Modern Military Operations

Photographs of U.S. soldiers engaged in operations, training, and reconnaissance in contemporary conflict zones.

U.S. Soldiers from Alpha Company, 2nd Infantry Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, pull security during a patrol in Siniyah, Iraq, on Dec. 16.
U.S. Soldiers from Alpha Company, 2nd Infantry Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, pull security during a patrol in Siniyah, Iraq, on Dec. 16.
357 assets in this story
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040316-M-5523R-014. Base: Su Song Ri Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)
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041109-A-1067B-056. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Fallujah State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: 2-7 CAV
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NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Spc. Shane M. Bastin, of Duncansville, Penn., a rifleman for Company D, 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team, Task Force Mountain Warrior, pulls security during a visit to the markets of Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, April 26. The Nangarhar PRT civil affairs team conducted a market assessment to help determine community infrastructure needs and the status of the local economy.
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Marines with 2nd Tank Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N.C., use diverse materials to build terrain models during exercise Javelin Thrust on July 7, 2012. Javelin Thrust is an annual large-scale exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., which allows active and reserve Marines and Sailors from 38 different states to train together as a seamless Marine Air Ground Task Force.
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040702-M-7514K-017. Base: Camp Fallujah State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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030415-M-4419R-016. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: 5th Marines
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A Co., 834th Aviation Support Battalion, an element of the aviation Task Force 34 headquartered on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, delivered fuel to the local Bakir Village on Mar. 12. Spec. Benjamin Peterson of St Louis Park, MN helped provide security for his unarmed chaplain as he discusses world religions with the local Iraqi elders. Task Force 34 also took this opportunity to distribute humanitarian supplies, shoes, and candy to the Iraqi elders and children.
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050411-F-3587F-003. Base: Fallujah State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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Members from the 386 Air Expeditionary Wing marched throughout the evening at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwaiti, 11 Sept. 2022 in remembrance of those lost on Sept. 11, 2001. Members from multiple branches of service and coalition teammates from throughout the world took part in the 24-hour march.
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U.S. Marines with Golf Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, conclude the crucible at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 24, 2022. The Crucible was a 54-hour long culminating event at recruit training which finalized the transformation from recruit to Marine.
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040824-A-3978J-016. State: Mosul Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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An Iraqi army soldier is flanked by two boys as a U.S. Army Soldier assigned to Alpha Battery provides security during a joint mission in Khan Bani Sa'ad, Iraq, July 12, 2007. Soldiers from Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division and units of the Iraqi army are conducting a cordon and search mission to clear the area of insurgents and cache sites.
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060301-M-0374B-015. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Fallujah State: Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: 40580
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A U.S. Army Soldier with 2nd Platoon, Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment discusses birds with a local national during a dismounted patrol through the Adhamiya section of Baghdad, Iraq, June 12, 2007.
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030903-M-7837W-057. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Camp Babylon Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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050623-A-5930C-007. Base: Abu Ghraib Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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DF-ST-89-00890. Subject Operation/Series: SHADOW HAWK Base: Azarq Air Base Country: Jordan (JOR)
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PFC. Bryant Burns and PFC. Lyndon Brown relax after stacking duffel bags prior to departure from Somalia. They are assigned to the 2/14th Infantry Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY. The battalion comprised part of the U.S. contingent to UNOSOM II. Subject Operation/Series: UNOSOM II Base: Mogadishu Country: Somalia (SOM)
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PFC Easterly waits for an instructor to verify that he has all the required gear to begin the 6th annual Best Sapper Competition at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. The event gives engineers throughout the Army the opportunity to compete in a grueling six phase three day competition to determine who are the best engineers in the Army.
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040310-F-0207D-019. Base: Indian Springs Auxiliary Field State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
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Gen. Craig McKinley (left), Chief of the National Guard Bureau, gets a walking tour of the Base Defense Operations Center area from Col. Lee Henry, commander of the 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, during his visit to the Victory Base Complex, March 1.
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Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan commanding general, speaks after the transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 12. During the speech Nicholson expressed his gratitude for the hard work and helping hand that Gulab Mangal, the Helmand province governor, gave to the Marines during their stay in Afghanistan.
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060924-A-5168K-050. Base: Lsa Anaconda Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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030430-M-0367H-041. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Karbala Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: 3rd BN 7th MAR
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040501-F-1830P-011. Base: Tallil Air Base State: Dhi Qar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: CENTAF
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Songwriter Bob Dipiero, left, and country music artist Kix Brooks, of Brooks & Dunn, perform for U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment at Camp Hanson in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Dec. 16, 2010. Dipiero and Brooks were part of the annual USO holiday tour, which was hosted by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and also featured appearances by comedians Robin Williams, Lewis Black and Kathleen Madigan and Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.
