Photos

Bronx, N.Y., native Lance Cpl. Edwin Guaman, a team leader, with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, charges uphill with Marines while assaulting an objective during a rehearsal at Range 62, on Fort Bliss, Texas, April 5, 2014.

Photo by Cpl. Austin Long

Reading, Penn., native Pfc. Cody Troxel, a machine gunner with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, completes his weapon checks after setting up his M240 Bravo machine gun during a dry-fire training exercise at Range 62, on Fort Bliss, Texas, April 5, 2014. Even though the Marines were not shooting live ammunition, the Marines treated it as if they were in order to maintain safe habits when operating the weapon system.

Photo by Cpl. Austin Long

Reading, Penn., native Pfc. Cody Troxel, a machine gunner with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, poses behind his M240 Bravo machine gun during a dry-run exercise at Range 62, on Fort Bliss, Texas, April 5, 2014. As a machine gunner, Troxel, also works with the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, the Browning M2 .50 caliber machine gun, and the Mk-19 automatic grenade launcher.

Photo by Cpl. Austin Long

Reading, Penn., native Pfc. Cody Troxel, a machine gunner with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, gives a class on the M240 Bravo machine gun to Marines from 3rd Platoon while waiting to train at Range 62, on Fort Bliss, Texas, April 5, 2014.

Photo by Cpl. Austin Long

(From left to right) Lance Cpl. Devan M. Compton, a supply specialist, Pvt. Zachary K. Guzdek and Cpl. Jon Martin both motor transportation operators, all with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division stand guard in a fighting hole at the Combat Service Support Area in Ft. Pickett, Va., April 5, 2014. “In this occupation we are all about one shot, one kill. Out in public we can be that poster child in our Dress Blue uniform looking nice, but as a Marine, our ultimate job is to hit and kill the target,” said Staff Sgt. George Oliver, the Headquarters and Service Company gunnery sergeant.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Private First Class Saige N. Racut, a motor transportation operator with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and Cleveland native, holds his position during a foot patrol at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 5, 2014. “In this occupation we are all about one shot, one kill. Out in public we can be that poster child in our Dress Blue uniform looking nice, but as a Marine, our ultimate job is to hit the target and kill the target,” said Staff Sgt. George Oliver, the Headquarters and Service Company gunnery sergeant.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

(Middle) Corporal Keita T. Bass a motor transportation mechanic, with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, from Adel, Ga., trains as a squad leader in a foot patrol and views a map to lead his team in the right direction at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 5, 2014. “In this occupation we are all about one shot, one kill. Out in public we can be that poster child in our Dress Blue uniform looking nice, but as a Marine, our ultimate job is to hit the target and kill the target,” said Staff Sgt. George Oliver, the Headquarters and Service Company gunnery sergeant.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Private First Class Nikko E. Feliciano, a motor transportation mechanic with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, from Levittown, Penn., leads as the point man during a foot patrol at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 5, 2014. “In this occupation we are all about one shot, one kill. Out in public we can be that poster child in our Dress Blue uniform looking nice, but as a Marine, our ultimate job is to hit and kill the target,” said Staff Sgt. George Oliver, the Headquarters and Service Company gunnery sergeant.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Private First Class Saige N. Racut, a motor transportation operator with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and Cleveland native, points out what he believes to be a possible road during a foot patrol at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 5, 2014. “In this occupation we are all about one shot, one kill. Out in public we can be that poster child in our Dress Blue uniform looking nice, but as a Marine, our ultimate job is to hit and kill the target,” said Staff Sgt. George Oliver, the Headquarters and Service Company gunnery sergeant.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Private First Class Saige N. Racut, a motor transportation operator with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and Cleveland native, lies in the prone position during a foot patrol at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 5, 2014. “In this occupation we are all about one shot, one kill. Out in public we can be that poster child in our Dress Blue uniform looking nice, but as a Marine, our ultimate job is to hit and kill the target,” said Staff Sgt. George Oliver, the Headquarters and Service Company gunnery sergeant.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Lance Cpl. Devan M. Compton, a supply specialist with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, chops a block of wood to help create concealment for a fighting hole at the Combat Service Support Area in Ft. Pickett, Va., April 5, 2014. “In this occupation we are all about one shot, one kill. Out in public we can be that poster child in our Dress Blue uniform looking nice, but as a Marine, our ultimate job is to hit and kill the target,” said Staff Sgt. George Oliver, the Headquarters and Service Company gunnery sergeant.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Reading, Penn., native Pfc. Cody Troxel, a machine gunner with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, explains what to look for during a weapon malfunction to Pfc. David Gamble, a rifleman from Griffin, Ga., while giving a class to 3rd Platoon on the M240 Bravo machine gun at Range 62, Fort Bliss, Texas, April 5, 2014.

