IN A WIDE ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES WHERE THE KIDS WERE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THEIR DADS DID ON A DAILY BASIS." - ON MARCH 9, 2012 3DAABN ENJOYED BRINGING THEIR CHILDREN TO WORK FOR THE DAY. DURING THE DAY THEY PARTICIPATED IN A WIDE ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES WHERE THE KIDS WERE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THEIR DADS DID ON A DAILY BASIS."

Sergeant Ricardo A. Monge, a section chief with 3rd Platoon, Tango Battery, 5th Bn., 11th Marine Regiment, arms the training module of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System during a dry-fire drill here, Feb. 26. Monge, a 24-year-old native of Los Angeles, leads a three-man launcher team in daily drills to increase their response time to support requests. The HIMARS allows the Marines to support fire missions within minutes and deliver precision fire within one meter of the target location. - Sergeant Ricardo A. Monge, a section chief with 3rd Platoon, Tango Battery, 5th Bn., 11th Marine Regiment, arms the training module of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System during a dry-fire drill here, Feb. 26. Monge, a 24-year-old native of Los Angeles, leads a three-man launcher team in daily drills to increase their response time to support requests. The HIMARS allows the Marines to support fire missions within minutes and deliver precision fire within one meter of the target location.

Corporal Joshua Brooks, a Marine serving with Team 3, Civil Affairs Detachment 11-2, greets students as they arrive for school here Feb. 25, 2012. The Marines of Team 3 provided guidance to the local government here to help them construct a new school. Brooks said visiting the school is the highlight of his deployment. The current school is made of mud and mortar, is overcrowded and only has enough capacity to hold up to sixth grade. The new school will have up to eighth grade and have more than enough room for students and teachers. Brooks is from Celeste, Texas, and is serving under Regimental Combat Team 5 and alongside 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in Helmand province. - Corporal Joshua Brooks, a Marine serving with Team 3, Civil Affairs Detachment 11-2, greets students as they arrive for school here Feb. 25, 2012. The Marines of Team 3 provided guidance to the local government here to help them construct a new school. Brooks said visiting the school is the highlight of his deployment. The current school is made of mud and mortar, is overcrowded and only has enough capacity to hold up to sixth grade. The new school will have up to eighth grade and have more than enough room for students and teachers. Brooks is from Celeste, Texas, and is serving under Regimental Combat Team 5 and alongside 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in Helmand province.

Sgt. Ricardo A. Monge, a launcher chief with 3rd Platoon, Tango Battery, 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, receives information from the fire direction center during a dry-fire drill for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System here, Feb. 26. Monge, a 24-year-old native of Los Angeles, leads a three-man launcher team in daily drills to increase their response time to support requests. The HIMARS allows the Marines to support fire missions within minutes and deliver precision fire within one meter of the target location. - Sgt. Ricardo A. Monge, a launcher chief with 3rd Platoon, Tango Battery, 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, receives information from the fire direction center during a dry-fire drill for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System here, Feb. 26. Monge, a 24-year-old native of Los Angeles, leads a three-man launcher team in daily drills to increase their response time to support requests. The HIMARS allows the Marines to support fire missions within minutes and deliver precision fire within one meter of the target location.

Capt. Jesse Hills, the team leader of Team 3, Civil Affairs Detachment 11-2, climbs a dump truck to inspect the contents during a patrol in Khan Neshin, Afghanistan, Feb. 29, 2012. The truck was carrying gravel to place over a culvert in the road. Afghans are currently paving a road in Khan Neshin, equipped with culverts to allow canals to pass though to the surrounding farms. The road is a civil affairs –initiated project to help the locals build an infrastructure on their own. Hills is a 28-year-old native of Terre Haute, Ind., who served as an intelligence officer with 11th Marine Regiment before detaching to the civil affairs team. - Capt. Jesse Hills, the team leader of Team 3, Civil Affairs Detachment 11-2, climbs a dump truck to inspect the contents during a patrol in Khan Neshin, Afghanistan, Feb. 29, 2012. The truck was carrying gravel to place over a culvert in the road. Afghans are currently paving a road in Khan Neshin, equipped with culverts to allow canals to pass though to the surrounding farms. The road is a civil affairs –initiated project to help the locals build an infrastructure on their own. Hills is a 28-year-old native of Terre Haute, Ind., who served as an intelligence officer with 11th Marine Regiment before detaching to the civil affairs team.

Afghan National Army Sgt. Dunya Gul, a squad leader with 2nd Tolai, 3rd Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 215th Corps, looks through his Leopold Mark 4 telescopic sight during advance marksmanship training here, Feb. 24. The top shooters from 3rd Kandak were selected to learn precision shooting from scout snipers with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. The Marines chose the best students to serve as marksmanship instructors and pass on their new skills to other Afghan soldiers. - Afghan National Army Sgt. Dunya Gul, a squad leader with 2nd Tolai, 3rd Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 215th Corps, looks through his Leopold Mark 4 telescopic sight during advance marksmanship training here, Feb. 24. The top shooters from 3rd Kandak were selected to learn precision shooting from scout snipers with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. The Marines chose the best students to serve as marksmanship instructors and pass on their new skills to other Afghan soldiers.