T H E  I R A Q  W A R

RAMADI, IRAQ (May 16, 2008) - An Iraqi Army Soldier guides a Humvee out of a sandstorm during OPERATION SPRING BREAK near the south side of Lake Tharthar in al Anbar Province May 13. The purpose of the operation was to disrupt suspected insurgent movement. The south side of Lake Tharthar has seen a scarce amount of interaction with Coalition forces since 2004, while the north has been more heavily patrolled.

No one has been on the south side of Lake Tharthar for almost two years and there was a possibility insurgents were using the area as a safe haven and transportation hub, said Maj. Jeff McCormack, the operation officers for 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1. The mission was to disrupt insurgent movement and also establish relationships with the local fisherman. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Adam J. Root/Released) Date: 2008-05-16T04:00:00Z

U.S. Army Soldiers maneuver down a path while receiving heavy indirect fire and rocket-propelled grenade fire just on the outskirts of Shulla, Iraq, May 16, 2008. The Soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, were in the area searching for a possible weapons cache when an improvised-explosive device was detonated. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Hunter.

Byline: Cpl. Shawn Coolman. Col. Patrick Malay, commanding officer, Regimental Combat Team 5 presents Army Sgt. Jenny M. Neuhart, 25, who is from St. Louis, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, during a ceremony Monday at Camp Ripper, Iraq. Neuhart, the women's engagement program director with the 307th Psychological Operations Company, RCT-5, played an intricate role in advancing the women's engagement program, which brings Iraqi women together to learn new skills across the Al Anbar province. Date: 2008-05-26T14:48:00Z...

A U.S. Army soldier climbs a ladder to search for weapons caches in northwest Shulla, Iraq, on May 16, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.   DoD photo by Spc. Charles W. Gill, U.S. Army. (Released)

A U.S. ARMY SOLDIER CHECKS HIS WATCH. -  A U.S. Army soldier checks his watch for the accurate time of a mortar attack he observed while searching for weapons caches in northwest Shulla, Iraq, on May 16, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. DoD photo by Spc. Charles W. Gill, U.S. Army.

U.S. Marines attached to Regimental Combat Team 6 hand out soccer balls, candy and stuffed animals to Iraqi children, during a combined medical engagement. U.S. Marines with RCT-6 and Soldiers with 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, are working with Iraqi forces and doctors during a combined medical engagement. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Samuel D. Corum.

Soldiers from the 5-7th Cav. regiment entered the Sayafyah area in mid January. The Sqd. spent its first tour in the Al Anbar province fighting and expelling AQI....U.S. Army Photo...

CHILD CARE - U.S. Navy sailor Gerald Dugger checks an Iraqi child, May 14, 2008. Duggar, a hospital corpsman, is assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Personal Security Detail, Task Force Mameluke, Multinational Force West Ground Combat Element. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jason W. Fudge...

Byline: Cpl. Daniel Angel - Capt. Matthew Clinger and Sgt. Robert Lower, 1st ANGLICO, Fire Control Team 6 joint tactical air controller and team chief, provide security with 3rd Bn, Quick Reaction Force 1, 1st Iraqi Army Quick Reaction Force soldiers while other Iraqi forces search the neighborhood for criminals and illegal weapons in the Latif district in Basra, Iraq, May 3. Date: 2008-05-03T10:52:00Z...

Cpl. James W. Blacker, 23, from San Diego, gives candy to Iraqi girls during a security patrol May 13. Blacker is a team leader with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5. The company patrolled the city with an Iraqi policeman to show the locals that Marines are still active in keeping the city secure as the Iraqi police force continues making strides. By Line - Cpl. Erik Villagran.

Members of the Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team and US Agency for International Development stop at a local business in the heart of Haditha's market place Monday to speak with the locals on how the area is growing. The ePRT and USAID members viewed the surrounding area as well to see how the areas projects are developing. A technical school in Haditha, which was funded by the ePRT, is being refurbished to offer machinery and mechanic classes to both men and women once completed. Byline: Cpl. Shawn Coolman...

Byline: Cpl. Scott McAdam - Four CH-53-E Super Stallions fuel up after completing missions at Al Asad Air Base April 5. The Super Stallions refuel after every mission insuring the aircrafts are ready to fly at a moment's notice. Date: 2008-04-05T19:15:00Z...

