Photos

An Anniston Army Depot employee unscrews a wheel on an assault breaching vehicle belonging to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, in order to upgrade the vehicle aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Sept. 5, 2013. The tracks and wheels needed to be removed to upgrade the body frame of the vehicle with improved suspension.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

From Left: 1st Sgt Clinton Summers, Sgt. Kyle Lloyd, Lance Cpl. Jeremy Johnson, Nik Cela and Lance Cpl. Matthew Pickett pose in front of an M1A2 Abrams tanks after Cela was made an honorary member of Charlie Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, August 26, 2013. Cela, from Staten Island, N.Y., spent a day with Marines from Charlie Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. He suffers from cystic fibrosis, and has always wanted to ride on a tank. He was surprised by his mother and the Marines of 2nd Tank Battalion with the opportunity to ride a tank and become an honorary member of Charlie Company. Summers is the Company first sergeant, Lloyd is a tank commander and Wichita, Kan., native; Johnson is a gunner and Dayton, Ohio native; and Pickett is a tank driver and Bossier City, La., native; all the Marines are with Charlie Company.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Cushman

Sergeant Kyle Lloyd and Nik Cela ride on an M1A2 Abrams tank aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, August 26, 2013. Cela, from Staten Island, N.Y., spent a day with Marines with Charlie Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. He suffers from cystic fibrosis, and has always wanted to ride on a tank. He was surprised by his mother and the Marines of 2nd Tank Battalion with the opportunity to ride a tank and become an honorary member of Charlie Company. Lloyd is a tank commander with Charlie Company and a Dayton, Ohio native.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Cushman

From Left: Sgt. Kyle Lloyd, Lance Cpl. Jeremy Johnson, Nik Cela and Lance Cpl. Matthew Pickett pose in front of an M1A2 Abrams tank after Cela was made an honorary member of Charlie Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, August 26, 2013. Cela, from Staten Island, N.Y., spent a day with Marines from Charlie Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. He suffers from cystic fibrosis, and has always wanted to ride on a tank. He was surprised by his mother and the Marines of 2nd Tank Battalion with the opportunity to ride a tank and become an honorary member of Charlie Company. Lloyd is a tank commander and Wichita, Kan., native; Johnson is a gunner and Dayton, Ohio native; and Pickett is a tank driver and Bossier City, La., native; all the Marines are with Charlie Company.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Cushman

Lance Cpl. Matthew Pickett teaches Nik Cela about the tank commander’s position in the M1A2 Abrams tank, August 26, 2013. Cela, from Staten Island, N.Y., spent a day with Marines with Charlie Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. He suffers from cystic fibrosis, and has always wanted to ride on a tank. He was surprised by his mother and the Marines of 2nd Tank Battalion with the opportunity to ride a tank and become an honorary member of Charlie Company. Pickett is a tank driver with Charlie Company, and Bossier City, La., native.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Cushman

Lance Cpl. Matthew Pickett shows Nik Cela the operation of the M240 machine gun above the gunner’s hatch on an M1A2 Abrams tank, August 26, 2013. Cela, from Staten Island, N.Y., spent a day with Marines with Charlie Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. He suffers from cystic fibrosis, and has always wanted to ride on a tank. He was surprised by his mother and the Marines of 2nd Tank Battalion with the opportunity to ride a tank and become an honorary member of Charlie Company. Pickett is a tank driver with Charlie Company, and Bossier City, La., native.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Cushman

Sergeant Johnny Jernigan, an Anti-Tank Missileman with 2nd Battalion 9th Marine Regiment, fires the FGM-148 Javelin as his A–gunner, Cpl. James Darius makes sure the back blast area is clear. Although, Jernigan has fired two missiles in combat, this was the first missile that he has fired in training, although he has fired two missiles in combat.

Photo by Pfc. Dalton Precht

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric M. Brown, the battalion gunner, for 2nd Battalion 9th Marine Regiment kneels beside the Humvee as the BGM-71 Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided missile is fired, August 29, 2013. Each TOW missile is approximately $10,000, said Brown.

