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.

U.S. Army soldiers begin their descent from the summit of "Big Nasty," a mountain in Paktika province, Afghanistan, Sept. 8, 2011. The soldiers are assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade. The unit was on a joint mission with the Afghan army and border patrol in the mountains near the Pakistan border.

MOUNTAIN DESCENT

U.S. Army soldiers begin their descent from the summit of "Big Nasty," a mountain in Paktika province, Afghanistan, Sept. 8, 2011. The soldiers are assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade. The unit was on a joint mission with the Afghan army and border patrol in the mountains near the Pakistan border.

Photo Gallery