OFFICIAL SPONSOR

A sailor escorts Becky Gates, wife of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, and daughter Eleanor, in front of the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Missouri during her commissioning ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London, Conn., July 31, 2010. Mrs. Gates was the USS Missouri's official sponsor for the event. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison

CARE STARE

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Tri Lac and U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Peterson perform a medical exam on a woman at a Pacific Partnership medical clinic event at Ngarachemayong Community Center in Koror, Palau, July 29, 2010. Lac and Peterson, a hosptial corpsman, are assigned to the USS Blue Ridge. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Steven Khor

SOLAR SITE

Solar panels gather the sun's energy on the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., the test grounds for the Corps' newest solar energy experiment, July 26, 2010. Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, based on Camp Pendleton, Calif., are using solar energy panels to help reduce the need for supplies in the field. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. M. C. Nerl

URGENT REQUEST

Afghan Air Force airmen and U.S. Air Force advisors respond with two Mi-17 helicopters and crews to an urgent request to rescue civilians affected by rising flood waters at the Kabul and Laghman rivers about 11 miles west of Jalalabad in Laghman province, Afghanistan, July 28-30, 2010. Crews rescued more than 2,100 people from the flood, most under the threat of Taliban and insurgent fighters. U.S. Air Force photo by Col. Kennetgh Madura

AFGHAN FLOODS

A view of Afghanistan's Nangahar and Kunar provinces shows severe flooding, causing Afghan and U.S. forces led by a Kabul air wing commander to rescue more than 2,100 Afghans between July 28 and July 30, 2010. U.S. Air Force photo by Col. Kennetgh Madura

SUB TOUR

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates receives a tour after his wife, Becky Gates, sponsored the commissioning ceremony for the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Missouri at Naval Submarine Base New London, Conn., July 31, 2010. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison

COMMISSIONING CEREMONY

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates listens to the opening remarks during the commissioning ceremony for the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Missouri at Naval Submarine Base, Conn., July 31, 2010. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison

MISSOURI REPRESENTATIVE

Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri gives the principal address in front of the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Missouri during her commissioning ceremony at Naval Submarine Base, Conn., July 31, 2010. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison