U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and Afghan contractors dump gravel at Marine Corps Forward Operating Base Geronimo, Nawa district, Helmand province, Afghanistan, on Sept. 13, 2009. The gravel is being used in the construction of Forward Operating Base Geronimo. The Marines are the combat element of Regimental Combat Team 3, whose mission is to conduct counterinsurgency operations in partnership with Afghan security forces in southern Afghanistan.