Marines and sailors with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, patrol Khwaja Majal, Afghanistan with members of the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police Nov. 2. The Marines and Afghan forces visited Khwaja Majal to meet some of the village's elders and distribute items to the area's youth (photo by Cpl. Zachary Nola)

Army Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, and U.S. Army Forces Command, patrol the Waterpur Valley in Afghanistan's Kunar province, Nov. 3. International Security Assistance Force service members continue to provide humanitarian relief and security assistance to the province's people and government. (photo by Sgt. Matthew Moeller)

The Queen Palace of Afghanistan is seen on top of a hill in the south side of Kabul, Afghanistan, July 23, 2009. At one point in history, Afghanistan used to have its own queen and king and each one used to have their own palace. The palaces still exist, but they were heavily damaged after the Afghan-Russian War in the 1980s. (photo by Sgt. Teddy Wade)

Mauritius National Coast Guard French made Allouete Class III helicopter land on the flight deck of USS Arleigh Burke, Aug. 3, during flight operations training as part of the Africa Partnership Station. (photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Gary Keen)

An ecstatic girl enjoys a tour of a KC-135 Stratotanker during the annual 376th Air Expeditionary Wing-hosted Embassy Family Day, May 23, 2009, at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan. State Department and Kyrgyz employees from the U.S. Embassy shared camaraderie and fun with wing members at a softball game, picnic and base tour put on by the 376th AEW. Visitors also enjoyed demonstrations by the explosive ordnance disposal flight and military working dog team.

Amphibious assault vehicles carrying Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. Marines return to the dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry after a combined amphibious landing exercise as part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2009. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance the operational readiness of the participating forces.

U.S. Army Sgt. Edward Westfield from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army Europe leads his fire team back to base after a dismounted patrol mission near Forward Operating Base Baylough in the Zabul province of Afghanistan on March 20, 2009. (photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Mancini)

Marines with second platoon of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan, conduct a patrol in Golestan, Farah province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, March 13. Second platoon trains and mentors the Afghan national police of Golestan and provides security for the people of the area while conducting counterinsurgency operations. The Marines routinely engage the local populace to gain intelligence on insurgent activities in the area as they patrol through the streets of the local bazaar and villages. (photo by Lance Cpl. Brian D. Jones)

U.S. Navy Seaman David Neiman, left, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Apolinar Garcia prepare to move a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter during evening flight operations aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex in the Gulf of Thailand, Feb. 25, 2009. (photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Greg Johnson)

Members of a U.S. Navy visit, board, search and seizure team from the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain pull alongside the guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans during a training exercise in the Pacific Ocean, Feb. 13, 2009. The USS Lake Champlain and Sullivans are on a scheduled deployment in the western Pacific Ocean supporting global maritime security. (photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Barker)

Ukrainian soldiers roll their national flag prior to casing it during an end of mission ceremony at Camp Echo Dec. 9. (photo by Sgt. Rodney Foliente)

Old boats and rafts sit on display at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Lighthouse museum. The worn and dilapidated boats and rafts were once used by Cuban and Haitian refugees seeking economic and political asylum (photo by Spc. Erica Isaacson)

These arches once stood as doorways to shops, now are remnants of a past culture in the Shrine of Hatra, in Hatra, Iraq, Nov. 20. Hatra is one of three areas in Iraq that is a World Heritage site. (photo by Staff Sgt. JoAnn Makinano)

Family members wait while the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher returns to her homeport of Naval Station Norfolk, Nov. 22. After participating in Joint Warrior Exercise 08-2 a multinational, multi-warfare exercise designed to improve interoperability between allied navies and prepare them for combined operations during upcoming deployments. The biannual exercise serves as the United Kingdom's advanced certification course and is on par with a U.S. Joint Task Force exercise used to certify U.S. Navy ships. (photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Todd Stafford)

Iraqi army Capt. Mohamad, maintenance company commander, 2nd Tank Battalion, 34th Armor Brigade, 9th IA Division, ground guides another IA soldier driving a T-72 Main Battle Tank, “Lion of Babylon,” at the unit’s motorpool on Camp Taji, northwest of Baghdad, Oct. 4. Czech Republic army contingent soldiers help the IA soldiers fix, maintain and train on the tanks. (photo by Sgt. 1st Class Christina Bhatti)

Maj. Gen. Martin Post, deputy commanding general, Multi National Force - West looks at M1A1 Abrams Tanks before talking with Marines of 1st Tank Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Combat Outpost Mudaysis on Oct. 3, 2008. Marines with 1st Tanks are currently engaged in operations as Team Tank in support of Operation Al Anbar Border Initiative in order to ensure safety and deter insurgent activity. (photo by Cpl. Seth Maggard)

Soldiers from 4th Infantry Division and Multi-National Division – Baghdad, along with Airmen, Sailors, firemen and civilians, gathered in front of MND-B headquarters, Sept. 11, 2008, during a Patriot Day Observance to honor and remember the individuals who lost their lives on the horrific day seven years ago and the heroes who came forth to serve in a time of need. (photo by Pfc. Lyndsey Dransfield)

Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin Leonard, aviation structural mechanic, checks the T56A-14 turboprop engine on a P-3C Orion aircraft to ensure that it is clear of debris, Sept. 9, 2008, at an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia. The P-3 aircraft provides surveillance of the battlespace, either at sea or over land. Its long range and long loiter time have proved invaluable assets during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom as it can view the battlespace and instantaneously provide that information to ground troops, especially U.S. Marines. (photo by Staff Sgt. Darnell Cannady)