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060110-A-3749Z-003. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Fob Orgun-E Country: Afghanistan (AFG) Scene Major Command Shown: 1-508TH ABN IN 173RD ABN BDE
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NAWA, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Senator Lindsey Graham, a senior senator from South Carolina, makes his way through the Nawa District Governance Center to the governor’s Marine House during a visit to Nawa, Afghanistan, Nov. 11, 2010. Graham, along with Senators John McCain, a senior senator from Arizona, Kirsten Gillibrand, a junior senator from New York, and Joseph I. Lieberman, a junior senator from Connecticut, visited Marines of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, where they toured Khalaj High School, the Nawa District bazaar and the Nawa District Governance Center as well as meeting with Nawa government officials.
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A U.S. Marine on a Rock Climbing Course During Mountain Leader Training
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050816-A-0575B-008. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Bagram Airfield State: Parwan Country: Afghanistan (AFG) Scene Major Command Shown: CJTF76
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041112-M-0095Z-128. Base: Ash Shafiyah Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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U.S. Soldiers assigned to the Agribusiness Development Team, South Carolina Army National Guard, assist a local Afghan farmer in Helmand Province Afghanistan, April 24, 2013. The ADT deployed for one year to provide training and advice to local famers in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
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030827-M-7837W-036. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Blaire Airfield, Al Kut State: Wasit Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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041231M-3988H-011. Base: Ar Rutbah State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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030514-A-1300H-091. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Moqor Country: Afghanistan (AFG)
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030307-M-5505M-011. Base: Camp Ripper Country: Kuwait (KWT) Scene Major Command Shown: 3rd LAR
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U.S. Army Reserve Spc. Philip Arabambi (left) and Spc. Mubarak Lamina, water treatment specialist and natives of Nigeria, assigned to the 968th Quartermaster Company, prepare a raw water pump for a water purification mission at the Quartermaster Liquid Logistics Exercise at Camp Pendleton, California, June 20. Both Soldiers attended basic training and advanced individual training together and are considering future careers as officers in the U.S. Army Reserve.
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060208-A-1211S-019. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Camp Loyalty State: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: A
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JAKE GYLLENHAAL and SAM MENDES in JARHEAD (2005), directed by SAM MENDES.
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U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Ted Braxton, second from right, 449th Air Expeditionary Group senior enlisted leader, stands with Airmen from the explosive ordinance disposal team assigned to the 475th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron (EABS), Camp Simba, Kenya, June 3, 2022. The explosive ordnance technicians were coined for winning team of the month and their outstanding performance at the 475th EABS.
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U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Pappal commander of the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division is being interviewed about the Sha'ab Central Market to transfer back to the Iraqi people on Jan. 3, 2009 at Forward Operating Base War Eagle in Baghdad, Iraq.
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041006-F-3924S-008. Subject Operation/Series: OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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Members of the Joint Information Bureau relax around an M-998 series vehicle at Camp Stalder, the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40 base of operations during the multinational relief effort OPERATION RESTORE HOPE. Subject Operation/Series: RESTORE HOPE Base: Mogadishu Country: Somalia (SOM)
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Saluting by Explosion
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030424-M-8658H-008. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Country: Kuwait (KWT) Scene Major Command Shown: I MEF
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030303-M-5150A-060. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Camp Coyote Country: Kuwait (KWT)
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031223-F-2167L-111. Base: Tallil Air Base State: Dhi Qar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: PACAF
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030617-F-9753B-001. Base: Kuwait (KWI) Country: Kuwait (KWT) Scene Major Command Shown: CENTCOM
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030215-F-5712B-018. Base: Al Udeid, Doha Country: Qatar (QAT)
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STAFF Sergeant (SSGT) Ponzini (left) gets an autograph from actor Christopher Judge during a morale visit in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: CENTCOM
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U.S. Contractor on a police mission in Northern Afghanistan poses for a picture with the Afghan Police Chief's son.
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Injured airborne infantry paratrooper shot in leg hip on desert sand. Blood spilled but tourniquet is on, he will be alive. United states paratrooper airborne
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Sgt. Michael Trevino, personal security detail, non-comissioned officer, 172nd Infantry Brigade, utilizes a foot bridge to cross a swollen river outside of the village of Marzak while locals wash clothing on the far bank. Marzak has historically been a stronghold for the insurgency over the past decade until the Afghan and U.S forces took advantage of the winter months to establish a local police force at the request of the elders and secure the village from foreign fighters who transit the area during the fighting season.
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U.S. Army Pvt. Hershell Ross and Sgt. Cleveland Upton play a game of chess in between combat patrols in the Aamel region of Baghdad, Iraq, April 12, 2007. The Soldiers are from 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.
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030504-M-9892R-006. Subject Operation/Series: BALIKATAN 2003 Base: Camp Ternate State: Cavite Province Country: Philippines (PHL) Scene Major Command Shown: 2nd Battalion 7th Marines
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041225-M-0173F-002. Base: Ar Ramadi State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)