Randy Short takes a moment with his dog Maddie while swimming in the waters off Hart-Miller Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Hart-Miller Island, which features a state park accessible only by boat, is a popular destination for boaters during the summer.

Randy Short takes a moment with his dog Maddie while swimming in the waters off Hart-Miller Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Hart-Miller Island, which features a state park accessible only by boat, is a popular destination for boaters during the summer. /html/../gallery/large/100530-JS-2421S-019W.jpg 277118af27cc2be0156285287f3c2412 Courtney Zablocki, a luge athlete,prepares for a training run at the Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex in Lake Placid, N.Y. Zablock competed in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics and was hoping to earn a slot on the 2010 U.S. Winter Olympic Team. /html/../gallery/large/091015-A-2421S-133BW.jpg 82b46b3d454d8f3cd0d8a5296ec8fd12 A tugboat pulls a freighter out from the port of Laem Chabang, Thailand. Laem Chabang is one of the major port cities of Thailand and has seen many expansion projects over the past few years. /html/../gallery/large/090518-A-2421S-159BWw.jpg d3754039df7c72f9bded10f07abec290 While Sara Schreiber looks on from behind, Kyra Vuolo leans over to get a better look at a blue crab that has entangled itself in a crabbing net while the two were crabbing along the waterfront at Pintail Park in Ocean Pines, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-ocean pines crabbingW.jpg dfc65d14e1262854b2d38d31a2ca772a Chris Strickland, of the Baltimore, Md., band Eleventh Hour Confession, makes a late-night call from a gas station payphone in Butte, Mont., during the band's cross-country tour. /html/../gallery/large/js-chris phoneW.jpg 2af35b618918e35f37cae5e2c33c39ff Members of the 3rd Maryland Infantry Regiment, a Civil War re-enactment group, demonstrate a defensive bayonet position during a living history event at Gettysburg, Pa. Mostly made up of individuals from Maryland and Pennsylvania, members of the group participate in living history and battlefield re-enactments throughout the east coast. /html/../gallery/large/js-3rd md inf W.jpg 15e5a14e600706caad31f16a4b553234 Taking a break from sorting through the damage left by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Stacey Besselman stands on the front porch of her home on Jackson Barracks in New Orleans. Besselman's home was one of many buildings on Jackson Barracks that had been submerged by flood waters as a result of Hurricane Katrina. "The worst part was actually moving through the parishes to get here and seeing the devastation and fearing the worst," said Besselman, commenting on returning to her home. /html/../gallery/large/20051001-A-2421S-009W.jpg ceba655a242fbcee273c86d9a1678f98 With grand daughter Molly Evans, 9, looking on, Martha Hastings, runs her hand over a blanket created by her grandmother more than 100 years ago. /html/../gallery/large/js-grandparents dayW.jpg 3ebdce38ff729e16c18fd26c0e17c890 Reflected in a window, dancers in the Franklin High School production of "Damn Yankees" practice their routine in the hallway out side the school's auditorium during a dress rehearsal the night before opening night. /html/../gallery/large/js-Damn Yankees 3W.jpg 650872f85b9288fc96a35bddae35e538 Kristen Williams plays with her dog Miss Chick in her parents Warwick, R.I., home. Like many dogs, Miss Chick loves a good belly rub. /html/../gallery/large/js-rhode island046W.jpg 087abadd7a7ec8f440ae56dd2a071c70 Carol, left, and Malcolm Russ perform at a fundraiser for the Worcester County Arts Council at Merry Sherwood Plantation in Berlin, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-arts council 8W.jpg e364054903160ad6b532ada4f0a101c4 Using a portable open-flame burner, a shop owner in Bostane, Kosovo, makes coffee for villagers as they visit her shop. Though the store has what many may say are meager amounts of supplies, the small shop serves as a focal point and meeting place for residents of the village. /html/../gallery/large/040508-A-2421S-056Ww.jpg 45235f37bd7bd0438cf31f7743c4897c Farmers near Desivojce, Kosovo, stack hay bales to be used as feed for their livestock during the winter. For a large segment of the Kosovo population farming is their livelihood, and a very labor intensive process. Much of the work--including planting, cultivation and harvesting--is done by hand as it has been for generations. /html/../gallery/large/040714-A-2421S-029BWw.jpg a99103f84c72237e66f25f569e1da813 Ed Shenk casts his line while fly fishing on the Yellow Springs Creek near Harrisburg, Pa. Shenk has been fishing in the area since a child in the 1930s and works as a fishing guide at the Yellow Springs Lodge guiding anglers to many of central Pennsylvania's fly fishing spots. /html/../gallery/large/js-ed shenkW.jpg 