Sgt. John P. O’Connor and Sgt. Ricardo Pereyra-Garcia prepare to check the depth of the Helmand River from an improved ribbon bridge for a daily river report outside of Combat Outpost Payne, Afghanistan, May 11. A half dozen Marine combat engineers from Marine Wing Support Squadron 272, based out of Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., teamed up with their U.S. Army counterparts to lend a hand with the bridge’s upkeep. O’Connor and Pereyra-Garcia are both combat engineers with MWSS-272. - Sgt. John P. O’Connor and Sgt. Ricardo Pereyra-Garcia prepare to check the depth of the Helmand River from an improved ribbon bridge for a daily river report outside of Combat Outpost Payne, Afghanistan, May 11. A half dozen Marine combat engineers from Marine Wing Support Squadron 272, based out of Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., teamed up with their U.S. Army counterparts to lend a hand with the bridge’s upkeep. O’Connor and Pereyra-Garcia are both combat engineers with MWSS-272.

Col. Russell A.C. Sanborn, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) assistant wing commander, is slated to leave Afghanistan in mid-May for Stuttgart, Germany, to become the U.S European Command’s deputy operations officer. Sanborn has accumulated more than 2,400 flight hours in the Harrier, and deployed multiple times, including to the first Gulf War. On Feb. 9, 1991, while serving as a pilot in the Gulf War, Sanborn’s aircraft was shot down over southern Kuwait by a surface-to-air missile during a combat mission. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war until his release on March 6, 1991.His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Strike Flight Award with Combat V, and the Combat Action Ribbon. - Col. Russell A.C. Sanborn, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) assistant wing commander, is slated to leave Afghanistan in mid-May for Stuttgart, Germany, to become the U.S European Command’s deputy operations officer. Sanborn has accumulated more than 2,400 flight hours in the Harrier, and deployed multiple times, including to the first Gulf War. On Feb. 9, 1991, while serving as a pilot in the Gulf War, Sanborn’s aircraft was shot down over southern Kuwait by a surface-to-air missile during a combat mission. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war until his release on March 6, 1991.His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Strike Flight Award with Combat V, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

This 74-gun 3rd rate ship-of-the-line of the 18th century depicts many pre through post battle scenes above and below decks. Frangiosa builds dioramas like this and then loans them to nearby museums. This piece was previously displayed aboard the USS North Carolina museum ship and has an appraised value of $16,000. - This 74-gun 3rd rate ship-of-the-line of the 18th century depicts many pre through post battle scenes above and below decks. Frangiosa builds dioramas like this and then loans them to nearby museums. This piece was previously displayed aboard the USS North Carolina museum ship and has an appraised value of $16,000.

1st Lt. Christopher J. DiNoto, his wife Trinh, and their daughter, Claire, share a special moment at the return of Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 to Cherry Point May 7. DiNoto, an intelligence officer for VMAQ-3, returned home from a six-month deployment where the squadron flew more than 630 missions in support of operations in Afghanistan. - 1st Lt. Christopher J. DiNoto, his wife Trinh, and their daughter, Claire, share a special moment at the return of Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 to Cherry Point May 7. DiNoto, an intelligence officer for VMAQ-3, returned home from a six-month deployment where the squadron flew more than 630 missions in support of operations in Afghanistan.

Marines, Sailors and civilians aboard Cherry Point tour a WP-3D Orion the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration uses for hurricane hunting during NOAA’s East Coast Hurricane Awareness Tour May 4. Aircraft like this one are vital for forecasters to make accurate predictions concerning the path of a storm. In 2005, the hurricane hunters ensured the successful forecasting of Hurricane Katrina. - Marines, Sailors and civilians aboard Cherry Point tour a WP-3D Orion the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration uses for hurricane hunting during NOAA’s East Coast Hurricane Awareness Tour May 4. Aircraft like this one are vital for forecasters to make accurate predictions concerning the path of a storm. In 2005, the hurricane hunters ensured the successful forecasting of Hurricane Katrina.

As the sun dips below the horizon in Gettysburg, Pa., April 28, roughly 70 Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 stand at attention as Linda Bell plays “Taps” on the bugle, in chilling remembrance of the more than 50,000 lives lost near where the Marines stood. The Marines visited Gettysburg and camped at the Garrahy home April 27-29 to strengthen their cohesion as enlisted leaders. - As the sun dips below the horizon in Gettysburg, Pa., April 28, roughly 70 Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 stand at attention as Linda Bell plays “Taps” on the bugle, in chilling remembrance of the more than 50,000 lives lost near where the Marines stood. The Marines visited Gettysburg and camped at the Garrahy home April 27-29 to strengthen their cohesion as enlisted leaders.

The new headquarters building is home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point command elements. This high tech facility uses multiple resources to help save energy and money such as ultraviolet protected windows, LED lighting in the parking lots and solar panels to power 2.5 percent of the building. - The new headquarters building is home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point command elements. This high tech facility uses multiple resources to help save energy and money such as ultraviolet protected windows, LED lighting in the parking lots and solar panels to power 2.5 percent of the building.

Cpl. Christopher Jones, and unmanned aerial vehicle technician with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, prepares an RQ-7B Shadow UAV for launch from Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, April 30. Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, deployed out of Twentynine Palms, Calif., took the duties of providing Marine Corps UAV support in Nimroz and Helmand provinces, May 7. - Cpl. Christopher Jones, and unmanned aerial vehicle technician with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, prepares an RQ-7B Shadow UAV for launch from Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, April 30. Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, deployed out of Twentynine Palms, Calif., took the duties of providing Marine Corps UAV support in Nimroz and Helmand provinces, May 7.

Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 pick up the remaining pieces of aluminum matting that was the expeditionary runway at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, May 8. The Marines picked up more than 1.8 million square feet of aluminum matting during the project. An 11,500-foot permanent runway opened at Camp Bastion Feb. 11, which allowed the expeditionary runway to be removed. - Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 pick up the remaining pieces of aluminum matting that was the expeditionary runway at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, May 8. The Marines picked up more than 1.8 million square feet of aluminum matting during the project. An 11,500-foot permanent runway opened at Camp Bastion Feb. 11, which allowed the expeditionary runway to be removed.