Cpl. Matthew Watts, Kilo Company. Marine Corps Base Hawaii. October 2011.

Cpl. Matthew Watts, Kilo Company team leader, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, spends one last moment with his family before departing on a seven month deployment to Afghanistan, Oct. 27. The Marines prepared for the deployment by completing unit training exercises Mojave Viper in Twentynine Palms, Calif., and Lava Viper on the big Island of Hawaii to prepare their skills for combat. The battalion will replace 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, after arriving in Helmand’s Garmsir District.