Each year the Defense Department compiles and shares their best photos taken over the course of year.
Each year the Defense Department compiles and shares their best photos taken over the course of year.
From inspirational and patriotic to heart wrenching, the images show not just weapons and training, but also the softer side of military life, like humanitarian missions and homecomings.
All made by troops or DoD employees, the pictures are meant to tell the U.S. military story.
Here are the best DoD photos of 2018 as selected by the Pentagon.