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Al-Tanf, Syria. (December 5, 2024) In this photo by Staff Sergeant Emma Scearce, U.S. Soldiers provide toys and health care items to villagers during a security patrol in northeast Syria. There are roughly a thousand U.S. military personnel who are at greater risk of attack by various Islamic groups vying for power in Syria. American troops have been in Syria for the past ten years to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State. The U.S. presence also supports Washington’s Kurdish allies and helps contain the influence of Iran and Russia in the country. It also makes it more difficult for Iran to move weapons into Lebanon to support its proxy, the Lebanese Hezbollah.
The Americans are based at Al-Tanf, an outpost in occupied territory fifteen miles from the Iraq/Jordanian border. The 13-year civil war reignited with surprising speed resulting in a total collapse of the country in less than one week. Syrian strongman Bashar al Assad’s allies abandoned him and he is reportedly taking refuge in Russia.
Leading the offensive is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Organization for the Liberation of Greater Syria, a former al-Qaeda affiliate. In 2012, the U.S. and several other nations designated the group a terrorist organization. Back then they were known as the al Qaeda Syrian branch. The group has recently renounced the Islamic State’s tactics to project a more moderate image.
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Pacific Ocean. (November 15, 2025): He was one of the very few individuals to be honored by having an entire fleet of Navy ships named for him during his lifetime… but just who was Arleigh Burke? In this photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Greg Johnson, Lieutenant Junior Grade Marcus Wiggins, from Mobile, Alabama, stands watch in the combat information center aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey, one of seventy-three destroyers named for the Admiral.
Arleigh Albert Burke was born on October 19, 1901, in Boulder, Colorado and rose to the rank of Admiral after forty-two years in the Navy. During his career, Burke served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations and he served honorably in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
During World War II, Burke commanded Destroyer Squadron 23, known as the "Little Beavers", that covered the initial landings in Bougainville in November 1943 and fought in 22 other separate engagements. His aggressive philosophy in combat was crystalized by his famous admonition that “the difference between a good officer and a bad one is about ten seconds.” He came to this conclusion having witnessed uncertainty and hesitation by naval commanders that had cost them dearly.
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Indonesia. (November 15, 2024): It is a nation of thousands of islands spread across the Indo-Pacific and a key ally in America’s strategy to contain Chinese ambitions in Southeast Asia. In this photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter, U.S. Marine Corps 1st Sergeant Chris Smith, right, with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, holds a unit flag alongside his comrade Indonesian Marine with 10th Marine Infantry Battalion, Korps Marinir. The Marines are completing a series of exercises practicing coastal defense during MAREX 2024, an annual bilateral exercise to strengthen relationships with this vital U.S. partner.
During the exercises, a combined force of nearly six hundred personnel from the Marine Rotational Force - Southeast Asia joined the 10th Marine Infantry Battalion of the Indonesian Marine Corps to conduct expert-lead exchanges and training events. Topics ranged from staff-level planning to jungle survival tactics. The partners also practiced skills like combat patrolling, ambush tactics, casualty evacuations, and combat marksmanship, all culminating in a successful execution of a final coastal defense scenario.
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Camp Pendleton, California. (November 25, 2024): The Marines are turning to a reliable workforce to help improve barracks living conditions… fellow Marines. In this photo by Lance Corporal Jeslianne Torres, Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion measure drywall during Operation Clean Sweep, a joint initiative between Marine Corps Installations West and the I Marine Expeditionary to improve living conditions for Marines and Sailors.
Operation Clean Sweep is a determined effort by the Marines to renovate troop barracks that have fallen into disrepair over the years. Instead of relying solely on outside contractors, the Corps has turned to its members to tackle “Self-Help” projects at installations around the world. While using limited contract labor for specific projects, the Navy is relying on Marines and Sailors to work together on projects to address their maintenance needs.
In fact, Marines now must “sign” for their dwellings (just like they do for their rifles) in a contract very similar to a civilian rental agreement. That means damage to their rooms will be their financial responsibility including paying for repairs or damaged equipment much like they would for a lost helmet. The goal is to instill a sense of “ownership” to encourage individual Marines to take care of their “property.”
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Washington D.C. (November 30, 2024): He was a fighter pilot who served in three wars and came home without a scratch. In this photo by Staff Sergeant Emmeline James, retired Colonel Richard Heyman is honored with the British 2024 Swords of Honor by the Royal Air Force Museum American Foundation. He received the award for his efforts and contributions during World War II at the recent “Spirit of the Battle of Britain” banquet marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day. During his 32 years of active-duty service, Colonel Heyman is one of very few aviators who saw action in three wars and came home unscathed.
The Colonel grew up in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Air Forces at the tender age of nineteen. He was immediately shipped out to the European theater and assigned to the Eighth Army Air Force based in England. His mission was to escort long-range bombers flying daylight-precision strategic bombing against targets deep into Germany. The Eight Air Forces eventually grew to a strength of more than 200,000 people capable of sending more than 2,000 four-engine bombers and 1,000 fighters on a single mission against enemy targets in Europe. By wars end, the Eighth lost over 26,000 members flying missions in the skies over Germany. Heyman flew approximately 125 missions in his Lockheed P-38 Lightning and, despite numerous close calls, returned home unharmed.
With the onset of the Korean War in 1950, Heyman was recalled to active duty where he found himself flying night bombing runs over North Korea in the A-26 Invader, a twin-engine light bomber. While flying the A-26, Heyman flew between 50 and 75 missions primarily attacking ground targets. He gained theater wide notoriety by downing a North Korean Polikarpov Po-2, a particularly pesky all-weather Soviet built biplane. The Po-2, nicknamed “Bed Check Charlie” by ground troops, carried around five bombs and would attempt to hit what they could, given their ordnance was unguided and dropped at night.
Although extremely slow by modern standards, the plane was an ideal trainer aircraft as well as a low-cost ground attack, aerial reconnaissance, psychological warfare vehicle. These planes would typically attack after midnight to harass U.S. forces, significantly interrupting the sleep of infantry on the ground. On this night, Colonel Heymen tore the canvas-covered biplane to pieces with his six, monstrous .50 caliber machine guns. The Po-2 didn't stand a chance.
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Pacific Ocean. (November 27, 2024): Twenty-three U.S. Navy personnel have been awarded our nation’s highest award, the Medal of Honor, without having fired a shot. These daring Sailors were Hospital Corpsmen and their comrades are the backbone of Navy medicine to this day. In this photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class August Clawson,
Petty Officer 2nd Class Isaac Eaker is carried to an elevator on the flight deck during a medical drill aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington while underway in the Pacific Ocean.
The Navy Hospital Corps is comprised of over 30,000 active duty and reserve members who train in over forty technical specialties besides emergency care. They are stationed at military installation clinics and deploy in support of combat operations, humanitarian assistance missions, and disaster relief. Hospital Corpsmen provide direct support to Navy and Marine Corps commands, squadrons, and battalions to provide the best care our nation can offer ashore and afloat.
Their duties include performing tactical casualty combat care, emergency surgeries, and the prescribing of medications. They also hold daily sick calls and administer needed vaccines as part of total patient care for Sailors and Marines both on land and at sea. These medical professionals are as comfortable analyzing lab samples as they are performing physical exams and they even assist with dental care.