TIME OF REMEMBRANCE

Adm. Mike G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, greets one of the children of the nation's fallen heroes at the Fourth Annual Time of Remembrance ceremony at the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Sept. 26, 2009. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin S. O'Brien

DESERT DUST

A U.S. soldier from 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 9th Engineer Battalion, braves a cloud of dust during operations near the Iraq-Iran border, Sept. 22, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brien Vorhees

SOLEMN SALUTE

Joseph Kovac, a retired sailor and Veterans of Foreign Wars past commander, salutes one of many color guards in the John Basilone Parade in Raritan, N.J., Sept. 27, 2009. The parade, the largest military parade in the nation, honors Basilone, a Marine gunnery sergeant native to the town, who received a Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross for actions in Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Randall Clinton

HUT UP

U.S. Navy Seabees raise a wall panel for a Southwest Asia hut for a combat logistics regiment project on Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Sept. 16, 2009 The Seabees are assigned to Charlie Company, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 74, which is constructing the third of four huts for the project. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan G. Wilber

PENTAGON BRIEFING

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell briefs the press on U.S. military aid to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in the Islands of Samoa, Sept. 30, 2009. Morrell said the U.S Navy Frigate Ingrahm was en route along with two Air Force transport aircraft loaded with relief supplies. DoD photo by R. D. Ward

SHAKE ON IT

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Travers Brake, left, thanks Mohammad Ahmed, one of the elders of the Zwaynat village southwest of Baghdad, for meeting with him, Sept. 16, 2009. Brake met with Ahmed to check on the well-being of the villagers since explosives were found in the area a week earlier. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ruth McClary

HELO WATCH

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Sellars, Massachusetts Army National Guard commander, observes five UH-60 Mike-variant helicopters conduct flight-deck landing qualifications aboard the helicopter landing trainer Baylander prior to an overseas deployment, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., Sept. 17, 2009. U.S. Navy photo by Mike O'Connor

SHINKOWAK PATROL

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Aaron Malcolm speaks with locals from the village of Shinkowak, Afghanistan, during a patrol, Sept. 19, 2009. Malcolm is a platoon leader assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Allison