Byline: Cpl. Scott McAdam - Two AT-12 tanks replenish their fuel supply from a CH-53E Super Stallion. The Super Stallions, provided by Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing delivered more than 32,000 gallons of fuel to ground units April 5. Date: 2008-04-05T17:33:00Z...

HOW NOW - A cow checks out U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Chad Ryan as he's taking a break during a patrol in the East Anbar province, northwest of Baghdad, May 12, 2008. Ryan is assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. J.B. Jaso III...

SADR CITY SIGHTS - U.S. Army Sgt. Yensy Santana looks keeps suspicious activity in his sights during a mission in the Thawra 2 neighborhood of the Sadr City District of Baghdad, May 11, 2008. Santana serves as a team leader with1st Armored Division's Company C, Task Force 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Zachary Mott...

Byline: Lance Cpl. Casey Jones - Lance Cpl. Adam J. Desso, a team leader with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, supports and mentors an Iraqi Policeman during a routine vehicle search at an Enemy Control Point. While, the battalion’s leaders have stressed the importance of creating a great relationship with the policemen, they also put emphasis on monitoring the Iraqi police as they grow to a high-level that can eventually become an independent force, a feat several stations have already accomplished. Date: 2008-05-20T04:00:00Z...

An Iraqi policeman checks the identification card of a driver passing through his checkpoint near Forward Operating Base Loyalty in southern Baghdad, Iraq, May 11, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brian D. Lehnhardt...

HEADING HOME - U.S. Army 1st Lt. John Costello, front left, and 1st Lt. Ruben Ramos, front right, take a power nap in the back of a C-130 Hercules 13 after departing an air base in Iraq, May 13, 2008. The soldiers, assigned to the 31st Division's 1-10 Field Artillery, A Battery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, are returning home after a 14-month deployment in Iraq. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor.

SHULLA SEARCH  - A U.S. soldier communicates with fellow soldiers via radio while searching for weapons caches in northwest Shulla, Iraq, May 16, 2008. The soldiers are from 101st Airborne Division's Bravo Troop, 75th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. U.S.Army photo by Spc. Charles W. Gill...

U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, scan the area for enemy movement while other soldiers search a nearby home in Yusifiyah, Iraq, on May 11th, 2008. U.S. Army Photo by Specialist Richard Del Vecchio...

U.S. Army soldiers provide security while others conduct a search of a nearby home in Yusifiyah, Iraq, on May 11th, 2008. The U.S. soldiers are assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army Photo by Specialist Richard Del Vecchio...

U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 9th Psyop Battalion hurry to their next mission objective after a UH-60 helicopter lands during an air assault mission in Yusifiyah, Iraq, May 11th, 2008. U.S. Army Photo by Specialist Richard Del Vecchio...

U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, stand in formation and wait for further orders before an air assault mission May 11th, 2008. U.S. Army Photo by Specialist Richard Del Vecchio...

Byline: Cpl. Scott McAdam - Date: 2008-05-08T15:10:00Z - A CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing flies back to Al-Asad Air Base after inserting combat troops to a landing zone in the Al Anbar Province. During the raid, HMH-462 worked in conjunction with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167 to ensure the safety of the aircraft and service members.

Byline: Cpl. Shawn Coolman - Date: 2008-05-10T22:20:00Z - An Iraqi boy happily holds up a sign near Baghdadi, Iraq, Saturday which an older Iraqi boy wrote in English for him on paper that was donated by the Freemont County School District Number One in Wyoming. Select Marines with Headquarters Company, Regimental Combat Team 5 are conducting operations at Combat Outpost Timberwolf as a provisional rifle platoon. The PRP is made up of non-infantry Marines trained to do a basic rifleman's job. Routinely the Marines here interact with the locals and pass out school supplies to the children to help with the locals needs.

