Pacific Marines Stories

U.S. Marines and sailors assigned to Task Force Ashland, I Marine Expeditionary Force, pose for a photo as they prepare to debark amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) in support of Exercise Cobra Gold 2026 at Chuk Samet in the Gulf of Thailand, Feb. 22, 2026. Cobra Gold is the Indo-Pacific’s largest annual military exercise in mainland Asia, co-hosted by the U.S. and Thailand. The exercise brings together participants from multiple nations for military training and humanitarian projects that strengthen regional partnerships and demonstrate U.S. commitment to Indo-Pacific security. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Brian Knowles) - U.S. Marines and sailors assigned to Task Force Ashland, I Marine Expeditionary Force, pose for a photo as they prepare to debark amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) in support of Exercise Cobra Gold 2026 at Chuk Samet in the Gulf of Thailand, Feb. 22, 2026. Cobra Gold is the Indo-Pacific’s largest annual military exercise in mainland Asia, co-hosted by the U.S. and Thailand. The exercise brings together participants from multiple nations for military training and humanitarian projects that strengthen regional partnerships and demonstrate U.S. commitment to Indo-Pacific security. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Brian Knowles)

Task Force Ashland, USS Ashland arrive in Thailand for Exercise Cobra Gold 2026

CHUK SAMET, Thailand — Task Force (TF) Ashland, a forward-deployed force of U.S. Marines and Sailors aboard Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48), arrived in the Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 22, to join approximately 8,000 service members from 30 nations for the 45th iteration of Exercise Cobra Gold, which runs from Feb. 24 to March 6, 2026.

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U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ryan Wass, a sensor platoon maintenance chief with air control battery, 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, poses for a photo at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Feb. 27, 2026. - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ryan Wass, a sensor platoon maintenance chief with air control battery, 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, poses for a photo at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Feb. 27, 2026. Wass was recognized as the U.S. Missile Defender of the Year for the Marine Corps during the 16th Annual Missile Defender of the Year Awards ceremony in Alexandria, Virginia, Jan. 16, 2026. Wass is a native of Arizona. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ernesto Lagunes)

3rd LAAB Marine named U.S. Missile Defender of the Year

Sgt. Ryan Wass, a sensor platoon maintenance chief with air control battery, 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, was recognized as the U.S. Missile Defender of the Year for the Marine Corps during the 16th Annual Missile Defender of the Year Award Ceremony in Alexandria, Virginia, Jan. 16, 2026.

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U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, maneuver toward an objective during a live-fire training event at Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Feb. 3, 2026. - U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, maneuver toward an objective during a live-fire training event at Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, Feb. 3, 2026. The training exercise at PTA refined weapon system and tactical proficiency, strengthening overall combat readiness and preparing 3rd LCT for future operational requirements. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Iyer Ramakrishna)

Distributed Maritime Operations: 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment certifies its Marines during 2026 MCCRE

U.S. Marines and Sailors with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment executed a suite of dry-fire and live-fire ranges that concluded with a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation, February 6-11, 2026. The series of ranges and subsequent evaluation validated weapon system and tactical proficiency, bolstering warfighting readiness and preparing the unit for future operational requirements as a premier Stand-in Force within the Indo-Pacific.

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Two members of the Republic of the Philippines army play Taps during the first-ever Repatriation Ceremony held at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines for U.S. personnel who were disinterred there, March 6, 2026. - Currently, there are 71,783 U.S. personnel unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 10,000 missing in the Philippines, the largest total for any single country. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Lt. Col. George Tobias)

DPAA Conducts First Ever Repatriation Ceremony at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial: Marks 100 Disinterments in FY2026

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency conducted for the first time a Repatriation Ceremony at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, March 6, 2026. The ceremony also marked the first time in over five years that 100 disinterments had occurred in a fiscal year. Hosted by DPAA and the American Battle Monuments Commission, the event honored the sacrifice of the fallen U.S. personnel who could not be identified at the end of World War II and marks the start of the journey to the Daniel K. Inouye DPAA Center for Excellence, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, for potential identification.

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U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, took part in a pre-deployment brief for Korean Marine Exchange Program 26.1 at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 5, 2026. The brief gave Marines the opportunity to learn about financial advice, laws and the cultural differences they will experience during their time in Korea. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Matthew Borruso) - U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, took part in a pre-deployment brief for Korean Marine Exchange Program 26.1 at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 5, 2026. The brief gave Marines the opportunity to learn about financial advice, laws and the cultural differences they will experience during their time in Korea. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Matthew Borruso)

CLR-37 Korean Marine Exchange Program 26.1 Brief

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, took part in a pre-deployment brief for Korean Marine Exchange Program 26.1 at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 5, 2026. The brief gave Marines the opportunity to learn about financial advice, laws and the cultural differences they will experience during their deployment in Korea.

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U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Cody Overacker, center, a rifleman with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, forward deployed with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program, teaches a class on the M3A1 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System during Korea Viper 26.2 at Suesong-ri range in Pohang, South Korea, Feb. 20, 2026. Korea Viper is a recurring exercise series that demonstrates the Republic of Korea and U.S. Marine Corps' ability to respond decisively in the region as a singular, unified force while strengthening relationships and trust between the two allies. Overacker is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tucker Mocan) - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Cody Overacker, center, a rifleman with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, forward deployed with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program, teaches a class on the M3A1 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System during Korea Viper 26.2 at Suesong-ri range in Pohang, South Korea, Feb. 20, 2026. Korea Viper is a recurring exercise series that demonstrates the Republic of Korea and U.S. Marine Corps' ability to respond decisively in the region as a singular, unified force while strengthening relationships and trust between the two allies. Overacker is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tucker Mocan)

Backbone of the Battalion: 2/7 NCOs Sharpen Combat Readiness

“I should be setting the example in and out of the uniform. It is everything,” said Sgt. Cody Overacker, a squad leader and M3A1 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System gunner with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. “In uniform, I stay hungry and strive to improve every single day. I’m constantly studying our adversaries and their capabilities to ensure we’re prepared.” During the live-fire range, the Marines trained to increase proficiency with their M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles during the day. After the range had concluded, Overacker taught several classes on proper use of the M3A1 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System, including tactical positioning of the weapon system, and how to properly communicate when employing it, ensuring his Marines are prepared to employ the MAAWS effectively in combat.

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