A soldier with 1st Kandak, 3rd Brigade, Afghan National

A soldier with 1st Kandak, 3rd Brigade, Afghan National Army (ANA) 215th Corps salute ANA Maj. Gen. Wali Mohammed Ahmadzai during an Operational Readiness Cycle (ORC) graduation ceremony at Camp Shorabak, Afghanistan, April 26, 2018. The graduation is the culmination of the two-month ORC, which allowed soldiers to take leave, solve administrative issues, adopt lessons learned, and train for their next assignment on the front lines. The training segment focused on infantry skills while developing noncommissioned officers to bolster a unit’s overall warfighting ability. The newly graduated soldiers will use their refined knowledge and skills to persist in battle against the enemy and ensure safe and secure elections for the people of Helmand. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Luke Hoogendam)