Pacific Marines Stories

Sgt. Kevin A. Aguilar, dispatching and licensing noncommissioned officer in charge for Headquarters and Service Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, conducts Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training with his Marines on a regular basis. In addition to his military occupational duties, Aguilar serves as a suicide prevention instructor trainer, Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructor and Mentors in Violence Prevention instructor. - Sgt. Kevin A. Aguilar, dispatching and licensing noncommissioned officer in charge for Headquarters and Service Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, conducts Marine Corps Martial Arts Program training with his Marines on a regular basis. In addition to his military occupational duties, Aguilar serves as a suicide prevention instructor trainer, Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructor and Mentors in Violence Prevention instructor.

A construction worker with Naval Facilites Engineering Command Hawaii, guides the installation of the Marine memorial to be set in place at the USS Arizona Memorial and Visitor Center Sept. 14. The concrete base contains seven bronze plaques honoring 73 Marines who lie entombed in the USS Arizona since the attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Cristina N. Porras) (Released) - A construction worker with Naval Facilites Engineering Command Hawaii, guides the installation of the Marine memorial to be set in place at the USS Arizona Memorial and Visitor Center Sept. 14. The concrete base contains seven bronze plaques honoring 73 Marines who lie entombed in the USS Arizona since the attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Cristina N. Porras) (Released)

Deborah R. Collins, executive director for the National Security Training Institute, presents her Violence in the Workplace security briefing to dozens of service members and employees assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, Sept. 10 at the MarForPac headquarters building, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. Collins uses her firsthand experience as a survivor of the 1988 shooting at Electromagnetic Systems Labs to teach the warning signs and how to handle a potentially violent employee. - Deborah R. Collins, executive director for the National Security Training Institute, presents her Violence in the Workplace security briefing to dozens of service members and employees assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, Sept. 10 at the MarForPac headquarters building, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. Collins uses her firsthand experience as a survivor of the 1988 shooting at Electromagnetic Systems Labs to teach the warning signs and how to handle a potentially violent employee.

Lt. Gen. Keith J. Stalder (right) relinquishes command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, to Lt. Gen. Duane D. Thiessen Sept. 2 during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. Thiessen served as the Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Programs and Resources prior to his new position. Stalder retired during the ceremony after more than 37 years of service. - Lt. Gen. Keith J. Stalder (right) relinquishes command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, to Lt. Gen. Duane D. Thiessen Sept. 2 during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. Thiessen served as the Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Programs and Resources prior to his new position. Stalder retired during the ceremony after more than 37 years of service.

Staff Sgt. John Chang, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific’s information assurance chief, uses “beer goggles” to simulate the effects alcohol has on a person’s vision Aug. 18 during the MarForPac Health and Wellness Fair at the MarForPac headquarters building, here. ::r::::n:: “I can’t touch anything without missing it a couple times first,” Chang said. “You really don’t understand how alcohol affects your vision until you experience it with a sober mind.”::r::::n::Chang attended the event to acquire and bring new information to his Marines in order to teach them healthy decision-making skills. - Staff Sgt. John Chang, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific’s information assurance chief, uses “beer goggles” to simulate the effects alcohol has on a person’s vision Aug. 18 during the MarForPac Health and Wellness Fair at the MarForPac headquarters building, here. ::r::::n:: “I can’t touch anything without missing it a couple times first,” Chang said. “You really don’t understand how alcohol affects your vision until you experience it with a sober mind.”::r::::n::Chang attended the event to acquire and bring new information to his Marines in order to teach them healthy decision-making skills.

Tom Carpenter, forward for the Navy, Marine, Coast Guard team, rushes up the ice during the first-ever Wounded Warriors Charity Hockey Game Aug. 29 at the Ice Palace, Aiea, Hawaii. The Army, Air Force team took the win 5-3. - Tom Carpenter, forward for the Navy, Marine, Coast Guard team, rushes up the ice during the first-ever Wounded Warriors Charity Hockey Game Aug. 29 at the Ice Palace, Aiea, Hawaii. The Army, Air Force team took the win 5-3.

U.S. Marine Maj. Heidi McKenna, assigned to Marine Forces Pacific, listens to a field report for the current operations team during Pacific Endeavor workshop. Pacific Endeavor is a multinational communication workshop bringing together 16 Asia-Pacific nations to discuss communication interoperability, share best practices, and test their abilities to rapidly respond to a disaster scenario. - U.S. Marine Maj. Heidi McKenna, assigned to Marine Forces Pacific, listens to a field report for the current operations team during Pacific Endeavor workshop. Pacific Endeavor is a multinational communication workshop bringing together 16 Asia-Pacific nations to discuss communication interoperability, share best practices, and test their abilities to rapidly respond to a disaster scenario.

Amy Madsen, Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s base adjutant and a former Marine captain, shares her enthusiasm for the military’s stance on equal opportunity Aug. 23 during U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific’s Women’s Equality Day observance.::r::::n::“I was really amazed that we were always fully integrated with the men,” Madsen said as she recounted her time in The Basic School as a young 2nd lieutenant.::r::::n::August 26 is the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. ::r::::n:: - Amy Madsen, Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s base adjutant and a former Marine captain, shares her enthusiasm for the military’s stance on equal opportunity Aug. 23 during U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific’s Women’s Equality Day observance.::r::::n::“I was really amazed that we were always fully integrated with the men,” Madsen said as she recounted her time in The Basic School as a young 2nd lieutenant.::r::::n::August 26 is the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. ::r::::n::

Col. John Lowrey, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific’s Regional Operations and Plans officer in charge, presents Sgt. Michael G. Dowling a Bronze Star with “V” device for valor July 6 at the MarForPac Headquarters, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. Dowling, a scout sniper currently serving as the ROPS noncommissioned officer in charge, led more than 30 missions as a scout sniper team leader during his 2009 Afghanistan deployment with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. - Col. John Lowrey, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific’s Regional Operations and Plans officer in charge, presents Sgt. Michael G. Dowling a Bronze Star with “V” device for valor July 6 at the MarForPac Headquarters, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. Dowling, a scout sniper currently serving as the ROPS noncommissioned officer in charge, led more than 30 missions as a scout sniper team leader during his 2009 Afghanistan deployment with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.