Navy Cmdr. Sean Barbabella thanks Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Timothy Walsh after a awards ceremony here, July 28. Barbabella, a native of Smock, Penn., is the division surgeon for 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. Walsh, a native of Weymouth, Mass., is the senior line corpsman for Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. Walsh was awarded the Purple Heart for received taken during his deployment to Helmand province in 2010. “It represents my deployment last year,” said Walsh. “All my accomplishments, all the good times and the bad times. I am honored to be awarded; to me, I wasn’t badly hurt. One of my best friends isn’t around anymore, so I view this as a way I can represent his sacrifice.” Walsh honors his friend, Navy Seaman Marc Bretmier, who died while deployed to Afghanistan in 2008.The battalion supports Regimental Combat Team 1, under 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which serves as the ground combat element in Helmand. The mission of the division is to partner with Afghan National Security Forces to conduct counterinsurgency operations to secure the Afghan people, defeat insurgent forces, and enable ANSF to assume security responsibilities in the region. Ultimately, the partnered forces promote the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.