II MEF News

Sgt. Benjamin Maldonado and Sgt. Farhad share a glance while drinking chai tea at a local shop owner’s house during a security patrol here, May 19. Maldonado, a native of Quinton, N.J., is a squad leader with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and Farhad is a squad leader with 2-1-215. He and Farhad have built a special relationship in only a month’s time. Their relationship is just one example of how Marines from 1/3 are working together with Afghanistan National Army counterparts. The battalion supports Regimental Combat Team 1 under 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which serves as the ground combat element in Helmand. The mission of the division is to partner with Afghan National Security Forces to conduct counterinsurgency operations to secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable ANSF to assume security responsibilities in the region. Ultimately, the partnered forces promote the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance. - Sgt. Benjamin Maldonado and Sgt. Farhad share a glance while drinking chai tea at a local shop owner’s house during a security patrol here, May 19. Maldonado, a native of Quinton, N.J., is a squad leader with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and Farhad is a squad leader with 2-1-215. He and Farhad have built a special relationship in only a month’s time. Their relationship is just one example of how Marines from 1/3 are working together with Afghanistan National Army counterparts. The battalion supports Regimental Combat Team 1 under 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which serves as the ground combat element in Helmand. The mission of the division is to partner with Afghan National Security Forces to conduct counterinsurgency operations to secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable ANSF to assume security responsibilities in the region. Ultimately, the partnered forces promote the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

Lance Cpl. Shawn Cole, a native of Cresskill, N.J., is a fire team leader with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment’s Guard Force Platoon. He is responsible for three other Marines during his seven-month deployment. This is Cole’s second deployment. He graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., in 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan for the first time in 2009.The battalion supports Regimental Combat Team 1, the Marine ground combat element in Southern Helmand province. The mission of the RCT is to partner with Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations to secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable Afghanistan to assume security responsibilities in the region. Ultimately, the partnered forces promote the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance. - Lance Cpl. Shawn Cole, a native of Cresskill, N.J., is a fire team leader with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment’s Guard Force Platoon. He is responsible for three other Marines during his seven-month deployment. This is Cole’s second deployment. He graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C., in 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan for the first time in 2009.The battalion supports Regimental Combat Team 1, the Marine ground combat element in Southern Helmand province. The mission of the RCT is to partner with Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations to secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable Afghanistan to assume security responsibilities in the region. Ultimately, the partnered forces promote the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.