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CAMP HURRICANE POINT Ar Ramadi, Iraq (July 15, 2005) - Paul W. Champion, 25, of Iron Mountain, Mich., was meritoriously promoted to the rank of petty officer 2nd class during a ceremony here July 15. The hospitalman and the senior line corpsman for Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, was one of only two Sailors selected to pin on the rank meritoriously while serving in combat, under the Navy's newly mandated Combat Meritorious Advancement Program. Champion has been a corpsman for three and a half years and has served with 1st Battalion, 5th Marines for two years. He received a Navy Commendation medal with combat V device for his actions in Fallujah on April 7, 2004 with Camp Pendleton, Calif., based infantry battalion. Champion graduated from Kingsford High School in 1999 and has an Associates degree in Criminal Justice for Northern Michigan University. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan - CAMP HURRICANE POINT Ar Ramadi, Iraq (July 15, 2005) - Paul W. Champion, 25, of Iron Mountain, Mich., was meritoriously promoted to the rank of petty officer 2nd class during a ceremony here July 15. The hospitalman and the senior line corpsman for Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, was one of only two Sailors selected to pin on the rank meritoriously while serving in combat, under the Navy's newly mandated Combat Meritorious Advancement Program. Champion has been a corpsman for three and a half years and has served with 1st Battalion, 5th Marines for two years. He received a Navy Commendation medal with combat V device for his actions in Fallujah on April 7, 2004 with Camp Pendleton, Calif., based infantry battalion. Champion graduated from Kingsford High School in 1999 and has an Associates degree in Criminal Justice for Northern Michigan University. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan

AR RAMADI Iraq (July 16, 2005) - Marines with Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, search two Iraqi men at a corner store in the Al Anbar capital city July 14 during Operation Fire. Marines with the Camp Pendleton, Calif., based infantry battalion stopped traffic in various parts of the city and conducted vehicle and personnel searches during the three-hour operation, which netted the capture of seven insurgents. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan - AR RAMADI Iraq (July 16, 2005) - Marines with Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, search two Iraqi men at a corner store in the Al Anbar capital city July 14 during Operation Fire. Marines with the Camp Pendleton, Calif., based infantry battalion stopped traffic in various parts of the city and conducted vehicle and personnel searches during the three-hour operation, which netted the capture of seven insurgents. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan

Hadithah Dam, Hadithah, Iraq.-- An Azerbaijani soldier uses an Inter-Squad Radio to communicate with a lookout post. The Azerbaijanis received most of their communication equipment from the United States. Besides the company in Iraq, Azerbaijan also has troops in Kosovo and Afghanistan. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Marc Fencil) - Hadithah Dam, Hadithah, Iraq.-- An Azerbaijani soldier uses an Inter-Squad Radio to communicate with a lookout post. The Azerbaijanis received most of their communication equipment from the United States. Besides the company in Iraq, Azerbaijan also has troops in Kosovo and Afghanistan. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Marc Fencil)

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq - Marines with Truck Company, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, study together in the new Commander's Library, which was created this month to expedite professional learning and promotion for Marines deployed here. The library, located in the Truck Company dispatch office, strictly contains Marine Corps Institute books used by Marines to learn and brush up on everything from basic infantry and leadership skills to writing essays and using proper grammar. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Stephen D'Alessio (RELEASED) - CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq - Marines with Truck Company, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, study together in the new Commander's Library, which was created this month to expedite professional learning and promotion for Marines deployed here. The library, located in the Truck Company dispatch office, strictly contains Marine Corps Institute books used by Marines to learn and brush up on everything from basic infantry and leadership skills to writing essays and using proper grammar. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Stephen D'Alessio (RELEASED)

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 29, 2005) – Lance Cpls. Mario A. Castillo and Andrew J. Kilpela ultimate sacrifice is paid respect as their family and friends mourned the loss of these men during a memorial service here at the Protestant Chapel, June 29. The two were killed while fighting the Global War on Terrorism with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion. - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (June 29, 2005) – Lance Cpls. Mario A. Castillo and Andrew J. Kilpela ultimate sacrifice is paid respect as their family and friends mourned the loss of these men during a memorial service here at the Protestant Chapel, June 29. The two were killed while fighting the Global War on Terrorism with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion.

AR RAMADI Iraq (July 10, 2005) - Corporal Michael T. Wheat, a mortar man with 4th Platoon, Company W, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, checks an Iraqi man's identification card during a mission in the city here early July 10. The 21-year-old from Merkel, Texas, and fellow Marines with 3rd and 4th Platoon conducted a raid between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., during which time they captured an insurgent responsible for launching small arms and improvised explosive device(IED) attacks on coalition forces. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan - AR RAMADI Iraq (July 10, 2005) - Corporal Michael T. Wheat, a mortar man with 4th Platoon, Company W, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, checks an Iraqi man's identification card during a mission in the city here early July 10. The 21-year-old from Merkel, Texas, and fellow Marines with 3rd and 4th Platoon conducted a raid between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., during which time they captured an insurgent responsible for launching small arms and improvised explosive device(IED) attacks on coalition forces. Photo by: Cpl. Tom Sloan

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Marines from 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and 5th Civil Affairs Group and soldiers from Camp Korean Village put nets on abandoned soccer goals and have a friendly game with the local children. The Marines and soldiers handed out toys, soccer balls and hygiene items to the kids after the game (Photo by LCpl. Zachary W. Lester) - Marines from 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and 5th Civil Affairs Group and soldiers from Camp Korean Village put nets on abandoned soccer goals and have a friendly game with the local children. The Marines and soldiers handed out toys, soccer balls and hygiene items to the kids after the game (Photo by LCpl. Zachary W. Lester)

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FALLUJAH, Iraq - Lance Cpl. Anthony Lazzarotto, a team leader with 2nd Squad, 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, points out a location he wants his Marines to investigate here July 7. Company B personnel conducted Operation Hard Knock alongside Iraqi Security Forces here, during which the troops wired off entire neighborhoods and searched through each house for concealed weapons and explosives. - FALLUJAH, Iraq - Lance Cpl. Anthony Lazzarotto, a team leader with 2nd Squad, 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, points out a location he wants his Marines to investigate here July 7. Company B personnel conducted Operation Hard Knock alongside Iraqi Security Forces here, during which the troops wired off entire neighborhoods and searched through each house for concealed weapons and explosives.