46b7657f6f2573849f18f704f28ab62d Sgt. Christoper Rush, an infantryman assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, peaks up over tall grasses as he sets up his firing position during a stalking exercise at Fort Chaffee, Ark., while attending the U.S. Army Sniper School. During the stalking exercise students must position themselves within 300 meters of a target and engage their target with two blank rounds without being detected by instructors. /html/../gallery/large/090124-A-2421S-119W.jpg 9d2260381a5df5b663676d54b5f93849 Newly arrived plebes at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., load their seabags onto a truck during Induction Day at the academy. Induction Day is when those in the incoming class report to the academy and are issued uniforms, given haircuts as well as medical screenings and other adminstrative tasks. /html/../gallery/large/060628-A-2421S-031W.jpg 35c52ee57b24fd86945cff95bf0b5283 Lily Short leaps from her father's boat into the Magothy River, near Gibson Island, Md. The Magothy River, a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay, is a popular location for swimmers boaters and those who like to fish. /html/../gallery/large/080628-JS-2421-001W.jpg 74ca7c20b49a43e67063827c0d321ade /html/../gallery/large/js-field hockeyW.jpg 39ef252adaf2b78d824c526920bdaa01 /html/../gallery/large/single mother intro.jpg a468220d8f66a06d4c8a3d7f1773e508 Holding the hand of her son, Elijah, Cheryl Gregg walks down the street after picking him up from a weekend at his grandparents in Altoona, Pa. Elijah spends about every other weekend with his grandparents, which Cheryl said gives her some time to unwind. (Jon Soucy Photo) /html/../gallery/large/js-cheryl walkW.jpg 9c97caafb364893421976023d6c49be6 As Elijah finds a new place to play during a trip to the grocery store by climbing into an empty newspaper box, Cheryl jokingly asks what many harried parents have asked, “Anybody want a free kid?” She said many times she has wondered what life would be like if she hadn’t become pregnant. “I see what other friends are doing--going out to clubs and things like that, being carefree--and I miss doing things like that. But, in the end, I’m glad I’ve got Elijah. I wouldn’t give him up for anything.” /html/../gallery/large/js-newspaper boxW.jpg 6654711e9e605a0a4db7cfa41f460e2e With concentration on his face, Elijah adds on a new section of racetrack for his toy cars. His cars are among his favorite items to play with, said Cheryl, adding that usually he “just likes to get out and run around.” /html/../gallery/large/js-elijah w trackW.jpg a5224c27c7eaaf9b41801318b363a824 “In some ways I would rather [Elijah’s father] take off completely and not be a part of his life,” said Cheryl as Elijah plays with a gun from a video game while they stand in line at a carryout pizza restaurant. “I’m afraid he’s going to coerce my son into unhealthy habits. When Elijah gets older it may be hard for him to differentiate between good and bad. It will be difficult for me to say ‘You shouldn’t do that’ when he sees his dad is doing it.” /html/../gallery/large/js-elijah gunW.jpg 0dcdb3d92f86b58c2ad222fb424b10ba As a way to save money, Cheryl gives Elijah a haircut in his bedroom. While money isn’t as tight as it has been in the past, Cheryl said she still worries about paying off student loans and providing for herself and Elijah. /html/../gallery/large/js-haircutW.jpg 3f3cd5de6f9a1f16524c7d5f7bd80cc0 Mornings are usually a hectic time for Cheryl who must get herself ready for work and Elijah ready for daycare. Cheryl hurriedly adjusts her identification badge before rushing downstairs to make sure Elijah is ready. (Jon Soucy photo) /html/../gallery/large/js-idW.jpg 1b2d75c552b4ce2592b1b21dd9c25e65 Elijah takes breakfast into his own hands and finishes off a bowl of cereal. “He’s usually pretty good in the mornings,” said Cheryl, adding that there are some days where her son “really drags his feet” when it comes to getting ready. /html/../gallery/large/js-cerealW.jpg 6c37b5eaa4707429544e39a25d5be561 After arriving home from work, Cheryl playfully wrestles with her son in their home. She describes her son as “hyper, social, compassionate and giving” and says that he “really has an open mind for things.” /html/../gallery/large/js-tickleW.jpg 9a5b04b926fa2228a144fc671b554355 As part of the nightly bedtime ritual, Elijah brushes his teeth as Cheryl looks on. With his teeth cleaned, Elijah then picks out a bedtime story for Cheryl to read to him after he has been tucked into bed. /html/../gallery/large/js-elijah teethW.jpg 5c3651d7e3e388ab681710efe877ecc0 “Do you know what kind of shark this is?” Cheryl asks as she reads a book about sharks to Elijah. Sharks fascinate Elijah, along with dinosaurs, and he is interested in just about anything on the subject. /html/../gallery/large/js-elijah bedtimeW.jpg 92d565dcd06c7e5218240afd5ca8ee6c After Elijah