On Duty: September 3rd - September 9th

Cpl Sean Griswold, Amphibious Assault Vehicle driver, AAV platoon, Battalion Landing Team 1/7, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, maneuvers his vehicle toward the USS Denver off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, Sept. 7.

Marines with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, secure a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter to the flight-deck of the forward-deployed USS Essex (LHD 2) during the aviation combat element’s pre-deployment fly-on, Sept. 7. The 31st MEU is slated to participate in several bilateral training exercises including PHIBLEX 2011 in the Republic of the Philippines and the Korean Incremental Training Program 2011 in the Republic of Korea.

Col Randall P. Newman, the commanding officer for Regimental Combat Team 7, talks to some of the locals in the bazaar in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sept. 6. Most all the locals Newman talked to remembered him from the last time he walked through their street, and were very happy to see him return.

Cpl Jeremy Collins, patrol leader, keeps a watchful eye out during a patrol through the bazaar in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sept. 6.

Marines of Combat Logistics Battalion 26 (CLB-26) participate in a crew service weapons fire at sea on board USS Ponce (LPD-15). CLB-26 and LPD-15 are a part of the Kearsarge Ready Group.

Sgt Christopher Conaway and Cpl Curtis Wolf, a squad leader and a team leader with Kilo Company, 3d Battalion, Third Marine Regiment, help an Afghan boy get his wheelbarrow up an incline while manning a vehicle checkpoint as part of security for the Nawa District bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sept. 3.

Marines with 2d platoon, India Battery, 3d Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, patrol through the area of Kajaki to locate and destroy enemy fixed and reinforced fighting positions, Sept. 6. Although the patrol did not destroy any fixed, reinforced positions, the 3/12 Marines did stand their ground in several firefights, showing insurgent forces their unwavering resolve to protect the dam.

A U.S. Marine with Company A, 2d Assault Amphibian Battalion, attached to Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010 (CP10), performs Guatemalan Army Special Forces swimming techniques, at Kaibil Training Center, Poptun, Guatemala, Sept. 7. Servicemembers and civilians are deployed in [change to "to"] Guatemala in support of CP10 humanitarian assistance and subject-matter expert exchanges.

Marines assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit [change underlined words to "15th MEU], Maritime Raid Force, approach the motor vessel Magellan Star Thursday [delete "Thursday"], Sept. 9 to recover it from suspected pirates. The Marines boarded the vessel and took nine suspected pirates into custody. The pirates were taken to the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and the ship's eleven crew members resumed control of Magellan Star. Pirates took control of the ship Sept. 8. Dubuque is part of the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

Marines assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps 15th MEU, Maritime Raid Force, embarked aboard the U.S. Navy amphibious transport dock ship USS Dubuque (LPD 8), board the motor vessel M/V Magellan Star during a board and seizure operation.

U.S. Marines load diaster relief supplies onto an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu at sea, Sept. 6. The Peleliu is sending an initial supply of 80 pallets of relief supplies to Sharea Faisal Air Base for further distribution to Pakistan's flooded regions. The Seahawk is assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat 23.