U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Edward Knudsen, a 25-year-old

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Edward Knudsen, a 25-year-old mortarman with Headquarters Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Rapid City, S.D., studies a mathematics textbook in his sleeping area after a long day of work as an armory custodian during his second deployment here, Jan. 31. Knudsen worked through two years of college before joining the Marine Corps in 2008, admitting he couldn’t muster the discipline to stay committed to school. Though his days are long and his down time precious, he often fades into study mode after his work is done, refreshing his algebra, trigonometry and calculus and studying for the SAT exam. Knudsen plans to resume his studies and complete a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering when his active duty service expires in 2014.