U.S. Army Spc. William B. James shoots at the enemy during a firefight that lasted more than three hours at an Afghan National Police Checkpoint in Kunar province, Afghanistan, Sept. 18, 2010. James is assigned to the 327th Infantry Regiment's Company D, 1st Battalion, Task Force Bulldog. An estimated two dozen insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns and small arms at the post. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Gary A. Witte
Lance Cpl. Nilton Castro, a radio operator with the Combined Action Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, along with two Afghanistan National Army soldiers from the 215th Corps, 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, walk past the Helmand River while on patrol in Gowragi, Afghanistan, during a clearing operation, Sept. 29, 2010. The clearing operation was followed by a sustained presence in the area. Castro is from Westchester County, N.Y.
An HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter carrying combat search and rescue U.S Air Force airmen approaches a landing zone during an exercise on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Aug. 21. 2010. The exercise tested the squadron?s ability to provide medical aid to U.S. and coalition forces. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz