Pacific Marines Stories

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Michael Saris II, top left, a native of Pennsylvania, and Cpl. Alex Hunt, right, a native of Maryland, instruct Lance Cpl. Christopher Camareno, a native of Florida, all cyberspace warfare operators with 3d Cyber Warfare Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, during the Marine Corps Cyber Red Zone 26-1 event at Camp Courtney, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 4, 2025. Cyber Red Zone challenged Marines to find and defend networks against simulated cyberattacks, improving the Marine Corps’ ability to fight and win in the information domain. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. John-Paul Haubeil) - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Michael Saris II, top left, a native of Pennsylvania, and Cpl. Alex Hunt, right, a native of Maryland, instruct Lance Cpl. Christopher Camareno, a native of Florida, all cyberspace warfare operators with 3d Cyber Warfare Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, during the Marine Corps Cyber Red Zone 26-1 event at Camp Courtney, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 4, 2025. Cyber Red Zone challenged Marines to find and defend networks against simulated cyberattacks, improving the Marine Corps’ ability to fight and win in the information domain. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. John-Paul Haubeil)

3d Cyber Warfare Company participates in offensive cyber competition to bolster Indo-Pacific regional security

As the Indo-Pacific region faces the challenges of the information age and the rise of technological warfare, Marines with 3d Cyber Warfare Company, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group (III MIG), participated in Cyber Red Zone 26-1 training competition at Camp Courtney from October through November. During the exercise, Marines broke into simulated enemy databases and captured classified information to combat and counter the evolving technological methods foreign adversaries may use to strengthen their offensive and defensive cyber capabilities.

Read More

The exercise enhanced Marines’ ability to install, operate, and maintain tactical communications architecture while strengthening leadership, teamwork, and expeditionary readiness in support of III MEF operations across the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Meshaq Hylton) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Brandon Aguilar, a native of California and a satellite communications operator maintainer with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, crosses a rope line on an obstacle course during Operation Odyssey Stormbreaker III at Jungle Warfare Training Center, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 4, 2025.

Ropes and Radios: 7th Communication Battalion Marines test endurance and connectivity in jungles of Okinawa

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan – Marines with 7th Communication Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, completed a weeklong field communications exercise at the Jungle Warfare Training Center, strengthening their ability to install, operate and maintain tactical networks in austere terrain while sharpening basic infantry tactics and skills.

Read More

A Philippine Air Force service member, left, coordinates with U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Steve Lundin, right, the officer in charge of the Humanitarian Assistance Response Team assigned to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, I Marine Expeditionary Force, about unloading palletized family food packs from a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, in support of foreign disaster relief operations at Virac, Philippines, Nov. 13, 2025. - A Philippine Air Force service member, left, coordinates with U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Steve Lundin, right, the officer in charge of the Humanitarian Assistance Response Team assigned to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, I Marine Expeditionary Force, about unloading palletized family food packs from a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, in support of foreign disaster relief operations at Virac, Philippines, Nov. 13, 2025. At the request of the Government of the Philippines, the U.S. military is working alongside the Armed Forces of the Philippines to provide foreign disaster relief support to communities affected by consecutive Typhoons Kalmaegi (Tino) and Fung-Wong (Uwan), which caused extensive damage and tragic loss of life. The forward presence and ready posture of United States Indo-Pacific Command in the region facilitates rapid and effective response to crisis, demonstrating the U.S.’s commitment to Allies and partners during times of need. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brian Knowles)

U.S. Military Forces Conclude Disaster Relief Efforts in Philippines Following Typhoons Fung-Wong and Kalmaegi

U.S. military forces from multiple forward-deployed units concluded foreign disaster relief operations following impacts by Typhoons Fung-Wong and Kalmaegi in the Philippines.

