U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Phil Schiffman, a 22-year-old mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and native of Phoenix, waves to two Afghan men on a motorcycle after searching them at a vehicle checkpoint here, Dec. 1. During their seven-month deployment in Helmand province's Garmsir district, the VCPs are a regular part of the mortarmen's duty rotation, which also includes security patrols and standing post. Though they spend hours stopping vehicles and searching passersby, their presence isn't merely a formality. The Marines are constantly on alert for anything out of the ordinary, especially information that can be used to locate and disrupt insurgent activity.