Marines who went to ‘hell and back’ nearly 10 years ago in Afghanistan rely on camaraderie, community to heal
LAGUNA HILLS — Maj. Joe Patterson stood by his custom-designed motorcycle dedicated to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines — the Darkhorse Battalion. The bike’s fender and gas tank are covered with the names of 25 Marines who died during the battalion’s 2010 deployment to the Sangin District, in the Helmand Province of Southern Afghanistan. Patterson, a…