Pacific Marines Stories

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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