Pacific Marines Stories

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Stuart Glenn, left, commanding officer for Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, poses for a photo with an Indonesian marine with 10th Marine Infantry Battalion, Indonesian Korps Marinir, after a coastal defense exercise during Keris Marine Exercise (MAREX) 2024 on Kabupaten Lingga, Singkep, Indonesia, Nov. 15, 2024. Keris MAREX is a bilateral exercise conducted by the U.S. Marine Corps and Korps Marinir Republik Indonesia, or Indonesian Marine Corps, to strengthen relationships as military partners and increase interoperability among participating forces in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter) - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Stuart Glenn, left, commanding officer for Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, poses for a photo with an Indonesian marine with 10th Marine Infantry Battalion, Indonesian Korps Marinir, after a coastal defense exercise during Keris Marine Exercise (MAREX) 2024 on Kabupaten Lingga, Singkep, Indonesia, Nov. 15, 2024. Keris MAREX is a bilateral exercise conducted by the U.S. Marine Corps and Korps Marinir Republik Indonesia, or Indonesian Marine Corps, to strengthen relationships as military partners and increase interoperability among participating forces in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter)

U.S. Marines assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, detonate an M18 Claymore mine during a live-fire coastal defense as part of exercise KAMANDAG 8 at Apurawan Beach, Palawan Province, Philippines, Oct. 22, 2024. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Amelia Kang) - U.S. Marines assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, detonate an M18 Claymore mine during a live-fire coastal defense as part of exercise KAMANDAG 8 at Apurawan Beach, Palawan Province, Philippines, Oct. 22, 2024. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Amelia Kang)

U.S. Marines assigned to Reconnaissance Company, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Philippine Marines and special operations forces coast guardsmen, and Republic of Korea special reconnaissance Marines ride combat rubber raiding craft in formation during training as part of exercise KAMANDAG 8 at Marine Base Gregorio Lim, Ternate, Philippines, Oct. 20, 2024. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Helms) - U.S. Marines assigned to Reconnaissance Company, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Philippine Marines and special operations forces coast guardsmen, and Republic of Korea special reconnaissance Marines ride combat rubber raiding craft in formation during training as part of exercise KAMANDAG 8 at Marine Base Gregorio Lim, Ternate, Philippines, Oct. 20, 2024. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Helms)

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, brace as a CH-53 Super Stallion approaches for loading during a helicopter support team exercise on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 7, 2023. The HST exercise was conducted to refine key skills for pilots and landing support Marines in sling loading operations. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force in 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 Cpl. Juan K. Maldonado) - U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, brace as a CH-53 Super Stallion approaches for loading during a helicopter support team exercise on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 7, 2023. The HST exercise was conducted to refine key skills for pilots and landing support Marines in sling loading operations. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force in 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 Cpl. Juan K. Maldonado)

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.)