HELLO KISSES

Navy Chief Petty Officer Kevin Sun reunites with his dog and other loved ones after completing Pacific Partnership 2012 as a crewmember of the USNS Mercy in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Sept. 2, 2012. The Mercy stopped in Pearl Harbor to drop off several crewmembers while on its way back to its homeport of San Diego. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Feddersen

AERIAL REFUELING

An F-15E Strike Eagle receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker during an aerial refueling mission over the Atlantic Ocean, Sept. 10, 2012. The Strike Eagle is assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing and the Stratotanker is assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Morgan

SPARTAN SHIELD

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Matthew Perry, right, and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Darryl Honick work together to control coordination efforts with a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet crew during Operation Spartan Shield in Southwest Asia, Sept. 11, 2012. Perry, a radio operator maintainer and driver, is assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron. Honick, a joint fire observer, is assigned to 3rd Battalion, 159th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder

REASSURING RESCUE

Navy Lt. Lori Campbell carries a young girl to safety on Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, La., Sept. 1, 2012. The girl was medically evacuated from Port Sulphur, La., by members of the Louisiana Army National Guard's 2-135th General Support Aviation Battalion. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Dan Farrell

PENTAGON WELCOME

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta hosts an honor cordon to welcome Canadian Defense Minister Peter G. MacKay to the Pentagon, Sept. 28, 2012. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

JOINT PRESS BRIEFING

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, left, and Canadian Defense Minister Peter G. MacKay hold a joint press conference at the Pentagon, Sept. 28, 2012. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

PRESS EVENT

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Canadian Defense Minister Peter G. MacKay hold a joint press conference at the Pentagon, Sept. 28, 2012. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

CARGO CREW

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. James Bates pulls security as his team loads a tactical vehicle into the cargo bay of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in the Pur Chaman district in Afghanistan's Farah province, Sept. 26, 2012. The mission marks the first time coalition forces have been to that district in more than a year. Bates is assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah, a unit of soldiers, sailors and airmen working with government and non-government agencies to improve governance and stability in the U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Lovelady