has gone to bed, Cheryl washes the last of the dishes from dinner. For Cheryl, who on average works 10-12 hours a day, this is one of her favorite times of the day. “It’s nice because it’s quiet and calm. There’s nobody running around and I can read or watch TV for a little while,” she said. /html/../gallery/large/js-cheryl dishesW.jpg bef763be6ba6fe0ac9133ebcd9bd6b02 With Elijah curling up next to her, Cheryl, who laid down next to her son after he awoke upset and wanting to see his father, falls asleep as well. “He doesn’t really call out to see his father too much anymore,” said Cheryl, adding that “usually he wants his father when he’s not getting his way.” /html/../gallery/large/js-sleepW.jpg f6b6fa5fd1a858910609337784200848 Megan Gardner Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/001227-JS-2421S-034W.jpg c493b6724a6de56d66ab9a786881363c Sean McCollum Hipster Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/081025-JS-2421S-050W.jpg 046e3183e2fb05349309925517fafd77 Kristen Williams Author, American Studies professor /html/../gallery/large/070609-2421S-281W.jpg 4e8b04af20a0c9267e70ace599e47012 Joe Kro-Art Artist, Batman fan Berlin, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-joe kroartW.jpg 4a8d68a0e4db7d740a76fa061d5b81c6 India has never met a stick, ball or person she didn't like. /html/../gallery/large/js-indiaW.jpg 6dbca606526eaccb3631c0e43fb860c1 Caitlin Forte Odyssey of the Mind competitor Shelbyville, Del. /html/../gallery/large/js-caitlin forteW.jpg 7f6cf84cd8b94089df1ea1659e3dbc59 Naomi Greene Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-naomigreeneW.jpg b5fdc5140266158f30fc7aadea7994bc Spcs. Justin McNeff, Jacob Mavrogeorge, Adam Haggett and Daniel Hotalinger All from C Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) U.S. Army /html/../gallery/large/070221-A-2421S-015W.jpg 311baab71301aba747849dccddac120a Lee Maeser Korea War veteran Ocean City, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-vetW.jpg aa1a67092564070ec6c20d04ca041b95 Pvt. Marcin Rozmus 22nd Brigade of Artillery Polish army Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland /html/../gallery/large/js-polish soldier BWw.jpg 0c1dc14d9efd0e852bb5544f181d90ba Sgt. Maj. Garry Smith 4th Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment British army /html/../gallery/large/080721-A-2421S-138BWw.jpg 14144379b5e1f58fbb82a518788c16e6 Baghdad, Iraq /html/../gallery/large/070830-A-2421S-072BWw.jpg b447892aef07f8fe42a1e94781d2aa16 Chaplain (Maj.) Sarah Shirley, a chaplain assigned to Andrews Air Force Base, has been the driving force behind the non-profit organization Military Saves, which is geared to helping servicemembers save money and pay down debt. /html/../gallery/large/090203-A-2421S-012W.jpg 7979c01cfcdaffe8938f897a1ec84aff Spc. Kelly Sexton Chaplain's Assistant Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment U.S. Army /html/../gallery/large/070811-A-2421S-106BWw.jpg 80a07cb32b1507f5d45064bceaa7b925 Staff Sgt. Nicholas Zambalis Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team U.S. Army /html/../gallery/large/070620-A-2421S-030W.jpg ba56d2bc814e0dd4b262b273909cd9b4 THIS IS A COPYRIGHTED IMAGE! Contact js@jonsoucy.com for use. /html/../gallery/large/090227-JS-2421S-016W.jpg 464e83eda1e81f2f5767f55c8087855a /html/../gallery/large/100403-JS-2421S-016W.jpg 0e28e43f2c87ee5dbe4b1833cefa3765 South Jetty (actually located on Assateague Island) Ocean City Inlet Ocean City, Md. /html/../gallery/large/10003-JS-2421S-011W.jpg 8f9340aff195b9d5e452a85b552f93cf North Jetty Ocean City Inlet Ocean City, Md. /html/../gallery/large/10003-JS-2421S-013W.jpg a5779528c30aab1a8b350b8acc87b32d /html/../gallery/large/090417-JS-2421S-070W.jpg 2a7475edceb5ba8ec42ac11e04486db3 Intercounty Connector and I-95 ICC under construction 27 Dec 2009 Photo by Jon SOucy COPYRIGHT Jon Soucy /html/../gallery/large/091227-JS-2421S-009W.jpg 9c8b73293efabedf6f37dd485f0abd50 Intercounty Connector under construction at I-95 27 Dec 2009 COPYRIGHT JON SOUCY /html/../gallery/large/091227-JS-2421S-010W.jpg 165bd6510df57fcb28bc389e98ca3f9a Baltimore Beltway I-695/ I-70 Interchange THIS IS A COPYRIGHTED IMAGE! Contact js@jonsoucy.com for use. /html/../gallery/large/100327-JS-2421S-006W.jpg 5f4708a9028e188f1bccaac4348abd6e /html/../gallery/large/js-buffalo nyW.jpg de03fdf1c1e43e41cd81d337126cc9ff /html/../gallery/large/060621-JS-2421S-027W.jpg 17fcdfda27b0500ef96f432f3916756e Warehouse/ Factory Beltsville, Md. THIS IS A COPYRIGHTED IMAGE! Contact js@jonsoucy.com for use. /html/../gallery/large/100117-JS-2421S-003W.jpg cacdf2265ad2dd65acc3910e556bebb6 /html/../gallery/large/js-rockon intro.jpg 743aca6aacf2df955829c1f30481d45b Denada Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-denadaW.jpg af8ae8111ce90f1b2ae01fd8229daa2b Unknown Band More Than Music Fest Columbus, Ohio /html/../gallery/large/js-morethanmusicfestW.jpg 781a95c9737ff70c3db7eb598340b808 