Pacific Marines Stories

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Geoffrey Blumenfled, the commanding officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, left, poses for a group photo after Marines with Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary demonstrated a fast-rope insertion to partner forces at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Waimanalo, Hawaii, as part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2024, July 2. Lt. Col. Blumenfled piloted the MV-22B Osprey while 15th MEU Marines demonstrated to partner forces the ability to conduct fast-rope insertions in austere locations. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world's largest international maritime exercise; RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Helms) - U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Geoffrey Blumenfled, the commanding officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, left, poses for a group photo after Marines with Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary demonstrated a fast-rope insertion to partner forces at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Waimanalo, Hawaii, as part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2024, July 2. Lt. Col. Blumenfled piloted the MV-22B Osprey while 15th MEU Marines demonstrated to partner forces the ability to conduct fast-rope insertions in austere locations. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world's largest international maritime exercise; RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Helms)

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Heath Phillips, commanding officer, 1st Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, receives a gift during a reactivation and designation ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Aug. 31, 2023. Originally activated in July 1982 in Okinawa, Japan, the unit underwent two redesignations before folding its’ colors in Sept. 2007. The reactivation of 1st LAAD Battalion demonstrates forward progression toward force modernization in the INDOPACIFIC region. The primary mission of 1st LAAD Battalion is to deliver close-in, low-altitude, surface-to-air weapon capabilities. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Clayton Baker) - U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Heath Phillips, commanding officer, 1st Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, receives a gift during a reactivation and designation ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Aug. 31, 2023. Originally activated in July 1982 in Okinawa, Japan, the unit underwent two redesignations before folding its’ colors in Sept. 2007. The reactivation of 1st LAAD Battalion demonstrates forward progression toward force modernization in the INDOPACIFIC region. The primary mission of 1st LAAD Battalion is to deliver close-in, low-altitude, surface-to-air weapon capabilities. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Clayton Baker)