FARAH SECURITY

U.S. Army Spc. Giovanni Gonzalez, right, provides security outside a meeting in Farah City, Afghanistan, Dec. 5, 2012. Gonzalez is assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Matthew Stroup

CHRISTMAS DROP

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Timothy Oberman, left, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nick Alarcon, right, watch out the back of a C-130H aircraft after dropping the first pallet of humanitarian goods to the island of Ulal, Dec. 11, 2012. Oberman and Alarcon, loadmasters, are assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan. Operation Christmas Drop is a nonprofit organization powered by volunteers from Andersen Air Force Base and the local Guam community. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Samuel Morse

CANDIDATE CLIMB

Marine Corps Officer Candidate School students negotiate the Montford Point Challenge obstacle course at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Dec. 8, 2012. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Christopher A. Green

DOG TRAINING

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Richard T. Bew, right, participates in a demonstration conducted by U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Cebastian J. Barrett and his patrol explosive detection dog, Kevin, on Camp Leatherneck in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Dec. 5, 2012. Bew is assigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Forward, and Barrett and Kevin are assigned to the 1st Law Enforcement Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Forward. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Keonaona C. Paulo

GREEN BAY APPROACH

A landing craft air cushion approaches the amphibious transport dock ship the USS Green Bay in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Dec. 6, 2012. The Green Bay is part of the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam

SMOKE GRENADE

Air Force Staff Sgt. Brandon Washington, right, observes Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rudolph Stuart throw a smoke grenade during combat readiness training with the 628th Explosive Ordnance Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., Nov. 30, 2012. Airmen attended an hour-long class to review safety procedures when handling grenades. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dennis Sloan

KABUL ARRIVAL

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta talks with U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James B. Cunningham and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, upon his arrival in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 12, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

KABUL VIEW

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta flies in a helicopter with U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan, over Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 12, 2012. DOD photo by Erin Kirk-Cuomo