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Staff Sgt. Jedidiah S. Koch, saxophone player, 2nd Marine Division Band, plays a solo for hundreds of crowd members at the Klein Auditorium in Bridgeport Conn., Oct. 8. The band traveled to Bridgeport for multiple Columbus Day celebrations held by the city. - Staff Sgt. Jedidiah S. Koch, saxophone player, 2nd Marine Division Band, plays a solo for hundreds of crowd members at the Klein Auditorium in Bridgeport Conn., Oct. 8. The band traveled to Bridgeport for multiple Columbus Day celebrations held by the city.

Cpl. Alexander Beaver, gun chief, gun 3, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, shouts commands to the Marines on his gun in order to shoot rounds off. The Marines of 10th Marine Regiment participated in a training exercise called Rolling Thunder, where they went to Army Base Fort Bragg for three days and fine tuned their artillery skills. - Cpl. Alexander Beaver, gun chief, gun 3, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, shouts commands to the Marines on his gun in order to shoot rounds off. The Marines of 10th Marine Regiment participated in a training exercise called Rolling Thunder, where they went to Army Base Fort Bragg for three days and fine tuned their artillery skills.

M777 howitzers lie in wait at the end of another day, ready to send rounds down range at any moment. The artillerymen of Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, are always on call. They live feet from the gun line, ensuring they are suppressing the enemy within minutes when the call comes for fire support comes in - M777 howitzers lie in wait at the end of another day, ready to send rounds down range at any moment. The artillerymen of Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, are always on call. They live feet from the gun line, ensuring they are suppressing the enemy within minutes when the call comes for fire support comes in

Manassas, Va., native Cpl. Alonso Arviso (left), an assistant section chief with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, observes an Afghan National Army soldier with 4th Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps as he fires rounds down range. The Afghan soldiers spent three days in the desert working with the 122 mm howitzer D-30 artillery cannons to increase the soldiers’ confidence with the weapon system. - Manassas, Va., native Cpl. Alonso Arviso (left), an assistant section chief with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, observes an Afghan National Army soldier with 4th Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps as he fires rounds down range. The Afghan soldiers spent three days in the desert working with the 122 mm howitzer D-30 artillery cannons to increase the soldiers’ confidence with the weapon system.

New Orleans native Cpl. Mason Panyko, an artilleryman with 1st Battalion, 12 Marine Regiment, made becoming a Marine his goal after his uncle, a former Marine, helped him graduate high school. Panyko is now an artillery recorder, responsible for listening to, recording and repeating fire mission commands and keeping track of ammunition in order to ensure rounds are on target. - New Orleans native Cpl. Mason Panyko, an artilleryman with 1st Battalion, 12 Marine Regiment, made becoming a Marine his goal after his uncle, a former Marine, helped him graduate high school. Panyko is now an artillery recorder, responsible for listening to, recording and repeating fire mission commands and keeping track of ammunition in order to ensure rounds are on target.

Cpl. Cody Walker, military police, MP Company, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, serves the ball while competing in a volleyball match during the Headquarters Battalion End of Summer Beach Bash held at Onslow Beach aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 6. The beach bash offered the Marines a number of competitions including volleyball, tug o’ war, horseshoes and finally an egg toss. - Cpl. Cody Walker, military police, MP Company, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, serves the ball while competing in a volleyball match during the Headquarters Battalion End of Summer Beach Bash held at Onslow Beach aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 6. The beach bash offered the Marines a number of competitions including volleyball, tug o’ war, horseshoes and finally an egg toss.

Spouses of Marines with 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, prepare to ride on an amphibious assault vehicle to an obstacle course at Courthouse Bay aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 6. The spouses participated in a Jayne Wayne Day to get a taste of Marine life. - Spouses of Marines with 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, prepare to ride on an amphibious assault vehicle to an obstacle course at Courthouse Bay aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 6. The spouses participated in a Jayne Wayne Day to get a taste of Marine life.

David Potts, a former Marine, pretends to command a humvee during a Vietnam veterans reunion aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 7, 2011. During the reunion junior Marines familiarized Potts and other veterans with Marine equipment such as the humvee and M777 Howitzer. - David Potts, a former Marine, pretends to command a humvee during a Vietnam veterans reunion aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 7, 2011. During the reunion junior Marines familiarized Potts and other veterans with Marine equipment such as the humvee and M777 Howitzer.

The traditional battlefield memorial cross, a statue of a rifle, combat boots and identification tags, symbolizing the sacrifice made by fallen Marines, stands on display during a memorial service for fallen members of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Oct. 5, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Next to each of the statues stood a portrait by which their fellow Marines could remember the faces of the men who gave the ultimate sacrifice. - The traditional battlefield memorial cross, a statue of a rifle, combat boots and identification tags, symbolizing the sacrifice made by fallen Marines, stands on display during a memorial service for fallen members of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Oct. 5, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Next to each of the statues stood a portrait by which their fellow Marines could remember the faces of the men who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Sgt. Jason Yoon, 4th platoon guide, Company F, Anti-Terrorism Battalion attached to 2nd Marine Division, prepares to perform a take down while conducting Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Sept. 22. “I’m still not certain if we’re going to deploy or not,” said Yoon “But either way I’m walking away with my degree in hand and will do whatever it takes to reach my goal and receive a commission as an officer in the Navy.” - Sgt. Jason Yoon, 4th platoon guide, Company F, Anti-Terrorism Battalion attached to 2nd Marine Division, prepares to perform a take down while conducting Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Sept. 22. “I’m still not certain if we’re going to deploy or not,” said Yoon “But either way I’m walking away with my degree in hand and will do whatever it takes to reach my goal and receive a commission as an officer in the Navy.”