An Iraqi man maintains order of his sheep while Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers maintain order in a southwestern neighborhood of the Sadr City District of Baghdad with their presence, May 6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cohen Young)

U.S. Army Sgt. Max Free and his partner Sam, special search dog from the 67th Engineer Detachment, attached to 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, search a barn during a presence patrol through a village in Dura'iya, Iraq, Feb. 23, 2008. The village is known to have recently been occupied by al-Qaida members. (U.S. Army photo/Sgt. Timothy Kingston)

CANINE KNOW-HOW - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Gerald Bielicki and his dog, Sgt. 1st Class Dasty, search for explosives at a school complex in Narhwan, Iraq, May 9, 2008. Bielicki and Dasty are assigned to the 101st Airborne Division's 716th Military Police Battalion, 163rd Military Working Dog Detachment. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. David J. Marshall...

CHECKING IN - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David Snow speaks to an Iraqi National Police shift leader at a traffic checkpoint near Forward Operating Base Loyalty in Southern Baghdad, May 11, 2008, while his unit patrols around the base. Snow is assigned to the 10th Mountain Division's Military Police Platoon, Headquarters Company, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brian D. Lehnhardt...

U.S. soldiers move downstairs after clearing rooms at a school complex in Narhwan, Iraq, May 9, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to the 1st Armored Division's Battery C, 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. David J. Marshall...

U.S. soldiers prepare to enter and clear a room at a school complex in Narhwan, Iraq, May 9, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to the 1st Armored Division's Battery C, 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. David J. Marshall...

Pfc. Edgar Gutierrez, a Santa Rosa, Calif., native, patrols through a marketplace in the Taji Qada, northwest of Baghdad, May 1, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. J.B. Jaso III... Map of Iraq...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU — Two years ago, al-Qaeda destroyed the Chalabi village in the Sayafiyah region.A Shia tribe in a predominately Sunni area, the Chalabis fled to Mahmudiyah, Baghdad and other surrounding areas. Courtesy Photo....

PROSPERITY - U.S. and Iraqi soldiers visit a shop in Amariyah, Iraq, May 1, 2008, to ensure that money given to the shop owner is spent properly and to see how his shop is prospering. The U.S. soldiers are assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's Comanche Troop, 2nd Platoon, 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez...

Iraqi children watch from the doorway of their house as an Iraqi Army Soldier provides security during a joint patrol with U.S. Army Soldiers from Heavy Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armor Cavalry Regiment, March 1, 2008, in Mosul, Iraq. Photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Robertson, Joint Combat Camera Center...

Sgt. Matthew Hubbard, a native of Lancaster, Calif., jumps over a small creek while on patrol in Rathwaniyay, April 29, 2008. Hubbard serves with 3rd Platoon, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Multi-National Division - Baghdad. Photo by Sgt. James Hunter, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

Byline: Cpl. Ryan Tomlinson - Marines with Charlie Company, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5 ensure the area is clear of threats during a cache search in western Anbar province May 1. The Marines with Charlie Company have found several caches around the area, including one with more than six 120 mm rounds the day before. Date: 2008-05-01T20:47:00Z

Staff Sgt. Michael Pharr Jr., a Charlotte, N.C., native, observes the impact of the Excalibur round fired during calibration of the M777 Howitzer in the Taji Qada, northwest of Baghdad, April 26, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Brian Pierce.

Sgt. Natalie Cespuglio, a Sisters of Fallujaha trainer with Regimental Combat Team-1, assists an Iraqi women in firing an M9 pistol on the firing range, April 21, 2008. The Sisters of Fallujaha undergo several days of security training to certify and work alongside Iraqi Police at entry control points throughout Fallujaha. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Chris Lyttle...

SHEIK SUPPORT - A leader of the Sons of Iraq, a citizen security group, greets U.S. Army Col. Todd McCaffrey May 3, 2008, at the sheik support center in Taji Qada, northwest of Baghdad. The leaders gathered to sign a contract promising to maintain security through at checkpoints manned by Sons of Iraq members. McCaffrey is commander, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Derek Miller...

ZUWERIJAT SUPPLIES - U.S. Army Cpl. David Silva, assigned to the 511th Military Police Company, passes a package of food supplies to an Iraqi police officer for distribution in Zuwerijat, a district of Al Kut, Iraq, April 30, 2008.U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Daniel T. West...

ISKANDARIYAH WALK - U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Kenneth Glueck Jr., the incoming chief of staff for Multinational Force Iraq, walks down a market street during a walk-through of Iskandariyah, Iraq, April 24, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Amanda McBride...  

