Pacific Marines Stories

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, conduct flight deck qualifications aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) while underway in the Pacific Ocean, July 15, 2024. Joint training between 3rd MAW squadrons and the Tripoli in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations enabled the amphibious assault ship to conduct Mobility Air Qualifications and 3rd MAW squadrons to maintain currency required for amphibious operations. - U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, conduct flight deck qualifications aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) while underway in the Pacific Ocean, July 15, 2024. Joint training between 3rd MAW squadrons and the Tripoli in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations enabled the amphibious assault ship to conduct Mobility Air Qualifications and 3rd MAW squadrons to maintain currency required for amphibious operations.

Men look at computers - Marines from Kirtland Air Force Base participate in the "Virtual Flag" exercise at the Distributed Mission Operations Center at KAFB, N.M., Aug. 25, 2023. "Virtual Flag" allows operational and tactical warfighters to engage in a virtual theater-level joint combat environment in an Indo-Pacific area of responsibility, allowing them to train with simulated real-world threats in real-time. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo.)

As dusk descends, Marines and civilians from the Program Manager for Ground-Based Air Defense assemble around Program Executive Officer Land System’s cutting-edge Medium Range Intercept Capability system. Serving as the Corps’ first medium range missile capability since the HAWK system, this state-of-the-art capability proved its mettle by successfully hitting targets at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, on December 16, 2021. - As dusk descends, Marines and civilians from the Program Manager for Ground-Based Air Defense assemble around Program Executive Officer Land System’s cutting-edge Medium Range Intercept Capability system. Serving as the Corps’ first medium range missile capability since the HAWK system, this state-of-the-art capability proved its mettle by successfully hitting targets at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, on December 16, 2021.

U.S. Navy Ensign Brianna Curley, a public affairs officer with Expeditionary Strike Group 3, demonstrates a recently contructed bridge to cadets of the Philippine Army during a tour of Camp Agnew, Casigueran, Philippines in preparation for Balikatan 23 on April 3, 2023. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by SSgt. Danny Gonzalez) - U.S. Navy Ensign Brianna Curley, a public affairs officer with Expeditionary Strike Group 3, demonstrates a recently contructed bridge to cadets of the Philippine Army during a tour of Camp Agnew, Casigueran, Philippines in preparation for Balikatan 23 on April 3, 2023. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by SSgt. Danny Gonzalez)

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Joseph McDonnell, a crew chief with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 462, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, lowers a package to the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Maine (SSBN 741) during a vertical replenishment (VERTREP) in the Philippine Sea, May 9, 2023. Vertical replenishments enable naval vessels to quickly receive critical resources without disrupting maritime security operations while underway. III MEF is postured to enable naval expeditionary operations within the first island chain as part of a Stand-in-Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Emily Weiss) - U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Joseph McDonnell, a crew chief with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 462, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, lowers a package to the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Maine (SSBN 741) during a vertical replenishment (VERTREP) in the Philippine Sea, May 9, 2023. Vertical replenishments enable naval vessels to quickly receive critical resources without disrupting maritime security operations while underway. III MEF is postured to enable naval expeditionary operations within the first island chain as part of a Stand-in-Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Emily Weiss)

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.

Sgt. Augustin A. Delgado, watch staff noncommissioned officer at the command operations center, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, pins a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal on Keli’i Ramento’s, 5, chest during an award ceremony here June 1. Delgado received the award for helping save Ramento from drowning in a residential pool. - Sgt. Augustin A. Delgado, watch staff noncommissioned officer at the command operations center, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, pins a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal on Keli’i Ramento’s, 5, chest during an award ceremony here June 1. Delgado received the award for helping save Ramento from drowning in a residential pool.