Kate Zed Philadelphia, Pa. /html/../gallery/large/js-zedW.jpg a5a99fd489e161bd06c8898d6ede64ad Dianna Destefano Underprivileged Nation Philadelphia, Pa. /html/../gallery/large/js-underpriveleged nation diannaW.jpg 65707ecb55fa3574b227d499e03fac5e Fatal Flaw Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-fatal flawW.jpg 08d5a1e9ca6cb8b3e0248b67afa5fa63 Merchandise Table Detroit, Mich. /html/../gallery/large/js-merch table detroit festW.jpg 41eec5be4ce6f42f99aa8db1e9b94d20 Jim Ventosa, left, and Mike Dillon of The Allied War Effort play chess before a show at Black Aggies Gallery in Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-jimmikedillonchessW.jpg db72a8b8174c1e483ea039ca1a695575 Jim Ventosa, left, Mike Dillon The Allied War Effort After the show Memphis, Tenn. /html/../gallery/large/js-thealliedwareffortmemphisW.jpg 597dd7763182c8832b66ff6175ce4428 Unknown Band Athens, Ga. /html/../gallery/large/js-athensgaW.jpg a1474ded3dee042058411d1471ed7ad7 Denada Black Aggies Gallery Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-denada2W.jpg 7297e5ffc24b0992898230f7fe2353b8 Outside the Show Space Stalag 13 Philadelphia, Pa. /html/../gallery/large/js-phillyW.jpg 619dcd3676e508efbf29d8c60763ce81 Inside the Show Space Upstairs Bathroom Black Aggies Gallery Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-blackaggiesgalleryW.jpg c847573c7ab1f9f3ed713edc474bf15f Black Aggies Gallery Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-blackaggiesgalleryrooftopW.jpg f9ee61de3d12db7b44aba0f691b01cba Erik Petersen Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-erik_petersenW.jpg 4e4062f6c4d961c6251c4a031441a836 Driving Force Columbia,Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-driving force03W.jpg db8b24bf90618e1a12f8095f4b369b5e Mutiny Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-mutinyW.jpg f353ab6c621a5f894104c88e81e501ac The Warren Commission Washington, Pa. /html/../gallery/large/js-the warren commissionW.jpg 10a0008efa90a225fca9e0c43e882fe7 Into the Crowd Michigan Fest Detroit, Mich. /html/../gallery/large/js-detroitfestcrowdW.jpg 1c227fe4b3cb7eadcaf551dbf9903c45 Singing Along Unknown Band Reading, Pa. /html/../gallery/large/js-sing alongW.jpg ae349054dac0446150dcd0dd85b73bcd Unknown Band Greensboro, N.C. /html/../gallery/large/js-greensboro ncW.jpg 81de4463642d9f36b47bf10213962016 Matt Moffett Crispus Attucks Making T-Shirts before the Show Black Aggies Gallery, Baltimore, Md. /html/../gallery/large/js-crispusattucksmatt tshirtsW.jpg abd742920a481834044889293a2d9ad4 Resin Fixing the Van after the Show Columbus, Ohio /html/../gallery/large/js-resin vanW.jpg 9a8efabd0570fdbdb008cccd02329541 /html/../gallery/large/travel introa.jpg 5806da9c2dac97f7a6ff9ffb3747ad76 Chris Strickland Somewhere in Illinois /html/../gallery/large/js-chris drivingW.jpg bf4959f24019e5d06e0f91a35116c5bb Freight Train near Thedford, Neb. /html/../gallery/large/js-nebtrainW.jpg 66a3c8a25c2e669192bc6b49150e875b Beth Reading in the van Missoula, Mont. /html/../gallery/large/js-beth in montanaW.jpg ee7c903fce325e11cb067b9c420ece29 Bodie Ghost Town Bodie, Calif. /html/../gallery/large/js-bodieW.jpg 66938513a40d242872d41e598b18754e Railroad Crossing Flagstaff, Ariz. /html/../gallery/large/js-flagstaff arizW.jpg e10fe08e1fe74af971604243e4af2f77 Bus Station Eugene, Ore. /html/../gallery/large/js-eugene bus stationW.jpg 9ebc01b532f61e15d87d0c5ea5c5135c Toll Collector I-90 (The Mass. Pike) near Boston, Mass. /html/../gallery/large/js-mass pike toll boothW.jpg 85152b5249ccf1a5cc3d38280ebf8200 Roadwork near Marysville, Kansas /html/../gallery/large/js-roadworkW.jpg 902ad79cffc311f31ea08b021c1da628 Along Route 50 Nevada /html/../gallery/large/js-route 50W.jpg 2d0338db6c213112e0784b42f10aa3c7 Cadillac Ranch Amarillo, Texas /html/../gallery/large/js-cadillacranchW.jpg 5b0591e951cc76b890bd1542238fb27f Carhenge Alliance, Neb. /html/../gallery/large/js-carhengeW.jpg d837b8dc4f73ba8aaf3c4e9cd1302389 Beth, somewhere in Montana /html/../gallery/large/js-beth windowW.jpg 7f56bbb13e8ca4d3e330d35af4cc4562 Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas, Nev. /html/../gallery/large/js-red rock canyonW.jpg d96aab146c5264558bd628d8df258de3 Prairie Grass near Rapid City, S.D. /html/../gallery/large/js-grass s dakotaW.jpg 17556ced59fca91d44efa5c9ba642768 Eastern Oregon along U.S. Route 20 /html/../gallery/large/js-tree in oreW.jpg e87fc9745d6a461893a6d032600b23c1 Eastern State Penitentiary Philadelphia, Pa. /html/../gallery/large/js-eastern state pennW.jpg f8197653a090318caca87b24ad9d87b9 Southern Serves the South Greensboro, N.C. /html/../gallery/large/js-southern serves the southW.jpg 0092d1629517b545ab884d14e79c907a /html/../gallery/large/js-springfieldW.jpg e5172d60d082f418170a0989d21558f4 Chris Strickland and Kim Fern Tired in Las Vegas,Nev. /html/../gallery/large/js-eleventhhourconfessionvegasW.jpg cc272225b176184aa2eeb2d3b7a458e7 Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone, Wyo. /html/../gallery/large/js-yellowstoneW.jpg 79b866e68475b502cf6112de98947007 Downtown Couer d' Alene, Idaho /html/../gallery/large/js-Idaho AmericanaW.jpg 737d068e3e39d7308c05a85128b58658 Spokane, Wash. /html/../gallery/large/js-wash state jesus busW.jpg db0480317ee0c88b44344891af98e1ad /html/../gallery/large/js-missyW.jpg 1218d3cfb45d9c761c979041cebe5df7 /html/../gallery/large/DSC_0248.jpg a2bafb81ee19744744e53cc0e8aa0549 /html/../gallery/large/DSC_0250.jpg 6635cc085c24352e504e680ab3549b19 /html/../gallery/large/DSC_0251.jpg 72cc657989270213ea68e6ec65c8f9a3 /html/../gallery/large/iraq baghdad 2.jpg 6fb077316957cd079c7236a9a8b8b68d Baghdad stretches out beyond the fences on Antenna Hill on Camp Liberty, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/070814-A-2421S-005W.jpg a5fa6b427b39f6162efe382bf3566a89 A security forces member looks out at Baghdad from a security tower on Camp Liberty. /html/../gallery/large/070729-A-2421S-050BW.jpg 3cb14d36e45bd460f5e10aa2a73e85b1 An off-duty Iraqi army soldier looks out over the Al Furat section of Baghdad from the second floor of his headquarters building. The building bears many of the scars of sectarian violence that plagued the area. /html/../gallery/large/070820-A-2421S-007W.jpg 8b52fe658b2529a0bc2e395bce1319ed Sgt. 1st Class Michael Dobbs, a platoon sergeant with Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, walks down the steps of a building during a patrol through the Al Furat section of Baghdad. Once an area fraught with sectarian violence, Soldiers from the unit said that those acts of violence have tapered off. /html/../gallery/large/070820-A-2421S-123W.jpg 7b65f7be9d5e702efe110b65357f3368 The shadow of Sgt. Christopher Kingsley, a combat medic assigned to D Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, falls across a wall as he patrols through Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/071122-A-2421S-021W.jpg fbb7c40dd2fed5872559a0482370d80b As Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry regiment pass by on a routine presence patrol, a local resident of the Al Furat section of Baghdad pushes an empty wheelbarrow after emptying debris from an area school damaged by fighting between Sunni and Shia rivals. /html/../gallery/large/070830-A-2421S-037BWw.jpg 31167d222ece46de3ea8aceaf588cdd6 First Lt. Martin Schafer, a platoon leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, leads a patrol through the Al Furat section of Baghdad. When the unit first started patroling through the area they said they came under small arms fire nearly everyday. As they increased their patrols and built relationships with those in the area, the Soldiers said those attacks have largely fallen off. /html/../gallery/large/070820-A-2421S-076W.jpg 71539307293b10d3b14368fc51857d54 Spc. Brock Baylen, from Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, talks with a local Iraqi boy during a routine presence patrol through the Al Furat section of Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/070820-A-2421S-077W.jpg bbff55624c3fa7e93e6b35cfa006d43b Spc. Derrick Watkins, an infantryman with Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, asks questions to other squad members as he holds up an AK-47 rifle found during a house-to-house search for weapons through the Al Furat section of Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/070820-A-2421S-167W.jpg 70e993cbebf646aa832299401ba6edcf A Soldier from Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment makes his way up a staircase during a house-to-house weapons search in the Al Furat Section of Baghdad. Though Soldiers have said that acts of sectarian violence have tapered off there are still those smuggling weapons and other items through the area. /html/../gallery/large/070820-A-2421S-135W.jpg 60914349d42c8b59f92200bade267dd7 Spc. Adam Otten, an infantryman with D Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, offers candy to an Iraqi child during a presence patrol through the Al Furat section of Baghdad. Soldiers from the unit often bring candy, small toys, notebooks and pens on patrol with them to hand out to many of the children they encounter. /html/../gallery/large/071225-A-2421S-067W.jpg 54b1af1d729858dcfc690179825d36f0 Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment scan their surroundings as they patrol through the Al Furat Section of Baghdad. The unit conducts patrols through the area several times each day and have built a relationship with those who live in the area. Through those relationships they have helped rebuild marketplaces and other key places in the area. /html/../gallery/large/070820-A-2421S-065W.jpg 74f08caf5d87916d94c3c9c2f98a4ee9 An Iraqi woman peers through the gate to her home at Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment as they patrol through the Al Furat section of Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/070820-A-2421S-069W.jpg 3a500f9b15fe1ad7d36e479efccf6d17 First Lt. Martin Schafer, left, a platoon leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, and Spc. Derrick Watkins, an infantryman with the same unit, joke with a local Iraqi girl while on patrol in the Al Furat section of Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/070830-A-2421S-156BWw.jpg eca51b9e1a3ea0c3f2d969fab8de8729 Local children cover their noses while walking past a large trash pile on the outskirts of the Al Furat section of Baghdad. The children were dumping waste from the local market at the trash heap. Soldiers from the U.S. Army's Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment have been working with local officials to help rebuild and clean up the marketplace area in Al Furat. /html/../gallery/large/070820-A-2421S-018W.jpg a08da680b5fc320cd02c5e3c87394b67 An Iraqi boy guides a flock of sheep to a grazing area in the Al Furat section of Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/070830-A-2421S-018W.jpg 7eca238724ba33001530b892d0c93fa3 An Iraqi family celebrating a wedding drives through the Al Furat section of Baghdad as part of the wedding processional. /html/../gallery/large/071221-A-2421S-025W.jpg 6f75b88beecb55ffe0186337dfa1141b Local residents watch an impromptu cock fight in the courtyard area of an apartment complex in Baghdad, Iraq. While not organized, many times residents will bet on each bird in the competition. /html/../gallery/large/080229-A-2421S-186BWw.jpg 2476df19388d12343fb4d2edf205240e Lt. Col. John Luttrell, left, commander of 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, talks with Ahmed Selman Abbas, gesturing with hand, chairman of the Al Furat Council, during a weekly council meeting in the Al Furat section of Baghdad. Soldiers from the unit have worked with local sheiks and tribal leaders to establish the council, which has brought about many programs for rebuilding the area. Initially council leaders were appointed, but recently elections were held where community members elected those they felt were best suited for the job. /html/../gallery/large/070831-A-2421S-021W.jpg 9957c70a304891f4d0e0bfe8cc51023f Sgt. Brad Vandy, a supply specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, readies lifting straps on a HEMETT cargo truck while unloading food and humanitarian aid supplies in the Al Furat section of Baghdad. The Soldiers of the unit have been working with the neighborhood council members to improve the neighborhood. /html/../gallery/large/070811-A-2421S-039W.jpg 093e4269a1a54209681a8bf16f199967 Spc. Andrew Joski, a combat engineer assigned to the 849th Mobility Augmentation Company, unloads rice and other humanitarian aid items such as food, cooking oil and blankets at the Makasib City Council building in Makasib, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/071010-A-2421S-184W.jpg 4a84dc4619e4b0acdb7b92e0ef70e25b Sgt. Dustin Thompson, a team leader assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, looks over an abandoned vehicle to check for explosives or weapons during a routine presence patrol through the Al Furat section of Baghdad. Soldiers from the unit have been working with local officials to assist with rebuilding schools and other facilities in the area. /html/../gallery/large/070830-A-2421S-036W.jpg afc2161c8e008962ebf213eb56a65ebd Soldiers from D Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment search for concealed weapons caches in an open field near the Al Furat section of Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/071221-A-2421S-006W.jpg d4d3dac6e69e6a50e357f41be70516a2 A platoon leader with D Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment shouts instructions to other Soldiers in his unit as they respond to small arms fire while patrolling though Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/071122-A-2421S-022W.jpg cff934e6b84716d153ed66e481ed2f9b Spc. Lawrence Rasmussen, an infantryman assigned to D Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, pulls security while other members of his squad search an abandoned building suspected of being used as a weapons cache in the Al Furat section of Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/071122-A-2421S-059W.jpg cfcc48565e2e4f182389dbf9e893357a Soldiers from D Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment kick in the door of a building suspected of being used as a weapons cache during a nighttime raid in the Al Furat section of Baghdad. By conducting night operations as well as day, the unit is able to keep abandoned buildings and other locations in the area from being turned into weapons caches. /html/../gallery/large/071212-A-2421S-082W.jpg 2dd6f38cf1cf3c448ed9af376b193189 Soldiers from D Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment conduct a nighttime search of a building suspected of being used to store weapons in the