Read More

From left, U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Alexander Cruz, Lance Cpl. Samuel Engelman, and Lance Cpl. Jaden Neal transmissions system operators with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, program a Portable Radio Communications 160 System during a joint-training communications exercise at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Oct. 22, 2025 - From left, U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Alexander Cruz, Lance Cpl. Samuel Engelman, and Lance Cpl. Jaden Neal transmissions system operators with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, program a Portable Radio Communications 160 System during a joint-training communications exercise at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Oct. 22, 2025. 3rd MLR worked alongside U.S. Army soldiers with 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force, to communicate with Marines from 12th MLR in Okinawa, Japan, to enhance interoperability by rehearsing interorganizational communication and refining techniques, tactics, and procedures. Cruz and Neal are natives of California, and Engelman is a native of Missouri. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Grace Barneveld)

Enhancing Interoperability: 3rd MLR and 12th MLR Conduct Communications Exercise with 3rd MDTF

3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, conducted a joint training exercise aimed at enhancing and synchronizing communications capabilities at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Oct. 22, 2025. This communications exercise involved collaboration between U.S. Marines with 3rd MLR and U.S. Army Soldiers from the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force, as well as participation from U.S. Marines with 12th Marine Littoral Regiment based out of Okinawa, Japan.

Read More

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jeremy Smith, Indo-Pacific Deputy Director cuts a cake at the Daniel K. Inouye Center for Excellence on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, on Nov. 4, 2025. The event was to celebrate the United States Marine Corps’ 250th birthday, honoring the legacy of Marine service and recognizing the Marines assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency who support the mission through Marine Forces Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shay Stuart) - U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jeremy Smith, Indo-Pacific Deputy Director cuts a cake at the Daniel K. Inouye Center for Excellence on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, on Nov. 4, 2025. The event was to celebrate the United States Marine Corps’ 250th birthday, honoring the legacy of Marine service and recognizing the Marines assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency who support the mission through Marine Forces Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shay Stuart)

DPAA Celebrates Marine Corps' 250th Anniversary with Focus on Commitment to the Fallen

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency commemorated the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th birthday with a cake-cutting ceremony at the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center of Excellence, Nov. 4. The event served not only as a celebration but also a reaffirmation of the Corps' enduring legacy, particularly its unwavering commitment to those missing in action. U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. George Rowell, director of strategic planning and policy, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command also known as USINDOPACOM, underscored this vital connection as the guest speaker, emphasizing the critical role Marines play within DPAA's mission.

Read More

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division execute a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System live-fire mission at the Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan, Oct. 27, 2025. HIMARS training at Camp Fuji offers unique advantages, including realistic training terrain, adequate range capacity, and specialized infrastructure necessary to safely and effectively support HIMARS operations. This training represents a significant advancement of Camp Fuji’s capability to support long-range fires and reflects our commitment to maintaining readiness and maximizing deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Emerson Nuñez) - U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division execute a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System live-fire mission at the Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan, Oct. 27, 2025. HIMARS training at Camp Fuji offers unique advantages, including realistic training terrain, adequate range capacity, and specialized infrastructure necessary to safely and effectively support HIMARS operations. This training represents a significant advancement of Camp Fuji’s capability to support long-range fires and reflects our commitment to maintaining readiness and maximizing deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Emerson Nuñez)

Historic HIMARS training exercise in Japan

Well before the sunlight kissed the slopes of Mount Fuji, U.S. Marines prepared to make history with a display of lethality. A highly anticipated High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire exercise at the Combined Arms Training Center marked a turning point in U.S. defense Oct. 27, two weeks before the Marine Corps’ Birthday.

Read More

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Chris Niedziocha, the commanding officer of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and 31st MEU staff embark the light amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, Oct. 26, 2025. The embarkation was an opportunity for the 31st MEU to integrate with their U.S. Navy counterparts aboard the USS Tripoli. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Trevor BishopWilliams) - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Chris Niedziocha, the commanding officer of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and 31st MEU staff embark the light amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, Oct. 26, 2025. The embarkation was an opportunity for the 31st MEU to integrate with their U.S. Navy counterparts aboard the USS Tripoli. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force, ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Trevor BishopWilliams)

31st MEU | Integration with USS Tripoli for the First Time

Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan – In October 2025, for the first time since the USS Tripoli (LHA 7) sailed to the Indo-Pacific, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Command Element embarked the USS Tripoli, marking a pivotal shift in the unit’s operational posture and amphibious capabilities. This integration signals the beginning of a new chapter for the 31st MEU as it begins long-term operations with the Tripoli, marking the transition from USS America (LHA 6), which served as the MEU’s primary aviation platform in the Indo-Pacific for the past six years. The staff's arrival aboard Tripoli establishes the relationships needed to execute a forward, sea-based command and control node capable of directing complex expeditionary military operations across the Indo-Pacific. This integration allows the 31st MEU to have long-distance force projection from a mobile, self-sustained platform and rapidly respond to contingencies throughout the region.

