Capt. Jonathan Lewenthal and Capt. Eric Scheibe, AV-8B Harrier pilots with Marine Attack Squadron 231, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), fly over southern Helmand province, Afghanistan after conducting an aerial refuel Dec. 6, 2012. VMA-231 deployed to Afghanistan to provide close air support for counter-insurgency operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Gregory Moore)

Marines with the Blue Angels and Santa bring toys for a Toys for Tots donation Dec. 3, 2012 on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. The Marines brought more than $700,000 in toy and book donations on their C-130, “Fat Albert,”€™ from donation points in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. They toys were put onto trucks for distribution to points in the affected New York area. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Aaron Hostutler)

Recruits from Charlie Company take a moment to rest after completing their last event at The Crucible, Dec. 14, 2012, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. During the two-day event the Marines will traverse 50 or more miles while using teamwork to complete tasks set in front of them. The Crucible is one of the last obstacles recruits face before receiving the eagle, globe, and anchor along with being called a Marine for the first time. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chris Griffin)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Vincent Goitortua, a rifleman with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment simulates firing a M203 during a clearing operation as part of Island Viper training exercise at Marine Corps Training Station Bellows, Hawaii, Dec. 4, 2012. Island Viper, a three week training evolution on the island of Oahu, is part of the pre-deployment training program. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kevin Jones)

Marines watch the USS Iwo Jima off the coast of Onslow Beach in Camp Lejeune, N.C., as Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct ship-to-shore operations, Dec. 18, 2012. Approximately 2,300 Marines and Sailors with the 24th MEU returned to the U.S. after being deployed for nine months as an expeditionary crisis response force with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group. They spent three days offloading from the Iwo Jima as well as the USS New York and USS Gunston Hall using amphibious vehicles, aircraft, and the Morehead City Port facility. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michael Petersheim)

Marines with Lima Battery, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, fire M777A2 Lightweight Howitzers aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Dec. 11, 2012, during Exercise Steel Knight. Steel Knight is a combined arms exercise conducted by 1st Marine Division Marines and sailors from all elements of the Marine Air Ground Task Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jason Morrison)