Photos

Lance Cpl. Rex Bellomy, an infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, embraces his wife upon the battalion’s return from Afghanistan Oct. 15, 2013, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The battalion deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in April 2013 to Afghanistan.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Miami native, Cpl. Ruben Varela, a mortarman with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division holds his son for the first time aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune after being deployed to Afghanistan since April 2013. The battalion was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Navy Seaman Tyler Sack, a corpsman with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, smiles with his mother, Robyn, after returning from Afghanistan aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Oct. 15, 2013. Sack’s family traveled from their home in St. Louis to welcome their son from a successful deployment. The battalion deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

An M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, rolls through Range SR-10, during a training exercise with an RQ-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Oct. 15, 2013. The tank crews worked alongside scouts, who controlled the UAVs. The UAVs collected reconnaissance on the enemy and relayed the information to the tank crews before they headed they attacked the objective.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

Smoke exits the main gun of an M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, after it fires the main gun at Range SR-10, during a training exercise with an RQ-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Oct. 15, 2013. The tank crews worked alongside scouts, who controlled the UAVs. The UAVs collected reconnaissance on the enemy and relayed the information to the tank crews before they attacked the objective.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

An RQ-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, from 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, lays on the observation tower during a training exercise with M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, Oct. 15, 2013. “The Ravens give you a good birds-eye view, they receive reconnaissance that can be too far out to see,” said Cpl. Peter J. Richter, a Raven operator with Scouts, 2nd Tanks, and Native of Dexter, Mich. “They also are very good for locating and navigating bad terrain such as swamps.”

Photo by Lance Cpl. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

Staff Sgt. Forrest Purdy, a platoon sergeant with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, kisses his wife, Carolyn, after returning from Afghanistan Oct. 15, 2013, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Second Battalion, 8th Marines deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in April 2013.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Smoke covers an M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, after it fires the main gun at Range SR-10, during a training exercise with an RQ-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Oct. 15, 2013. The tank crews worked alongside scouts, who controlled the UAVs. The UAVs collected reconnaissance on the enemy and relayed the information to the tank crews before they attacked the objective.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

Corporal Matthew Moores, is a tank gunner serving with 2nd Tank Battalion stands on top of his M1A1 Abrams tank here, Oct. 10, 2013. Moores, a 29 year-old native of Newark, Del., named his tank Mulligan to show that it is his second tank.

Photo by Cpl. Corey Dabney

Marines serving with Delta Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, stand in front of their M1A1 Abrams after they conducted a range here, Oct. 10, 2013. The Marines in the tank crew decided to name the tank Mulligan to after they lost their first tank to an improvised explosive device.

Photo by Cpl. Corey Dabney

Corporal Justin Rea, an infantryman with Company C, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, rushes into a room to clear the building during military operations in urban terrain training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Oct. 7, 2013. First Battalion, 2nd Marines held a battalion-level field exercise Sept. 28 – Oct. 9, marking the first battalion-size training event since December 2012.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Corporal George Lynch, a squad leader with Company C, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division briefs his squad before clearing a building during military operations in urban terrain training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Oct. 7, 2013. The squad practiced security patrols throughout the MOUT town and practiced using proper technique to clear rooms one-by-one.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Lance Cpl. William Long, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, provides security for his squad during military operations in urban terrain training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Oct. 7, 2013. First Battalion, 2nd Marines held a battalion-level field exercise Sept. 28 – Oct. 9, marking the first battalion-size training event since December 2012.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Marines with Delta Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, fires their new multi-purpose high explosive round during a range here, Oct. 10, 2013. The Marines of the battalion have been in Afghanistan since July supporting the infantry.

Photo by Cpl. Corey Dabney

Sgt. Maj. Bryan Zickefoose, 2nd Marine Division sergeant major, shakes the hand of the John A. Lejeune Award winner, Sgt. Samuel Fergmeshnick, during the 7th annual American Heroes Awards ceremony hosted at Sywanyks Scarlet and Gold night club Oct. 4, 2013. Fergmeshnick was considered with five other contestants from the major supporting elements of II Marine Expeditionary Force for the award and was chosen by a board of five Sgt. Maj.'s to be the recipient. Fergmeshnick was chosen to receive the Award of Bravery for heroic acts in combat during a recent Deployment to Afghanistan, where he saved the lives of fellow Marines. . The awards are presented by Mainstreet, an organization of local business leaders to honor their heroes.

Photo by PFC Dalton Precht

Sgt. Samuel Fergmeshnick, a Rifleman with 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, stands at attention awaiting to receive the John A. Lejeune Award of Bravery for heroic acts in combat during a recent Deployment to Afghanistan, where he saved the lives of fellow Marines. Marines from major supporting elements of II Marine Expeditionary Force were honored during the 7th Annual American Hero Awards at Sywanyks Scarlet and Gold Night Club, Oct. 4, 2013. The awards are presented by Mainstreet, an organization of local business leaders to honor their heroes.

Photo by PFC Dalton Precht

Dust flies off of an M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, after it fires the M256 120mm Smoothbore Gun at Range SR-10 Oct. 2, 2013. The Marines with 2nd Tanks conducted a course of fire of 10 shooting engagements consisting of offensive and defensive actions, against stationary and moving targets, with the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, coaxial mounted M240 machine gun and the 120mm main gun. Each scenario was different and some contained handicaps, which degraded the crew’s ability to easily engage and destroy targets, such as not allowing use of the main gun or removing the crew’s ability to use the GPS and its sights, according to GySgt Larry B Saxman Jr., the battalion master gunner.

Photo by Lance Cpl.

Marines with 2nd tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, keep the barrel of an M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank pointed down range at Range SR-10, Oct. 2, 2013. The Marines with 2nd Tanks conducted a course of fire of 10 shooting engagements consisting of offensive and defensive actions, against stationary and moving targets, with the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, coaxial mounted M240 machine gun and the 120mm main gun. Each scenario was different and some contained handicaps, which degraded the crew’s ability to easily engage and destroy targets, such as not allowing use of the main gun or removing the crew’s ability to use the GPS and its sights, according to GySgt Larry B Saxman Jr., the battalion master gunner.

Photo by Lance Cpl.

An M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, waits its turn to engage targets at Range SR-10, Oct. 2, 2013. The Marines with 2nd Tanks conducted a course of fire of 10 shooting engagements consisting of offensive and defensive actions, against stationary and moving targets, with the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, coaxial mounted M240 machine gun and the 120mm main gun. Each scenario was different and some contained handicaps, which degraded the crew’s ability to easily engage and destroy targets, such as not allowing use of the main gun or removing the crew’s ability to use the GPS and its sights, according to GySgt Larry B Saxman Jr., the battalion master gunner.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

A M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, drives down Range SR-10 to its next battle position Oct. 2, 2013. The Marines with 2nd Tanks conducted a course of fire of 10 shooting engagements consisting of offensive and defensive actions, against stationary and moving targets, with the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, coaxial mounted M240 machine gun and the 120mm main gun. Each scenario was different and some contained handicaps, which degraded the crew’s ability to easily engage and destroy targets, such as not allowing use of the main gun or removing the crew’s ability to use the GPS and its sights, according to GySgt Larry B Saxman Jr., the battalion master gunner.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Jose A. Mendez Jr.