An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Photos

Snapshots of what’s happening in the Defense Department.

An illumination flare lights up a mountain near Observation Post Athens in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Nov. 27, 2013. A squad of Marines assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment provided security from the outpost, where they had an unobstructed view of their surroundings.

An illumination flare lights up a mountain near Observation Post Athens in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Nov. 27, 2013. A squad of Marines assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment provided security from the outpost, where they had an unobstructed view of their surroundings.

An illumination flare lights up a mountain near Observation Post Athens in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Nov. 27, 2013. A squad of Marines assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment provided security from the outpost, where they had an unobstructed view of their surroundings.

Photo Gallery