Pacific Marines Stories

Philippine and U.S. government and military representatives conduct the “crossing of hands” during the opening ceremony to commence Exercise Balikatan 25 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2025 - Philippine and U.S. government and military representatives conduct the “crossing of hands” during the opening ceremony to commence Exercise Balikatan 25 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen our ironclad alliance, improve our capable combined force and demonstrate our commitment to regional security and stability. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Erica Padgett)

U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Christian Renklema, a native of Georgia and an artillery cannoneer with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, operates the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System on Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Oct. 24, 2024. The NMESIS provides the Marine Corps a highly deployable, land-based, anti-ship system that is a key capability for the Marine Littoral Regiment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Eric Huynh) - U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Christian Renklema, a native of Georgia and an artillery cannoneer with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, operates the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System on Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Oct. 24, 2024. The NMESIS provides the Marine Corps a highly deployable, land-based, anti-ship system that is a key capability for the Marine Littoral Regiment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Eric Huynh)

Indian Army (IA) personnel from the 4/8 Gurkha Rifles Infantry Battalion, 91st Infantry Brigade, traverse the beach in an IA BMP-II Sarath amphibious infantry combat vehicle, left, with an IA Mahindra Armored Light Specialist Vehicle, along with two U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division personnel, while two landing craft mechanized (LCM-8), launched from Indian Navy amphibious transport dock INS Jalashwa (L41), pull away during a large-scale amphibious landing drill held as part of Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025, at Kakinada Beach, Andhra Pradesh, India, April 11. - KAKINADA, Andhra Pradesh, India (April 11, 2025) - Indian Army (IA) personnel from the 4/8 Gurkha Rifles Infantry Battalion, 91st Infantry Brigade, traverse the beach in an IA BMP-II Sarath amphibious infantry combat vehicle, left, with an IA Mahindra Armored Light Specialist Vehicle, along with two U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division personnel, while two landing craft mechanized (LCM-8), launched from Indian Navy amphibious transport dock INS Jalashwa (L41), pull away during a large-scale amphibious landing drill held as part of Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025, at Kakinada Beach, Andhra Pradesh, India, April 11. Tiger Triumph is a joint and combined U.S.-India exercise focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster response readiness and interoperability. Tiger Triumph enables U.S. and Indian armed forces to improve interoperability and bilateral, joint, and service readiness in the Indian Ocean region and beyond to support a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Caroline H. Lui)

U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and Philippine Engineers with the 357th Air Engineering Squadron members pose for a team photo during Exercise Balikatan 25 at the Barangay Dagupan Multipurpose Gymnasium, Lal-lo, Cagayan, Philippines, April 8, 2025. - U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and Philippine Engineers with the 357th Air Engineering Squadron members pose for a team photo during Exercise Balikatan 25 at the Barangay Dagupan Multipurpose Gymnasium, Lal-lo, Cagayan, Philippines, April 8, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen our ironclad alliance, improve our capable combined force and demonstrate our commitment to regional security and stability (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Roger- Junior Annoh)

U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Rotational Force — Darwin 25.3 and Armed Forces of the Philippines service members practice fireman carries during tactical field care training as part of Marine Exercise 2025 near Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines, April 1, 2025. - U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Rotational Force — Darwin 25.3 and Armed Forces of the Philippines service members practice fireman carries during tactical field care training as part of Marine Exercise 2025 near Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines, April 1, 2025. MAREX 2025 is a bilateral exercise between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Philippine Marine Corps designed to further enhance relationships, interoperability, and combined arms capabilities in a realistic training environment. MRF-D 25.3 is part of 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. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ezekieljay Correa)

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Joshua Chambers, operational planner, Operations Division, G-3, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, poses for a photo on Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, Apr. 1, 2025. Chambers recounts the story of how his great-grandfather, Col. Justice M. Chambers, received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The Battle of Iwo Jima, fought from February 19 to March 26, 1945, was one of the deadliest campaigns undertaken by the United States Marine Corps during World War II. Joshua Chambers is a native of Austin, Texas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jose Villasenor) - U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Joshua Chambers, operational planner, Operations Division, G-3, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, poses for a photo on Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, Apr. 1, 2025. Chambers recounts the story of how his great-grandfather, Col. Justice M. Chambers, received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The Battle of Iwo Jima, fought from February 19 to March 26, 1945, was one of the deadliest campaigns undertaken by the United States Marine Corps during World War II. Joshua Chambers is a native of Austin, Texas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jose Villasenor)

