America’s best and bravest.

U.S. Army soldiers (L-R) Private First Class Trent Pritchartt, Specialist Ben Purvis, and Sergeant William Mackenzie from the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division fire a 120mm mortar at insurgent positions inside of Combat Outpost Nangalam in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province July 1, 2012. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

U.S. Army soldiers Sergeant Edward Jackson (L) and Lieutenant Kenneth Rowe from the 4th Platoon, Dagger Company of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment turn to talk with fellow soldiers during a patrol near Combat Outpost Nangalam in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province July 1, 2012. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

U.S. Army soldiers (L-R) Private First Class Trent Pritchartt, Specialist Ben Purvis, and Sergeant William Mackenzie from the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division fire a 120mm mortar at insurgent positions inside of Combat Outpost Nangalam in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province July 1, 2012. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

Smoke rises from the barrel of a 120mm mortar after being fired at insurgent positions by U.S. Army soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division inside of Combat Outpost Nangalam in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province July 1, 2012. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Jacob Cano with 3rd Civil Affairs Group, Kilo Company, 3D Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat team 5 poses for a photo with an Afghan boy during a security patrol in Garmsir District, Helmand province, Afghanistan June 17, 2012. Marines conducted the patrol to disrupt enemy activity throughout their area of operation. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cesar N. Contreras/Released)

Private First Class Steven MacDonald from 3rd Platoon, Dagger Company of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment watches mortars land on a suspected insurgent position during a patrol through the village of Sandray in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province June 30, 2012. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

Private First Class Steven MacDonald from 3rd Platoon, Dagger Company of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment opens fire on a suspected insurgent position during a patrol through the village of Sandray in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province June 30, 2012. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

Private First Class Steven MacDonald from 3rd Platoon, Dagger Company of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment carries ammunition back to his room after a patrol through the village of Sandray in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province June 30, 2012. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

Private First Class David Palmer from 3rd Platoon, Dagger Company of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment looks back before walking into an alleyway during a patrol through the village of Sandray in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province June 30, 2012. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)