Read More

A Philippine Air Force service member, left, coordinates with U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Steve Lundin, right, the officer in charge of the Humanitarian Assistance Response Team assigned to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, I Marine Expeditionary Force, about unloading palletized family food packs from a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, in support of foreign disaster relief operations at Virac, Philippines, Nov. 13, 2025. - A Philippine Air Force service member, left, coordinates with U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Steve Lundin, right, the officer in charge of the Humanitarian Assistance Response Team assigned to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, I Marine Expeditionary Force, about unloading palletized family food packs from a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, in support of foreign disaster relief operations at Virac, Philippines, Nov. 13, 2025. At the request of the Government of the Philippines, the U.S. military is working alongside the Armed Forces of the Philippines to provide foreign disaster relief support to communities affected by consecutive Typhoons Kalmaegi (Tino) and Fung-Wong (Uwan), which caused extensive damage and tragic loss of life. The forward presence and ready posture of United States Indo-Pacific Command in the region facilitates rapid and effective response to crisis, demonstrating the U.S.’s commitment to Allies and partners during times of need. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brian Knowles)

United States Military Deploys Foreign Disaster Relief Support for the Philippine Response to Successive Storms

At the request of the government of the Philippines, the U.S. military is working shoulder-to-shoulder with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to provide foreign disaster relief to communities affected by consecutive Typhoons Kalmaegi (Tino) and Fung-Wong (Uwan), which caused extensive damage and tragic loss of life.

Read More

The joint training demonstrated 3rd LCT's ability to conduct equipment recovery operations utilizing the capabilities of the U.S. Army's MSV(L) in a littoral environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Malia Sparks) - U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, and U.S. soldiers with 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), offload a Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System from a Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) (MSV(L)) on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Sept. 17, 2025.

3rd Marine Littoral Regiment Explores Littoral Mobility with U.S. Army MSV(L) Training

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii – U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team and 3rd Littoral Logistic Battalion, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, performed drills using the U.S. Army’s Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) alongside soldiers assigned to 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) on Wednesday.

Read More

U.S. Navy Petty Officer Second Class Austin Washington, an aviation boatswain mate handler, directs an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 363, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, for landing aboard the expeditionary sea base USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 29, 2025. For the first time in the rotation’s history, the MRF-D Marine Air-Ground Task Force's Aviation and Ground Combat Elements embarked aboard a U.S. Navy vessel to extend operational reach and provide flexible, combat-credible options across the Indo-Pacific. MRF-D is an annual six-month rotational deployment to enhance interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and allies and partners and provide a forward postured crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific. Washington is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Angelina Sara) - U.S. Navy Petty Officer Second Class Austin Washington, an aviation boatswain mate handler, directs an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 363, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, for landing aboard the expeditionary sea base USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 29, 2025. For the first time in the rotation’s history, the MRF-D Marine Air-Ground Task Force's Aviation and Ground Combat Elements embarked aboard a U.S. Navy vessel to extend operational reach and provide flexible, combat-credible options across the Indo-Pacific. MRF-D is an annual six-month rotational deployment to enhance interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and allies and partners and provide a forward postured crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific. Washington is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Angelina Sara)

MRF-D surges forward as the stand-in MAGTF

U.S. Marines with the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) 25.3 closed out the summer by operating alongside key allies and partners during Exercise Super Garuda Shield 25 in Indonesia and embarking combat-credible forces aboard the U.S. Navy’s expeditionary sea base USS Miguel Keith (ESB-5) for the first time in the rotation’s history. These operations positioned distributed crisis response and combat credible forces across the First and Second Island Chains and demonstrated to combined and joint forces their ability to operate as a true stand-in force in the region.

Read More