Chihiro Suzuki, left, Midori Chinen, center, and Lance Cpl. Justin W. Honer pick up trash during a community relations event at Uken Beach, Okinawa, Oct. 21. Honer is an intelligence specialist with 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Chinen and Suzuki are Okinawan students who attend the Camp Courtney Monday English class. - Chihiro Suzuki, left, Midori Chinen, center, and Lance Cpl. Justin W. Honer pick up trash during a community relations event at Uken Beach, Okinawa, Oct. 21. Honer is an intelligence specialist with 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Chinen and Suzuki are Okinawan students who attend the Camp Courtney Monday English class.

Marines and French Marine paratroopers play soccer together during Exercise Croix de Sud at Camp la Broche, New Caledonia, Oct. 13. The Marines faced the French Marines in a friendly match before integrating teams to break the ice. The Marines participating are with 1st platoon, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, which is currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. The French paratroopers are with 8th Marine Infantry Paratrooper Regiment, based out of Castres, France. - Marines and French Marine paratroopers play soccer together during Exercise Croix de Sud at Camp la Broche, New Caledonia, Oct. 13. The Marines faced the French Marines in a friendly match before integrating teams to break the ice. The Marines participating are with 1st platoon, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, which is currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. The French paratroopers are with 8th Marine Infantry Paratrooper Regiment, based out of Castres, France.

Pfc. Jermyus C. Silver removes the barrel from a .50-caliber Browning machine gun during small-unit leadership training at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Oct. 12. Silver is an air support operations operator with Marine Air Support Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - Pfc. Jermyus C. Silver removes the barrel from a .50-caliber Browning machine gun during small-unit leadership training at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Oct. 12. Silver is an air support operations operator with Marine Air Support Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Sgt. Corey G. Drake prepares to hit a pitch during a game between the Marine all-star baseball team and the Social Original Local Academy baseball team at Camp Foster Oct. 11. “Japanese (society) loves to play baseball, and the Okinawans lived up to that today. They’re great ball players,” said Sgt. Corey G. Drake, a telephone systems and personal computer intermediate repairer with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - Sgt. Corey G. Drake prepares to hit a pitch during a game between the Marine all-star baseball team and the Social Original Local Academy baseball team at Camp Foster Oct. 11. “Japanese (society) loves to play baseball, and the Okinawans lived up to that today. They’re great ball players,” said Sgt. Corey G. Drake, a telephone systems and personal computer intermediate repairer with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Absentee ballots allow service members, civilian employees and their families to vote while stationed overseas. - Absentee ballots allow service members, civilian employees and their families to vote while stationed overseas.

Completely surrounded by natural Philippine vegetation, Cpl. Jeremy Russow, right, crouches beside a Philippine Marine while constructing a hide site at Crow Valley, Republic of the Philippines, Oct. 9. Russow is an assistant team leader with scout sniper platoon, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force. The Philippine Marine is with special operations platoon, 3rd Battalion, Philippine Marine Corps. - Completely surrounded by natural Philippine vegetation, Cpl. Jeremy Russow, right, crouches beside a Philippine Marine while constructing a hide site at Crow Valley, Republic of the Philippines, Oct. 9. Russow is an assistant team leader with scout sniper platoon, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force. The Philippine Marine is with special operations platoon, 3rd Battalion, Philippine Marine Corps.

Marines with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, prepare their gear for Exercise Croix du Sud 2012 at Camp Schwab Oct. 5. Croix du Sud is a multilateral exercise hosted by the French armed forces in New Caledonia, and will involve two U.S. Marine Corps platoons with III Marine Expeditionary Force, members of the FANC, and a company with the Australian Defence Force, as well as members of six other nations with varying levels of involvement. 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines, is currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, under the unit deployment program. - Marines with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, prepare their gear for Exercise Croix du Sud 2012 at Camp Schwab Oct. 5. Croix du Sud is a multilateral exercise hosted by the French armed forces in New Caledonia, and will involve two U.S. Marine Corps platoons with III Marine Expeditionary Force, members of the FANC, and a company with the Australian Defence Force, as well as members of six other nations with varying levels of involvement. 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines, is currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, under the unit deployment program.

Revelers celebrate during the 42nd annual Naha Tug-of-War in downtown Naha Oct. 7. The tug-of-war represents the battle between separate dynasties during the reign of the Ryukyu Kingdom in Okinawa in the 15th Century. - Revelers celebrate during the 42nd annual Naha Tug-of-War in downtown Naha Oct. 7. The tug-of-war represents the battle between separate dynasties during the reign of the Ryukyu Kingdom in Okinawa in the 15th Century.

Lance Cpl. Michael H. Alfaro cuts wood using a miter saw at the Central Training Area, near Camp Hansen, Oct. 3. Alfaro is a combat engineer with Company A, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - Lance Cpl. Michael H. Alfaro cuts wood using a miter saw at the Central Training Area, near Camp Hansen, Oct. 3. Alfaro is a combat engineer with Company A, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force.