Media Gallery

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Sean Bailey observes the terrain while patrolling in the mountains near Sar Howza, Paktika province, Afghanistan, Sept. 2. Bailey is deployed with Bulldog Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Sean Bailey grasps his weapon while observing the mountainous terrain near Sar Howza, Paktika province, Afghanistan, Sept. 2. Bailey is deployed with Bulldog Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

U.S. Army Pfc. James Brennan, 1st Platoon, Blackjack Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry, fires an M-240B machine gun on a heavy weapons range, Camp Clark, Khowst province, Afghanistan, May 20. Training included moving to an objective as a unit and familiarization with heavy weapons such as 60 mm mortars and antitank weapons.

U.S. Army Pfc. James Brennan, 1st Platoon, Blackjack Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry, fires an M-240B machine gun on a heavy weapons range, Camp Clark, Khowst province, Afghanistan, May 20. Training included moving to an objective as a unit and familiarization with heavy weapons such as 60 mm mortars and antitank weapons.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Roger Schilling scans the terrain during a night patrol in the mountains near Sar Howza, Paktika province, Afghanistan, on Sept. 4, 2009. Schilling is deployed with Bulldog Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment (Airborne), 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.(DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Smith, U.S. Army. (Released))

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Icar Morales, from Woodbridge, N.J., walks up a mountain during a patrol with his platoon near Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2009. Morales is deployed with Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

U.S. Army Sgt. Zachary Adkins from Sweetland, W.Va., rests during a patrol with his platoon near Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2009. Adkins is deployed with Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Kevin Jewell, right, from Alamogordo, N.M., talks to his sergeants to determine the best route during a patrol near Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2009. Jewell is deployed with Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

U.S. Army Sgt. Zachary Adkins from Sweetland, W.Va., picks up his rifle and prepares to continue walking during a patrol with his platoon near Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2009. Adkins is deployed with Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

U.S. Army Sgt. Jose Padillo from Anchorage, Alaska, uses his rifle scope to scan the terrain during a patrol with his platoon near Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2009. Padillo is deployed with Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

U.S. Army Sgt. Zachary Adkins from Sweetwater, W.Va., walks across a log bridge during a patrol with his platoon near Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2009. Adkins is deployed with Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

U.S. Army Sgt. Jose Badillo, left, from Anchorage, Alaska, and Spc. Joshua Smith, from Plant City, Fla., rest during a patrol with their platoon near Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2009. The Soldiers are deployed with Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.

Pfc. Josh Barrios from Torrence, Calif., and Staff Sgt. Brent Holmes from Marysville, Wash., both mortarmen with B Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, conduct a fires mission Dec. 16 from Camp Clark in the Khost Province of eastern Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Pfc. Josh Barrios, a mortarman from Torrence, Calif., working with Troop B, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, lunges to a safe distance after firing a mortar during a mission, Dec. 16, at Camp Clark in Khost province of eastern Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Pfc. Josh Barrios, a mortarman from Torrence, Calif., working with Troop B, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, waits for the fire call before a mortar mission, Dec. 16, at Camp Clark in Khost province of eastern Afghanistan.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Douglas Boone, platoon leader for 2nd Platoon, Troop C, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, leads a routine convoy, Dec. 19, from Combat Outpost Wilderness to Combat Outpost Deysie in the Paktya province of eastern Afghanistan. To celebrate the season, the paratroopers of 2nd Platoon hung candy canes inside their vehicles.

U.S. Army Spc. Robert Bogan, a cook for the cavalrymen of 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, builds a "gingerbread" house out of toaster pastries, Dec. 19, at Combat Outpost Deysie in Paktya province, Afghanistan. Bogan made a Christmas tree, fire place and dining table for the inside of the house, and Santa's sleigh with reindeer for the top, all out of candy and chocolate.

U.S. Army Pfc. Patrick Quirino, cavalryman with 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, takes communion from Chap. U.S. Army Lt. Col. Matthew Atkins after attending an Advent Christmas service, Dec. 20, at Combat Outpost Deysie in eastern Afghanistan's Paktya province.

U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Krisch, a cavalrymen with 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division reads an Bible excerpt to his comrades during an Advent Christmas service, Dec. 20, at Combat Outpost Deysie in eastern Afghanistan's Paktya province.

Cavalrymen with 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, pause their daily missions to participate in an Advent Christmas service, Dec. 20, at Combat Outpost Deysie in the Paktya province of eastern Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Pfc. Josh Barrios from Torrence, Calif., and Staff Sgt. Brent Holmes from Marysville, Wash., both mortarmen with Troop B, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, check a target after completing a mortar fires mission, Dec. 16, from Camp Clark in Khost province of eastern Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Pfc. Josh Barrios from Torrence, Calif., and Staff Sgt. Brent Holmes from Marysville, Wash., both mortarmen with Troop B, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, conduct a fires mission, Dec. 16, from Camp Clark in Khost province of eastern Afghanistan.