NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Sgt. Nick Andrews, an infantry squad leader with Company C, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, from Marshalltown, Iowa, looks into the valley from a mountaintop outside the village of Nengaresh, Afghanistan, Jan. 21 2011. Soldiers from Co. C  joined Afghan National Army Soldiers from Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 201st Infantry Corp, on the patrol. After seven hours of dismounted searching through rugged terrain, Co. C and their Afghan counterparts located an improvised explosive device along Route Iowa, thanks to a tip from someone in the area of Tupac, Afghanistan. The Soldiers had been struck by an IED in Tupac two days earlier. Fortunately, no U.S. or Afghan Soldiers were injured in the attack. After locating the IED, the Soldiers then walked back to Forward Operating Base Kalagush, hiking about eight miles up and down mountains for the day.

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Soldiers with Company C, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, walk down a path outside the village of Nengaresh, Afghanistan, Jan. 21 2011. Soldiers from Co. C  joined Afghan National Army Soldiers from Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 201st Infantry Corp, on the patrol. After seven hours of dismounted searching through rugged terrain, Co. C and their Afghan counterparts located an improvised explosive device along Route Iowa, thanks to a tip from someone in the area of Tupac, Afghanistan. The Soldiers had been struck by an IED in Tupac two days earlier. Fortunately, no U.S. or Afghan Soldiers were injured in the attack. After locating the IED, the Soldiers then walked back to Forward Operating Base Kalagush, hiking about eight miles up and down mountains for the day.

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - A U.S. Army Soldier from Company C, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, works his way through some brush outside the village of Nengaresh, Afghanistan, Jan. 21 2011. After seven hours of dismounted searching through rugged terrain, Co. C and their Afghan counterparts from Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 201st Corp, located an improvised explosive device along Route Iowa, thanks to a tip from someone in the area of Tupac, Afghanistan. The Soldiers had been struck by an IED in Tupac two days earlier. Fortunately, no U.S. or Afghan Soldiers were injured in the attack. After locating the IED, the Soldiers then walked back to Forward Operating Base Kalagush, hiking about eight miles up and down mountains for the day.

U.S. Army Pvt. Gregory Lloyd from 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade searches for munitions near Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq, Dec. 29, 2008.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Adam Davidson from 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade talks to an Iraqi farmer while Staff Sgt. Jake Vanmeter radios the group’s position during a munitions search near Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq, Dec. 29, 2008.

U.S. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade signal each other during a munitions search near Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq, Dec. 29, 2008.

19 December 2011, members of the U.S. Army Alaska staff board a C 12 Sherpa provided by the Alaska National Guard and execute parachute operations over Malamute Drop Zone on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Colonel Mark Lowe, the Deputy Commander of U.S. Army Alaska logged his 400th military jump during the training.

19 December 2011, members of the U.S. Army Alaska staff board a C 12 Sherpa provided by the Alaska National Guard and execute parachute operations over Malamute Drop Zone on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Colonel Mark Lowe, the Deputy Commander of U.S. Army Alaska logged his 400th military jump during the training.

U.S. Army Cpl. Aaron Kopecky provides security as Spc. Nicholas Ryan digs through loose dirt in an abandoned house during a patrol in the Diyala River Valley of Iraq Dec. 27, 2008. Kopecky and Ryan are both assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

U.S. Soldiers of 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, patrol a section of Iraq’s Diyala River Valley, Dec. 27, 2008.