[slidepress gallery=’usmc-afghan-harsh-weather-march-1′]
Credit: Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs, February 10th, 2010
The troops awoke from their tarp-covered fighting holes, Feb. 10, to find a blanket of frost, covering everything around them. Their boots, flak jackets, helmets and anything else exposed to the elements served as a frozen consequence of sleeping outside in the harsh desert of Helmand, province Afghanistan during the wintertime.
Frost was only one of the many challenges to the Marines and Sailors of India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, and soldiers of the Afghan national army, living outside without the protection of permanent structures.
Earlier in the week, a brutal hailstorm, without warning, pelted the Marines with large chunks of ice. The hail fell from the sky so hard and fast that it even left visible marks on the Marines’ bodies. The troops have been nomadic while in Helmand province, moving to different locations every few days. They have been living in makeshift shelters using whatever materials they have on hand and have been exposed to all types of weather conditions, including sandstorms.
- The first photo shows Marines from India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment patrol during a sandstorm in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Feb. 8. The India Company Marines and soldiers of the Afghan national army battled inclement weather while living in the elements of the Helmand desert.
- The second photo shows Marines from India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment and a Pashto linguist patrolling during a sandstorm in Helmand province.
- The third photo shows Marines from India Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment building a shelter during a sandstorm in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
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***Posted February 28th, 2010