U.S. Department of Defense no topic Update

A Marine mans a turret on an assault amphibious vehicle during a mechanized raid in support of Exercise Steel Knight 2014 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Dec. 13, 2013. The assault utilized both air and ground elements to eliminate their objective. Steel Knight is an annual exercise that includes elements from the entire I Marine Expeditionary Force.

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Tyler Abbott waits while mail is unloaded from an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Arabian Gulf, Dec. 19, 2013. The Truman, flagship for the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

U.S. Army National Guard 1st Lt. Nick Aldridge poses with his family after surprising them with an appearance as Scuba Claus at the Mall of America's Sea Life Aquarium tank in Bloomington, Minn., Dec. 22, 2013. Aldridge returned home from a deployment to Afghanistan in time for the holidays.

Paratroopers explain the operation of an M119A2 105mm howitzer to retired Army Col. Jack P. Ancker, left, and Rev. Norman Elliott, both World War II veteran artillery officers, at Malemute Drop Zone on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Dec. 18, 2013. The paratroopers are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Alaska.