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jason C. Armas, center, the commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, and Sgt. Maj. Michael T. Escobar, right, the sergeant major of MRF – D 25.3, pose for a photo with Group Captain Melissa Neilson, the commander of Northern Command, at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, March 17, 2025. - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jason C. Armas, center, the commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, and Sgt. Maj. Michael T. Escobar, right, the sergeant major of MRF – D 25.3, pose for a photo with Group Captain Melissa Neilson, the commander of Northern Command, at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, March 17, 2025. MRF-D 25.3 is part of 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. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ezekieljay Correa)

VISAKHAPATNAM, Andhra Pradesh, India (April 1, 2025) - Indian Navy (IN) Rear Adm. Susheel Menon, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF), front, Rear Adm. Greg Newkirk, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, second from right, and other leaders representing U.S. and India joint forces salute during the national anthem on the flight deck aboard the IN amphibious transport dock INS Jalashwa (L41) during the opening ceremony of Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025, at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, April 1. Tiger Triumph is a joint and combined U.S.-India exercise focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief readiness and interoperability. Tiger Triumph enables U.S. and Indian armed forces to improve interoperability and bilateral, joint, and service readiness in the Indian Ocean region and beyond to support a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Caroline H. Lui) - VISAKHAPATNAM, Andhra Pradesh, India (April 1, 2025) - Indian Navy (IN) Rear Adm. Susheel Menon, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF), front, Rear Adm. Greg Newkirk, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, second from right, and other leaders representing U.S. and India joint forces salute during the national anthem on the flight deck aboard the IN amphibious transport dock INS Jalashwa (L41) during the opening ceremony of Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025, at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, April 1. Tiger Triumph is a joint and combined U.S.-India exercise focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief readiness and interoperability. Tiger Triumph enables U.S. and Indian armed forces to improve interoperability and bilateral, joint, and service readiness in the Indian Ocean region and beyond to support a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Caroline H. Lui)

U.S. veterans of the Battle of Iwo Jima pay their respects to the Reunion of Honor memorial during the Reunion of Honor ceremony at Iwo To, Japan, 29 March, 2025. The 80th Reunion of Honor is a milestone anniversary that commemorates the sacrifices made by both Japanese and American service members during the Battle of Iwo Jima, honoring their legacy and ensuring their stories are preserved for future generations. This milestone anniversary serves as a reminder of the enduring partnership between both nations and the progress made toward regional stability over the past 80 years. The U.S. Marine Corps was born on November 10th, 1775. From that day until the present, Marines have served with distinction in every clime and place, including the hallowed battle fields of Iwo Jima. This year, the U.S. Marine Corps celebrates 250 years of honor, courage, and commitment across the globe. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jennifer Le) - U.S. veterans of the Battle of Iwo Jima pay their respects to the Reunion of Honor memorial during the Reunion of Honor ceremony at Iwo To, Japan, 29 March, 2025. The 80th Reunion of Honor is a milestone anniversary that commemorates the sacrifices made by both Japanese and American service members during the Battle of Iwo Jima, honoring their legacy and ensuring their stories are preserved for future generations. This milestone anniversary serves as a reminder of the enduring partnership between both nations and the progress made toward regional stability over the past 80 years. The U.S. Marine Corps was born on November 10th, 1775. From that day until the present, Marines have served with distinction in every clime and place, including the hallowed battle fields of Iwo Jima. This year, the U.S. Marine Corps celebrates 250 years of honor, courage, and commitment across the globe. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jennifer Le)

Singapore Guardsman Lt. Col. Mohamad Fahrul Bin Saaid, left, the commanding officer for 3rd Battalion Singapore Guards and U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Louis Collins, a company commander with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, attached to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, pose for a photo during the closing ceremony for Valiant Mark 25 at SAFTI City training facility, Singapore, March 27, 2025. - Singapore Guardsman Lt. Col. Mohamad Fahrul Bin Saaid, left, the commanding officer for 3rd Battalion Singapore Guards and U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Louis Collins, a company commander with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, attached to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, pose for a photo during the closing ceremony for Valiant Mark 25 at SAFTI City training facility, Singapore, March 27, 2025. SAFTI City, the premier urban training facility in Southeast Asia, is one of the largest and most technologically advanced facilities of its kind in the world. U.S. Marines with MRF-SEA were the first foreign partner force to train at the facility during Valiant Mark 25. Valiant Mark is an annual, bilateral training exercise designed to enhance interoperability, build mutual defense capabilities, and strengthen military-to-military relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps and Singapore Armed Forces. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I MEF executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF stand-in presence west of the international date line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter)