These were the best military photographs of 2014

Earlier this year, a panel of judges based in Fort Meade, Maryland made their selections for the 2014 Military Photographer awards.

The judges handed out awards to military photographers for their amazing work in ten different categories including Sports, Pictorial, and Combat Documentation (Operational). The judges have also named the overall best military photographer for 2014.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Vernon Young was selected as the Military Photographer of the year. His photos ranged from evocative portraits of Afghans to scenes of US forces training before deployment.

Here are some of the top photos, which capture the individual challenges, pressures, and triumphs of US military service.