Photo by Pfc. Dalton Precht

Marines from 2nd Battalion 9th Marine Regiment watch the BGM-71 Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided missile as it is fired down range, August 29, 2013. There were five shooters at the live fire exercise, said Chief Warrant Officer Eric M. Brown, the battalion gunner, for 2nd Battalion 9th Marines.

Photo by Pfc. Dalton Precht

Marines with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, fire a BGM-71 Tube launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided missile (TOW missile) during a live fire training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Aug. 29, 2013. Marines fired 19 TOW missiles and six FGM-148 Javelin missiles during the training exercise.

Photo by Pfc. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

Sergeant Patrick Harrington, an anti-tank missileman with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, and Sgt. Michael Lesiewicz, also an anti-tank missileman with the unit, fire a FGM-148 Javelin during a live fire exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Aug. 29, 2013. Six javelins and 19 BGM-71 Tube launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided missiles (TOW missile) were fired in the training exercise.

Photo by Pfc. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

Sergeant Patrick Harrington, an anti-tank missileman with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, and Sgt. Michael Lesiewicz, also an anti-tank missileman with the unit, fire a FGM-148 Javelin missile during a live fire training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Aug. 29, 2013. Six javelins and 19 BGM-71 Tube launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided missiles (TOW missile) were fired in the training exercise.

Photo by Pfc. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

Sergeant Johnny Jernigan, an anti-tank missileman with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, from Whiteville, N.C., and Cpl. James Darius, also an anti-tank missileman with the unit, from Rally, N.C., run to the firing line to fire a FGM-148 Javelin during a live fire training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Aug. 29, 2013. With a single missile for the javelin costing approximately $80,000, it is not easy shooting all the time, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric M. Brown, the battalion gunner, of Millwood, W.Va.

Photo by Pfc. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

Anti-tank Missilemen with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, fire the FGM-148 Javelin weapon system in a live fire training exercise, August 29, 2013. Firing the Javelin is Sgt. Patrick Harrington an Anti-Tank Missileman with 2nd Battalion 9th Marines, and his assistant gunner is Sgt. Michael Lesiewicz, an Anti-Tank Missileman with 2nd Battalion 9th Marines.

Photo by Pfc. Dalton Precht

– Brigadier Gen. James Lukeman, commanding general of 2nd Marine Division, pins the Silver Star onto Sgt. Ryan Steinkamp’s chest during his award ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Aug. 28, 2013. Steinkamp earned the Silver Star for leading his squad through a hostile village and engaging the enemy while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Brigadier Gen. James Lukeman, commanding general of 2nd Marine Division, shakes hands with Sgt. Ryan Steinkamp, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division during his award ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Aug. 28, 2013. Steinkamp earned the Silver Star for leading his squad through a hostile village and engaging the enemy while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Sergeant Maj. Bryan Zickefoose, sergeant major of 2nd Marine Division, congratulates Sgt. Ryan Steinkamp, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division for being awarded the Silver Star, after his award ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Aug. 28, 2013. Steinkamp led his squad through a hostile village and cleared approximately 50 compounds while engaging the enemy while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in April 2012.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Sergeant Ryan Steinkamp, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, talks with fellow Marines after being awarded the Silver Star aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Aug. 28, 2013. Many of the Marines Steinkamp deployed with were there, along with his family from Des Moines, Iowa.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott W. Whiting

Marines with various 2nd Marine Division units provide medical aid during a mass casualty drill aboard USNS Spearhead Aug. 5, 2013. “Marines are onboard because they are helping to conduct two different tests. In any acquisition program there are required tests that have to occur in order for the Navy to say this ship is ready to go,” said Maj. Andrew Hamilton the Marine Corps liaison officer for the JHSV program at Naval Sea Systems Command.

Photo by Pfc. Jose A. Mendez Jr.

Marines with various 2nd Marine Division units conduct an evacuation drill aboard USNS Spearhead Aug. 6, 2013. Three 2nd Marine Division units took part in testing the ship’s capabilities at sea.

Photo by Pfc. Jose A. Mendez