Maj. Edward Jeep maintains communication with the crewmembers after returning from an operational check flight of a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter at Al Taqaddum, Iraq, June 7. To maintain their readiness for casualty evacuation missions, the pilots and crews with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268, Marine Aircraft Group 16 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, perform daily operational checks for anything on the aircraft that needs to be fixed, from weapons to the overall mechanics of the helicopter. Jeep is the operations officer and CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter pilot, HMM-268 and a River Forest, Ill., native.