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Photos

Snapshots of what’s happening in the Defense Department.

U.S. Army Pfc. Kevin B. Mettler, front, and Pvt. Jason R. Pompa, rear, cover their ears as a long-range training round is fired out of a 120 mm mortar which has a maximum range of 6,800 meters on the Babadag Training Area, Romania, Oct. 10, 2009. Mettler and Pompa are mortar gunners assigned to Mortar Platoon, 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. The training rounds have cartridges similar to 12-gauge shotgun shells at the top of each round that detonates a white flash upon impact.

MORTAR MEN

U.S. Army Pfc. Kevin B. Mettler, front, and Pvt. Jason R. Pompa, rear, cover their ears as a long-range training round is fired out of a 120 mm mortar which has a maximum range of 6,800 meters on the Babadag Training Area, Romania, Oct. 10, 2009. Mettler and Pompa are mortar gunners assigned to Mortar Platoon, 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. The training rounds have cartridges similar to 12-gauge shotgun shells at the top of each round that detonates a white flash upon impact.

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