Col. Mike Sweeney, commanding officer of II Marine

Col. Mike Sweeney, commanding officer of II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group (Forward) and Task Force Belleau Wood, reflects during a memorial service for Staff Sgt. Christopher Diaz at the Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, chapel, Oct. 8. Diaz, a native of El Paso, Texas, and an expert military working dog handler with II MHG (Fwd.), died Sept. 28, 2011, while supporting combat operations in Helmand province. Diaz was deployed out of Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., where he served as a handler with III MHG.