A U.S. Army Soldier from 3-320 Field Artillery, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, Lighting 1-6, 101st Airborne Division, patrols a neighborhood in Mahmudiyah, Iraq, Feb. 25, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Luke Thornberry.

U.S. Marine with 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, searches for weapons caches in Khalidiyah, Iraq recently. Marines are the area in an attempt to reduce the number of weapons in the area. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Albert F. Hunt)

FALLUJAH, Iraq (April 18, 2008) – Iraqi Army Cpl. Jawad J. Hajim, infantryman, Quick Reaction Force, 2nd Brigade, 1st IA Division, clears an M-16 A2 service rifle while his classmates wait their turn. Demonstrating the proper way of clearing and performing a function check was part of the final evaluation in the three-day, M-16 A2 Service Rifle Maintainer’s Course here. Ten Iraqi Soldiers were selected by their command to go through the RMC, making them the first to become armorers for their unit. As an incentive to complete the course, the Soldiers were given armorer’s tools that were specially made for them in order to perform their new jobs. This three-day course was developed because of a need for Iraqi Soldiers to learn how to maintain their weapons. The objective is for these Soldiers to become armorers for their units, and share their knowledge they have learned from the Marines.

Capt. Christopher Flores, from Corpus Christi, Texas, fish farm advisor to the Baghdad-7 ePRT, holds a carp grown on a fish farm in the al-Buaytha region south of Baghdad, April 26, 2008. Flores' passion for fishing led him to work with the ePRT to improve fish farming in the area. Photo by 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs...

TAJI QADA GUARD - U.S. Army Cpl. Abraham Norton holds guard for his unit while they search for weapon caches in Taji Qada, northwest of Baghdad, April 25, 2008. Norton is an infantry team leader assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Brian Pierce...  

Spc. Robert Roadcap of Shelby, N.C., assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment moves between targets during a "cordon and knock" raid in Mosul, Iraq, April 21, 2008. Photo by Capt. Richard Ybarra, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment...

Sgt. Andrew Schneider, a health care specialist from Melcher-Dallas, Iowa, scans for possible threats during a dismounted patrol in central Baghdad, April 21, 2008. Photo by 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Public Affairs.

An Iraqi Army Soldier from the 42nd Iraqi Army Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division takes cover and points to where his men need to go during a firefight against armed militiamen in the Sadr City district of Baghdad April 17, 2008. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz...

Sgt. Brian Rich, a native of Walworth, N.Y., and Staff Sgt. John Reyes, from Eagle Pass, Texas, stand guard during a combined medical assessment at Joint Security Station Tharwa 1 in the southern portion of the Sadr City district of Baghdad, April 17, 2008. Photo by Spc. Joseph Rivera Rebolledo, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs...

FOOT TRAFFIC - U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Mark Ostrander monitors residential traffic during a foot patrol in Charikar, Afghanistan, April 22, 2008. Ostrander is assigned to the police advisory team of the Charikar Provincial Reconstruction Team and is deployed from the 55th Security Forces Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Andy Dunaway...

A NEW ACQUAINTANCE - U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Mark Ostrander talks to a young boy during a foot patrol in Charikar, Afghanistan, April 22, 2008. Ostrander is assigned to the police advisory team of the Charikar Provincial Reconstruction Team and is deployed from the 55th Security Forces Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Andy Dunaway...

An Iraqi Army Soldier from the 36th Mechanized Brigade pulls security during a cache-clearing operation April 17, 2008, in Fahad Fadhil, northwest of Baghdad. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Waldemar Rivera.

First Lt. Peter Cacossa directs an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter from a rooftop toward the sound of small-arms fire heard during a raid in Mosul, Iraq, April 17, 2008. Kiowas support troops on the ground in contact. Cacossa is a platoon leader in Heavy Company, 3rd Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Hood, Texas. Photo by Spc. John Crosby, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

MOSUL SHOP TALK - U.S. Army soldiers provide 360-degree security as their platoon leader talks with local market vendors in Mosul, Iraq, April 12, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to 1st Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment. U.S. Army Photo by John Crosby...

ADHAMIYAH LOOKOUT - U.S. Army Sgt. Matt Radcliffe provides security during a patrol in the Adhamiyah District of Baghdad, Iraq, on April 20, 2008. Radcliffe is assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Special Troops Battalion. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. William Greer...

