DAPHNE, Ala. — Marine Corps Cpl. Matthew W. Hodges, son of Sharon S. and Scott W. Hodges of Daphne, and fellow Marines and sailors of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), Camp Lejeune, N. C., recently reached the  halfway point in their deployment to Al Anbar province, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror.

The Marines and sailors of 3/10 have a variety of missions in Iraq including convoy escort, corrections and border security. The Convoy  Security Teams escort convoys throughout western Iraq including the second phase of transporting giant electric generators from the Jordanian border to Baghdad. Since convoys are limited to traveling 8 to 10 mph, moving generators took approximately a week. Other escort duties include providing security for some Iraqi Provincial leaders in the Provincial capital of Ramadi.

During the first half of their deployment, the Marines managing the two regional detention facilities received highest marks during an inspection by Multi National Corps-Iraq detention operations team and provost marshalls. Additionally, Marines teach the Basic Iraqi Corrections Course, designed to train Iraqi leadership to manage a corrections program and train Iraqi corrections officers. The Marines are also busy preparing the old Ramadi Detention Center in an effort to relocate the Fallujah facility to Camp Ramadi.

On the Iraqi border at Waleed and Trebil, Marines and sailors have been improving their combat outposts, reducing vulnerabilities and receiving accolades from visiting senior leadership.