Marines secure the surrounding area of a new observation post

Lance Cpl. Joshua J. Melendez, squad automatic weapon gunner, 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, provides security while the rest of Lima Company sets up an observation post in Southern Shorshork, Helmand province, Afghanistan, as part of 3/3’s mission in Operation Cobra June 16. It was Melendez’ 25th birthday. Melendez, from Anaheim, Calif., spent his last birthday in Iraq. Operation Cobra is a joint operation between Marine Corps units and the Afghanistan National Army to disrupt enemy forces which have been using the sparsely populated region between Marjah and Nawa as a safe haven. (Official Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Mark Fayloga)