IRAQI SOLDIER TRAINING

Iraqi Army soldiers load their weapons and conduct a final gear inspection prior to embarking on a security patrol with Marines from Animal Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, in the town of Ubayde, Iraq in western Al Anbar Province, March 20, 2006. The Twentynine Palms, Calif.-based battalion has returned to Al Qa’im, located just east of the Syrian border in western Al Anbar Province, to continue to keep insurgents at bay and provide stability in the region. The unit deployed to this region in 2004. This time, they’ve got a new mission — assisting an Iraqi Army unit to eventually take control of the area. The battalion will integrate Iraqi soldiers into daily operations, such as patrolling, responding to improvised explosive devices, manning security posts, and interacting with the local populace. The battalion’s deployment to Iraq is part of a regularly scheduled rotation of forces in western Al Anbar Province. More than 23,000 Marines and sailors of the Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based I Marine Expeditionary Force will replace the Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based II MEF.