MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 13, 2005) – Marines with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division received Under Armour t-shirts and socks here June 14, from Operation Troop Appreciation, a non-profit organization founded by Kristen Holloway. - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 13, 2005) – Marines with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division received Under Armour t-shirts and socks here June 14, from Operation Troop Appreciation, a non-profit organization founded by Kristen Holloway.

HIT, Iraq- (June 28, 2005) A Marine with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Company L searches an Iraqi man during a sweep of the city of Hit during Operation Sword. The operation was conducted to destroy insurgency leadership strong points. The Marines of 2nd Marine Division conducted counter-insurgency operations with Iraqi Security Forces to isolate and neutralize anti-coalition forces. U.S. Marine Corps photo Cpl. Eric C. Ely (RELEASED) - HIT, Iraq- (June 28, 2005) A Marine with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Company L searches an Iraqi man during a sweep of the city of Hit during Operation Sword. The operation was conducted to destroy insurgency leadership strong points. The Marines of 2nd Marine Division conducted counter-insurgency operations with Iraqi Security Forces to isolate and neutralize anti-coalition forces. U.S. Marine Corps photo Cpl. Eric C. Ely (RELEASED)

CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq - Staff Sgt. George Ferguson, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment's motor transport maintenance chief, lectures a class of Iraqi soldiers here June 30. 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment motor transport personnel instructed these soldiers on topics such as how to organize a logistics convoy and perform basic preventive maintenance on their vehicles, as part of the battalion's ongoing effort to train the Iraqi Security Forces. - CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq - Staff Sgt. George Ferguson, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment's motor transport maintenance chief, lectures a class of Iraqi soldiers here June 30. 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment motor transport personnel instructed these soldiers on topics such as how to organize a logistics convoy and perform basic preventive maintenance on their vehicles, as part of the battalion's ongoing effort to train the Iraqi Security Forces.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 22, 2005) – Lance Cpl. Blake M. Benson of Lenox, Mich. was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device here, June 21, for his actions taken while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 22, 2005) – Lance Cpl. Blake M. Benson of Lenox, Mich. was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device here, June 21, for his actions taken while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division.

SAQLAWIYAH, Iraq - 2nd Lt. Jared Towles, center, 2nd Platoon commander, Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, points out a house to Iraqi soldiers in a village outside Saqlawiyah codenamed 'Shadyville' June 29. Company A personnel assisted the Iraqi Security Forces during 'Operation Shadyville,' a mission that netted several suspected insurgent supporters, two improvised explosive devices, and 50 AK-47 assault rifles. - SAQLAWIYAH, Iraq - 2nd Lt. Jared Towles, center, 2nd Platoon commander, Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, points out a house to Iraqi soldiers in a village outside Saqlawiyah codenamed 'Shadyville' June 29. Company A personnel assisted the Iraqi Security Forces during 'Operation Shadyville,' a mission that netted several suspected insurgent supporters, two improvised explosive devices, and 50 AK-47 assault rifles.

SAQLAWIYAH, Iraq - Pvt. Bryan Smith, a combat engineer with 2nd Platoon, Company A, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, uses his AN/PSS-12 metal detector to search for buried weapons and explosive devices in a village outside Saqlawiyah codenamed 'Shadyville' June 29. Combat engineers assisted Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment personnel and Iraqi Security Forces during 'Operation Shadyville,' a mission that netted several suspected insurgent supporters, two improvised explosive devices, and 50 AK-47 assault rifles. - SAQLAWIYAH, Iraq - Pvt. Bryan Smith, a combat engineer with 2nd Platoon, Company A, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, uses his AN/PSS-12 metal detector to search for buried weapons and explosive devices in a village outside Saqlawiyah codenamed 'Shadyville' June 29. Combat engineers assisted Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment personnel and Iraqi Security Forces during 'Operation Shadyville,' a mission that netted several suspected insurgent supporters, two improvised explosive devices, and 50 AK-47 assault rifles.

Hit, Al Anbar, Iraq (June 29, 2005)--A Marine with 1st platoon, Lima Co., 3/25 looks at the first weapons found in the cache during Operation Sword. (Official USMC Photo by Corporal Ken Melton) - Hit, Al Anbar, Iraq (June 29, 2005)--A Marine with 1st platoon, Lima Co., 3/25 looks at the first weapons found in the cache during Operation Sword. (Official USMC Photo by Corporal Ken Melton)

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Major General Richard A. Huck, 2nd Marine Division Commanding General visited 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment presented Gunnery Sgt. Brendan Slattery with his Purple Heart. Huck also spoke to the Marines about the job they have been doing so far. Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Athanasios L. Genos - CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Major General Richard A. Huck, 2nd Marine Division Commanding General visited 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment presented Gunnery Sgt. Brendan Slattery with his Purple Heart. Huck also spoke to the Marines about the job they have been doing so far. Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Athanasios L. Genos

II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD) - II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD)

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Lance Cpl. Juan M. Flores, a mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment stops to speak with locals using his language skills learned in the Survival Language Arabic Course he took while preparing for deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo Courtesy of Lance Cpl. Juan M. Flores. - CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Lance Cpl. Juan M. Flores, a mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment stops to speak with locals using his language skills learned in the Survival Language Arabic Course he took while preparing for deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo Courtesy of Lance Cpl. Juan M. Flores.