Pacific Marines Stories

From left, Armed Forces of the Philippines Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, commander, Southern Luzon Command, and Philippine Exercise Co-Director; Undersecretary Cardozo M. Luna, Undersecretary of the Department of National Defense; Sung Y. Kim, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines; Armed Forces of the Philippines Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, Jr., AFP Chief of Staff; and U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Christopher A. McPhillips, commanding general, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade stand shoulder-to-shoulder at Tejeros Hall, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, April 1, 2019. The ceremony represented the official commencement of Balikatan 2019 and the continued partnership between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. Balikatan 19, in its 35th iteration, is an annual U.S.-Philippine military training focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterterrorism, and other combined military operations held from April 1 to April 12. - From left, Armed Forces of the Philippines Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, commander, Southern Luzon Command, and Philippine Exercise Co-Director; Undersecretary Cardozo M. Luna, Undersecretary of the Department of National Defense; Sung Y. Kim, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines; Armed Forces of the Philippines Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, Jr., AFP Chief of Staff; and U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Christopher A. McPhillips, commanding general, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade stand shoulder-to-shoulder at Tejeros Hall, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, April 1, 2019. The ceremony represented the official commencement of Balikatan 2019 and the continued partnership between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. Balikatan 19, in its 35th iteration, is an annual U.S.-Philippine military training focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterterrorism, and other combined military operations held from April 1 to April 12.

A U.S. Marine shooter and spotters assess the target in the Team Pistol Match finals at Range 1 on Camp Hansen Dec. 13, 2018. Marine Corps Shooting Teams members verified the hits of the shooter. - A U.S. Marine shooter and spotters assess the target in the Team Pistol Match finals at Range 1 on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan Dec. 13, 2018. Marine Corps Shooting Teams members verified the hits of the shooter.

The dock landing ship USS Ashland sits idle off the coast during the U.S. Defense Support of Civil Authorities relief effort in response to Super Typhoon Yutu, Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Nov. 3, 2018. Businesses, government buildings, homes and schools were heavily damaged by Super Typhoon Yutu, which made a direct hit with devastating effect on Tinian Oct. 25 packing 170 MPH winds – it is the second strongest storm to ever hit U.S. soil and the strongest storm of 2018. Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and CLB-31 have been leading a multi-service contingent since Oct. 29 as part of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency-directed DSCA mission here. The Ashland arrived today to deliver a larger contingent of Marines and Seabees to further assist the people of Tinian. The Marines arrived at the request of CNMI officials and FEMA to assist relief efforts in the wake of Yutu, the largest typhoon to ever hit a U.S. territory. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible force ready to perform a wide-range of military operations across the Indo-Pacific region. - The dock landing ship USS Ashland sits idle off the coast during the U.S. Defense Support of Civil Authorities relief effort in response to Super Typhoon Yutu, Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Nov. 3, 2018. Businesses, government buildings, homes and schools were heavily damaged by Super Typhoon Yutu, which made a direct hit with devastating effect on Tinian Oct. 25 packing 170 MPH winds – it is the second strongest storm to ever hit U.S. soil and the strongest storm of 2018. Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and CLB-31 have been leading a multi-service contingent since Oct. 29 as part of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency-directed DSCA mission here. The Ashland arrived today to deliver a larger contingent of Marines and Seabees to further assist the people of Tinian. The Marines arrived at the request of CNMI officials and FEMA to assist relief efforts in the wake of Yutu, the largest typhoon to ever hit a U.S. territory. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible force ready to perform a wide-range of military operations across the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rudy Martinez, a powerliner from Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, watches over the refueling process of an F-18 Hornet after flight operations at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Feb. 11, during Exercise Cobra Gold 2011. Cobra Gold is an regularly scheduled annual multinational training exercise. It is the latest in the continuing series of U.S. - Thai military exercises designed to ensure regional peace and stability. - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rudy Martinez, a powerliner from Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, watches over the refueling process of an F-18 Hornet after flight operations at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Feb. 11, during Exercise Cobra Gold 2011. Cobra Gold is an regularly scheduled annual multinational training exercise. It is the latest in the continuing series of U.S. - Thai military exercises designed to ensure regional peace and stability.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Christian Marin, a heavy equipment mechanic with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, radios-in a simulated casualty during Exercise Eagle Wrath 2016 at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji,Japan, July 28, 2016. During the culminating event, Marines established a mock air base including a landing zone and refueling point, constructed defensive and machine-gun positions, and conducted convoys and patrols over the course of four days. MWSS-171 conducts this exercise once a year in order to train all the Marines within the squadron, enhance their technical skills, field experience and military occupational specialty capability. - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Christian Marin, a heavy equipment mechanic with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, radios-in a simulated casualty during Exercise Eagle Wrath 2016 at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji,Japan, July 28, 2016. During the culminating event, Marines established a mock air base including a landing zone and refueling point, constructed defensive and machine-gun positions, and conducted convoys and patrols over the course of four days. MWSS-171 conducts this exercise once a year in order to train all the Marines within the squadron, enhance their technical skills, field experience and military occupational specialty capability.