Al Furat section of Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/071212-A-2421S-090W.jpg cd737135912b64370a05136d181c4ffb Soldiers from D Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment conduct a nighttime search of a building in the Al Furat section of Baghdad suspected of being used to store weapons. /html/../gallery/large/071212-A-2421S-107W.jpg 83f931a972c0e0e83219073eb53b8ff7 A Soldier from the 160th Long Range Surveillance Detachment keeps eyes on a possible threat while pulling security as Soldiers meet with local sheiks and tribal leaders near Makasib, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/080221-A-2421S-058W.jpg 34be89f9ae28cd3263a13bb616ab8f07 Two boys joke with 1st Lt. Ryan Kam, a platoon leader with the 160th Long Range Surveillance Detachment as he pulls security during a delivery of school supplies at the Noor al Mustafa School near Makasib, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/080311-A-2421S-103W.jpg fe5c25e148b26932622eeef65bf98dff A girl solves a problem on the board during class at the Soyeb School near Makasib, Iraq. Soldiers from the 164th Engineer Battalion have been working with school officials to refurbish the buildings of the school. /html/../gallery/large/080311-A-2421S-034W.jpg ef70f4af4b2550676bdecdf08c2201a6 Sgt. Janelle Hanson, a combat medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 164th Engineer Battalion, jokes with a student at the Noor al Mustafa School near Makasib, Iraq, as he and other students line up at the school to receive school supplies brought by Soldiers from the battalion. /html/../gallery/large/080311-A-2421S-134W.jpg 8d54f610907b797a721686b759b5d79a Girls stand in line outside a the Noor al Mustafa school near Makasib, Iraq, while waiting for school to start. /html/../gallery/large/080311-A-2421S-151BWw.jpg 2d924eccfa906727911088708ae52952 Soldiers from C Company, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment ride in a humvee as they patrol through the Baghdad area. /html/../gallery/large/070931-A-2421S-055W.jpg 983dbae0c1d09ef485d09f780024cc16 Spc. Derrick Watkins, left, of Company A, 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, wrestles with another member of his unit prior to heading out on a patrol in Baghdad. Wrestling and roughhousing with each other is one way unit members blow off steam. /html/../gallery/large/070830-A-2421S-002BWw.jpg f2121c9319f85cfb8a13b6493a665a25 Soldiers from the 160th Long Range Surveillance Detachment prepare for a mission in Baghdad, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/080311-A-2421S-002BWw.jpg ad8b663c2ea1ea5b3bd00e8c4c63a08c Spc. Allison Schlegel, an intelligence analyst with the 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, lifts weights as Spc. Corey Pyle spots for her at the gym at Camp Victory, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/070803-A-2421S-026BWw.jpg 1672ef0d63451c015390f68c7e7e454b Spc. Allison Schlegel, an intelligence analyst with the 58th Brigade Combat Team, pauses to drink water during her workout out at the gym at Camp Victory, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/070803-A-2421S-051BW.jpg fa2715e749d42c5b7306c8ea135f03f8 /html/../gallery/large/071007-A-2421S-003W.jpg 32e8b8d478204ba9d9384ef1ebef4c1b /html/../gallery/large/071007-A-2421S-089W.jpg 068715bf2cefe563de6e1b16370c5918 Sgt. S. Patrick McCollum, of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, reads by flashlight on his bunk in a tent at Camp Victory, Iraq, in the early morning. The red light is used so as to not disturb others sleeping in the tent. /html/../gallery/large/080327-A-2421S-024W.jpg 838646127f9e12ff650f074a07721e84 Staff Sgt. Jason Whitekettle, automations NCOIC with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, relaxes on his bunk at Camp Victory, Iraq, by playing a video game on his laptop computer. Many Servicemembers in Iraq pass downtime by playing games or watching movies on their computers and trade games and movies amoung each other. /html/../gallery/large/080301-A-2421S-203W.jpg 1567042fff30fc7588423eb12af168c5 Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team play dominoes during downtime. /html/../gallery/large/070627-A-2421S-024W.jpg 55b7008a93946bda6a41b76f04467ba1 Lt. Col. Lance Wang, left, Maj. John Schott, center, and Capt. Matthew Deener, all assigned to Headquarters and Headqurters Company, 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, play the Johnny Cash song "Folsom Prison Blues" during downtime at Camp Victory, Iraq. The three Soldiers, along with others from the unit, get together every Saturday evening to play music and let off steam. /html/../gallery/large/070728-A-2421S-024BWw.jpg 1d5eaeb92d468e61cc0e9f690cdf82be Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Clark Carr, brigade chaplain with the 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, greets a member of a