AL ASAD, Iraq ? General Michael Hagee, 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps, talks with Sgt. Alain Alba during breakfast at Al Asad, Sept. 25. Hagee and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, John L. Estrada, came to Al Asad during a visit to the Marine Corps area of responsibility in Iraq. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? General Michael Hagee, 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps, talks with Sgt. Alain Alba during breakfast at Al Asad, Sept. 25. Hagee and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, John L. Estrada, came to Al Asad during a visit to the Marine Corps area of responsibility in Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Remko Wouters, an engineer equipment operator with the Untouchables of Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 and Phoenix native, fills a Bobcat bucket with sand to place inside a Hesco barrier at Al Asad, Iraq, Sept. 21. - Staff Sgt. Remko Wouters, an engineer equipment operator with the Untouchables of Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 and Phoenix native, fills a Bobcat bucket with sand to place inside a Hesco barrier at Al Asad, Iraq, Sept. 21.

AL ASAD, Iraq - Sergeant Travis G. Poitras, an ordnanceman with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 and Limington, Maine, native, signals pilots to keep their hands off the controls while Marines arm ordnance loaded onto one of the Moonlighters? F/A-18 Hornets, Sept. 21, at Al Asad, Iraq. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Sergeant Travis G. Poitras, an ordnanceman with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 and Limington, Maine, native, signals pilots to keep their hands off the controls while Marines arm ordnance loaded onto one of the Moonlighters? F/A-18 Hornets, Sept. 21, at Al Asad, Iraq.

AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Justin J. Poust, a 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing air tasking order production noncommissioned officer, carves the 2nd MAW emblem in a newly refurbished basketball court. Poust and other NCOs from Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 remodeled the court to exemplify initiative to their junior Marines. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Justin J. Poust, a 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing air tasking order production noncommissioned officer, carves the 2nd MAW emblem in a newly refurbished basketball court. Poust and other NCOs from Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 remodeled the court to exemplify initiative to their junior Marines.

AL ASAD, Iraq ? Major Marion D. Jones, executive officer for Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26, speaks with Sailors of the Mobile Air Cargo Handling team. The outgoing MACH III team was rewarded for their work in Iraq. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Major Marion D. Jones, executive officer for Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26, speaks with Sailors of the Mobile Air Cargo Handling team. The outgoing MACH III team was rewarded for their work in Iraq.

A future Iraqi Security Forces base at Al Asad, Iraq, is slowly coming to life as Marines from the 2nd Force Service Support Group's Engineer Support Battalion build billeting, water purification systems and other essential infrastructure for the future Iraqi base. - A future Iraqi Security Forces base at Al Asad, Iraq, is slowly coming to life as Marines from the 2nd Force Service Support Group's Engineer Support Battalion build billeting, water purification systems and other essential infrastructure for the future Iraqi base.

AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Scott E. Hutchings, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, plays taps during a Patriot Day service at Al Asad, Iraq. Patriot Day remembers those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Scott E. Hutchings, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, plays taps during a Patriot Day service at Al Asad, Iraq. Patriot Day remembers those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

AL ASAD, Iraq ? Gunnery Sgt. Ron S. Smith, the MALS-26 aviation information systems chief, takes the oath of enlistment during a reenlistment ceremony at the Marine Air Group 26 headquarters building, at Al Asad, Iraq. Smith?s family was able to sit in on the ceremony because of video teleconferencing technology. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Gunnery Sgt. Ron S. Smith, the MALS-26 aviation information systems chief, takes the oath of enlistment during a reenlistment ceremony at the Marine Air Group 26 headquarters building, at Al Asad, Iraq. Smith?s family was able to sit in on the ceremony because of video teleconferencing technology.

Army Cpl. Derek A. Marinaro, a team leader with the 109th Mechanized Infantry, uses sign language to communicate with his parents during a video teleconferencing session. Marinaro's parents are deaf, and his inability to talk with them over phone made this the first time he had communicated with his parents since he arrived in Iraq six weeks ago. The video teleconference was made possible by the Freedom Calls Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting better communication between deployed service members and their loved ones. - Army Cpl. Derek A. Marinaro, a team leader with the 109th Mechanized Infantry, uses sign language to communicate with his parents during a video teleconferencing session. Marinaro's parents are deaf, and his inability to talk with them over phone made this the first time he had communicated with his parents since he arrived in Iraq six weeks ago. The video teleconference was made possible by the Freedom Calls Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting better communication between deployed service members and their loved ones.