U.S. Marines and airmen perform a site assessment at Osan Air Base in the Republic of Korea March 19. Site assessment was one of the response scenarios during a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear joint training exercise with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 1 CBRN and 51st Civil Engineer Squadron CBRN. The week-long bilateral training event enabled Marines and airmen to learn different tactics, techniques and procedures. - U.S. Marines and airmen perform a site assessment at Osan Air Base in the Republic of Korea March 19. Site assessment was one of the response scenarios during a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear joint training exercise with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 1 CBRN and 51st Civil Engineer Squadron CBRN. The week-long bilateral training event enabled Marines and airmen to learn different tactics, techniques and procedures.

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green speaks to Marines March 26 during a visit to Okinawa. The commandant, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, and the sergeant major traveled to the Marine bases on Okinawa from March 24-26 to talk with Marines about their expectations for the Marines and the Corps. “My priorities are to make sure we have the warfighting capabilities we need, to address the maturity of our leaders and to make sure they have the training, education and the experience that they need to be successful on the battlefield,” said Dunford. - Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green speaks to Marines March 26 during a visit to Okinawa. The commandant, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, and the sergeant major traveled to the Marine bases on Okinawa from March 24-26 to talk with Marines about their expectations for the Marines and the Corps. “My priorities are to make sure we have the warfighting capabilities we need, to address the maturity of our leaders and to make sure they have the training, education and the experience that they need to be successful on the battlefield,” said Dunford.

Marines with the Offload Preparation Party onboard the Maritime Prepositioning Force ship, USNS Pililaau, perform pre-operation checks, Feb. 6, in order to support Exercise Cobra Gold 2015. Their mission is to prepare and offload supplies and equipment from ship to shore. - Marines with the Offload Preparation Party onboard the Maritime Prepositioning Force ship, USNS Pililaau, perform pre-operation checks, Feb. 6, in order to support Exercise Cobra Gold 2015. Their mission is to prepare and offload supplies and equipment from ship to shore.

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii – Cpl. Robert Modar, a cannoneer with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, pulls the lanyard on an M327 Expeditionary Fire Support System Oct. 7 during a training and readiness evaluation. The Marines from 1st Bn., 12th Marines, were getting evaluated on timeliness of getting the 120 mm rounds fired off as preparation for an upcoming deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Erik Estrada) - SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii – Cpl. Robert Modar, a cannoneer with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, pulls the lanyard on an M327 Expeditionary Fire Support System Oct. 7 during a training and readiness evaluation. The Marines from 1st Bn., 12th Marines, were getting evaluated on timeliness of getting the 120 mm rounds fired off as preparation for an upcoming deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Erik Estrada)