U.S. Army Capt. Justin Sax, left, and Afghan National Police Col. Shams, draw a map to discuss security before the Afghan national elections in Barge Matal in Nuristan province, Afghanistan, Aug. 19, 2009. U.S. troops provided security for the outer Barge Matal area. Sax is assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Allison
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class William Lowry, center, and U.S. Marines speak with Afghans during a census patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2009. Lowry, a Navy corpsman, and the Marines are assigned to Delta Company, 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Pete Thibodeau
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Oscar De Lira sits on a light armored vehicle in the morning sun prior to live-fire training at a gunnery range area near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Aug. 17, 2009. De Lira is a light armored vehicle driver assigned to Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit is ashore conducting sustainment training in Kuwait and serving as the theater reserve force for U.S. Central Command. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Justin M. Martinez
U.S. Marine combat engineers prepare to leave for a demolition course at a training area near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Aug, 17, 2009. The Marines are assigned to the Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit is ashore conducting sustainment training in Kuwait and is currently serving as the theater reserve force for U.S. Central Command. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Theodore W. Ritchie
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Wesley Nokes directs fire to the enemy compound across a large, muddy field just after insurgents ambushed the Marines' patrol in Garmsir district in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 13, 2009. Nokes is a saw gunner assigned to Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. The fight lasted six hours and was the longest since July 4 here. U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Kurt Stahl
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Chris Reynolds runs his German shepherd, Baiky, through a training obstacle course on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Aug. 7, 2009. Reynolds, a dog handler assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron patrols the base with his dog to inspect mail, luggage and vehicles for narcotics. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
A cache of materials to make improvised explosive devices sits in a compound recently occupied by insurgents in Garmsir district, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 10, 2009. U.S. Marines discovered the materials during a patrol. U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Kurt Stahl
The widow of Capt.Michael Scott Speicher, Joanne Speicher Harris, places flowers on Speicher's coffin on Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Fla., Aug. 13, 2009. Speicher was killed when his F/A-18 Hornet was shot down over Anbar province, Iraq, on Jan. 17, 1991, the first day of Desert Storm's offensive operations. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Anthony C. Casullo
