HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan — While a debate crops up every so often among defense wonks in Washington, D.C., over the justification for the U.S. Marine Corps’ existence, there is no question that America as a whole loves Marines.

There are reasons for that. Nowhere are those reasons on display more than in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, where approximately 300 U.S. Marines have returned in response to the deteriorating security situation after the Taliban made significant territorial gains.

Here are seven photos that perfectly capture some of the other reasons America loves Marines.

They excel at forming bonds with fellow warriors.

They honor the flag.

They are the definition of badass.

But they will still pause to pet a dog in the middle of patrolling check points.

They shoulder burdens — physical and mental — that most of us will never have to bear.

They do this willingly — simply because they are Marines.

It’s what they do.

Hailey Sadler is a contributor to The Daily Caller News Foundation.

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