Sgt. Aaron Calderon, 27, of Fort Worth, Tex., makes use of the very limited workout equipment at Combat Outpost (COP) Payne in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 23.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
U.S. Marine Codey Herrera, 19, of Draper, Utah, finds a comfortable perch to catch up on a few pages of his book, "The Pact," by Jodi Picoult, at COP Payne, following a mission in Helmand province.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
U.S. Marines play an early morning game of cards at COP Payne in Helmand province..
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
For the first time in weeks, U.S. Marine Lane Cpl. Cody Thomas, 20, of Livingston County, N.Y., with Charlie Company 2nd LAR, has a moment to sleep in following a mission in Helmand province.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
An Light Armor Vehicle (LAV) travels through Helmand province with the solar eclipse visible in the background on July 22.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
From left to right, U.S. Marines Cpl. Matt Worley, 23, of Sunbury, Ohio; Lance Cpl. Marc Richards, 21, of Millsboro, Del.; and Cpl. Darren L. Helms, 22, of Wheeling, W.Va., with 2nd LAR Charlie Company, watch as a 1,000-pound bomb is dropped on more than 1,600 bags of poppy seed discovered at Safar Bazaar, following a raid in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 21.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
U.S. Marines Sgt. Tyler Pedersen, 24, of Washington, D.C., left, and Lt. Col. Tim E. Grattan III, commander of Task Force Mameluke, 2nd LAR, coordinate the drop of three 1,000-pound bombs on more than 1,600 bags of poppy seed discovered at Safar Bazaar following a raid in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Tim E. Grattan III points toward a plane about to drop a 1,000 -pound bomb on more than 1,600 bags of poppy seed discovered in Helmand province, July 21.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Marines drop three 1,000-pound bombs on more than 1,600 bags of poppy seed discovered at Safar Bazaar following a raid in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 21.
Nikki Kahn-THE WASHINGTON POST
Marines with 2nd LAR Charlie Company douse the 1,600 bags of poppy seed with fuel and light it with grenades to destroy the stash, July 21.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
The poppy seed income in Afghanistan has dropped due to efforts by Coalition forces to introduce new crops to Afghan communities. Yet the loss of their prime crop, opium, has led to a return to desperate rural poverty.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
A helicopter takes off above a Light Armor Vehicle after dropping off fuel to burn the bags of poppy seed, July 20. Afghanistan produces more than 90 percent of the world's illicit opium.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Marines work to stack the bags of poppy seed to be destroyed, July 20. Though the U.S. government, with the help of the Hamid Karzai-led Afghan government, have encouraged other crops for farmers, many elders complain that they've received little assistance to develop legal crops.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
U.S. Marine Company Commander of Charlie Company, 2nd LAR, Capt. Christopher Conner, 35, left, prepares to give his team a pep talk for their efforts in finding and securing the bags of poppy seed, July 20.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Clouds billow from a controlled detonation of homemade explosives found at the Safar Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, during the early morning hours of Monday, July 20, 2009.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
More than 1,600 bags of poppy seed and homemade explosives are discovered at the Safar Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in the early morning hours, Sunday, July 19.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
U.S. Marines with 2nd LAR Charlie Company uncovered the homemade explosives during a raid at Safar Bazaar.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
A U.S. Marine with the 2nd LAR Charlie Company inspects the scene outside the raid in Helmand province.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
A U.S. Marine SAW Gunner with 2nd LAR Charlie Company holds security as Marines raid Safar Bazaar.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Afghan locals prepare to leave Safar Bazaar as U.S. Marines with 2nd LAR Charlie Company search the area during the raid on July 19.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
U.S. Marines with 2nd LAR Charlie Company secure Safar Bazaar following the discovery of the bags of opium poppy and explosive materials.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Members of the 2nd LAR Charlie Company secure Safar Bazaar area in Helmand province.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
U.S. Marine Lt. Nathan Steffes, of Gaylord, Mich., takes a call over the radio as his Marines search the Safar Bazaar.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Marines work to stabilize the area around the Safar Bazaar on July 19.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Marines mill about following the raid.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Marines with 2nd LAR Charlie Company unload bags of poppy seed to be destroyed following the raid.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Marines, from left to right, Lance Cpl. Nathan Dunlap, of Ohio; Battalion Operations Officer Major Steve Sutey; Charlie Company Commanding Officer Christopher Conner, of Gastonia, N.C.; and Staff Sgt. Corey Nawrocki, of Philadelphia, Penn., oversee the offloading of bags of poppy seed uncovered at Safar Bazaar.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
The Marines of 2nd LAR Charlie Company rest following the raid in Helmand province, the current site of major combat operations by American military forces in Afghanistan.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
July 18
Gunner Terrence Washington, 44, of Rochester, N.Y., with 2nd LAR, takes a nap as Marines play a game of Hacky Sack on their way to a mission at Safar Bazaar on Saturday, July 18.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
U.S. Marine Sgt. Christopher Henry, 25, of Ijamsville, Md., with 2nd LAR Charlie Company, swims his Light Armor Vehicle (LAV) over the Helmand River on their way to the mission at Safar Bazaar. LAR has not conducted a vehicle swim across water since the Panama invasion in 1989.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
In a moment of nostalgia, a U.S. Marine writes his wife's name with water on a sand dune on the way to Safar Bazaar.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Cpl. Matt Worley, 23, of Sunbury, Ohio, takes a moment to relax on a stop to Safar Bazaar, July 18.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
On their way to Safar Bazaar, 2nd LAR Charlie Company makes a stop near sand dunes in Helmand province.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Lt. Col. Tim E. Grattan III, commander of Task Force Mameluke, 2nd LAR Battalion Commander, confers with a Marine during a stop on their way to Safar Bazaar.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Marines of 2nd LAR Charlie Company work on a vehicle under a starry night on their way to Safar Bazaar.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
First Sgt. Julio Meza, 40, left, of Rushville, N.Y., and Cpl. Matt Worley, 23, of Sunbury, Ohio, guide their Light Armor Vehicles back to COP Payne following a mission in Helmand province, July 15.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Cpl. Darren L. Helms, 22, of Wheeling, W.V., with 2nd LAR Charlie Company, falls asleep on the way to a mission in Helmand province, July 15.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Staff Sgt. Corey Nawrocki rides his Light Armor Vehicle with a convoy behind following a mission in Helmand province, July 15.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Gallery Credits:
Producer, Photo Editor Stephen Cook
Text Editor John Amick
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