H/T : The fine folks @ militaryphotos.net

defend1.jpg - U.S. soldiers of 82nd Airborne prepare to fire a motar in Ghorak district of Kandahar province Southern Afghanistan, Wednesday, March 14, 2007. The 4,500 NATO and 1,000 Afghan troops launched the alliance's largest-ever offensive in Afghanistan during the last week in neighboring helmand province

defend2.jpg - U.S soldiers of 82nd Airborne patrol in Chinar village in Ghorak district of Kandahar province Southern Afghanistan, Wednesday, March 14, 2007. The 4,500 NATO and 1,000 Afghan troops launched the alliance's largest-ever offensive in Afghanistan during last week in neighboring helmand province

defend3.jpg - Army Sgt. Mark Brown, B Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, inspects his equipment before heading out on patrol during "Operation Achilles" in Southern Afghanistan March 6. Brown is a native of Dickinson, TX.

defend4.jpg - Paratroopers from B Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division moves out on patrol into the Ghorak Valley of the Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan during "Operation Achilles March 6. Photo by Spc. Matthew T. Littel, U.S. Army

defend5.jpg - A combat engineer from A Company, 27th Engineering Battalion, 20th Engineering Brigade (Airborne), gets ready to inspect a culvert during a routine stop on the way to recover a military vehicle.

defend6.jpg - An Air Force B-1B Lancer lifts off the runway at its Southwest Asia location enroute to a mission over Afghanistan. In recent weeks, the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron has maintained a persistent presence in Iraq and Afghanistan to support increased operations. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. David Miller)

defend7.jpg - Six low-velocity chutes deliver 9,000 pounds of emergency fuel resupply to coalition ground forces engaging Taliban extremists March 13 in southern Afghanistan. The resupply landed within 35 meters of the desired drop zone.