Ugandan security force during Sunday services at Camp Victory, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/070819-A-2421S-106W.jpg 7e587536c2af30d7a314436e4d5eae79 Spc. Mark Henvichs, of the 849th Mobility Augmentation Company, rests on the hood of his vehicle prior to heading on a patrol through the Makasib area of Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/071119-A-2421S-002W.jpg bd1d965d8b75e494a3e7723ebe381d55 Second Lt. Dave Causey, a personnel officer with the 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, reads through a magazine while waiting at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, for his unit to move to Ali Al Saleem Airbase for its flight to Baghdad. /html/../gallery/large/070627-A-2421S-006W.jpg 4525825618a5235fdcf5c17fc8754a8b /html/../gallery/large/080316-A-2421S-062W.jpg 8660c35ab1b799e785495f49b1011ea5 /html/../gallery/large/us coast guard in iraq.jpg 130a3fbbd2c9faf1375fc5b9d75eb7a7 U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris Wimsatt, left, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Dave Wallin, both assigned to Law Enforcement Detachment 403, keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary during a patrol with Iraqi marines along the Khawr Abd Allah River near Umm Qasr, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/071231-A-2421S-237BWw.jpg b274be898558e69978d3c9104e7ef31f Bundled up against the chilly winds, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Hector Canaval, assigned to Law Enforcement Detachment 403, sits in an Iraqi navy fast attack boat while waiting for inbound ships during a patrol with Iraqi marines along the Khawr Abd Allah River near Umm Qasr, Iraq. Members of the detachment have been working with Iraqi marines with boarding and inspecting ships as a way to deter the importation and trafficking of stolen goods, weapons, and vehicles pre-wired as improvised explosive devices. /html/../gallery/large/071230-A-2421S-026BWw.jpg d45cbda37a40f9ef7bdd68a0fccf980d The crew of an Indian cargo dhow sits on the bow of their ship while Iraqi marines and members of the U.S. Coast Guard's Law Enforcement Detachment 403 inspect the ship as it sits on the Khawr Abd Allah River near Umm Qasr, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/071231-A-2421S-133BWw.jpg ff2353f06624a49bef7b1f2b68651786 The crew of a cargo ship musters on the main deck prior to the ship being boarded by members of the U.S. Coast Guard's Law Enforcement Detachment 403 and Iraqi marines during a patrol along the Khawr Abd Allah River near Umm Qasr, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/071231-A-2421S-165W.jpg b030ead47983536f7b3424755c042d28 U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Dave Wallin, right, assigned to Law Enforcement Detachment 403, steadies a Jacobs ladder as Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris Wimsatt, of the same unit, boards a cargo ship during a patrol with Iraqi marines along the Khawr Abd Allah River near Umm Qasr, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/071231A-A-2421S-207W.jpg 839efd386c20372cfcdd4601b04ca812 Members of U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 403 board an inbound oil tanker during a patrol with Iraqi marines along the Khawr Abd Allah River near Umm Qasr, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/080101-A-2421S-115W.jpg 3a47cf7fd11eb54661ba6a07ade9adc6 U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Dave Wallin, assigned to Law Enforcement Detachment 403, searches a cargo ship boarded during a patrol with Iraqi marines along the Khawr Abd Allah River near Umm Qasr, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/071231-A-2421S-182BWw.jpg 98c63f914a446748158443e42ce7b51a /html/../gallery/large/080101-A-2421S-048W.jpg 830d8b2694fe8745fa0daaa4941805e7 U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Al Vasquez, assigned to Law Enforcement Detachment 403, scans the water ahead from an Iraqi navy fast attack boat during a patrol with Iraqi marines along the Khawr Abd Allah River near Umm Qasr, Iraq. /html/../gallery/large/080101-A-2421S-016W.jpg 6e753fd7de06cba6bca598e8780cf19a After returning from a mission, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Hector Canaval, assigned to Law Enforcement Detachment 403, pets Jack, one of the mascots at the British Royal Navy Base at Umm Qasr, Iraq where LEDET 403 works out of. /html/../gallery/large/071230-A-2421S-044W.jpg f30846bf067729d08dd944bb719fd1ad This image is COPYRIGHT JON SOUCY Contact js@jonsoucy.com for use of this image. /html/../gallery/large/100702-JS-2421S-012W.jpg 2300679bcb9094e5d9bda83dabe1e59f /html/../gallery/large/Untitled 7.jpg 068816068d5a221b2cb8198c97630d50 /html/../gallery/large/Untitled 2.jpg 253c950be264394974aa02a83ff60e28 /html/../gallery/large/Untitled 3.jpg f52f3d3c99c3d76a22c1db90587c5195 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