U.S. Marines and Iraqi police officers walk down a road edged with date palms as they patrol on foot outside of Jebadin, Iraq, on March 17, 2008. The Marines are attached to Foxtrot Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1. DoD photo by Lance Cpl. Stuart C. Wegenka, U.S. Marine Corps. (Released)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Derrick Threatt prepares to hand out soccer balls to children during a medical operation in Sabah Nissan, Iraq, on March 27, 2008. Threatt is attached to Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division. DoD photo by Spc. Daniel Herrera, U.S. Army. (Released)

PATROL BASE SECURITY - U.S. Army Sgt. Matt Radcliffe provides security at an Iraqi army combat patrol base in the Sadr City District of Baghdad, Iraq, April 11, 2008. Radcliffe is assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz...

Pvt. 1st Class Jared Bottorff and Sgt. Robert Johnson, both assigned to Lightning Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, track a sniper as he moves from rooftop to rooftop in western Mosul, Iraq, Apr. 10, 2008. Photo by Capt. Richard Ybarra, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

SNIPER PURSUIT - U.S. Army Pvt. 1st Class Anthony Humphries breaches a door in pursuit of a sniper, while Pvt. 1st Class Jared Bottoff prepares to enter the building with the rest of the squad, Mosul, Iraq, April 10, 2008. Both soldiers are assigned to Lightning Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Richard Ybarra...  

U.S. Army Pfc. Angel Marrero, assigned to 2nd Platoon, Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, conducts a patrol in Karadah, Iraq, on March 19, 2008.   DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Jason T. Bailey, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, Headquarters Headquarters Troop, 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division patrol past the facade of a demolished building in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 27, 2008.   DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Jason T. Bailey, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

MAKING RE-ENTRY - U.S. Army soldiers on board an M1-A2 Abrams tank make their re-entry to Combat Outpost Ford, April 9, 2008, after a mission in northern Baghdad. The soldiers are assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joseph Rivera Rebolledo...

ASSESSING THE DAMAGE - U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Hank Lemar, a corpsman assigned to the Marine Corps' Company D, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, feels the damage of gunshots to windshields. The Company D Marines practiced engaging targets through glass during a week-long training exercise in Melbourne, Fla., April 8, 2008. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Nathaniel Sapp.

MAINTAINING SECURITY - U.S. Marine Cpl. Gary L. Jackson prepares to take a sip of water during a patrol with Iraqi police in Ramadi, Iraq, April 3, 2008. Jackson is assigned to the 8th Marine Regiment's Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, which is conducting a joint patrol. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jeremy M. Giacomino...

SONS OF IRAQ - A Multinational Force Iraq map shows the number of Iraqis who've become part of the Sons of Iraq working to counter al-Qaida and insurgents in Iraq. U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus submitted the chart as part of his testimony before Congress April 8 and 9, 2008. Defense Dept. chart...  

AL-QAIDA IN IRAQ AND SUNNI INSURGENTS  - A Multinational Force Iraq map shows the progress coalition forces have made in reducing the number of Al Qaeda and Sunni insurgents in Iraq from December 2006 to March 2008. Gen. David H. Petraeus submitted the map as part of his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, April 8, 2008. Defense Dept. map.

ARMY IN IRAQ

MARINES IN IRAQ

Fighting In Mosul

ARMY

LEAFLET MISSION - U.S. Army soldiers drop leaflets over several villages in the Rashaad Valley near the Kirkuk province of Iraq, March 23, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to the 10th Mountain Division's 350th Tactical Psychological Operations. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Bendet....

MARKET DAY - U.S. Army soldiers and Iraqi army soldiers talk with people on Chem Street in Adhamiyah, Iraq, March 20, 2008, after efforts to improve security brought the market back to life. The U.S. soldiers are assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment. Photo by U.S. Army Spc. Elvyn Nieves....

  MARINES

IN IRAQ

Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Ackerman, a rifleman with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, conducts a 5-to-25 meter search during a mounted patrol Mar. 2. The Marines of 2/24 are currently conducting security patrols, census patrols and combined medical engagements during Operation Spider Web, which is designed to rid the area of any suspected insurgents and make the communities feel safe. Photo submitted 03/08/2008 Taken by Pfc. Jerry Murphy.

