Their deployment to the Upper Gereshk Valley has so far been predictably busy, and has seen the Marines carrying out aggressive patrols to disrupt the insurgents as well as meeting local communities and bringing much needed medical care and reconstruction support.
But they also need to keep fit, clean, healthy and motivated themselves in the often harsh conditions they are working in and have been finding their own ways to adjust and make the best of the extreme weather over the winter period.
They have been personalising their temporary home at the Forward Operating Bases whenever they have spare moments away from their other duties and the pictures here show the Marines playing games in their base, eating, cleaning clothes, showering and even using the 'exotic' toilets.
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There are also more pictures of them dealing with the floods at their base during recent heavy rainfalls.
Eating
Corporal James Cox, aged 26, is one of the chefs attached to Delta Company. Cooking with a field kitchen and ten-man ration packs which are supplemented by the occasional treat, he makes the best of the combinations available. It's certainly not gourmet fare but he works 14 hour days, including stints on sentry duty in the defensive sangars, to ensure that the Marines get the finest cuisine available under the circumstances:
"It's rewarding to see the appreciation you get when the lads come into the galley after their hard work patrolling, hungry for a good meal," he said.
Cleaning
Cpl Denny Gildea, aged 35, is the Company's Armourer, responsible for all the weapons the marines need to maintain security in the area. Cleaning and maintaining the weapons isn't a problem it seems, but cleaning their clothes is another matter.
They have to be hand washed in minimal amounts of water, as there is no local water supply, and the winter weather has been making it difficult for the Commandos. Cpl Gildea explains:
"Clothes were taking three days to dry – everything gets wet and muddy. Luckily it's getting warmer now, so the situation is improving."
Showering
Marine Rich Fussell, aged 23, is the Company's Vehicle Maintainer. He makes sure that all the Marines' vehicles are in good working order and looks after the generators providing the power. He has been joining outreach patrols and helping local people fix their cars and motorcycles as Delta Company get increasingly involved in their surrounding communities. He also called upon his Commando training to brave the solar showers, which are very much at the mercy of the weather:
"Taking a shower is emotional when it's cold, but quite pleasant when the sun comes out."