Comcamppt 13 Jan09

Lance Cpl. Nick Wyatt, with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), breaks-up dirt on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III on Jan. 2, 2009, in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 3/8 is the ground combat element of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), fill sand bags in order to fortify their position on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III on Jan. 2, 2009, in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 3/8 is the ground combat element of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), fire 120 mm mortars on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III on Jan. 2, 2009, in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 3/8 is the ground combat element of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), fire 120 mm mortars on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III on Jan. 2, 2009, in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 3/8 is the ground combat element of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), fire 120 mm mortars on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III on Jan. 2, 2009, in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 3/8 is the ground combat element of the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

A U.S. Marine with Combat Logistics Battalion 3 operates a tractor rubber-tired articulated steering multi-purpose vehicle, (also known as a TRAM with bucket) outside of a combat outpost in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 3, 2009. CLB-3 is the logistics combat element for the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

A U.S. Marine with Combat Logistics Battalion 3 operates a tractor rubber-tired articulated steering multi-purpose vehicle, (also known as a TRAM with bucket) outside of a combat outpost in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 3, 2009. CLB-3 is the logistics combat element for the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

Lance Cpl. Jessie Daniels, a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), shovels dirt into protective barriers on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 6, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marine Sgt. Brian Morris, a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), shovels dirt into protective barriers on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 6, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marine Sgt. Brian Morris (right), a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, supervises Marines filling protective barriers on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 6, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

Lance Cpl. Joey Orso, a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), shovels dirt into protective barriers on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 6, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), shovel dirt into protective barriers on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 6, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

Lance Cpl. Kevin Gonzalez Sierra, with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, patrols across a field during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 7, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

Lance Cpl. Kevin Gonzalez Sierra, with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, maintains security on a patrol during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 7, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), maintain security on a patrol during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 7, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

Lance Cpl. Kevin Gonzalez Sierra, with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, maintains security on a patrol during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 7, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), maintain security on a patrol during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 7, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), maintain security on a patrol during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 7, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), cover their ears while firing the 120 mm mortar system from a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 8, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), cover their ears in a dust cloud while firing the 120 mm mortar system from a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 8, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Joey Orso, a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), prepares 120 mm mortar rounds on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 8, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)

U.S. Marine Sgt. Brian Morris, a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), rests in a bunker on a combat outpost during Operation Gateway III in the Farah Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Jan. 8, 2009. 3/8 is the ground combat element for the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Pete Thibodeau)