STANDING WITH TROOPS

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks to U.S. troops from Regional Command South in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Dec 13, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

RE-ENLISTING AIRMEN

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta re-enlists four airmen on Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Dec. 13, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

DADDY'S EMBRACE

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Fabio Perez greets his son during a homecoming celebration on Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Dec. 20, 2012, following a regularly scheduled deployment to the areas of responsibility for the U.S. 5th and 6th fleets. The homecoming marks the end of deployment for the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, during which its ships supported Operation Enduring Freedom, and African Lion and Eager Lion exercises. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Julie Matyascik

STEEP STAIRWAY

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ryan Schulte climbs stairs to the roof of the Farah City prison administrative office as a prison guard looks on during a meeting with key leaders at the prison, Afghanistan, Dec. 29. Schulte is a security force platoon leader for Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah, which trains, advises and assists Afghan government leaders at the municipal, district and provincial levels in Farah province, Afghanistan. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Josh Ives

MEDICAL EVACUATION

Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah medics and medical evacuation personnel assigned to the U.S. Army's Company C, 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, transfer an Afghan man from a medevac helicopter to a vehicle on Forward Operating Base Farah, Afghanistan, Dec. 26, 2012. The team's mission is to train, advise and assist Afghan government leaders at the municipal, district and provincial levels in Farah province. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Josh Ives

MEDICAL TEAM

Medical personnel assess an Afghan man on Forward Operating Base Farah, Afghanistan, Dec. 26, 2012. The soldiers are assigned to the 541st Forward Surgical Team. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Josh Ives

AIR DROP

Supplies drop to U.S. soldiers deployed to the mountainous Paktya province on Forward Operating Base Lightning, Afghanistan, Dec. 23, 2012. Military leaders coordinated the air drop to resupply the base when adverse weather made roads through mountainous areas too difficult to traverse. U.S. Army Sgt. Aaron Ricca

MACHINE GUN DUTY

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Hetrick mans an M2HB .50-caliber machine gun aboard the guided missile destroyer the USS Jason Dunham while under way in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Dec. 27, 2012. The Dunham, part of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, was deployed to conduct maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts to support Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Deven B. King