Marines from Battery O, 5th Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division prepare to fire artillery rounds from an M777A2 155 mm howitzer at East Fuji Maneuver Area, Japan Sept. 11. Battery O is in Japan as a part of the Unit Deployment Program, a program designed to increase the training level and unit continuity of Marine Corps units stationed in the continental United States. Realistic scenarios and combined exercises are a highlight of the UDP, bringing Marines of many different units together, sometimes with foreign forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Terence G. Brady/Released) - Marines from Battery O, 5th Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division prepare to fire artillery rounds from an M777A2 155 mm howitzer at East Fuji Maneuver Area, Japan Sept. 11. Battery O is in Japan as a part of the Unit Deployment Program, a program designed to increase the training level and unit continuity of Marine Corps units stationed in the continental United States. Realistic scenarios and combined exercises are a highlight of the UDP, bringing Marines of many different units together, sometimes with foreign forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Terence G. Brady/Released)

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Michael P. Barrett speaks with Personnel Retrieval Platoon (PRP), 2d Marine Logistics Group Forward (2d MLG Fwd), on Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, September 23, 2011. The Commandant and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps visit with PRP to commend their work during Operation Enduring Freedom, supporting International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michael Augusto/Released) - Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Michael P. Barrett speaks with Personnel Retrieval Platoon (PRP), 2d Marine Logistics Group Forward (2d MLG Fwd), on Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, September 23, 2011. The Commandant and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps visit with PRP to commend their work during Operation Enduring Freedom, supporting International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michael Augusto/Released)

Chris “Teach” McNeil, professional freestyle rider, shows off his arsenal of tricks for the crowd during a trick demonstration session at the Semper Ride event here Sept. 17. The session displayed what expert riders, like McNeil, can learn in years of riding in safe and controlled environments.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n:: - Chris “Teach” McNeil, professional freestyle rider, shows off his arsenal of tricks for the crowd during a trick demonstration session at the Semper Ride event here Sept. 17. The session displayed what expert riders, like McNeil, can learn in years of riding in safe and controlled environments.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::

A machine gunner from Machine Gun Platoon, Support Company, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, 4th Marine Division, clears the M240B machine gun for a Georgian soldier during training here July 25 for Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Agile Spirit is designed to increase interoperability between Marines and the Georgian Armed Forces by exchanging and enhancing each other’s capacity in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations, including: small unit tactics, convoy operations, and counter-Improvised Explosive Device training. - A machine gunner from Machine Gun Platoon, Support Company, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, 4th Marine Division, clears the M240B machine gun for a Georgian soldier during training here July 25 for Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Agile Spirit is designed to increase interoperability between Marines and the Georgian Armed Forces by exchanging and enhancing each other’s capacity in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations, including: small unit tactics, convoy operations, and counter-Improvised Explosive Device training.

Kelvin Garvanne, a government contracted instructor with Veteran Government services, speaks to Marines from 1st Platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment about the Afghan culture May 24, 2010 at the 25 Area Combat Town, Camp Pendleton, Ca. The Marines learned about the Afghan way of life and languages in preparation for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan later this year. - Kelvin Garvanne, a government contracted instructor with Veteran Government services, speaks to Marines from 1st Platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment about the Afghan culture May 24, 2010 at the 25 Area Combat Town, Camp Pendleton, Ca. The Marines learned about the Afghan way of life and languages in preparation for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan later this year.

Carlos R., a Special Operations Training Services instructor, performs a conscious check on a volunteer from 1st platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment. Carlos, who was also a corpsman with Army and Marine Corps special forces, trained the Marines on combat trauma situations May 24 at the 25 Area Combat Town, Camp Pendleton, Ca. in preparation for the unit’s upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. - Carlos R., a Special Operations Training Services instructor, performs a conscious check on a volunteer from 1st platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment. Carlos, who was also a corpsman with Army and Marine Corps special forces, trained the Marines on combat trauma situations May 24 at the 25 Area Combat Town, Camp Pendleton, Ca. in preparation for the unit’s upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.

Price Barracks, Belize (April 20, 2010) – Caribbean Partner Nation Soldiers observe a rapelling tower standing 45 ft. tall during confined space rescue operations training instructed by Hazardous Materials Environmental Services Department Marine Forces Reserve Marines as part of Tradewinds 2010, a U.S. Southern Command sponsored annual exercise that is conducted with Caribbean Basin partner nations, designed to improve cooperation with the partner nations in responding to regional security threats. (Official USMC photo by Lance Cpl. Lucas Vega) - Price Barracks, Belize (April 20, 2010) – Caribbean Partner Nation Soldiers observe a rapelling tower standing 45 ft. tall during confined space rescue operations training instructed by Hazardous Materials Environmental Services Department Marine Forces Reserve Marines as part of Tradewinds 2010, a U.S. Southern Command sponsored annual exercise that is conducted with Caribbean Basin partner nations, designed to improve cooperation with the partner nations in responding to regional security threats. (Official USMC photo by Lance Cpl. Lucas Vega)