Lance Cpl. Jay Randol. FOB Delhi, Afghanistan. December 2011.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Jay Randol, a 22-year-old turret gunner with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Cincinnati, stands in the turret of his armored vehicle while waiting to depart here on a Christmas visit to outlying Kilo Company patrol bases, Dec. 24. This Christmas morning, much like every morning of their seven-month deployment, the Marines and sailors of “America’s Battalion” donned their uniforms, tied their boots and began another workday. They celebrated Christmas with each other throughout the day and briefly shared it with friends and family by phone and internet. Another day complete, far away from their loved ones, they rested for the next day’s work, one day closer to returning home.