On Duty: August 27th - September 2nd

Amphibious assault vehicles with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit prepare to enter the well deck of USS Carter Hall on Aug. 30. 26th MEU and Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group are en route to Pakistan to provide relief.

Amphibious assault vehicles with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit prepare to enter the well deck of USS Carter Hall on Aug. 30.

Amphibious assault vehicles with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit prepare to enter the well deck of USS Carter Hall on Aug. 30.

LCpl Cletus L. Eicher, a mortarman with Combined Action Company, 3d Battalion, Third Marine Regiment, and Din Mohamad, an Afghan National Army soldier, swab a mortar tube at Range Juarez, Afghanistan during a mission rehearsal Aug. 28.

Marines and Afghan National Army soldiers from Combined Action Company, 3d Battalion, Third Marine Regiment, burn excess gunpowder from 60 mm high-explosive mortar rounds at Range Juarez, Afghanistan, after a mission rehearsal Aug. 28.

Sgt Alan W. Smith and LCpl Cole A. Jenks, a section leader and mortarman (respectively) with Combined Action Company, 3d Battalion, Third Marine Regiment, wait for approval to fire at Range Juarez, Afghanistan, during a mission rehearsal Aug. 28. Smith is from Chattanooga, Tenn. Jenks is from Denver, Pa.

Marines with Battalion Landing Team 3/8, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, move a M777 Lightweight Howitzer into place on the flight deck of USS Carter Hall at the Morehead City Port, N.C., Aug. 28. 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed aboard the ships of Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group in late August responding to an order by the Secretary of Defense to support Pakistan flood relief efforts.

Cpl Kenneth Doyle, a military working dog handler with Military Working Dog Platoon, Military Police Support Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, fires a Mossberg 500 shotgun while “Laika,” a patrol explosive detector dog, stands by his side aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Aug. 28. The exercise was designed to help the Marines of MP Support Co. sustain their proficiency with different weapons they’ll be using while deployed, as well as acclimate their military working dogs to the sounds of combat.

Cpl Kenneth Doyle and Cpl Rick Colts, both military working dog handlers with Military Working Dog Platoon, Military Police Support Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, fire an M2 .50-caliber machine gun during a field exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Aug. 28.