British Defence Training and Mission Preparation

British army Lt. Col. Alistair Aitken, commanding officer, Combined Forces Lashkar Gah, and Warrant Officer Evan Philbin, with Alpha Company, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, discuss mission objectives in the rural area outside of Lashkar Gah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, July 16, 2011. The soldiers provided air support and counter improvised explosive device teams during operation Zmaray Sika, a series of mounted and dismounted patrols led by Afghan soldiers designed to remove insurgents from the area.