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Lance Cpl. Chase Welch yells to his team between firing burst from his M-249 SAW during a firefight with the Taliban in city of Marjah, Afghanistan, February 2010. U.S. Marines and Afghan forces continued Operation Moshtarak, meaning “joint operation,” to retake the city of Marja from Taliban forces.

The operation was the largest of war since the invasion, and Marja — long outside of Afghan Government control — was the Taliban’s last major stronghold in Helmand Province.

Assault Breaching Vehicles crossed the heavily IED’s outskirts of the city, using Mine Clearing Line Charges (MICLIC), 150m 1750 lbs cables of C4 explosive that detonate, and clear a path of IED’s and other obstacles in the process. Marines of Charlie Company 1 Infantry, 6th Marine Regiment will follow, clearing the city of Taliban insurgents.

March 13th is National K9 Veterans Day!

On March 13, 1942, the U.S. Army began training for its new War Dog Program, also known as the "K-9 Corps," marking the first time that dogs were officially a part of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The rest, as they say, is history. Officially a part of the service or not, the dogs of war span centuries and include such heroes as Sgt. Stubby, the original war dog; Chips, the most decorated dog in World War II; Lex, who retired with his fallen owners family; and Cairo, the Navy SEAL working dog on the bin Laden raid.