A Marine serving with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion helps a simulated hostage to safety after clearing the house he was held in by enemy combatants during a mission rehearsal exercise here, Aug. 20, 2013. Marines responded to simulated small-arms fire and artillery rounds with suppressing fire and patrols through the area. An evaluator followed each squad of Marines and assessed their various skills including tactics, coordination and execution during the mission. - A Marine serving with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion helps a simulated hostage to safety after clearing the house he was held in by enemy combatants during a mission rehearsal exercise here, Aug. 20, 2013. Marines responded to simulated small-arms fire and artillery rounds with suppressing fire and patrols through the area. An evaluator followed each squad of Marines and assessed their various skills including tactics, coordination and execution during the mission.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Faye Jonason (left), the museum officer of 1st Marine Division, shows Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift’s granddaughter and great granddaughter, Vallerey and Serina Vandegrift, photographs of the history of Camp Pendelton during a visit here, Aug. 27, 2013. General Vandegrift was a Medal of Honor recipient and commanded the division during 1942 in its first ground offensive of World War II, the Battle of Guadalcanal. - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Faye Jonason (left), the museum officer of 1st Marine Division, shows Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift’s granddaughter and great granddaughter, Vallerey and Serina Vandegrift, photographs of the history of Camp Pendelton during a visit here, Aug. 27, 2013. General Vandegrift was a Medal of Honor recipient and commanded the division during 1942 in its first ground offensive of World War II, the Battle of Guadalcanal.

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – Marines serving with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, prepare to breach an enemy compound while conducting a mock raid during the Integrated Training Exercise here, Aug. 12, 2013. The Marines assume a supporting role while deployed to Afghanistan by letting the ANA and the Afghan National Police lead in combat operations. The ITX is a training exercise held to prepare Marines prior to their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. - MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. – Marines serving with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, prepare to breach an enemy compound while conducting a mock raid during the Integrated Training Exercise here, Aug. 12, 2013. The Marines assume a supporting role while deployed to Afghanistan by letting the ANA and the Afghan National Police lead in combat operations. The ITX is a training exercise held to prepare Marines prior to their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.

Corporal Edwin Aguinaldo, section chief, Kilo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, supervises a fire mission during the 11th Marines fire exercise here, Aug. 22, 2013. Eleventh Marines, an artillery regiment comprised of four battalions, demonstrated their ability to shoot, move and communicate to support of 1st Marine Division during a large-scale, live-fire training exercise, Aug. 19 through 28. Aguinaldo is a native of Kapolei, Hawaii. - Corporal Edwin Aguinaldo, section chief, Kilo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, supervises a fire mission during the 11th Marines fire exercise here, Aug. 22, 2013. Eleventh Marines, an artillery regiment comprised of four battalions, demonstrated their ability to shoot, move and communicate to support of 1st Marine Division during a large-scale, live-fire training exercise, Aug. 19 through 28. Aguinaldo is a native of Kapolei, Hawaii.

Colonel Stephen Liszewski, commanding officer, 11th Marine Regiment, briefs Marines serving with India Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, on their performance during a 10-day artillery training exercise here, Aug. 23, 2013. Marines with the entire regiment conducted the live-fire training exercise from Aug. 19 through 28. - Colonel Stephen Liszewski, commanding officer, 11th Marine Regiment, briefs Marines serving with India Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, on their performance during a 10-day artillery training exercise here, Aug. 23, 2013. Marines with the entire regiment conducted the live-fire training exercise from Aug. 19 through 28.

A Marine serving with with Alpha Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, posts security during a night raid for a mission rehearsal exercise here, Aug. 19, 2013. The MRX tested the Marines ability to organize and move within their fire teams while coordinating with their command element. - A Marine serving with with Alpha Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, posts security during a night raid for a mission rehearsal exercise here, Aug. 19, 2013. The MRX tested the Marines ability to organize and move within their fire teams while coordinating with their command element.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Sergeant Maj. Clifford Wiggins, the former sergeant major of 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, hands a noncommissioned officer sword to Lt. Col. William Blanchard, the commanding officer of 3rd AABn., as Sgt. Maj. Michael P. Woods (left) takes over as battalion sergeant major during a relief and appointment ceremony here, Aug. 23, 2013. Relief and appointment ceremonies are one of the many traditions upheld in the Marine Corps today, which involves the passing of the noncommissioned officer sword from the outgoing sergeant major to the oncoming. The passing of the sword signifies the transfer of responsibility and entails the transfer of total accountability and authority, from one senior enlisted Marine to another. The sword thus continues as the personification of military tradition and is entrusted to those most responsible for maintaining it. - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Sergeant Maj. Clifford Wiggins, the former sergeant major of 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, hands a noncommissioned officer sword to Lt. Col. William Blanchard, the commanding officer of 3rd AABn., as Sgt. Maj. Michael P. Woods (left) takes over as battalion sergeant major during a relief and appointment ceremony here, Aug. 23, 2013. Relief and appointment ceremonies are one of the many traditions upheld in the Marine Corps today, which involves the passing of the noncommissioned officer sword from the outgoing sergeant major to the oncoming. The passing of the sword signifies the transfer of responsibility and entails the transfer of total accountability and authority, from one senior enlisted Marine to another. The sword thus continues as the personification of military tradition and is entrusted to those most responsible for maintaining it.

Marines serving with Alpha Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, load 25 mm rounds into the M242 Bushmaster machine gun during a training exercise here, Aug. 20, 2013. The purpose of the exercise was to cross train the riflemen serving with 1st LAR on the weapons systems of the light armored vehicle. The riflemen must know how to operate and maintain the light armored vehicles' weapons systems in preparation for future combat operations. - Marines serving with Alpha Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, load 25 mm rounds into the M242 Bushmaster machine gun during a training exercise here, Aug. 20, 2013. The purpose of the exercise was to cross train the riflemen serving with 1st LAR on the weapons systems of the light armored vehicle. The riflemen must know how to operate and maintain the light armored vehicles' weapons systems in preparation for future combat operations.

A gun grew serving with India Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, provided preventative maintenance to an M777 Lightweight Howitzer at the 11th Marines gun park here, Aug. 14, 2013. The field artillery Marines prepped the howitzer for the upcoming regimental fire exercise Aug. 19 through 28. - A gun grew serving with India Battery, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, provided preventative maintenance to an M777 Lightweight Howitzer at the 11th Marines gun park here, Aug. 14, 2013. The field artillery Marines prepped the howitzer for the upcoming regimental fire exercise Aug. 19 through 28.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Corporal William S. Hall, combat engineer, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, performs a situp during a combat conditioning exercise as part of the Martial Arts Instructor Course here, July 30, 2013. Hall, a native of Paducah, Ky., completed situps, pushups, and burpees with teammates while an individual Marine crawled and jumped around a circuit course. Teammates relied on each other to quickly complete the circuit course and progress through the exercise.(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jacob H. Harrer) - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Corporal William S. Hall, combat engineer, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, performs a situp during a combat conditioning exercise as part of the Martial Arts Instructor Course here, July 30, 2013. Hall, a native of Paducah, Ky., completed situps, pushups, and burpees with teammates while an individual Marine crawled and jumped around a circuit course. Teammates relied on each other to quickly complete the circuit course and progress through the exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jacob H. Harrer)