Marines with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, patrol down a street along the banks of a canal on their way to a suspected insurgents home. The Marines gathered the intelligence through past operations and found a weapons cache on the property of the man’s house. Operation Spider Web was designed to do just that, rid the area of operation of any suspected terrorists through intelligence previously gathered. Photo submitted 03/08/2008 Taken by Pfc. Jerry Murphy...

Iraqi Army Brigade Commander

HUMANITARIAN CHECK-UP - 42nd Iraqi Army Brigade Commander Col. Tariq and soldiers assigned to the 11th Iraqi Army Division walk toward a school in Baghdad's Sadr City District to check on the progress of a humanitarian mission in which Iraqi army doctors were treating and aiding local citizens, April 17, 2008. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz...  

ARMY IN IRAQ

Photo by Richard Rzepka, 101st Airborne February 27, 2008. A Soldier with the 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) greets a local Iraqi woman during Operation Helsinki.

Photo by Richard Rzepka, 101st Airborne. February 27, 2008. A Soldier from 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) fights through the soggy farmlands of the Bichigan Peninsula during Operation Helsinki.

NAVY IN IRAQ

PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) Personnel in flight deck control aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) monitor the movement and maintenance of all aircraft on the flight deck during flight operations. Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) An F/A-18 Hornet assigned to the "Ragin' Bulls" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 37 prepares to catapult off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

NAVY SEABEES
IN MIDDLE EAST & AFGHANISTAN

(March 2, 2008) Utilitiesman 1st Class Joseph Calhoun, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1, Task Force Sierra, provides additional light for fellow Seabees digging a trench for a 240 millimeter armored cable. NMCB-1 and NMCB-15 are deployed to several locations in the Middle East and Afghanistan. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Demetrius Kennon (Released)

(March 2, 2008) Equipment Operator Constructionman Gregory Burton, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1, Task Force Sierra, uses a Bobcat front-end loader to bury a 240 millimeter armored cable. NMCB-1 and NMCB-15 are deployed to several locations in the Middle East and Afghanistan. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Demetrius Kennon (Released)

AIR FORCE IN IRAQ

Lt. Col. George Uribe is greeted and congratulated by Col. Steven Shepro and Col. Charles Moore after completing 1,000 combat flying hours as an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot Feb. 17 at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Colonel Uribe is a 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group fighter pilot and deployed from Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Colonel Shepro is the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander, and Colonel Moore is the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

Senior Airmen Adam Fink and Christopher Jaeger unscrew the left ventral fin of an F-16 Fighting Falcon Feb. 22 at Balad Air Base, Iraq. During a phase inspection, all panels and covers are taken off of the aircraft for preventative maintenance on the aircraft systems and equipment. The aircraft crews fly missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Both Airmen are 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance.

MARINES

Cpl. Josh Hood, vehicle commander with Personnel Security Detachment, Regimental Combat Team 1, from Wakefield, Ka., stands in formation with his fellow PSD Marines during a mission brief given by Gunnery Sgt. Ronnie Smith, platoon commander, Personnel Security Detachment, RCT-1. Hood is an infantryman by trade and has been in the Marine Corps for five years. He is on his third deployment to Iraq. His first deployment was during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 where he participated in the initial push into the city of Fallujah. His second deployment was to Haditha for OIF 3 where he was wounded in action by three gunshots. Photo by: Sgt. Nathaniel C. LeBlanc
Photo ID: 2008228142757 Submitting Unit: 1st Marine Division Photo Date:02/26/2008..........

IN IRAQ

Cpl. Manuel Favila, infantryman with Personnel Security Detachment, Regimental Combat Team 1, and native to Guymon, Ok., surveys the surrounding area and covers the rear security of the convoy as the RCT-1 commanding officer meets with Marines of 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment at an outpost near Saqulawiyah, Iraq. Favila has seen two combat tours and he is currently on his third with RCT-1. He was deployed to Abu Ghraib, Iraq during his first deployment and participated in Operation Phantom Fury into the city of Fallujah. His second deployment was during OIF 3 where he and his unit were in Haditha and supported the elections. Photo by: Sgt. Nathaniel C. LeBlanc  Photo ID: 200822814332 Submitting Unit: 1st Marine Division Photo Date:02/26/2008.........

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