Photo by Cpl. Austin Long

(Left) Lance Cpl. Seth C. Willman a tank mechanic from Tucson, Ariz., and Pvt. Private Zachary K. Guzdek, a motor transportation operator from Oakfield, N.Y., both with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, dressed in mission oriented protective posture gear and an M50 field protective mask prepare to enter the gas chamber in Fort Pickett, Va., April 4, 2014. MOPP gear is designed to keep a service member while operating in a contaminated environment for up to 24 hours. The Marines completed individual survival standards as part of their annual training requirement.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Douglas J. Proffitt the Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Defense officer in charge for 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, from North Judson, Ind., demonstrates actions Marines will perform in the gas chamber at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 4, 2014. Marines with the battalion completed individual survival standards as part of their annual training requirement.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Marines with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, dressed in mission oriented protective posture gear and an M50 field protective mask prepare to enter the gas chamber in Fort Pickett, Va., April 4, 2014. MOPP gear is designed to keep a service member safe from contamination contaminated environment for up to 24 hours.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Private Zachary K. Guzdek, a motor transportation operator with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and Oakfield, N.Y., native, safety checks his M50 field protective mask before entering a gas chamber in Ft. Pickett, Va., April 4, 2014. Marines with the battalion completed individual survival standards as part of their annual training requirement for.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Corporal Mauliola J. Watson, the Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Defense chief for 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and native of Hilo, Hawaii, teaches Marines about the M50 field protective mask during a month-long field exercise at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 4, 2014. Marines with the battalion completed individual survival standards as part of their annual training requirement.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Corporal Ian Phillips, a squad automatic weapon gunner with Scout Platoon, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and native of Savannah, Ga., fires his M4 Carbine at targets during unknown distance training as part of the Combat Marksmanship Training at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 2, 2014. “It is good to know you hit the target and if it were an enemy trying to kill you or your brothers that you can take him out first,” said Cpl. Patrick W. Westcott, a Tiverton, R.I. native and team leader with Scout Platoon.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

Lance Cpl. David Boren, an anti-tank missileman with Anti-Tank Platoon, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, from Franklin Lakes, N.J., fires his M4 Carbine into a dummy target during an Urban Assault Course at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 2, 2014. “It is good to know you hit the target and if it were an enemy trying to kill you or your brothers that you can take him out first,” said Cpl. Patrick W. Westcott, a Tiverton, R.I. native and team leader with Scout Platoon.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez

From right to left: Lance Cpl. Alex Albertson, a driver from Atlanta, Lance Cpl. Daniel Di Rico, a gunner from Lighthouse Point, Fla., Cpl. Joshua “Wildebeest” Williams, the team leader from Tampa, Fla., and Lance Cpl. Ashley Wyatt, the team’s dismount from Mebane, N.C., all with Anti-Tank Platoon, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, prepare to clear a house during an Urban Assault Course at Ft. Pickett, Va., April 2, 2014. “It is good to know you hit the target and if it were an enemy trying to kill you or your brothers that you can take him out first,” said Cpl. Patrick W. Westcott, a Tiverton, R.I. native and team leader with Scout Platoon.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Joey Mendez