Pacific Landing

An aircraft director signals to an HH-60H Sea Hawk, assigned to the Chargers of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 14, aboard the flight deck of the USS George Washington, in the Pacific Ocean, Oct. 23, 2008.

U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Anthony R. Martinez

Rig Inspection

U.S. Army Pvt. Jason Ramirez arranges and inspects rigging before packing a parachute that will be used by paratroopers participating in a joint Army and Air Force forcible entry exercise on Fort Bragg, N.C., Oct. 23, 2008.

U.S. Air Force photo by Sgt. William Greer

Ecuadorian Mast Walkers

Crewmen of the Ecuadorian Navy’s tall ship ES Guayas stand on the ship’s masts, in a show of respect, as the vessel makes its way past the USS Arizona Memorial and into Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Oct. 16, 2008.

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Lantron

Night Watch In Flight Deck Control

INDIAN OCEAN (Oct. 25, 2008) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) Airman Ashley Flores stands a night watch, in flight deck control, aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).

During night operations, flight deck control transitions from white lights to blue lights, to prevent any visual distraction to pilots during flight operations.

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is on a routine deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility operating in the western Pacific and Indian oceans.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Torrey W. Lee/Released)

Can’t Stop the Rain

A front-end loader plows through a flooded area with a load of rock to build up low areas Oct. 25 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Rain is infrequent in Iraq, and when it does rain, the hardened ground soaks up little water.

(U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Erik Gudmundson)

Ready To Serve!

Iraqi air force 2nd Lieutenants Habeeb, Majid and Hassan salute during the Iraqi national anthem at their graduation ceremony from Iraq’s fixed-wing flight training school at Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq.

(U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Randi Flaugh)

Busiest Airfield In Afghanistan

Department of Defense contractors monitor the airfield from the air traffic control tower at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 21.

Many of the airfield operations functions, such as air traffic control and airfield management, are done through contracts and monitored by the 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron Airfield Operations Flight.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Rachel Martinez/released)

Radar Watch

PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 24, 2008) Operations Specialist Seaman Damian Bailey, from Crockett, Texas, stands radar watch in the Combat Direction Center aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

Stennis and the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group are conducting a composite training unit exercise off the coast of Southern California.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Walter M. Wayman (Released)

Firefighting Training

Daniel Scherer (right) and Tech. Sgt. Christopher Parker, both fire fighters from the 835th Civil Engineer Squadron, battle a ground fire during mobile aircraft firefighting training at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Oct. 21, 2008.

DoD photo by Senior Airman Nathan Lipscomb, U.S. Navy. (Released)

Mosul Patrol

U.S. Army Sgt. George Swain conducts a patrol near a Christian shrine in Mosul, Iraq, Oct. 21, 2008.

Swain and fellow soldiers of the 3rd Armor Cavalry Regiment’s 3rd Squadron were assessing the situation of Christians living in the area.

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. JoAnn S. Makinano

Virginia-class Attack Submarine USS New Hampshire Commissioned

KITTERY, Maine (Oct. 25, 2008) The Virginia-class attack submarine USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) is commissioned at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

More than 3,500 people attended the ceremony at the Navy’s first shipyard.

New Hampshire is the fifth Virginia-class submarine, the first major U.S. Navy combatant vessel class designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fernando Allen/Released)

USAF Chief Of Staff Reenlists Maintainer Over SW Asia

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz reenlists Senior Airman Tyrell Haney Oct. 23 in a ceremony aboard a C-17 Globemaster III cruising above the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

Airman Haney is a 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.

(U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Sean E. Cobb)

New Hampshire Commissioned

KITTERY, Maine (Oct. 25, 2008) New Hampshire veterans from each service watch as the Virginia-class attack submarine USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) is commissioned at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

More than 3,500 people attended the ceremony held at the Navy’s first shipyard.

New Hampshire is the fifth Virginia-class submarine, the first major U.S. Navy combatant vessel class designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind.

(U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2ND Class Roadell Hickman)

Training For Afghanistan

U.S. Army Sgt. John Farrar, of B Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, scans his surroundings as he provides security during a training scenario at Fort Bragg, N.C., Oct. 9, 2008.

Farrar, and the soldiers from his unit, are assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Khost.

The team is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in the end of October where it will will work with the U.S. State Department as it oversees reconstruction efforts in Khost Province, Afghanistan.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy